Do you use Google?

[tandfman]

What a silly question! Doesn't everyone use Google?

It's always been the only search engine that I ever use, and because of that I get referred to Google's maps whenever I find a business or personal address through Google.

But in the past few weeks, I've begun to re-think this. I was going to make a comment on the malware thread (which is now on the Current Events message board), but I thought that rather than hijack that thread, I'd start a new one here.

As of now, it certainly looks as if this site's malware problem, if it ever existed, exists now only in Google, which still flags the site as potentially harmful even though I and others have been using it for days with no apparent ill effects. If this were the only problem I've observed with Google, I might write it off as a one-off glitch. But it's not.

On at least 3 occasions in the last month or so I have found errors in Google Maps. I'll identify a location that I'm planning to drive to and then find that the location shown on Google Maps is not where the place actually is. It might be on the other side of the street or, in at least two cases, 1-3 blocks away from the real location.

I've now returned to using Mapquest for this sort of information. I find it's far more reliable. If I find a place through a Google search, and the search result includes a map, it's very convenient simply to enlarge that map and figure out how to get there (or use their directions, if they're included). That's easier than getting out of Google, going into Mapquest and re-entering the address. But that's what I've started doing just because I don't trust the Google maps anymore.

I also happened to stumble upon a Yahoo search the other day. It looked very much like the Google search results, but possibly better, particularly in things relating to breaking news.

Does anyone regularly use search engines other than Google? I never thought I'd be thinking about switching, since I am a very heavy Google user--I'm in that site many times every day to find answers to questions that occur to me. But I'm now ready to go elsewhere, if there's a good alternative. Any recommendations?

[Marlow]

If I find a place through a Google search, and the search result includes a map, it's very convenient simply to enlarge that map and figure out how to get there (or use their directions, if they're included).

Aye, there's the rub. My browser is Chrome, hence everything I do goes through Google, and I'm too lazy (impatient) to try anything more. I am healthily skeptical of EVERYTHING on the internet, so if I absolutely have to have precise info, I'll double-check; otherwise I'm good with 'close-enough' in most cases.

[lonewolf]

I use both Google and Mapquest.. both screw up my location.. I live on a court.. there is a street by the same name, same house number about a mile away in the same development.
I always get driving directions from the wrong location.. not a real problem since I know where I am from there.

[tandfman]

I live on a court.. there is a street by the same name, same house number about a mile away in the same development.

How is that possible? Same town/village? How does the post office deal with it? How could a developer do that?

[lonewolf]

Square mile development with winding streets, courtyards, cul de sacs.. some streets stop and start in two or three places within the square mile... the westernmost segment by the same name is in the same block number about 3/4 mile north of my court... has never been a problem for the mailman.. just for Google and Mapquest.

[gh]

I'm guessing I speak for many when I answer the elemental question here by responding, "There's another way?"

[Master Po]

gh says it well (assuming I get his meaning) -- Google is my default search engine. That stated, I note occasions where the mapping function is somewhat less than ideal, and where MapQuest does a better job. As others have noted, I also will check both if I'm really unsure of a location/itinerary, and I really need to get it right.

[18.99s]

As of now, it certainly looks as if this site's malware problem, if it ever existed, exists now only in Google, which still flags the site as potentially harmful even though I and others have been using it for days with no apparent ill effects. If this were the only problem I've observed with Google, I might write it off as a one-off glitch. But it's not.

I was still getting the malware warning this morning (with Firefox), and I don't use Google to reach this site.

[tandfman]

I'm guessing I speak for many when I answer the elemental question here by responding, "There's another way?"

One of these days, I'm going to try using another one, probably Yahoo, just to see how it compares. I'll report back.

[Pego]

I'm guessing I speak for many when I answer the elemental question here by responding, "There's another way?"

One of these days, I'm going to try using another one, probably Yahoo, just to see how it compares. I'll report back.

I have used Yahoo as my primary search engine ever since I started using the Internet ~15 years ago. I like it.

[tandfman]

I have used Yahoo as my primary search engine ever since I started using the Internet ~15 years ago. I like it.

Have you tried Google?

[Pego]

I have used Yahoo as my primary search engine ever since I started using the Internet ~15 years ago. I like it.

Have you tried Google?

Yes, at times I use both of them (Bing, too). Overall I prefer Yahoo, but in some instances Google finds things Yahoo did not (and vice versa). I find Bing inferior to both of those.

[tandfman]

Just for the heck of it, I just tried searching for Track and Field News in both. Interesting comparison. Google showed 6 direct links to pages within the site, and Yahoo showed 8. But two of the Google links were to essentially the same page ("Search Results Archive" and "Latest Results"). So there were 3 Yahoo direct links not produced by the Google search. One of those, however, was mis-labeled. (The page designated as "New Subscribe" was actually a page reserved for existing subscribers.)

Pego, I'm glad to know that you have compared the two and prefer Yahoo. Thank you for that. I'll experiment further. I should probably start by figuring out how to put a Yahoo Search bar on my screen, just as I have a Google search bar there now. It certainly facilitates things not to have to go to a separate website to do a search. I am not the most technically skilled person out there, but I don't expect this to be rocket science.

[Pego]

Just for the heck of it, I just tried searching for Track and Field News in both. Interesting comparison. Google showed 6 direct links to pages within the site, and Yahoo showed 8. But two of the Google links were to essentially the same page ("Search Results Archive" and "Latest Results"). So there were 3 Yahoo direct links not produced by the Google search. One of those, however, was mis-labeled. (The page designated as "New Subscribe" was actually a page reserved for existing subscribers.)

Pego, I'm glad to know that you have compared the two and prefer Yahoo. Thank you for that. I'll experiment further. I should probably start by figuring out how to put a Yahoo Search bar on my screen, just as I have a Google search bar there now. It certainly facilitates things not to have to go to a separate website to do a search. I am not the most technically skilled person out there, but I don't expect this to be rocket science.

This is the best way. Open Yahoo, click My Yahoo, register. You can play with it to your specifications, format, content, colors.... It requires next to none technical skills, just a little time investment. To me, it is an opening portal to Internet and has been all those years, it is my homepage. You can create a list of bookmarks, have as many Yahoo mail accounts as your heart desires. If there is one website (besides T&FN, of course) that I could hardly live without, it would be My Yahoo. Should you have questions about the details, PM me.

[tandfman]

The Track and Field News home page is my home page, and I'm not about to change that. But I discovered today (or maybe I somehow caused it to be today) that I have a Yahoo search bar on my laptop, in addition to the Google search bar that I always use. The Yahoo one is not quite as long but it will do just fine. I don't have that on my desktop, but I just added a link to the Yahoo search page to my favorites bar on the laptop, so I have one-click access to that.

I'll start using both and see what I find.

[DecFan]

With Firefox, by default you can choose among yahoo, google, and bing as the standard engine for your search bar - and you can easily add any other search engine that comes up which you prefer.

The internet is littered with former top search engines that either failed to adapt or quit focusing on search and became irrelevant. How many of you remember the World Wide Worm? Lycos? Altavista? Excite? Yahoo seems to be the only actor from those pre-google days that has endured.

WIth google expanding into other areas and moving away from uncommercialized search, my guess is that there will soon be room for another pure search competitor.