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Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

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Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#351

Post by Markoff »

samhw wrote: post #288
Markoff wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really care who pays who, but search engine which can't find me cheapest flights it's useless

Well, you're getting it free: if you don't get any use from it, don't use it. Try doing an iterated search of every possible route on every possible airline website and let us know how you get on!

1. just because something is free it's not excuse to provide poor service

2. I don't use it, I point out for others facts about service OP recommends so they don't waste their time or you prefer everyone wasting their time?

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#352

Post by MzHN »

superasn wrote: post #249

There are some sites that are so useless and they have never ever helped me once, yet somehow they are always in the top 10 results 1. w3schools 2. pinterest 3. microsoft answers and all microsoft websites actually (it always looks like the person asking the question is asking exactly what i want, but unlike stackexchange, there are seldom any useful answers) 4. all the code clones for SO 5. all alternative to / revi…

As many have mentioned, w3schools ranks high because it is actually used a lot more than MDN.

People love it because they don't have to read. Just copy and paste and you can get back to work. And that's fine. It's a nice thought that programmers should understand their code, but remember that article about 99% developers. They get work done, ideals only stand in the way.

The actual issue with w3schools is that the code that's available for copy-pasting is terrible. A lot of it looks like it either hasn't been updated since 90s or 00s, or at least whoever wrote it hasn't done web development since then. That's not necessarily bad, but for example JavaScript was much more of a pain back then, and you can now write much more maintainable code. Same for how HTML has progressed.

I wouldn't replace w3schools with some bleeding edge frontend practices, or even with the newest web standards, because those are even worse than using spaghetti code from the 90s. The former is way too complex for just copy-pasting, and the latter requires you to read about browser compatibility and other caveats, so it is harmful to just copy-paste it.

What I wish would replace w3schools, is a site that takes into account both why people love using w3schools, and still sets them on the right path to write maintainable code with at least some best practices considered.

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#353

Post by simplebutimpact »

Sebguer wrote: post #51
kshacker wrote: post #49

I know google search is probably not the same as google flights, but I spent a few hours recently (over a few days) using google flights and it was a delight to use compared to the Expedia children. We had a bereavement in the family and had to book multiple independent tickets because we could not travel together. This was just after the Ukraine war started so prices had gone through the roof. Exact number of days w…

Google bought the main provider of flight information in 2010 (ITA). ITA had such a monopoly that Google was required to continue licensing their software out for years afterwards, though I think it expired in ~2016.

Here is the latest version of ITA Matrix as a google hack https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/matrix/search

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#354

Post by grogenaut »

grogenaut wrote: post #324
stingraycharles wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’d argue that it’s not a “better way”, but rather a regression: I assume Google genuinely wants to understand my query, and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t still be obvious to Google what kind of results it should return. Otherwise, it there truly is a “right way of asking Google questions”, why doesn’t Google release and promote a guide about it so people can be more successful in their search?

Okay, so answer me this... I'm trying to find out about the extra controls in the old space suits. I believe they used a chin switch or chin toggle (resistive). If I google "did astronauts control things with their chin" I see: 'It's All Different for Women in Space | Marie Claire' and 'Pillsbury Space Food Sticks were sweet Slim Jims in space' as the first 2 answers... nothing about switches. If I google 'space suit…

heck I was putting in exact model numbers today like MS3015S20-27SZ and google was returning me OTHER models such as MS3015S20-27PZ which is the male or female version of a part (PZ vs SZ), or changing the20-27 to a 29-4 which are all completely different parts. This is with verbatim on.

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#355

Post by lowken »

superasn wrote: post #249

There are some sites that are so useless and they have never ever helped me once, yet somehow they are always in the top 10 results 1. w3schools 2. pinterest 3. microsoft answers and all microsoft websites actually (it always looks like the person asking the question is asking exactly what i want, but unlike stackexchange, there are seldom any useful answers) 4. all the code clones for SO 5. all alternative to / revi…

I don’t understand the hate for w3schools. I found this site super useful when I was first learning web development.

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#356

Post by [deleted] »

jmkni wrote: post #111
simsla wrote: post #80

One Google feature that I miss terribly is hard filtering. Used to be if you included "term" or -"term" you'd only get results that did/n't include those terms. But it seems Google has gone all in on the "I don't think you really meant that" approach [ ], and the hard filters have become suggestions at best. -- [ ] Ok, I know it's probably because they're switching more and more to semantic search and ML, but they co…

Similar to the date filtering, you used to be able to see results between two dates, this doesn't seem to work at all anymore. As an example, if I search for 'gilbert gottfried' and set the date filter 1 apr -> 3 apr, I still see stories about his death.

[deleted]

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#357

Post by InCityDreams »

charlieyu1 wrote: post #296
superasn wrote: post #249

There are some sites that are so useless and they have never ever helped me once, yet somehow they are always in the top 10 results 1. w3schools 2. pinterest 3. microsoft answers and all microsoft websites actually (it always looks like the person asking the question is asking exactly what i want, but unlike stackexchange, there are seldom any useful answers) 4. all the code clones for SO 5. all alternative to / revi…

I’d say it is that it is Microsoft’s faults that their answers sucks. Most commonly asked questions you will be getting one of the three responses: 1. assume the user is at fault 2. it’s a “feature”, get over it 3. the official helper doesn’t know anyway so he/she just pasted a link to some random tutorial they found online which doesn’t work anyway There really isn’t much that Google unless they kinda remove Microso…

4. Talk utter bollocks about something else.

Re: Three areas where Google Search lags behind competitors: code, cooking, travel

#358

Post by aghilmort »

russellbeattie wrote: post #331
aghilmort wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

interesting; we have one site like that to search VC blogs, https://askanything.vc/ so in that context, Breeze becomes a portfolio of vertical searches, not unlike say Meredith or Hearst as publishers, etc.?

Cool! That's the idea. When you guys make it big, remember to save a few shares for your ol' buddy Russ on HN. ;-)

:noted:

though prolly a few more shares if there's a fit on the team :) just starting to build our pipeline of potential candidates, DM is @DotDotJames on twitter :)

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