Google just got better! (google.com)

Member Name: gollygumdrops

Product:	google.com
Date:	03/10/01 (166 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's great

Disadvantages: It's not really fair on other search engines, they don't stand a chance

Yes, I know, it's tough to believe that the best search engine in the history of the world ever could get better, but it just did. Mr Google is soooooo clever (I wonder if he's single).

If you haven't used Google before . . . what am I saying . . . of course you've used Google before. In case you've just beamed in from another planet...no, if your planet has the technology to beam you, it probably found it on Google. OK, just because, here's a quick overview:

Google is a very simple to use search engine. The front page is very clean and uncluttered, and as yet contains no advertising. For a straightforward search just enter the key words for what you want to find. Leave out words like 'for', 'the', 'and' because Google will ignore them anyway. Press enter and you'll get a google of replies, listed by relevance. There is some advertising in the replies, with searches like 'cheap flights' bringing up some sponsored links, but they are unobtrusive and occasionally useful.

Feeling lucky punk? Click the 'Feeling Lucky' button to start your search. You will be directed immediately to the top listing for your criteria. Unfortunately for DooYoo this takes you straight to dooyoo.de.

The search function is hugely accurate, and seems to search more bits of the web than any other engine. Read an op on DooYoo that seems too good to be true? Plug in a sentence or two in the Google search field and you'll quickly find out if it's been lifted from someone elses work.

Got kids? Preferences lets you set a 'safe search' filter to screen out adult content. The Advance Search function also lets you select results in your choice of languages. Whilst you're there you can also set Google to have it's text displayed in the language of your choice. Personally I like 'Bork, Bork, Bork' which is translates into 'Swedish Chef'
speak.

Bored of US domination of the web? Go to Google.co.uk and you can opt for UK only results.

Isn't that all you could ever want? Well, yes it is, but the handsome and charming folk at Google make your pleasure their goal:

What's New?
===========

Picture search!

Yes indeedy. Opt for images on the new tab above the search box and you can search for pictures. Keep the 'mature content filter' on if you don't want to see photos of your friends naked. Results are returned with the picture first so you don't need to enter the site to check whether you've found the right image. Click on the image and Google will return an enlarged image plus the website it came from. Interesting if you find your images being 'borrowed' by other sites.

Group Search!

Want to find a newsgroup that shares your interests. Type in your search criteria and Google will return lists of posts that match your criteria. It pays to be very specific here, people post a lot of weird stuff on newsgroups. I entered 'opinionated' in the expectation of turning up The Opinionated Community. What I got was:

A retired citizens community
The fat acceptance support group
The pot legalisation forum
A civil war society

Well, maybe Google is pretty accurate after all.

Directory!

For those searchers who like things laid out clearly, there's now a directory option. This looks a lot like the DMOZ search facility, ooo, wait a minute, it IS the DMOZ search facility. This directory is put together by real people so each site gets a little write up warning you of its' contents. It has categories such as Business, Home and Sports. You can use this facility to track down what you are looking for in a logical pattern. Perfect for net newbies, I also find this type of search facility useful when looking for oddities that include words that c
an turn up a lot of the wrong meanings.

Google - I love you - I have no idea what could make you better than you are, but do keep surprising me.

Summary: