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Google Search Is Dying

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Re: Google Search Is Dying

#631

Post by acchow »

softwarebeware wrote: post #6

Some really good thoughts here. I'll summarize the ones that hit me: - "Why are people searching Reddit specifically? The short answer is that Google search results are clearly dying. The long answer is that most of the web has become too inauthentic to trust." This is it for me exactly. I search for the following kinds of things on Reddit exactly because results on other sites aren't trustworthy: Reviews are secretl…

I wish Google would offer two different search products, one assuming Google-fu, and one not.

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#632

Post by blueboo »

yalogin wrote: post #415

I did not know that many other people also append "reddit" in front of their search queries. Now that I think about it I have stopped using google search for things I really didn't know about. For all things I didn't know or need to learn about I append "reddit" in front of the search query on google or go to YouTube for video instructions. I use google search exclusively as a short cut to typing for a link, or stuff…

There’s a strong possibility the author is totally wrong here. Reddit search is famously broken, so the only way people can reliably search Reddit is via Google. (Because Google search is…broken?)

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#633

Post by nextos »

mettamage wrote: post #149
softwarebeware wrote: post #6

Some really good thoughts here. I'll summarize the ones that hit me: - "Why are people searching Reddit specifically? The short answer is that Google search results are clearly dying. The long answer is that most of the web has become too inauthentic to trust." This is it for me exactly. I search for the following kinds of things on Reddit exactly because results on other sites aren't trustworthy: Reviews are secretl…

> - "Why are people searching Reddit specifically? The short answer is that Google search results are clearly dying. The long answer is that most of the web has become too inauthentic to trust." Haha, the noobs. I use HN instead sunglasses cool face A bit more seriously: I fully agree with this. And if HN doesn't have what I'm looking for then I use Reddit as well. But if HN has some info on the topic with a few high…

Me too I even have a bookmarklet in Firefox so that I can use a prefix (hn) and the search is rewritten as site:news.ycombinator.com, to make sure all results are limited to HN.

I also have the same kind of bookmarklet for Reddit and Google Scholar.

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#635

Post by jedwhite »

dwighteb wrote: post #625
jedwhite wrote: post #585

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a reason why it seems shocking that Google has been able to balance the ads well enough that people still use it. They haven't! Google has orchestrated a monopoly over search engine distribution that allows them to get away with search results that are dominated by ads and spam, without losing most consumers. Let's be blunt here - almost no consumer consciously chooses to use Google search anymore. Google has…

> It is in all practical senses impossible for an iPhone or Mac user to change their search engine to a new search engine on Safari or at the iOS level. On my IOS device, under Settings -> Safari -> Search Engine, I have a drop down with options, including Bing and DuckDuckgo, but defaulted to google. On Macos, with Safari running, Safari -> Preferences… -> Search, Search Engine I have a drop down, defaulted to googl…

Yes, but you can't add a new search engine at all! So if a search engine isn't one of the tiny number of options in that dropdown, you can't change to it. That applies on both iOS and MacOS. And that option is used for the entire system-wide search, not just Safari.

So here's a challenge, try adding a search engine not on that list. You can see the search engine I'm working on in my profile if you're interested (I don't want to hijack this thread with self-promotion). I challenge you to change to a new competitive option like it. You simply can't. That is a clear monopoly over distribution.

On desktop in Chrome, as noted it is not something any typical consumer can do easily. But even if they could, Google does not allow you to set the New Tab to another search engine, even by setting the homepage to one. So every new tab opened on Chrome takes you back to Google search, even if a consumer figures out how to change their homepage. As for changing the nav bar search, no ordinary consumer is going to be able to work out how to change a search URL pattern. That is clearly intended to prevent consumers changing.

So I stand by my point, especially on an iPhone, you simply cannot change your search engine to a new search engine like us. It is impossible.

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#636

Post by swayvil »

When you search for something with presently political punch. And then do the same search on a different search engine. And see the difference in the results. See how Google controls what you see, to control what you think.

Yeah, fuck that fascist noise.

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#637

Post by Retr0id »

floatingeye wrote: post #525
NoboruWataya wrote: post #241

It's interesting, and quite concerning, that Reddit has cemented its position as a key repository of useful information on just about everything just as its drive towards monetisation really kicks into gear. It's concerning because, as part of that monetisation strategy, Reddit is becoming increasingly walled off and anti-user. I am sure I am only one of many long-time Redditors who have vowed to stop using the site…

Can I ask what the important differences of old.reddit.com are?

It's a bit like comparing HN UX to Twitter UX (but with the same actual content)

Re: Google Search Is Dying

#640

Post by zuminator »

Another aspect of Google that completely bugs me.

Put in a search term.

E.g. "fat wallet"

"About 22,100,000 results" it says.

Click through to the last page.

"Page 6 of about 198 results (1.03 seconds)"

So out of 22 million results, I can really only see 198?? That can't be right. Wait, it says, "In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the 198 already displayed. If you like, you can repeat the search with the omitted results included."

Yeah, that's what I'd like, I want to see all the results. CLICK.

OK, it takes me back to "About 22,100,000 results," so far, so good.

Click through again to the last one.

"Page 10 of about 22,100,000 results"

Ok ok. Let's keep going. CLICK.

"Page 11 of about 415 results."

That's it.

No more results shown.

What happened to the other 22,099,585 results????

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