4 ms·

This is not the core problem of search. The problem with search is that nowadays, google rarely finds what I'm looking for. When I search for the same terms I u

This is not the core problem of search. The problem with search is that nowadays, google rarely finds what I'm looking for. When I search for the same terms I used to search for earlier, google always shows me 'likely' results. I.e, if I search for example for 'window handle', a few years ago, this would almost certainly show a bunch of programming results. Nowadays, the search result is very different, and a lot less relevant to what I'm looking for. This is where search has to be fixed. When I type window handle, I want a HWND. When a builder types 'window handle', his first result should be a local store where he can buy window handles or descriptions of window handles. That's where search has to be fixed, not in crawling.

orib 18y ago
Not only that, but Google tries to be too smart. Years ago, when I searched for "x y z", google would only return results for "x y z". Now it returns results with things resemblying x, y, and z, most of which are NOT what I was searching for. I used to be able to craft a search query that would be able to cut out the fuzz from the search and give me the specific results I wanted, but now Google is working very hard to bring that same fuzz back in. Sorry, until computers can read my mind, trying to make your program guess at what I meant to say means you've already lost. I think that Guy L. Steele said it best, although he was talking about DWIM (Do What I Mean) in Lisp implementations: So to this DWIM Let's say farewell; The crocks therein Prove it can't win And ring its knell: (Google 'A Time for DWIM' to find the rest of it, although it's not quite as relevant to my point as this stanza. And look at the rest of GLS' poetry/songs too -- very amusing)
DaniFong 18y ago
Correct. Built into Google and PageRank of authority, that the authoritative source is the one you're looking for, that's most likely to be right. They do try to get exemplars of clusters, though.
rms 18y ago
Do you have personalized search turned on?
- maxklein 18y ago
  Yes, it's slightly better with it, but not much. For me, google really sucks.

orib 18y ago

Not only that, but Google tries to be too smart. Years ago, when I searched for "x y z", google would only return results for "x y z". Now it returns results with things resemblying x, y, and z, most of which are NOT what I was searching for. I used to be able to craft a search query that would be able to cut out the fuzz from the search and give me the specific results I wanted, but now Google is working very hard to bring that same fuzz back in. Sorry, until computers can read my mind, trying to make your program guess at what I meant to say means you've already lost. I think that Guy L. Steele said it best, although he was talking about DWIM (Do What I Mean) in Lisp implementations: So to this DWIM Let's say farewell; The crocks therein Prove it can't win And ring its knell: (Google 'A Time for DWIM' to find the rest of it, although it's not quite as relevant to my point as this stanza. And look at the rest of GLS' poetry/songs too -- very amusing)

DaniFong 18y ago

Correct. Built into Google and PageRank of authority, that the authoritative source is the one you're looking for, that's most likely to be right. They do try to get exemplars of clusters, though.

rms 18y ago

Do you have personalized search turned on?

maxklein 18y ago
Yes, it's slightly better with it, but not much. For me, google really sucks.