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Favorite Hidden Google Features?
fredtheshingle asks: "Google now seems to allow you the option to track your FedEx and UPS shipments! Search using the tracking number for either carrier and a page that offers to track the package appears. Simply follow that link and the carrier's current status report is displayed. Nice! So what's your favorite hidden Google feature?"
The "define:" clause which comes in very handy... define: PHP
But then, given the /. debates here, I'm sure you all know that already.
Needle Nardle Noo
I'm not sure if I know of any that aren't pretty much common knowledge. Anyway, it's fun to search for "answer to life the universe and everything". I also like the calculator function: just enter "2 + 2". The ability to search for "definition any-word-you-want" is nice, too.
But of course, the best hidden feature is the ability to search for "litigious b******s" and to have the most relevant link appear first. In fact, you can leave off the word "litigious" and it still works, now that so many people have put links with that phrase on their web pages.
Forgot to give an example:
Google Calculation
And the ever popular Question
Fellowship 9/11
A list of some of the google features available:t ml
http://www.google.com/help/features.h
Let's just say Google images. ...with SafeSearch off. ;)
As a physics/physical science lab instructor at the local university, the discovery of the unit conversion feature on Google has been extremely handy. Now when students ask whether their conversion are correct or not, I can point them to a quick easy place where they can check their own work.
In the google search box type "80 calories in joules" and voila.
And for the lazy, I searched google and found a link: Google Features
Fellowship 9/11
Ego Surfing!!!
Go not unto/. for advice, for you will be told both yea and nay (but have nothing to do with the question)
Not only does it do math, it's also got a bunch of constants built in, and it can convert units on the fly, even to some more esoteric ones. Try entering the following searches
:)
gravitational constant
speed of light in cubits per fortnight
mass of jupiter in stones
radius of earth * 2 * pi in light years
It's enough to keep a science nerd occupied for hours.
This seems pretty cool....
Google knows all, ask the google, google will know....
Fellowship 9/11
I've always liked this gag. Now if we can just find that question...
It's amazing how helpful the "~" can be when doing searches. Prefixing a word with a tilde will search for that word and many of its synonyms. Very helpful when doing things like:
/. a while ago.
linux ~tutorial
Also, I think this list of google tricks was listed on
Seerch zee Veb
I know I'm not alone here. Everytime I punch in a commonly misspelled word, dictionary.com, hyperdictionary, etc. is in the first couple links.
It's probably so often used, it's practically overlooked as feature.
And don't forget Google Labs for a taste of things to come.
If you have caller ID, or hit Star 69, and do not immediately recognize the number, punch it into google. Bonus: maps to the street address on file for that number.
It's a little picky on format (you have to do (555) 555-4444, not 5555554444 or 555-555-4444), but in general very awesome.
symetrix. We are building a religion, a limited edition.
Froogle, for those who like to be careful with money.
Google also allows you to do a lookup on a UPC code.. (it actually uses the database from www.upcdatabase.com)
works great if you have one of those modified cue cats
--
Time is on my side
These people @ Google really have a sense of humor. My favorite funny feature is the ability to do all your Google searches in your choice of Klingon, Bork Bork Bork! (Swedish chef from the Muppets), or Elmer Fudd.
Dave
FPGA, Wireless, ASIC, Verilog, VHDL, HW, 10yr exp, Team Lead, Ottawa (More? Email above. slashdotusername=dgmartin98 )
My favorite feature is the ability to search for items using regular expressions. Just type the string "site:/^[cs].*?edu$/" and BAM! You get jack squat.
Some day our Linux search engine heros will grace us with regular expressions.
Open Source Industrial Music.
Michael.
Linux : Mac
This Google Directory Category directly under the toplevel: Adult.
I have no idea, why it is always hidden (even if the content filtering is turned off) or how to reach it from the toplevel.
Google's Britney Spears page?
a klingon google or a a l337 google kewl huh!!
Kingdom of Loathing (www.kingdomofloathing.com) Addicted is me
I found out that google offers a wireless search engine. Just go to that URL with your mobile, enter your search query and google will convert any site it returns to WAP format that your mobile can handle.
The * character works as a wildcard when searching for strings. Try this one for some variations of a famous quote.
Here is a page that lists a bunch of features. Handy dandy.
No encryption can withstand the power of the Lucky Guess.
Some people, when confronted with a problem, think "I know, I'll use regular expressions." Now they have two problems.
--Jamie Zawinski, in comp.lang.emacs
My father is a blogger.
The calculator and the unit conversions are cool. But what I use most are:
1. The Dot. Instead of "search string", search.string works.
2. Search By Location (currently in google labs, hopefully to be released soon). I made a mycroft plugin for it. Download and unzip to your mozilla/firefox searchplugins directory, edit googleloc.src to reflect your zip code, restart browser, and it'll appear in your search dropdown. Just choose it from the dropdown and enter a query, say "pizza hut" or whatever, and bang, you get your nearest pizza huts with map and distances. (It'll stop working when search by location is eventually moved out of labs.google.com, obviously)
And the ever popular Question
How about this one?
...but if you type in your search terms twice (monkeys monkeys) you tend to get better results, because that (I believe) only looks for sites with "monkeys" written twice, removing sites just linking to the topic (and the glut of link directory things). It's cool.
Oh, you don't want anybody keeping track of your activities and transactions? Then you can't use a credit card, you can't write checks, you can't ever show anybody your driver's license or social security card. Which means you can't legally hold a job in the U.S.!
I think cookie-phobia is a sort of an inverse example of what Bruce Schneir calls the Line-Item Fallacy of Security. He's refering to people who think the solution to their security problems is to just buy a bunch of magic technology that will solve their problems for them. But there also seems to be an attitude that some technology is tainted by the evil anti-security/anti-privacy boojum, and by avoiding it you also solve your security problems. Not true. As Schneir keeps saying, security is not a product, it's a process. And of course privacy is an aspect of security.
Cookies are presumed to be evil because they can be used to gather information. But you can't avoid giving out information. The best you can do is avoid giving information to people you don't trust.
What, you don't trust Google? Fine, then configure your browser to only allow cookie settings to trusted sites, and don't add google.com to the list. That way you can at least use Slashdot without logging in.
What, you don't trust Slashdot? Then why are you even using it? They're perfectly capable of tracking your activities on their site without using cookies.
You don't trust your browser to enforce your cookie policy? Then you're already screwed, cause you've been trusting your browser not to not use cookies at all.
It's not about what technology is evil and what isn't. It's about who you trust and who you don't.
The page is Slashdotted - here's a Google cache..
I meta-mod all positive moderation Unfair, because it's abuse of the system.
Wow that's pretty cool too.
:0
Google can help you find some pretty cool things.
I just learned that with my internet service I can theoretically download 11 terrabytes per year.
I really need a bigger hard drive
Have you tried Linux yet?
I don't think Google has one built in but you can use this site to do the same sort of thing using Google.
Omnes arx vestrum sunt adiuncta nobis.
I, too, prefer not to let Google set cookies.
1. Enable cookies. 2. Go to http://www.google.com/ 3. Click on "Preferences" on the right side of the search box. 4. Set your preferences and click "Save Preferences." You're back to the search box. 5. Click on "Advanced Search" on the right side of the search box. 6. Do not fill out anything, but just click on "Google Search." 7. Bookmark this new search page. 8. Delete your Google cookie. 9. Disable all cookies, or at least your cookies for Google. Now when you use your new bookmark for Google searches, your preferences are passed to Google in the URL, without a cookie.
(Reference: http://www.searchguild.com/printer/fm1/792)
To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.