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Every Google result now looks like an ad

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Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#221

Post by wefarrell »

dend wrote: post #199

My assumption here is that this decision is one where someone had an A/B test that showed people are more likely to click on an ad when the content is structured the way it’s shown. Which comes at the cost of a good user experience, where the feature PM didn’t truly ask: “does this deliver any value to the people using the search?” Always trying to remember the wonderful excerpt[0] from Ken Kocienda’s “Creative Selec…

A consequence of having a monopoly is not needing to deliver as much value. I see comments advocating using a different search engine, but the small number of users that move do a different search engine because of this won't offset the increase in revenue Google will see. They pay Apple and Mozilla a substantial amount of money to be the default search engine and most users won't bother to change it.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#222

Post by kllrnohj »

cytzol wrote: post #26

I've been in this A/B test for a couple of months now, so I've had time to adjust, and I still hate it. I've just become so used to seeing the complete URL in green. The complete URL! If you hover over the results, you'll see that they like to take bits like numeric components or the query string out. This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL. Their destructive AMP service confusingly shows you Google…

> This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL.

URLs have always been an implementation detail and not a user feature. From the very beginning it was intended that users would follow links, not type in URLs. HTML was built on hiding URLs behind text. Then AOL keywords happened. Then search explosion happened. And short URLs. And QR codes for real-world linking. And bookmarks because yet again typing in URLs is not a major driving use case.

Typing in un-obfuscated URLs has almost never been a key feature or use-case of the web. If anything URL obfuscation is a core building block of the web and is a huge reason _why_ the web skyrocketed in popularity & usage. Don't pretend that somehow AMP obfuscating URLs will be the death of the web. The web exploded in growth despite massive, wide-spread URL obfuscation over the last 20 years. Nothing is actually changing here.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#223

Post by ogre_codes »

It's been clear for a little while that Google no longer cares about giving the best experience with a lot of their tools and is just focused on maximizing revenue. More and more, Google is the modern equivalent of Microsoft in the early 00s, still good enough that most people use it, but each successive "version" piles on more frustrations than benefits. It's so ironic that Google has become that which they most despised when they started.

The dominance of Google and Facebook is turning the web into a toxic waste.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#224

Post by fgjhghjghjkghj »

basch wrote: post #172
scalableUnicon wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they built it What exactly did they built? AFAIK, even search engines already existed when they entered the game(they just did it better). The fundamental protocols that makes the web work weren't invented by them. What made you think "they built the web"?

I mean thats not entirely true. They build and maintain HTTP3 and Chrome (oversimplification, I know) They do somewhat control the fundamental elements that make the web work. Blink/V8 is obviously more powerful than Webkit, Gecko, as far as the market is concerned.

I didn't know that Chrome web browser is fundamental of web :D

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#225

Post by beshrkayali »

I was using ddg on and off for the past year, going back to google for specific searches.

Their last changes are total crap. Designers/product-managers who came up with this crap are so out of their depth I have no idea how they got their job in the first place.

Needles to say I've been completely relying on ddg for the past weeks that now I really find there's no need for google search. So I'm kinda happy they did this honestly. Hopefully it drives more people away from google.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#227

Post by sukilot »

kllrnohj wrote: post #222
cytzol wrote: post #26

I've been in this A/B test for a couple of months now, so I've had time to adjust, and I still hate it. I've just become so used to seeing the complete URL in green. The complete URL! If you hover over the results, you'll see that they like to take bits like numeric components or the query string out. This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL. Their destructive AMP service confusingly shows you Google…

> This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL. URLs have always been an implementation detail and not a user feature. From the very beginning it was intended that users would follow links, not type in URLs. HTML was built on hiding URLs behind text. Then AOL keywords happened. Then search explosion happened. And short URLs. And QR codes for real-world linking. And bookmarks because yet again typing in U…

Let's distinguish between obfuscating the query parameters, the the path, and the domain. They are different things, and the domain name especially is a major security boundary.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#228

Post by sukilot »

sophiebits wrote: post #156
cytzol wrote: post #26

I've been in this A/B test for a couple of months now, so I've had time to adjust, and I still hate it. I've just become so used to seeing the complete URL in green. The complete URL! If you hover over the results, you'll see that they like to take bits like numeric components or the query string out. This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL. Their destructive AMP service confusingly shows you Google…

AMP obscuring the URL is a side effect of the current technical implementation, not a goal – and they are working to fix it: https://searchengineland.com/google-announces-signed-exchang...

To users, side effects are the same as goals. We have nothing to judge a vendor on except observed behavior.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#229

Post by sukilot »

basch wrote: post #11

The FTC has spoke on this before. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2013/06/... I believe nearly all the search engines are still guilty of this one. I also think firms should be able to buy "blank space." For example facebook or amazon could pay NOT to have an ad above their result. Maybe they already do, I dont see an ad when I search facebook, however I do see an ad for amazon above the top amazo…

What's the benefit to whitespace over their own domain name?

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#230

Post by markosaric »

Many don't like Google's new design. Rather than resort to hacks, try an alternative search engine. There are many and you might even find one you like.

https://www.qwant.com/

https://www.ecosia.org/

https://duckduckgo.com/

https://www.startpage.com/

https://swisscows.ch/

...

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