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Do that many HN readers use the Google homepage anymore? My searches are all entirely through my browser search field. It seems like a cool feature for "power

Do that many HN readers use the Google homepage anymore? My searches are all entirely through my browser search field. It seems like a cool feature for "power users" but I'd think that most people that still use the homepage would be newer users.

jacquesm 17y ago
I never use the homepage unless I want to search 'news' or 'images'. All the rest trough the browser bar, but for follow up searches I'll use the form on the results page.
Timothee 17y ago
The only time I go to Google's homepage is when, after arriving to search results from a query typed in my browser search field, I see a special Doodle and am interested in knowing more of what Google is celebrating today. If I'm interested in images, I'll still type it in the browser search field and click "images" afterwards.
axod 17y ago
I always go to google.com and type there. I just like seeing the logo changes, checking if they've changed any UI bits/extras, and I want to be sure I'm getting results exactly as I want.
raju 17y ago
I go a step further and use FF's nifty "Add a Keyword for this Search..." feature (Right click in the Google search box and pick that option). The keyword that I pick is usually a single letter - G for Google, A for Amazon, I for IMDB, W for wikipedia. I completely remove the search field from FF's toolbar. To search Google, its Alt (or Apple) + L (focus shifts to search box) type g followed by search terms. Similar for every other keyword I have defined
- nitrogen 17y ago
  Unless you find yourself short on screen space, or frequently have to type really long URLs, the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine (Google in my case) significantly more than the others. I don't know what the Mac equivalent would be.
  - WalterGR 17y ago
    > ...the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine... It's actually not. When typing in either the keyword box or the URL box, it shows similar previous searches in a dropdown. The URL box's method is superior: For suggestions, the keyword box does a "StartsWith" query against your previous searches. The URL box does a "Contains" query. The keyword box has a delay between when you stop typing and when previous searches are displayed. The URL box does not. (Firefox 3.0. Can't speak for other versions.)
hernan7 17y ago
Only when I need to translate something.

jacquesm 17y ago

I never use the homepage unless I want to search 'news' or 'images'. All the rest trough the browser bar, but for follow up searches I'll use the form on the results page.

Timothee 17y ago

The only time I go to Google's homepage is when, after arriving to search results from a query typed in my browser search field, I see a special Doodle and am interested in knowing more of what Google is celebrating today. If I'm interested in images, I'll still type it in the browser search field and click "images" afterwards.

axod 17y ago

I always go to google.com and type there. I just like seeing the logo changes, checking if they've changed any UI bits/extras, and I want to be sure I'm getting results exactly as I want.

raju 17y ago

I go a step further and use FF's nifty "Add a Keyword for this Search..." feature (Right click in the Google search box and pick that option). The keyword that I pick is usually a single letter - G for Google, A for Amazon, I for IMDB, W for wikipedia. I completely remove the search field from FF's toolbar. To search Google, its Alt (or Apple) + L (focus shifts to search box) type g followed by search terms. Similar for every other keyword I have defined

nitrogen 17y ago
Unless you find yourself short on screen space, or frequently have to type really long URLs, the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine (Google in my case) significantly more than the others. I don't know what the Mac equivalent would be.
- WalterGR 17y ago
  > ...the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine... It's actually not. When typing in either the keyword box or the URL box, it shows similar previous searches in a dropdown. The URL box's method is superior: For suggestions, the keyword box does a "StartsWith" query against your previous searches. The URL box does a "Contains" query. The keyword box has a delay between when you stop typing and when previous searches are displayed. The URL box does not. (Firefox 3.0. Can't speak for other versions.)

hernan7 17y ago

Only when I need to translate something.