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Anybody else here remembers times when Google search supported blocking domains in personal setting? Along with so many advanced search operators? Oh, days of y

by myfonj 6y ago

Anybody else here remembers times when Google search supported blocking domains in personal setting? Along with so many advanced search operators? Oh, days of yore… Anyway, you can still use prevailing `site:` operator with "minus" negation (e.g.[1]) , so you can have bookmarked search with your custom blocklist in query [2] [1] no SO and no w3schools example, non-personalized ("verabatim"): https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+merge+arrays+javascript+-site:stackoverflow.com+-site:w3schools.com&tbs=li:1 https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+merge+arrays+javascri... [2] place `%s` into query and set bookmark keyword (Firefox) or chrome://settings/searchEngines - Add: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s+-site:stackoverflow.com+-site:w3schools.com&tbs=li:1 https://www.google.com/search?q=%s+-site:stackoverflow.com+-...

Cthulhu_ 6y ago
I'm no expert, but I can imagine that for sites like Google, Twitter, etc, having a blocklist adds a little complexity, but at their scale, a lot of CPU cycles in overhead. I'm pretty simple in my thought processes though, I'm just thinking that they'd need a unique query for every user, assuming a plain database (works as a mental model). In practice I guess there's one dataset which gets filtered out on its way through the network of servers to the user?
- askmike 6y ago
  > assuming a plain database (works as a mental model). In practice I guess there's one dataset which gets filtered out on its way through the network of servers to the user? Google search doesn't work like this anymore. Search results for everyone are custom based on what they know about your. For example check out filter bubbles[1]. A blacklist would probably help their models. As for why it got removed we can only guess. I'm guessing it has to do with either bad UX (if you forgot you added domains they will never show up) or them wanting to be in full control of your search experience. [1]: https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_b...
  - skoskie 6y ago
    The SEO community tried to game the shit out of the blacklist feature. People with 1000 fake accounts were charging to blacklist a specific domain. Because so few actual search users made use of the feature, it didn’t take many accounts to impact search rank. So that feature had a short lifespan.
    - jeromegv 6y ago
      But you can still do it with search operators? It’s just more inconvenient but the feature is still there. Doubt that was why
      - aflag 6y ago
        Besides that, they can just stop using the blacklist as a signal for their results, but keep the feature.
    - mitchdoogle 6y ago
      I don't understand what you mean. The blacklist feature was for an individual to avoid sites they didn't want to see. It wouldn't affect page rank, so what would be the advantage of paying someone to blacklist it in their own settings?
Normille 6y ago
I use Tampermonkey[1] with the "Google Hit Hider by Domain"[2] plugin to de-crapify my search results. In spite of the name, it works on all search engine sites I've tried it on; Google, Startpage, DuckDuckGo, Qwant. It adds a "Block" button beside each search result which allows you to block sites from appearing in that particular search result. Or to 'perma-ban' them from ever showing in future search results. No affiliation. Just a satisfied customer. [1] https://www.tampermonkey.net https://www.tampermonkey.net [2] https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/1682-google-hit-hider-by-domain-search-filter-block-sites https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/1682-google-hit-hider-by-d... Unfortunately it can't do anything about search results returning precisely the opposite of what you searched for; eg. SEARCH: "How to completely uninstall XXX from YYY" RESULT: "How to install XXX on ZZZ" SEARCH: "How to completely +uninstall -install +XXX +from -on +YYY -ZZZ RESULT: "Install YYY on ZZZ with this howto" [Insert sound of computer being thrown across room] And, while I'm on the subject, my tuppence worth for the list. Fucking You-fucking-Tube being returned as the first dozen search results for some crappy one liner which you've forgotten and need to look up quickly... SEARCH: "cheatsheet keyboard shortcut for function Z in app Y" WHAT I WANT THE SEARCH TO RETURN: "App Y Keyboard shortcut cheatsheet" WHAT THE SEARCH ACTUALLY RETURNS: [almost an entire page of] "Take zen ninja mastery of Application Y in minutes by learning this arse-sum keyboard shortcut!" --a 45 minute unedited epic, filmed by a monosyllabic arsehole on a shaking, continually auto-focussing phone camera, orientated vertically. Featuring 20 minutes of "er... um... well..." mumbling at the beginning, telling the viewer how "arse-sum" this keyboard shortcut is going to be --if the fucker ever gets around to actually showing you it! Followed by the actual clicking of the shortcut which the narrator manages to do while the camera is pointed at the wrong part of the screen and out of focus.
- giancarlostoro 6y ago
  > SEARCH: "cheatsheet keyboard shortcut for function Z in app Y" Maybe worthwhile to document these on a GH markdown file or contribute cheat sheets to DuckDuckGo.
- chris_f 6y ago
  "Unfortunately it can't do anything about search results returning precisely the opposite of what you searched for" Try this: https://www.runnaroo.com/search?term=cheatsheet+keyboard+shortcut+for+function https://www.runnaroo.com/search?term=cheatsheet+keyboard+sho... I built it with heavy influence [0] from this and similar comments on HN. Quotes are respected, and it will directly include Stack Overflow results (also saw that mentioned in this thread). [0] https://www.runnaroo.com/blog/the-search-engine-hacker-news-has-been-asking-for https://www.runnaroo.com/blog/the-search-engine-hacker-news-...
SeanDav 6y ago
It is probably just me, but I have noticed a marked drop in rank for Stack Overflow links in search results, even on programming-type questions. If in fact this is more of a general trend and not my little bubble, then I wonder if this is caused by Stack Overflow mods closing any question that may have an opinion in the answer and since these answers have not shown activity for years, perhaps other links and sites are slowly starting to eat SO's lunch. Pure speculation on my side.
- inetknght 6y ago
  I would take a wild guess that it's less of Stack Overflow's actions and more that Stack Overflow's shitacular competition takes the highest ranked questions and SEOs the shit out of them to point to less useful more-malvertised sites
tripzilch 6y ago
> Anybody else here remembers times when Google search supported blocking domains in personal setting? from memory, the period when this feature actually worked, wasn't very long? but I agree about the advanced search operators, and just generally paying better attention to my keywords.
bradly 6y ago
We discussed this here on HN Almost ten years ago with Matt Cuts who was the face of Google Search at the time. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2128557 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2128557
- grenoire 6y ago
  "No."
gibolt 6y ago
Out of curiosity, what do you prefer over StackOverflow? Official documentation, blogs...?
- myfonj 6y ago
  That was just an example based on some comment around here -- quite surprising for me. Personally I even mostly prefer SO for majority of "quick/shallow/how-do-I" technical questions and I think my google persona is well attuned for this. Back in times I've been blocking w3schools.com (very rarely seen in my SERPs nowadays, and seems they somewhat improved over time) and expertsexchange.com (:shivers:). For web platform docs I primarily use `%s site:developer.mozilla.org` in Google and devdocs.io for the rest.

by myfonj 6y ago

Cthulhu_ 6y ago

I'm no expert, but I can imagine that for sites like Google, Twitter, etc, having a blocklist adds a little complexity, but at their scale, a lot of CPU cycles in overhead. I'm pretty simple in my thought processes though, I'm just thinking that they'd need a unique query for every user, assuming a plain database (works as a mental model). In practice I guess there's one dataset which gets filtered out on its way through the network of servers to the user?

askmike 6y ago
> assuming a plain database (works as a mental model). In practice I guess there's one dataset which gets filtered out on its way through the network of servers to the user? Google search doesn't work like this anymore. Search results for everyone are custom based on what they know about your. For example check out filter bubbles[1]. A blacklist would probably help their models. As for why it got removed we can only guess. I'm guessing it has to do with either bad UX (if you forgot you added domains they will never show up) or them wanting to be in full control of your search experience. [1]: https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_b...
- skoskie 6y ago
  The SEO community tried to game the shit out of the blacklist feature. People with 1000 fake accounts were charging to blacklist a specific domain. Because so few actual search users made use of the feature, it didn’t take many accounts to impact search rank. So that feature had a short lifespan.
  - jeromegv 6y ago
    But you can still do it with search operators? It’s just more inconvenient but the feature is still there. Doubt that was why
    - aflag 6y ago
      Besides that, they can just stop using the blacklist as a signal for their results, but keep the feature.
  - mitchdoogle 6y ago
    I don't understand what you mean. The blacklist feature was for an individual to avoid sites they didn't want to see. It wouldn't affect page rank, so what would be the advantage of paying someone to blacklist it in their own settings?

Normille 6y ago

I use Tampermonkey[1] with the "Google Hit Hider by Domain"[2] plugin to de-crapify my search results. In spite of the name, it works on all search engine sites I've tried it on; Google, Startpage, DuckDuckGo, Qwant. It adds a "Block" button beside each search result which allows you to block sites from appearing in that particular search result. Or to 'perma-ban' them from ever showing in future search results. No affiliation. Just a satisfied customer. [1] https://www.tampermonkey.net https://www.tampermonkey.net [2] https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/1682-google-hit-hider-by-domain-search-filter-block-sites https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/1682-google-hit-hider-by-d... Unfortunately it can't do anything about search results returning precisely the opposite of what you searched for; eg. SEARCH: "How to completely uninstall XXX from YYY" RESULT: "How to install XXX on ZZZ" SEARCH: "How to completely +uninstall -install +XXX +from -on +YYY -ZZZ RESULT: "Install YYY on ZZZ with this howto" [Insert sound of computer being thrown across room] And, while I'm on the subject, my tuppence worth for the list. Fucking You-fucking-Tube being returned as the first dozen search results for some crappy one liner which you've forgotten and need to look up quickly... SEARCH: "cheatsheet keyboard shortcut for function Z in app Y" WHAT I WANT THE SEARCH TO RETURN: "App Y Keyboard shortcut cheatsheet" WHAT THE SEARCH ACTUALLY RETURNS: [almost an entire page of] "Take zen ninja mastery of Application Y in minutes by learning this arse-sum keyboard shortcut!" --a 45 minute unedited epic, filmed by a monosyllabic arsehole on a shaking, continually auto-focussing phone camera, orientated vertically. Featuring 20 minutes of "er... um... well..." mumbling at the beginning, telling the viewer how "arse-sum" this keyboard shortcut is going to be --if the fucker ever gets around to actually showing you it! Followed by the actual clicking of the shortcut which the narrator manages to do while the camera is pointed at the wrong part of the screen and out of focus.

giancarlostoro 6y ago
> SEARCH: "cheatsheet keyboard shortcut for function Z in app Y" Maybe worthwhile to document these on a GH markdown file or contribute cheat sheets to DuckDuckGo.
chris_f 6y ago
"Unfortunately it can't do anything about search results returning precisely the opposite of what you searched for" Try this: https://www.runnaroo.com/search?term=cheatsheet+keyboard+shortcut+for+function https://www.runnaroo.com/search?term=cheatsheet+keyboard+sho... I built it with heavy influence [0] from this and similar comments on HN. Quotes are respected, and it will directly include Stack Overflow results (also saw that mentioned in this thread). [0] https://www.runnaroo.com/blog/the-search-engine-hacker-news-has-been-asking-for https://www.runnaroo.com/blog/the-search-engine-hacker-news-...

SeanDav 6y ago

It is probably just me, but I have noticed a marked drop in rank for Stack Overflow links in search results, even on programming-type questions. If in fact this is more of a general trend and not my little bubble, then I wonder if this is caused by Stack Overflow mods closing any question that may have an opinion in the answer and since these answers have not shown activity for years, perhaps other links and sites are slowly starting to eat SO's lunch. Pure speculation on my side.

inetknght 6y ago
I would take a wild guess that it's less of Stack Overflow's actions and more that Stack Overflow's shitacular competition takes the highest ranked questions and SEOs the shit out of them to point to less useful more-malvertised sites

tripzilch 6y ago

> Anybody else here remembers times when Google search supported blocking domains in personal setting? from memory, the period when this feature actually worked, wasn't very long? but I agree about the advanced search operators, and just generally paying better attention to my keywords.

bradly 6y ago

We discussed this here on HN Almost ten years ago with Matt Cuts who was the face of Google Search at the time. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2128557 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2128557

grenoire 6y ago
"No."

gibolt 6y ago

Out of curiosity, what do you prefer over StackOverflow? Official documentation, blogs...?

myfonj 6y ago
That was just an example based on some comment around here -- quite surprising for me. Personally I even mostly prefer SO for majority of "quick/shallow/how-do-I" technical questions and I think my google persona is well attuned for this. Back in times I've been blocking w3schools.com (very rarely seen in my SERPs nowadays, and seems they somewhat improved over time) and expertsexchange.com (:shivers:). For web platform docs I primarily use `%s site:developer.mozilla.org` in Google and devdocs.io for the rest.