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View Full Version : Anyone else starting to find Google annoying?



Dan Furman
05-17-2011, 02:41 PM
I've noticed that recently, the performance of Google is getting worse. I have two major complaints:

1) It's getting sloooow... it seems Google is more interested in figuring out what I want before I finish typing than just waiting and getting me what I asked for. The result is, Google prettymuch bogs down my browser, making typing / clicking a chore as i wait for it to process.

2) Outdated info. I know "time on the internet" is somewhat important in credibility - after all, I know I want my site, which has been up since 2001, to carry a little more weight than someone who started yesterday. But there has to be a way to distinguish between types of sites, etc. When I type in a review for LCD tv's, I don't want an article from 2006.

The two above will be killers if they don't address them.

Spider
05-17-2011, 02:47 PM
I've found Google annoying since they started in 1997! So, what's new?!

C0ldf1re
05-17-2011, 10:32 PM
... It's getting sloooow... it seems Google is more interested in figuring out what I want before I finish typing than just waiting and getting me what I asked for. The result is, Google prettymuch bogs down my browser, making typing / clicking a chore as i wait for it to process...

This is the result of Google developers having state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. They don't realise that common folk have less powerful kit.

vangogh
05-18-2011, 10:56 AM
Dan I find them annoying at times. I haven't noticed them being any slower, though I do get tired of the old posts for certain queries. I know Google would like to serve me results based on what they think are my intentions when searching, but they're usually wrong about my intentions.

What you find slow is probably 'instant search' and you can turn it off. Look for a small link near the search button. With the time thing you can click the 'more search tools' link on the left and specify a time frame for the results. That to me is the most useful search feature they introduced.

nealrm
05-18-2011, 12:09 PM
I have not noticed that google is slow. The results appear within a second or two. Nor have I noticed an issue with typing the queries in.

KristineS
05-18-2011, 12:23 PM
I'm with you on the old information thing. It seems like there should be some part of the algorithm, at least when it comes to articles and reviews and stuff, that would give weight to how recent something is. I agree that doing a search and getting outdated information is not helpful.

vangogh
05-18-2011, 09:29 PM
The time thing though depends on what you're searching for. If you're searching for news then yes it should be time based and I believe Google News search does take the date into account. With a general search though sometimes the better information is the older information. I don't think Google should arbitrarily rank newer content higher just because it's new.

Plus you can filter your results by date if you click the more search tools link on the left. If you want recent stuff you can get recent stuff easily.

Harold Mansfield
05-19-2011, 12:25 PM
I don't have a problem with Google. It's not perfect, but for any search engine to be perfect I would have to build it the way that satisfied only me.
I work within the parameters that are available and it seems to be just fine for me.
I actually search with a lot more phrases now...long word combinations and get some really spot on results, so I think it's doing just fine.

As far as it being slow, I notice hiccups from time to time but I think it has more to do with my ISP than Google. Sometimes I'm charging along at 40mbps and a few seconds later I could be getting 14.
and then there are those seconds where nothing is happening. I'm pretty sure that's not Google. I know because when those things are happening I see that Outlook has dropped the server connection or those little flags pop up in my tool bar that the network is disconnected. It only lasts a second or 2, but (it's funny) now I actually notice that second.

KristineS
05-19-2011, 12:27 PM
Plus you can filter your results by date if you click the more search tools link on the left. If you want recent stuff you can get recent stuff easily.

Good point and something I often forget. Thanks for the reminder.

vangogh
05-19-2011, 12:38 PM
The time filter is my favorite part of Google's search. I use it all the time when I want time dependent results.

Spider
05-19-2011, 01:51 PM
... has more to do with my ISP than Google. Sometimes I'm charging along at 40mbps and a few seconds later I could be getting 14...I wonder if this little tip will help everyone. I'll bet everyone is wireless, right? The modem is in one part of the house/office and the computer is another part with no direct connection between the two.

Well I used to get as much as 58 mbps and as little as 20mbps on my cable internet service with wireless router. I thought the variation was due to the service provider (Comcast.) After several days of very low mbps with occasional outages, I called Comcast. The service man had no record of problems in out area. He checked remotely and could find no problem with the modem, then asked me to make a direct connection to the modem and then to the router - to see if the router was delivering at full rate. There was no problem there but I noticed that direct wired connection delivered a constant 100mbps.

Now, I'm told we cannot always rely on these figures but I can tell you that a direcct hard-wired connection is considerably faster - noticeably faster - than wi-fi. I now have all my computers hardwired to the router. Wirelss is handy if I want to sit in the garden and work but otherwise, I'm hardwired totally now.

vangogh
05-19-2011, 02:21 PM
Wired connections have always been faster than wireless. If your computer is in the same room as your modem it makes sense to wire them. Not all of us work in the same room as the modem though. While I realize a wired connection is faster, it's just not practical for me. Though I have wired my laptop to the router at times if I need to transfer a lot of data. It's so much quicker being wired.

Harold Mansfield
05-19-2011, 02:24 PM
The computer I work on is directly wired to the router, which is wired to the modem. I don't work wirelessly..like you said, too many variables to rely on a constant connection as it is. Besides I use a desktop.

On a side note, I can't believe you are getting 100mbps ! That is awesome! 50 is the most that is available in my area and they charge a pinky finger for that. 100 is something I've only heard about them making available in the near future. I know that they were testing it in the D.C. area but I didn't know that it was already being rolled out.
I also don't have Comcast here.

Spider
05-19-2011, 02:45 PM
I clicked around a bit on my computer and found "Local Area Connection Status" and it said, Speed: 100.00Mbps. This is the standard cable service, no extra deals, that I purchased along with basic cable television.

That's what the computer says, but who knows what it is, actually. Is this a measurement measured by the computer, or a stated figure that I am supposed to get? I don't know. I does seem noticeably faster than when I walk about and pick up the wireless signal.

Harold Mansfield
05-19-2011, 03:17 PM
I clicked around a bit on my computer and found "Local Area Connection Status" and it said, Speed: 100.00Mbps. This is the standard cable service, no extra deals, that I purchased along with basic cable television.

That's what the computer says, but who knows what it is, actually. Is this a measurement measured by the computer, or a stated figure that I am supposed to get? I don't know. I does seem noticeably faster than when I walk about and pick up the wireless signal.

OK, that makes more sense. Mine says 1.0gbps but I know that I am not getting that kind of speed through my modem. That's not a representation of what you are getting from your ISP. It has something to do with the capabilities or transfer speed? I really don't know. Maybe someone else can help with explaining what that is.

tylerhutchinson
05-29-2011, 08:25 PM
I do not think it is slow, but I prefer Yahoo over Google.

C0ldf1re
05-29-2011, 10:56 PM
Wired connections have always been faster than wireless...

How easily we forget the most basic things! I've got a PC with a slow wireless connection sitting just 6 feet away from the router. Now, where is that bit of wire?

vangogh
05-29-2011, 11:45 PM
I'm not sure where it is, but you know once you find it, it'll be 5' 11" long. :)

facility
06-09-2011, 10:25 AM
I happen to use bing a lot recently. Not because I think it's better but a) I got a new Windows Phone 7 which uses bing as the standard search engine. and b) because it gives me different results (which is good). So sometimes when google doesn't give me what I want I go to bing (sometimes bing does not give me what I want).

vangogh
06-10-2011, 12:25 PM
I've been using Bing more often over the last year or so, though I also use Google. For many queries I find the results to be mostly the same. Not necessarily the same in regards to the exact sites being returned, but in the overall quality of the results. For some queries Google definitely has better results. Some things I search for routinely don't even bring back results on Bing. For other queries I find it's Bing that provides the better results, though there are still less queries where Bing is better.

More and more though for many queries I find the results to be fine on either.

nealrm
06-10-2011, 12:47 PM
The 100 Mpbs and 1 Gpbs is measuring the speed of your local network. Those speeds are standards for wire connection. If you are using wireless connects they can vary depend on the type of connection and its strength. Wireless N-band will be fast than the older 802.1b or 802.1g bands. The older bands will max out at 54, the N band hits 100Mpbs. All of these relate to the speed going from your computer to the router and other computers connected to that router. It has very little to do with your internet speed. It is directly related to the network card in the computer and the router hardware. Most new computer will have a 1 Gpbs network card. The 1 Gbps router will cost about 25% more than the 100 Mpbs versions.

If you want to check your internet speed go out to speedtest.com. It will show you both the update and download rate, plus the averages for different providers in the area.

Harold Mansfield
06-10-2011, 07:18 PM
The 100 Mpbs and 1 Gpbs is measuring the speed of your local network. Those speeds are standards for wire connection. If you are using wireless connects they can vary depend on the type of connection and its strength. Wireless N-band will be fast than the older 802.1b or 802.1g bands. The older bands will max out at 54, the N band hits 100Mpbs. All of these relate to the speed going from your computer to the router and other computers connected to that router. It has very little to do with your internet speed. It is directly related to the network card in the computer and the router hardware. Most new computer will have a 1 Gpbs network card. The 1 Gbps router will cost about 25% more than the 100 Mpbs versions.

If you want to check your internet speed go out to speedtest.com. It will show you both the update and download rate, plus the averages for different providers in the area.

HA. I knew someone woulds answer that eventually. Thanks Nealrm

C0ldf1re
07-02-2011, 04:43 AM
I'm not sure where it is, but you know once you find it, it'll be 5' 11" long. :)

No. It was quite long enough. However, it had been chewed by a rabbit. Honestly... Seriously...

vangogh
07-02-2011, 10:45 PM
Sure blame the rabbit. At least it's more creative than blaming the dog.