6 ms·

Google Images Instant (inspired by Youtube Instant)

40 points by michaelhart 16y ago

eam 16y ago
Unlike your Map Instant, this one seems more usable and practical to me. Good job. :)
vkdelta 16y ago
Good stuff! but for some reason the results are not the same as google image search.Any idea why is this happening?
- beaumartinez 16y ago
  Perhaps locale differences?
  - michaelhart 16y ago
    Sounds likely to me. My server accessing and caching the images is in the US. So you're essentially seeing the American-generated results, which might be less optimized for other countries.
    - vkdelta 16y ago
      Well, I am accessing it from the US. I just compared the end result with real google image search and your instant image search. But somehow results are entirely different
albertzeyer 16y ago
It doesn't seem to work in all cases. When I enter "openlierox" (a 2D game), it does not show any pictures of the game at all; in fact, it does not change anymore after "openli".
- michaelhart 16y ago
  If I'm not mistaken, the letters after the i are causing the suggestions from Google Suggestions to come back empty, giving a null variable. I haven't figured out why yet, but I do know all xxx-related terms will return null as well. Maybe Google is confused?
beaumartinez 16y ago
I think the way to make this stand out would be to "pile up" images depending on how long the user stays on a query (until the user presses enter). For example, if I want to search for potato, but type po and stay on that for a few seconds, pile up like ten results for Pokémon, and then once I finish my query, pile up the results for potato at the top, so the Pokémon results are at the bottom (so the most relevant results at top). Or maybe have it constantly piling up images of the current query? (I'd code this myself but haven't the time at the moment.)
- michaelhart 16y ago
  I like this idea a lot! I will definitely see about working it in :) Sounds simple, too. Love it!
Judson 16y ago
Got a job yet?
- michaelhart 16y ago
  I've gotten a few offers :) But unfortunately, I haven't made any decisions. On a blunt note, I haven't heard from Google. Sadface.
  - Judson 16y ago
    I'm just glad you got my humor whereas other HNers might have missed it.
    - michaelhart 16y ago
      Always have to keep an open mind on the Internet; and I always try to read things from a positive perspective. :) Anyway, thanks for asking :D
zandorg 16y ago
That's pretty amazing. Worked great for me!
MC27 16y ago
Sorry to pick on this one, but are these posts going to keep appearing on Hacker News until every Google service is covered?
- photon_off 16y ago
  Yes, probably. While I do hold a bit of contempt against the world that, IMO, these types of projects wouldn't get a shred of buzz if they hadn't ridden the coattail of some larger event[1], I'm still able to appreciate it for what it is: an experiment. Realize you have a choice to let the trend affect your judgment or not. [1]: I understand that buzz is often a necessity for something to get noticed, but I find it "unjust" that buzz is often generated for the most trivial of reasons.
rakkhi 16y ago
Thats pretty cool. Could you do one for Flikr creative commons? http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&l=cc&ss=0&ct=0&mt=all&w=all&adv=1 http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&l=cc&ss=0&ct=0&... I use it all the time for blog images, powerpoints for work etc Loving all these instant search tools, will they stress the google servers beyond what they expected though? And if not will google eventually extend instant search to all their tools?
- michaelhart 16y ago
  These tools are pretty intensive, but they're not getting THAT much traffic. After being on Mashable and TechCrunch, while it's getting a LOT of activity (so much so that my CDN is stressing out), it's probably a VERY small number of Google's total requests. I will look into Flickr :) Thanks for the suggestion!
- systemtrigger 16y ago
  > Could you do one for Flickr creative commons? Here you go: http://bigfishsonar.com http://bigfishsonar.com. It searches: Flickr, Twitter, YouTube and Google News/Images/Blogs. I built v1 and another guy polished it up. EDIT: I just realized it's not "instant" in the sense others are using the word. Guess I should've removed the search button and sent the ajax requests after every keystroke. Ah well, it's still pretty good.
  - rakkhi 16y ago
    yes not instant and also if it can filter just creative commons. Don't want to get into trouble with copywrite.
    - systemtrigger 16y ago
      Done. :) http://drunsen.com/flickr.html http://drunsen.com/flickr.html
      - rakkhi 16y ago
        That is just awesome! thanks
andre3k1 16y ago
Most useful iteration of an "instant' copy i've seen thus far. How many times have been searching for that ONE particular image, but not known what search query to input? Both Google Instant and Google Images Instant will teach users how to search smarter. Great job, keep up the great work!
- michaelhart 16y ago
  thanks for your feedback! this sort of stuff makes me smile to myself, and even though I probably look like a loser while doing so, I'm very thankful :)
  - metamemetics 16y ago
    I think it would be a lot better if it only displayed, say, 4-5 images max by default and of larger size. Since default google image search is slow, they need to return a ton of results. However here, since the user can refine results rapidly without their hands leaving the keyboard, I think you should only display 4, MAX 7 so they can scan all the results in a single isntant rather than performing multiple scans. Maybe have JavaScript to cycle next 5 images binded to arrow key without leaving keyboard. The human mind really only has visual memory for 5-7 objects at once, you should design it with this in mind if you want it to be truely instant. edit: another idea easier to implement. If the user types an exclamation mark as the next character, you instantly remove this from the query box. Treat it as a "Show Next 5" Indicator and load the next 5.
tpr1m 16y ago
In my opinion, much more useful than the real google instant. It would be cool if you added a way to manage your safe-search preferences too.
- michaelhart 16y ago
  sadly, the google suggestion "api" (lol, it's not really an API, hah) will not work with any obscene terms. There's no way to enable it at all :( sorry if that's a disappointment. let me just say, "null" is the most common page accessed, and well, that's typically what is displayed for xxx-related terms :)
metachris 16y ago
I would love to see stats about the queries of the first 24 hours!
blhack 16y ago
Maybe this is offtopic, but are you Michael Hart, or Natalie Tran? I clicked on the "I'm looking for a job too" link, which took me to your twitter, then clicked on your website. The website is for somebody named Natalie, but the twitter is for Michael?
- justinchen 16y ago
  It says in his Twitter bio that he's a "Total Tran Fan."
  - jdbeast00 16y ago
    giggle
zmmz 16y ago
Way more useful than the maps version, thanks for this! Feature request: to further mimic google instant, would it be possible to add autocomplete? Also, note that when the autocomplete box appears on google instant and you press the down arrow to select the result, you can then press the right arrow to do a "I'm feeling lucky". Maybe you could add some additional keyboard shortcuts to instant image search, such as selecting results with the keyboard. Ideally I would want to select a result with the arrow keys and hit enter to go to it. As most people here, I try to avoid the mouse. Thanks again for this, funny thing is that I don't use the original google instant (as it does not work with the key bindings experiment) but your image search is something that I probably will.

40 points by michaelhart 16y ago

eam 16y ago

Unlike your Map Instant, this one seems more usable and practical to me. Good job. :)

vkdelta 16y ago

Good stuff! but for some reason the results are not the same as google image search.Any idea why is this happening?

beaumartinez 16y ago
Perhaps locale differences?
- michaelhart 16y ago
  Sounds likely to me. My server accessing and caching the images is in the US. So you're essentially seeing the American-generated results, which might be less optimized for other countries.
  - vkdelta 16y ago
    Well, I am accessing it from the US. I just compared the end result with real google image search and your instant image search. But somehow results are entirely different

albertzeyer 16y ago

It doesn't seem to work in all cases. When I enter "openlierox" (a 2D game), it does not show any pictures of the game at all; in fact, it does not change anymore after "openli".

michaelhart 16y ago
If I'm not mistaken, the letters after the i are causing the suggestions from Google Suggestions to come back empty, giving a null variable. I haven't figured out why yet, but I do know all xxx-related terms will return null as well. Maybe Google is confused?

beaumartinez 16y ago

I think the way to make this stand out would be to "pile up" images depending on how long the user stays on a query (until the user presses enter). For example, if I want to search for potato, but type po and stay on that for a few seconds, pile up like ten results for Pokémon, and then once I finish my query, pile up the results for potato at the top, so the Pokémon results are at the bottom (so the most relevant results at top). Or maybe have it constantly piling up images of the current query? (I'd code this myself but haven't the time at the moment.)

michaelhart 16y ago
I like this idea a lot! I will definitely see about working it in :) Sounds simple, too. Love it!

Judson 16y ago

Got a job yet?

michaelhart 16y ago
I've gotten a few offers :) But unfortunately, I haven't made any decisions. On a blunt note, I haven't heard from Google. Sadface.
- Judson 16y ago
  I'm just glad you got my humor whereas other HNers might have missed it.
  - michaelhart 16y ago
    Always have to keep an open mind on the Internet; and I always try to read things from a positive perspective. :) Anyway, thanks for asking :D

zandorg 16y ago

That's pretty amazing. Worked great for me!

MC27 16y ago

Sorry to pick on this one, but are these posts going to keep appearing on Hacker News until every Google service is covered?

photon_off 16y ago
Yes, probably. While I do hold a bit of contempt against the world that, IMO, these types of projects wouldn't get a shred of buzz if they hadn't ridden the coattail of some larger event[1], I'm still able to appreciate it for what it is: an experiment. Realize you have a choice to let the trend affect your judgment or not. [1]: I understand that buzz is often a necessity for something to get noticed, but I find it "unjust" that buzz is often generated for the most trivial of reasons.

rakkhi 16y ago

Thats pretty cool. Could you do one for Flikr creative commons? http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&l=cc&ss=0&ct=0&mt=all&w=all&adv=1 http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&l=cc&ss=0&ct=0&... I use it all the time for blog images, powerpoints for work etc Loving all these instant search tools, will they stress the google servers beyond what they expected though? And if not will google eventually extend instant search to all their tools?

michaelhart 16y ago
These tools are pretty intensive, but they're not getting THAT much traffic. After being on Mashable and TechCrunch, while it's getting a LOT of activity (so much so that my CDN is stressing out), it's probably a VERY small number of Google's total requests. I will look into Flickr :) Thanks for the suggestion!
systemtrigger 16y ago
> Could you do one for Flickr creative commons? Here you go: http://bigfishsonar.com http://bigfishsonar.com. It searches: Flickr, Twitter, YouTube and Google News/Images/Blogs. I built v1 and another guy polished it up. EDIT: I just realized it's not "instant" in the sense others are using the word. Guess I should've removed the search button and sent the ajax requests after every keystroke. Ah well, it's still pretty good.
- rakkhi 16y ago
  yes not instant and also if it can filter just creative commons. Don't want to get into trouble with copywrite.
  - systemtrigger 16y ago
    Done. :) http://drunsen.com/flickr.html http://drunsen.com/flickr.html
    - rakkhi 16y ago
      That is just awesome! thanks

andre3k1 16y ago

Most useful iteration of an "instant' copy i've seen thus far. How many times have been searching for that ONE particular image, but not known what search query to input? Both Google Instant and Google Images Instant will teach users how to search smarter. Great job, keep up the great work!

michaelhart 16y ago
thanks for your feedback! this sort of stuff makes me smile to myself, and even though I probably look like a loser while doing so, I'm very thankful :)
- metamemetics 16y ago
  I think it would be a lot better if it only displayed, say, 4-5 images max by default and of larger size. Since default google image search is slow, they need to return a ton of results. However here, since the user can refine results rapidly without their hands leaving the keyboard, I think you should only display 4, MAX 7 so they can scan all the results in a single isntant rather than performing multiple scans. Maybe have JavaScript to cycle next 5 images binded to arrow key without leaving keyboard. The human mind really only has visual memory for 5-7 objects at once, you should design it with this in mind if you want it to be truely instant. edit: another idea easier to implement. If the user types an exclamation mark as the next character, you instantly remove this from the query box. Treat it as a "Show Next 5" Indicator and load the next 5.

tpr1m 16y ago

In my opinion, much more useful than the real google instant. It would be cool if you added a way to manage your safe-search preferences too.

michaelhart 16y ago
sadly, the google suggestion "api" (lol, it's not really an API, hah) will not work with any obscene terms. There's no way to enable it at all :( sorry if that's a disappointment. let me just say, "null" is the most common page accessed, and well, that's typically what is displayed for xxx-related terms :)

metachris 16y ago

I would love to see stats about the queries of the first 24 hours!

blhack 16y ago

Maybe this is offtopic, but are you Michael Hart, or Natalie Tran? I clicked on the "I'm looking for a job too" link, which took me to your twitter, then clicked on your website. The website is for somebody named Natalie, but the twitter is for Michael?

justinchen 16y ago
It says in his Twitter bio that he's a "Total Tran Fan."
- jdbeast00 16y ago
  giggle

zmmz 16y ago

Way more useful than the maps version, thanks for this! Feature request: to further mimic google instant, would it be possible to add autocomplete? Also, note that when the autocomplete box appears on google instant and you press the down arrow to select the result, you can then press the right arrow to do a "I'm feeling lucky". Maybe you could add some additional keyboard shortcuts to instant image search, such as selecting results with the keyboard. Ideally I would want to select a result with the arrow keys and hit enter to go to it. As most people here, I try to avoid the mouse. Thanks again for this, funny thing is that I don't use the original google instant (as it does not work with the key bindings experiment) but your image search is something that I probably will.