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A Peek at Personalized Google

Posted by timothy on from the must-resist-comment-about-evil dept.

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."

10 of 260 comments (clear)

  1. serparate from the homepage by Spydr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

  2. Re:So.... by Omnieiunium · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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

  3. It's all about choice! by Bifurcati · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Google's doing the right thing - some people (I presume!) actually like having everything together on the one page. And in many ways, it could be nice - if with a simple, uncluttered interface I can see the day's weather and some of the top news stories from my slected news site when I load up my browser to my default page, then that's good. It's only when the page starts being cluttered by dating services and offers for stuff that doesn't apply to non-U.S.ians that it gets annoyed.

    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
  4. Re:Clutter... by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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 :: faster than paper
  5. Re:You know it's a dupe when... by IO+ERROR · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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?
  6. does anyone even use the front page anymore? by rebug · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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.
  7. Re:So.... by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "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."
  8. Re:Advertisements by jotux · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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.

  9. Re:Fixing dupes... by chill · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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.
  10. try it before you don't like it by yagu · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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:

    • from "Search, and I'm Feeling Lucky" up it's basically the same old Google page you were used to! No sweat!
    • at the top are convenient links to logout (pretty standard fair) and go to your search history (a nice feature if you've never yet tried that!)
    • modules which are handy (e.g., stock quotes, your google mail account) and
    • modules which are customizable (e.g., add your favorite stock symbol, collapse, uncollapse your google e-mail previews), and
    • very much like the dynamic miracle of drag and drop Google Maps, you can reaarange the order and placement of the modules simply by dragging and dropping the title bars of each module. I still don't know exactly how they're doing that, but compared to the clunky "customizable" personalize sites elsewhere, Google's is a joy to work with.
    • opt in or out of the various modules

    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.