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Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#11

Post by JoachimSchipper »

srean wrote: post #8
nervechannel wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've discovered you can also set up a Custom Search Engine, with no included sites (default to everything), and specifically exclude the sites you don't want. Then do all your searches through this. http://www.google.com/cse/ Usability-wise, though, it's not nearly as much use as a 'ban' button next to each result would be. But it shows Google already have the infrastructure and code that would allow this -- they jus…

But its not free, right ?

From the signup page:

"Standard edition - ads are required on search pages"

There's an ad-free premium version as well, but you definitely can get it for free.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#12

Post by wccrawford »

srean wrote: post #8
nervechannel wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've discovered you can also set up a Custom Search Engine, with no included sites (default to everything), and specifically exclude the sites you don't want. Then do all your searches through this. http://www.google.com/cse/ Usability-wise, though, it's not nearly as much use as a 'ban' button next to each result would be. But it shows Google already have the infrastructure and code that would allow this -- they jus…

But its not free, right ?

It's free if you show ads on the pages. It costs money if you don't.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#13

Post by nervechannel »

srean wrote: post #8
nervechannel wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've discovered you can also set up a Custom Search Engine, with no included sites (default to everything), and specifically exclude the sites you don't want. Then do all your searches through this. http://www.google.com/cse/ Usability-wise, though, it's not nearly as much use as a 'ban' button next to each result would be. But it shows Google already have the infrastructure and code that would allow this -- they jus…

But its not free, right ?

Basic ad-supported version is free.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#15

Post by duck »

shrikant wrote: post #9
foljs wrote: post #3

And no more bloody experts-exchange...

I honestly don't mind that site - about half the time I search for an issue, I find it's been resolved by someone over at Experts Exchange. Do people realise that if Google is your referrer, you can scroll all the way down and see the solutions to the question?

I have always known that, but I don't think a lot of people do. A while back I was working with a high dollar consultant who really thought he knew it all, but he seemed really surprised that I didn't need to use his Experts Exchange account to see the answer.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#16

Post by tszyn »

nervechannel wrote: post #6
iwwr wrote: post #2

In the interim, you can do your searches by adding -wareseeker -efreedom to the search string.

I've discovered you can also set up a Custom Search Engine, with no included sites (default to everything), and specifically exclude the sites you don't want. Then do all your searches through this. http://www.google.com/cse/ Usability-wise, though, it's not nearly as much use as a 'ban' button next to each result would be. But it shows Google already have the infrastructure and code that would allow this -- they jus…

Yes, it works and it's completely free. Here's an example Custom Search Engine I set up:

http://www.antimoon.com/ce/

It includes only sites which are known to use (mostly) good English. It's designed for English learners/teachers who want to find correct usage examples without risking exposure to Yahoo-Answers-style English.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#17

Post by nervechannel »

duck wrote: post #15
shrikant wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly don't mind that site - about half the time I search for an issue, I find it's been resolved by someone over at Experts Exchange. Do people realise that if Google is your referrer, you can scroll all the way down and see the solutions to the question?

I have always known that, but I don't think a lot of people do. A while back I was working with a high dollar consultant who really thought he knew it all, but he seemed really surprised that I didn't need to use his Experts Exchange account to see the answer.

It didn't used to be like that -- you used to have to 'view source' to see it

Then I think they went through a stage of not revealing it at all.

But in any case, it's far less useful than SO/SF etc.

Re: Dear Google: please let me ban sites from results

#18

Post by thushan »

al_james wrote: post #7

Yes that would be good. They could then look at the number of people blocking certain domains and de-weight them in the global results. Traditionally google seem against human powered editing (as this would be), but I think as the black hat SEOs run rings around them, its needed badly .

Anyone have any ideas why the clone sites like efreedom are ranking above Stack Overflow when SO's inbound links and reputation values are likely far better than efreedom's in Google's algorithm? I'm surprised that search engine optimization could do THAT much to a site's ranking. Also it's not like SO isn't doing the same kind of SEO themselves.

What I'm trying to get at is, with all things equal, let's say Stack Overflow and efreedom's SEO is on par with each other, shouldn't SO's reputation/inbound link ranks automatically trump things?

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