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Ask YC: Anyone using Google Site Search?
I'm researching different alternatives for implementing search in my site. For a while I have been thinking of implementing it using Zend_Search_Lucene. But one interesting alternative seems to be Google Site Search ( http://www.google.com/sitesearch ). It would cost $100 annually (for < 5k pages) and is a bit customizable. Time is a bit of an issue for me, so $100 is preferable to implementing search at this point, I would definitely spend more time on it at some point in the future though.
Has anyone tried it out or has anything to say about it? What do you use for search on your site?
- giardini 18y agoUse a JavaScript mashup to do a Google site search by emulating a Google search of the form findthis site:mysite.com So the user enters "findthis" in a form field. On submit your JavaScript performs an XmlHttpRequest for URL: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=findthis+site%3Amysite.com&btnG=Google+Search http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=findthis+site%3Amys... and returns the result to the user. Downside: User's browser must have JavaScript enabled.
- ScottWhigham 18y agoAll fine and good until Google "catches on". What if they actually don't want you doing that? I don't know - just asking. What would the potential penalty be - delisting? Maybe I'm being paranoid but $100/yr vs the risk of "One day Google may decide to change things..." is worth spending the $100.
- ScottWhigham 18y agoI looked at it a few years ago and ultimately just wrote my own. Back then I had more time than money also... I've been to sites that use Google Site Search and it's just fine for what I've wanted. I don't think less of the company or anything - I know Google, I trust that their search results are good. I'd say it's probably a good idea.