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tex is a hard one. And [latex decorative rules] is even trickier--most people wouldn't expect technical documentation if they just saw that as a random query. T

tex is a hard one. And [latex decorative rules] is even trickier--most people wouldn't expect technical documentation if they just saw that as a random query. That's more of an issue to pass on to the synonyms team and not in the scope of this change, but I'll pass this one on to the right folks

runningdogx 16y ago
Would it be feasible to introduce a search customization setting: "lower the estimated probability that I mistyped"? I assume google uses something like two cut-offs: A < B, where if P(mistype)>A, it suggests but doesn't search for the correction, while if P(mistype)> B, it displays auto-corrected results. Simply an user option to nudge P(mistype) lower would probably suffice, or an option to increase B. A major usability problem for me with auto-corrected results is the two lines with links: "Showing results for <link>" and "Search instead for <link>". Interpreting those two lines takes me out of the flow of analyzing search results. I haven't yet been conditioned to click on the second link. I never want to click on the first link, because google is already showing me those results. I frequently search for unusual acronyms, terms, variables, made-up words, and gibberish that shows up in logs, among other things that google likes to "correct" for my benefit. I realize those use cases are not typical, but current auto-correction behavior can be extremely aggravating in those cases. Auto-suggest a correction all you want, but auto-correcting and suggesting the original is going too far I think, unless there are zero hits, or some equivalently strong algorithmic determination is made that I couldn't possibly want the query the way I typed it.
- Matt_Cutts 16y ago
  Personally, I think this would be a good idea. You could learn how tech/Google-savvy different users are and adjust the search results accordingly. Someone who has done a site: search is probably more likely to know their way around Google, for example.

runningdogx 16y ago

Would it be feasible to introduce a search customization setting: "lower the estimated probability that I mistyped"? I assume google uses something like two cut-offs: A < B, where if P(mistype)>A, it suggests but doesn't search for the correction, while if P(mistype)> B, it displays auto-corrected results. Simply an user option to nudge P(mistype) lower would probably suffice, or an option to increase B. A major usability problem for me with auto-corrected results is the two lines with links: "Showing results for <link>" and "Search instead for <link>". Interpreting those two lines takes me out of the flow of analyzing search results. I haven't yet been conditioned to click on the second link. I never want to click on the first link, because google is already showing me those results. I frequently search for unusual acronyms, terms, variables, made-up words, and gibberish that shows up in logs, among other things that google likes to "correct" for my benefit. I realize those use cases are not typical, but current auto-correction behavior can be extremely aggravating in those cases. Auto-suggest a correction all you want, but auto-correcting and suggesting the original is going too far I think, unless there are zero hits, or some equivalently strong algorithmic determination is made that I couldn't possibly want the query the way I typed it.

Matt_Cutts 16y ago
Personally, I think this would be a good idea. You could learn how tech/Google-savvy different users are and adjust the search results accordingly. Someone who has done a site: search is probably more likely to know their way around Google, for example.