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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

#861

Post by tripzilch »

heavyset_go wrote: post #802
SquishyPanda23 wrote: post #712

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I posted the solution below, Sorry to be "that guy" but for me the solution is to use DuckDuckGo. It's not perfect, but neither is trying to play arms race with Google's JavaScript.

DuckDuckGo is great, but Searx[1] is even better. It's a metasearch engine that aggregates several search providers that you can self-host, or access via one of several public instances. I run an instance on my local network, but you can run it for free on Heroku, AWS or GCP or even on a Raspberry Pi. There are several Docker images you can choose from. [1] https://github.com/asciimoo/searx

Anyone know what DDG's !bang operator is for Searx?

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#862

Post by Angostura »

nikofeyn wrote: post #800
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…

google amp is a plague on the internet and should have been shutdown by regulators. it is definitely anti-competitive. i am sick and tired of our government completely slaving to the big tech companies when it comes to regulations and anti-competitive behavior. google amp on mobile overrides behavior on mobile, even on android, so instead of web links opening up in the respective and selected default app, it opens up…

Its been enough to make me change my iPhone's search default to DDG. I've been using it for about a month and I'm surprisingly happy with the results so far.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#863

Post by abbadadda »

333c wrote: post #267
Guest0918231 wrote: post #252

It's funny, because if you run AdSense on your website, Google has very strict guidelines about not misleading users and making a clear distinction between advertisements and your content. However, when Google shows ads on their site, they don't need to follow those rules, they blend them in as closely as possible. Also, what's the deal with showing an advertisement for the same result that's number one? See the belo…

They display both because Google is selling ad space on searches like these, where people search the name of a site. If that site doesn't buy the ad, their competitor will. So sites are being forced to buy ads on their own trademark.

This reply reads like a robot wrote it. OP obviously understood all this when making the original comment.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#864

Post by tripzilch »

a_e_k wrote: post #845
ehnto wrote: post #760

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find Google ignoring my attempts to be more specific more often. Just as a contrived example a search like "R33 RB25DET Motorsport ECU" typically got me specific links relating to the exact car, engine and topic. But the past 5 years or so it seems like it is weighting the more common word and more general terms. Often excluding the target topic altogether and just giving general motorsport results. Perhaps it's a…

That's something that really drives me nuts about it lately. If I just wanted general results, I'd do the lazy thing and not put in the additional terms. Worse, I've been finding that it still ignores some of the terms even when I put them in quotes. The results just seem really bad lately, especially for anything technical. Just now I'd been looking for "html5 canvas torture test". The top result is a video called "…

I personally find it most helpful to just ask Google a question like I'm a complete idiot. I got the idea from the meme about "that guy wot painted them melty clocks", which works extremely well in my opinion. Looking in my history "how to multilingual in java please", worked fine. You get a laugh out of it, 90% of the time Google figures out what you need, and the rest of the time it's going to show whatever the hell it wants to, any way.

At least both of us are pretending the same level of intelligence, which takes away a lot of the irritation.

I also tried talking to DDG like a duck, but it doesn't give as good results as talking to Google like an idiot.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#865

Post by daemin »

benibela wrote: post #566
gpvos wrote: post #400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can't copy a page title into a client and expect it to find the right resource, now, do you? You can type it into Google, though...

My mother opens every webpage by typing the URL into google

Because web browsers default "home screen" has a large text box by default. People think that's where the address goes, but not really, that's actually a web page which does search. Shame on us for designing it that way.

But on another note, it will be the day when your mother (or anyone else for that matter) types in 'www.walmart.com' and actually goes to 'www.target.com' (names taken from other examples that I've seen on Twitter).

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#866

Post by j4kp07 »

333c wrote: post #301
Guest0918231 wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand why it's happening and I mentioned it in my comment. However, I just find it incredibly inappropriate that... 1. When I search an exact domain Google will take money from a competitor and show their "advertisement" first. I say that in quotations, because it looks like they're showing a search result, not an advertisement. At this point it feels like companies are paying for their search placement. Pay e…

I 100% agree with you. It is extortion.

If I own land across from a CVS, should it be illegal to lease it to Walgreens?

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#867

Post by stiray »

Angostura wrote: post #862
nikofeyn wrote: post #800

Earlier quoted context omitted.

google amp is a plague on the internet and should have been shutdown by regulators. it is definitely anti-competitive. i am sick and tired of our government completely slaving to the big tech companies when it comes to regulations and anti-competitive behavior. google amp on mobile overrides behavior on mobile, even on android, so instead of web links opening up in the respective and selected default app, it opens up…

Its been enough to make me change my iPhone's search default to DDG. I've been using it for about a month and I'm surprisingly happy with the results so far.

Me too, but lately I am experimenting with qwant.com, also love the results.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#868

Post by tremon »

esotericsean wrote: post #516
Guest0918231 wrote: post #252

It's funny, because if you run AdSense on your website, Google has very strict guidelines about not misleading users and making a clear distinction between advertisements and your content. However, when Google shows ads on their site, they don't need to follow those rules, they blend them in as closely as possible. Also, what's the deal with showing an advertisement for the same result that's number one? See the belo…

I always scroll past the ad to click on the "real" URL. I don't want to add to the statistic showing support that behaviour.

Indeed. That's why Google is obscuring the boundaries between "ads" and "results", until you no longer have the option to not be a statistic.

Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad

#870

Post by tripzilch »

userbinator wrote: post #752
hiram112 wrote: post #727

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What kind of filtering proxy are you using?

Proxomitron.

wow does that ... still exist? is it maintained? (I thought the creator stopped 15+ years ago?) does the user interface still look weird and green? :)
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