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Ask HN: Why doesn't google give an alternative to select old google news?

11 points by zeynel1 16y ago

The new version is -repulsive- why cant i choose the old version

yanw 16y ago
Why would they? I suppose their data suggest that most users like it. With every change there are the loud few that disprove and eventually get over it. They re-added the two-column view option if you prefer that.
zeynel1 16y ago
''I suppose their data suggest that most users like it.'' i would really like to know if this is really true - do you have any data or you are just -supposing-
- yanw 16y ago
  No I don't have their inside data, it's just that they A/B test everything, they were testing variations of this design for months.
- duck 16y ago
  I hate the new design as well and stopped using it (haven't found a replacement yet, and for now just read my local news via Google Alerts), but I don't think there is anything that Google does by just supposing.
InclinedPlane 16y ago
There's something you should know about google news. It's almost impossible for google to be able to monetize it. Because to do so would open up more cans of worms than they'd like to deal with. This makes google news a second class citizen so they are more likely to make unpopular changes for selfish corporate reasons than they would with other services.
- rick_2047 16y ago
  It's almost impossible for google to be able to monetize it Can you illustrate how the google ads won't work on Google News?
  - ugh 16y ago
    I don’t think the grandparent was talking about technical reasons. Publishers are miffed as is, it’s hard to imagine their wailing if Google tried to make money with News.
    - rick_2047 16y ago
      Even I wasn't talking about technical reasons. Well there is the point that publishers would be miffed if Google tries to monetize it. But can't they work out an agreement which shares the profit. If they get a click while someone is reading your page, you get some share. Just like Google Adsense. (of course the publishers would want much greater share) Why can't that be done?
      - ugh 16y ago
        I think there are reasons Google doesn’t want to do just that. They would essentially start paying for certain search results via revenue sharing. I don’t think Google wants to head down that way.
tmcw 16y ago
Because Google News isn't Facebook, and the Facebook tradition of decrying every new version is not the way the web traditionally or efficiently works.
- _delirium 16y ago
  I dunno, I can't think of many things more traditional about online communities than decrying the new version, especially if it changed any UI stuff people are used to. Happened with mainframes, happened on BBSs, happened on the 90s web, happens today...
enomar 16y ago
This is a clear demonstration of one of the main drawbacks of webapps. If you don't like v2, there's nothing you can do about it except switch to a different product. You also can't wait for v2.1 for all the bugs get shaken out. You're at the mercy of the webapp developer. This is probably fine for free, consumer apps, but if Google wants to get serious about enterprises using their software, they need to come up with a strategy for serving multiple versions at the same time.

11 points by zeynel1 16y ago

The new version is -repulsive- why cant i choose the old version

yanw 16y ago

Why would they? I suppose their data suggest that most users like it. With every change there are the loud few that disprove and eventually get over it. They re-added the two-column view option if you prefer that.

zeynel1 16y ago

''I suppose their data suggest that most users like it.'' i would really like to know if this is really true - do you have any data or you are just -supposing-

yanw 16y ago
No I don't have their inside data, it's just that they A/B test everything, they were testing variations of this design for months.
duck 16y ago
I hate the new design as well and stopped using it (haven't found a replacement yet, and for now just read my local news via Google Alerts), but I don't think there is anything that Google does by just supposing.

InclinedPlane 16y ago

There's something you should know about google news. It's almost impossible for google to be able to monetize it. Because to do so would open up more cans of worms than they'd like to deal with. This makes google news a second class citizen so they are more likely to make unpopular changes for selfish corporate reasons than they would with other services.

rick_2047 16y ago
It's almost impossible for google to be able to monetize it Can you illustrate how the google ads won't work on Google News?
- ugh 16y ago
  I don’t think the grandparent was talking about technical reasons. Publishers are miffed as is, it’s hard to imagine their wailing if Google tried to make money with News.
  - rick_2047 16y ago
    Even I wasn't talking about technical reasons. Well there is the point that publishers would be miffed if Google tries to monetize it. But can't they work out an agreement which shares the profit. If they get a click while someone is reading your page, you get some share. Just like Google Adsense. (of course the publishers would want much greater share) Why can't that be done?
    - ugh 16y ago
      I think there are reasons Google doesn’t want to do just that. They would essentially start paying for certain search results via revenue sharing. I don’t think Google wants to head down that way.

tmcw 16y ago

Because Google News isn't Facebook, and the Facebook tradition of decrying every new version is not the way the web traditionally or efficiently works.

_delirium 16y ago
I dunno, I can't think of many things more traditional about online communities than decrying the new version, especially if it changed any UI stuff people are used to. Happened with mainframes, happened on BBSs, happened on the 90s web, happens today...

enomar 16y ago

This is a clear demonstration of one of the main drawbacks of webapps. If you don't like v2, there's nothing you can do about it except switch to a different product. You also can't wait for v2.1 for all the bugs get shaken out. You're at the mercy of the webapp developer. This is probably fine for free, consumer apps, but if Google wants to get serious about enterprises using their software, they need to come up with a strategy for serving multiple versions at the same time.