7 ms·

Many users never use the url bar. They just 'Google' for websites they want to access and follow the results.

vbezhenar 8y ago
I'm occasionally doing that and especially suggest non-technical users to do exactly this thing. I can mistype URL. Google will correct me, if site is well-known. Otherwise I'm risking to go to phishing website.
- hdkrgr 8y ago
  I just finished helping out a friend who did exactly this thing, clicked on an ad at the results page thinking it was Google's top result and was redirected to an ESTA scam site where they lost a bunch of money. What's easier to tell apart for nontechnical users? URL bar from Google search field or ads from Google results?
mehrdadn 8y ago
Ohhhh holy cow I never realized Google might want to encourage this. Thanks!
pwg 8y ago
It is worse than that for some users. I've seen actual users that type/paste real url's into google's search box in order to go to the site. They actually had no idea that the bar at the top of the browser that said "google" (since they/someone set their default homepage to google) was a place where they could delete "google.com" and type/paste the url they wanted to visit there instead to actually get to the site they wanted to visit.
- pests 8y ago
  You seem shocked at this with word usage like "actual users", "real url's" and "actually no idea" But how are we to expect users to know any better until general technology literacy improves? Many people can't tell you the difference between a modem, router, OS, browser, or website. I remember years ago sitting down with my elderly grandmother trying to show her how to use a desktop... We are too close to our work so everything is familiar and easy. Even the concept of moving the mouse on a table to represent moving the mouse cursor on the screen is something we take for granted. Tell someone who's never used a mouse before to double click something to open it. You have to start way back earlier at the concept of which physical button on the mouse to use. This turned more into a general rant about how we overestimate regular users but I'ts been on my mind for awhile.
  - chiefalchemist 8y ago
    > "Many people can't tell you the difference between a modem, router, OS, browser, or website." They don't care, nor should they. How many people know how many spark plugs are in their car? You're correct. We, the more tech-literate, take too much for granted; and most experiences and learning curves are too far over the head of the "average" user. It's not them. It's us.
    - pvorb 8y ago
      I think the comparison to spark plugs is misleading when we talk about URLs and security. It's more like looking in the mirror before changing lanes. It's something you need to check in order to stay safe. Mirrors, like URLs, are just an implementation detail. But since currently driving works with mirrors, you have to learn how to use them.
      - pests 8y ago
        The benefit is obvious in that instance. There is a very direct connection between checking your mirrors and not hitting a car as you merge or similar. Where is the cause and effect for a URL or SSL cert? There is no learning experience. Furthermore as some have claimed, and I've personally witnessed, for some URLS's literally dont exist. Just type whatever site you want into the google box and hope you get lucky.
      - Godel_unicode 8y ago
        I think the spark plugs example is an excellent one. People used to require an extensive knowledge of how cars worked in order to have a prayer of using them effectively. Now they don't, because we realized none of that knowledge is necessary if you design the system correctly. We have enough historical context to realize that things like parsing URLs by eye is unsafe for the general population, and always will be. The solution is to engineer that need out of existence. You might want to consider that manufacturers have added blind spot detectors to cars as people are bad at changing lanes safely, even with all the training in the world.

I'm occasionally doing that and especially suggest non-technical users to do exactly this thing. I can mistype URL. Google will correct me, if site is well-known. Otherwise I'm risking to go to phishing website.

hdkrgr 8y ago
I just finished helping out a friend who did exactly this thing, clicked on an ad at the results page thinking it was Google's top result and was redirected to an ESTA scam site where they lost a bunch of money. What's easier to tell apart for nontechnical users? URL bar from Google search field or ads from Google results?

mehrdadn 8y ago

Ohhhh holy cow I never realized Google might want to encourage this. Thanks!

pwg 8y ago

It is worse than that for some users. I've seen actual users that type/paste real url's into google's search box in order to go to the site. They actually had no idea that the bar at the top of the browser that said "google" (since they/someone set their default homepage to google) was a place where they could delete "google.com" and type/paste the url they wanted to visit there instead to actually get to the site they wanted to visit.

pests 8y ago
You seem shocked at this with word usage like "actual users", "real url's" and "actually no idea" But how are we to expect users to know any better until general technology literacy improves? Many people can't tell you the difference between a modem, router, OS, browser, or website. I remember years ago sitting down with my elderly grandmother trying to show her how to use a desktop... We are too close to our work so everything is familiar and easy. Even the concept of moving the mouse on a table to represent moving the mouse cursor on the screen is something we take for granted. Tell someone who's never used a mouse before to double click something to open it. You have to start way back earlier at the concept of which physical button on the mouse to use. This turned more into a general rant about how we overestimate regular users but I'ts been on my mind for awhile.
- chiefalchemist 8y ago
  > "Many people can't tell you the difference between a modem, router, OS, browser, or website." They don't care, nor should they. How many people know how many spark plugs are in their car? You're correct. We, the more tech-literate, take too much for granted; and most experiences and learning curves are too far over the head of the "average" user. It's not them. It's us.
  - pvorb 8y ago
    I think the comparison to spark plugs is misleading when we talk about URLs and security. It's more like looking in the mirror before changing lanes. It's something you need to check in order to stay safe. Mirrors, like URLs, are just an implementation detail. But since currently driving works with mirrors, you have to learn how to use them.
    - pests 8y ago
      The benefit is obvious in that instance. There is a very direct connection between checking your mirrors and not hitting a car as you merge or similar. Where is the cause and effect for a URL or SSL cert? There is no learning experience. Furthermore as some have claimed, and I've personally witnessed, for some URLS's literally dont exist. Just type whatever site you want into the google box and hope you get lucky.
    - Godel_unicode 8y ago
      I think the spark plugs example is an excellent one. People used to require an extensive knowledge of how cars worked in order to have a prayer of using them effectively. Now they don't, because we realized none of that knowledge is necessary if you design the system correctly. We have enough historical context to realize that things like parsing URLs by eye is unsafe for the general population, and always will be. The solution is to engineer that need out of existence. You might want to consider that manufacturers have added blind spot detectors to cars as people are bad at changing lanes safely, even with all the training in the world.