Digging For Googleholes

Overhype

from the not-the-be-all-end-all dept

A writeup about a search for “Googleholes” – places where using Google may not return the best results. Three are named, and I have comments on each. The first is the most interesting. He points out that if you do a search on any “product” you’re more likely to be sent to a commerce site, than a site with information on that product. Understanding the basics of how Google works suggests this isn’t surprising. However, it is a pain if you’re simply trying to research a product, and not immediately buy it. The second Googlehole is with words that are used in different context, like searches for “Apple”. I don’t see this as being a big deal, as it’s really about what sort of search terms you use. If you don’t want the company Apple, add a “-computer” to it. Or, if you’re searching for the singer, search on “Fiona Apple” instead of just “Apple”. Finally, he points out that too many people are doing basic research via Google, and not using books. That’s not a Google problem, but a problem of the people doing the research. Besides, using Google can help you find the right references to the books you need. No one ever said Google was perfect for everything, so I’m not sure why we need people to explain why it isn’t.