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Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

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Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#71
post #36

Time to remind everyone about searx [0]. It can use google results and you can run your own instance. [0] https://searx.me/ [1] https://github.com/asciimoo/searx

Just tried this, saw the following error:

google (unexpected crash: CAPTCHA required)

I like the idea though

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#72

Maybe an A/B test?

I don't see how this is relevant. Even if it was an ab test, we know that Google is looking to remove url structures from search results.

It doesn't tell you that. For example, it could be an experiment to learn how much weight users put on the URL in choosing between results.

(Disclosure: I work at Google, but I don't work in Search and don't know anything specific here)

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#74
post #2

Remember AOL, anyone? And so, we've come full circle.

In my tech circle, almost everyone has switched to another search engine (ddg mostly, startpage, bing), which is quite telling. I noticed as I spot them in a search result page while together, not because they told me. This was an eye opener.

I initially _had_ to because the search itself became unreliable for me (finding technical terms is now a frustration in quoting and checking for "missing from the page: term"), but other search engines (like ddg) are not better in this area. Issues with AMP links though made me permanently switch the default search engine entirely.

I now use google as a backup, reluctantly and in combination with others, exactly how I was using altavista and yahoo eons ago.

I would have never imagined this would happen.

But if I ask _any_ other non-tech person, google is still the only search engine they know (or even don't know) about.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#75
post #36

Time to remind everyone about searx [0]. It can use google results and you can run your own instance. [0] https://searx.me/ [1] https://github.com/asciimoo/searx

I get this error when i try to search in https://searx.me/ :

    Error! Engines cannot retrieve results. 
    google (unexpected crash: CAPTCHA required)
    Please, try again later or find another searx instance.
EDIT: https://github.com/asciimoo/searx/issues/729

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#76

It's still regular for me but if true this will probably be the last straw for me. It's already absolutely impossible to send someone a link to a pdf you've found through google, this would make it impossible to send any link. That bloody wrapper is also a fine piece of shit. Search engines should link to content, not appropriate that content, hide who supplies it or mess with the links.

well, not just the search engine has been acting weird.

Chrome doesn't show http/s or www in the address bar anymore. this made me incorrectly communicate a URL yesterday. for example www.news.ycombinator.com and news.ycombinator.com look exactly the same in Chrome's address bar. no idea why they made that decision...

just yesterday i noticed that hovering some hyperlinks doesn't reveal the linked URL at the bottom of the screen. so weird...

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#77
post #12

I think it's a little too early to come to a full conclusion here. Google is constantly testing layout changes in SERPs and it seems like OP ended up in a test. The thread is 4 weeks old and I haven't seen or read anything on these changes anywhere but on this thread. I still think Google's general direction is clear with more webmaster incentives for structured data, amp and also Google just straight up answering qu…

It's less the specifics and more the trend. Google's direction is, as stated elsewhere, to be seen as the source of information - not a route to it. As you note, they're incentivising structured content - which means they can appropriate it and present directly rather than providing a link to the originator. No doubt some will find it helpful (as with AMP). Some will find it unacceptable appropriation. I'm most defin…

I have recently noticed that to my eyes, Google search looks like physical junkmail marketing "Magazines".

Google funnels me to products, services, and affilate marketing blogs, advertisements and their own paid ad placement. To Google, the internet is shopping, and maybe a least-common-denominator social network or two. Garbage.

Google feels like going to the Mall anymore. Super sad, but as you have noticed the silver lining is the fabulous service of duck.com.

If I were paying for google search with a credit card, I would cancel, and then call to stop payment. Too bad they never asked for my money.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#79
post #66

Google run hundreds of A/B tests. The chances of this ever being rolled more widely out are slim to none. Terribly misleading headline.

This was sent to production. Obviously someone thinks about deploying this change. This is precisely the time for pushback - before Google does this - to tell Google their A/B result is a very big fail. Also, to get some people to try alternatives, because even if this isn't deployed, Google's anti-user direction seems clear enough.

>Obviously someone thinks about deploying this change.

They could be testing this for any number of reasons. Maybe they're trying to learn something specific rather than change how the product works long-term.

The linked post is from a month ago and there's been no evidence of this test being scaled up.

Besides, it's still a misleading title.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not worth it. Just use DuckDuckGo or Searx.

I used ddg for a few weeks but the search results were quite poor. I had to search via Google every day anyway to find what I was looking for.

For what it’s worth, I switched to ddg a couple years ago and haven’t found the same thing. If I ever search on ddg and don’t get what I want I just append !g to the search and it sends me to google anyway.
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