Slashdot Mirror
A Peek at Personalized Google
Seoulstriker writes "Sci-tech Today is describing how Google will be offering customized homepages as seen here. Is this one step closer to Google becoming a web portal like Yahoo? Although it is not currently in Beta, it is only available through the Google Labs site. It definitely doesn't look like Yahoo yet, but I don't want my search site to be any more cluttered than it is now."
as long as it's a separate page from the google.com homepage, i'm cool with it.
it's when they stop offering the lightweight search page by default is when it starts to suck.
I agree. I happen to like the extra features. If I didn't I would simply switch it off. I don't get why people are complaining
And, of course, if I decide I don't like it, I can simply revert back to the simple interface. As long as I can do that, I'm happy.
Anyway, who has time to think about Google when there's Star Wars to think about?!
Physicist, consultant, science communicator
This is exactly what it is.
Google.com will remain as standard.
Google.com/ig will result in custom versions.
Its very nice, the custom versions simply occupy the otherwise blank google space below and are customisable enough for most users.
liqbase
Archimedes helps invent modern mathematics,
...which we're using to read Archimedes' writings.
Modern math (after surviving the Dark Ages) enables modern science,
Modern science gives us nifty toys like particle accelerators...
I can't help but think the guy would really get a kick out of that.
--
[-(friend^2)]^(1/2)
"Or personalize it so it's simple?"
Greasemonkey, anyone?
Next we'll be having /. stories covering the /. stories about the /. stories about the /. stories...
A good point, though, is that since the rise of Google, most of the other search engines have de-cluttered their search pages, removing almost everything from them.
How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
I know with keywords in Safari and Firefox I haven't intentionally visited google's front page in ages.
there's more than one way to do me.
Never trust a corporation to keep their promises more than a couple of years at most. Management changes, stockholders make demands, etc.
I definitely like the Google personalized homepage, but I can see how many people wouldn't, and I certainly wouldn't want it to become too cluttered like MSN or Yahoo. I like being able to read Slashdot and Google news headlines and preview my gmail. They definitely are on the right track with this one. However, I think that they should keep the default homepage clean and simple as it is now and offer the personalized page only to those that truly want it. I think that one good feature about google products is their simplicity. They should keep it that way.
Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt has said the company is focused on search and is not a Web "portal." A Web portal is a site which offers a range of personalized services on one page.
This is a good move, focus on what they are good at, searching, and build all of their services around it, instead of trying to spread themselves too thin and only being mediocre at everything that they do. seriously good job
"I agree. I happen to like the extra features. If I didn't I would simply switch it off. I don't get why people are complaining"
Complaining earns you karma and it makes you look smart. I know that's why I do it. Heh.
"Derp de derp."
I would like to be able to personalize my google start page but I do not want anyone in my job to somehow have access to my gmail account at work.
why would they ever need to put ads on their main page? How many people go to google.com just to see the google logo? 99.999999% of people that go to the google site probably go with the intent of searching(which will display ads), or to use another service with similar ads.
Perhaps we should all be trying to submit stories that have already appeared on the front page in an effort to force the editors to scrutinize harder, and maybe, just maybe, it'll stick....
We've been doing exactly that for over a year and see where it has gotten us so far?
-Charles
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
"I don't want my search site to be any more cluttered than it is now." Well, I guess that's why it's completely customizable. You can put what you want where you want it, including putting nothing there... though I find the Slashdot module quite nice (that's how I found this story). With Slashdot, Google News, Gmail, and Google Search on one page, I've got 90% of the stuff I ever use right in front of me as soon as I start my browser. Couldn't be better.
It gets a thumbs-up from me, for sure.
Exactly..why are people so afraid of change? If you dont like the personalized page dont use it. Some people just gotta bitch about anything and everything
I love My Yahoo! I also love my Gmail. I think this customized Google page is a great start but it's simply not there yet. Yes, the interface is nice simple Google, but I think in this day and age with RSS and broadband, it's a little too simple, boring and frankly not enough features for me. I do like how easy it is to customize though.
It really does feel to me like it's a start, and not ready for primetime. This is what a portal was 5 years ago.
I really do have high hopes for this though. It's Google. Yahoo! isn't shaking in its boots just yet.
I set up my personalized Google home page. I like it a lot. I don't know if I'll keep it because generally I like the uncluttered look of the standard Google Home page. But, take a look, your mileage may vary!
Some of the nice features:
Since this isn't even really Beta yet, I'm guessing (am almost sure) there'll be lots of improvements to this -- and probably most of the improvements address many of the "complaints" posted thus far. (I've found Google to be amazing in their willingness to listen to and respond to and take action on feedback from the consumer community.)
So, before you go ranting about the corruption of what was simple and is now crass, take a look... you may find it useful.