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Google Homepage Size Over Time

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Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#11

Post by gklitt »

I see the general point being made here, but it's important to put it in context. The current homepage design is arguably more minimalistic and useful than any design from 2000 onwards. Links to other Google services are conveniently located in a bar at the top where they don't get in the way (as opposed to crowding the area around the search box previously). I can click a microphone and speak my query. When I start typing, results start loading instantly. All improvements in my book, and definitely worth it for the broadband world, which is probably a lot of Google's business at this point. I think it's important to separate minimalist and usable design from minimalist HTML -- I'm sure Google is keeping an eye on their page size and making conscious cost-benefit decisions here.

Now don't get me started on the results page though...

Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#13

Post by ashray »

I find this interesting as well as unimportant at the same time. Interesting because it shows that Google has responded to increasing connection speeds by adding bells and whistles to their homepage. That's really great.

Unimportant because with Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. - going to the google homepage is almost entirely optional. Google is working so hard into baking themselves into almost any facet of web functionality that their homepage is becoming less and less important over time.

The only reason I check the google homepage is to look at the doodles.

Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#15

Post by mbell »

TFA: "...included only the size of the ‘.html’ file, no images or fanciness."

The '.html' file for google.com has most of the 'fanciness' embedded in it in the form of a ton of JS and all the CSS.

I think this architecture was put in place when instant search/preview went live which is the cause of the first large spike. I'm guessing the second spike is integration with google+.

Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#16

Post by jackfoxy »

ashray wrote: post #13

I find this interesting as well as unimportant at the same time. Interesting because it shows that Google has responded to increasing connection speeds by adding bells and whistles to their homepage. That's really great. Unimportant because with Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. - going to the google homepage is almost entirely optional. Google is working so hard into baking themselves into almost any facet of web…

Strangely, Google is killing off the one thing that keeps me going to their sorta homepage, iGoogle. When they finally do kill it about a year from now, I'll have to come up with some substitute which may not be so Google-centric.

Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#17

Post by ISL »

gklitt wrote: post #11

I see the general point being made here, but it's important to put it in context. The current homepage design is arguably more minimalistic and useful than any design from 2000 onwards. Links to other Google services are conveniently located in a bar at the top where they don't get in the way (as opposed to crowding the area around the search box previously). I can click a microphone and speak my query. When I start…

I'm not sure I had a point (though minimalism is appealing); when putting the numbers together, I just wanted to see what the plot looked like.

Re: Google Homepage Size Over Time

#20

Post by ashishb4u »

ashray wrote: post #13

I find this interesting as well as unimportant at the same time. Interesting because it shows that Google has responded to increasing connection speeds by adding bells and whistles to their homepage. That's really great. Unimportant because with Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. - going to the google homepage is almost entirely optional. Google is working so hard into baking themselves into almost any facet of web…

..and to ping internet :)
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