Get better at Googling

With it I can avoid an additional search and go directly search the place I want to look whether that is python docs, rust docs, Wikipedia, reddit or Amazon. Heck I can forward myself directly to google too.

All of this with just a !w, !a, !python3, !rust, !g added to my query.

I understand why google doesn't support this, largely because they want people to stay on the google page and be subject to ads.

I just question the utility of showing advertisements for at least programming related queries where I think the direct to websites seems a lot more useful.

Re: Get better at Googling

#6

Post by harryvederci » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 12:08 PM UTC

For those who aren't aware: Google is a lesser-known competitor of the recommended search engine DuckDuckGo.

Re: Get better at Googling

#7

Post by kkoncevicius » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 12:49 PM UTC

This is more useful than I thought it was going to be. Specially the "-" for exclusion is new to me, and I can recollect a few times where that would have been handy to know.

Re: Get better at Googling

#8

Post by MichaelMoser123 » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 12:53 PM UTC

kd913 wrote: post #5

So far the most useful thing I have found has been the bangs from duckduckgo. With it I can avoid an additional search and go directly search the place I want to look whether that is python docs, rust docs, Wikipedia, reddit or Amazon. Heck I can forward myself directly to google too. All of this with just a !w, !a, !python3, !rust, !g added to my query. I understand why google doesn't support this, largely because t…

https://mosermichael.github.io/duckduckbang/html/main.html - all the bang operators on one page, in accessible form. (here is the code that builds the search page https://github.com/MoserMichael/duckduckbang )

Re: Get better at Googling

#9

Post by badwolf » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 12:58 PM UTC

Using search engines effectively is such a great, often overlooked skill. It's something that folks often think as a given, but being able to quickly find an answer or resource can appear as "techno voodoo" to some.

I've tried to make a habit of not telling people "just Google it!" when they ask me a question, and instead "Let's Google it" - to open up for an opportunity to help someone try to find an answer by "asking" in a different way.

Re: Get better at Googling

#10

Post by blackbear_ » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 1:00 PM UTC

k_sze wrote: post #4

tony-allan wrote: post #3

Also just Google any error messages (minus your specific bits)...

That, and knowing how to ask questions on StackOverflow or in IRC/Discord/Slack/Matrix.

Man, I really wish SO had a "Close question because answer is in the documentation" option. They'd see their traffic halve overnight.