Safari Search to use Yahoo instead of Google?

[akb]

Re: Is it just me...

Originally posted by macFanDave
And even though I live in America, I'm noticing an awful lot of British sites taking the top spots. (No offense (or offence, if you will) -- I really don't have anything against the Brits, but I don't have any pounds and I think shipping costs would make shopping there prohibitive.) It seems to me that the community of web developers in the UK have taken the info in "Google Hacks" and similar titles to heart and have begun to re-establish the Empire in cyberspace!

Believe me, historically it's been a real pain the other way round, too.

The trouble is, google.com works as an international site, rather than an American site. I think Google might be going a bit wrong there.

Google already has specific versions for many countries. Google UK, for example, has the option of searching just pages in the UK, which I (as a UK resident) find really useful. It isn't as basic as just searching for sites that have a .uk extension, (try searching within UK for 'cars' for instance, and you get virgincars.com in 4th - which is a UK site). So there is some intelligence used in working out what sites are from the UK.

Google Australia, France, Germany and probably most other Googles also offer this (the latter 2 also allowing you to search only in their language). Users of all these Googles don't lose out on international searches either, because the full Google database is used.

Essentially, there is no need for people in countries served by alternate Googles to visit google.com, so why doesn't google.com tailor itself to an American audience in the same way?

As it is, and as far as I'm aware, there is no American equivalent. I tried google.us, but it's just a bounce to google.com. I know that the .us extension isn't used too much, and that would make indexing difficult (though not impossible), but I can definitely see the lack of a specifically American version of Google becoming a real flaw...

 

[silvergunuk]

I think it's a bad idea of using yahoo instead of google. If they do, they should give you a choice which one to use as someone stated much earlier in the forum. If not google then maybe vivisimo as it's pretty good too.

 

[unfaded]

Uh, people...this is so obviously not true, I can't believe we're on page 4 of this thread already.

 

[Krizoitz]

Originally posted by choogheem
It has already been said, but I figure I need to put in my $0.02. Put in preferences which search engine you prefer, default being yahoo if they're gonna pay for it. I prefer google, but I like the idea of choice.

Those are my $0.02, well really I think that just amounted to $0.01, so if anyone wants a refund, please send a SASE to:
My 2 cents refund
5308 Chicago Ave So
Minneapolis, MN 55417

disclaimer - no actual money will be refunded to you, so don't send me anything! This is just a hoax - not for real. (sad that I'd have to do that because you know I'd probably get people sending me mail for 1 penny)

Not to mention that by sending a SASE they are using two stamps which cost $0.74. Of course someone might do it just so you have to pay them a penny.

 

[rdowns]

Just select "Report Bugs to Apple" under the Safari menu and tell them that Yahoo is a bug.

 

[Adurbe]

Could be a good thing...

apple's deal with yahoo may not just be about cash, it is possible that in exchange for offering yahoo as a default search other yahoo services could be made compatible (their games for example) which will be a boost to the mac platform as a whole.

just as a final thing for you all to think about, maybe they could include yahoo messenger functionality in ichat through this deal. aol + yahoo... all they would need then is microso.... ok lets not be silly

 

[rdowns]

Let's get some facts here

I beleive the rumor due to the heating up of the search engine wars. I think you'll be hearing a lot of these types of things.

From Direct Marketing News, a trade rag I get at work. (http://www.dmnews.com)

In a move that clearly sets the two companies as competitors, Yahoo yesterday began to switch from search results from Google to results using its own algorithmic search technologies.

Yahoo said it would roll out its search technology over the next several weeks on its own site and those contracted with subsidiary Overture's algorithmic search, including Microsoft's MSN. By using its own search technology, Yahoo hopes to differentiate its search experience from Google's. Yahoo spent about $2 billion to acquire an arsenal of search technologies in the past year, including Inktomi, AltaVista and FAST, in addition to paid listings provider Overture.

The widely expected switch from Google comes as Yahoo makes some headway cutting into Google's lead in search use. According to comScore Media Metrix, Google handled 35 percent of all searches in December compared with Yahoo's 27 percent, AOL's 16 percent and MSN's 15 percent. Two months earlier, Yahoo's search share was 26 percent compared with Google's 35 percent. The reach of Yahoo's search technology now will rival Google's, which handles search for AOL.

The switch ends a long relationship between the two companies. Google's corporate history notes that founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page began the company in 1998 with the encouragement of David Filo, a founder of Yahoo. In June 2000, Yahoo chose Google as its search provider to back up its directory listings.

Now Yahoo has its eyes firmly on Google as a rival.

"This is just further evidence that Yahoo is pulling out all the stops," said Fredrick Marckini, chief executive of Arlington, MA, search marketing firm iProspect. "I think they've raised the bar as far as what is the next level."

Yahoo executives estimate that each percentage point of search market share is worth $200 million to the company, making search a priority.

Last April, Yahoo overhauled its search to embed it throughout the site and add personalization features. It remade its shopping section into a comparison-shopping search engine in September and added search to Yahoo News. The company said it would embed search in other areas like finance, music, travel and personals.

Yahoo said it also would integrate search with its My Yahoo feature to return links to Web pages using XML/RSS syndication, a content syndication technology used by many sites, including Web logs, to constantly update headlines and links.

The company also has featured its search technology in ad campaigns in an attempt to cut into Google's strong brand. Earlier this month, a BrandChannel.com survey tabbed Google as the top global brand for the second year in a row.

With Yahoo and Microsoft hot on its heels, Google is widely expected to file for an initial public offering that could net the company as much as $20 billion. Such a windfall would put Google on equal footing with its deep-pocketed rivals.

Google declined to comment specifically on Yahoo's move, but announced Tuesday that its search index added 1 billion more Web pages, bringing it to 4.3 billion. (Google's index also includes 880 million images, 845 million Usenet messages and an undisclosed number of scanned book pages.) Yahoo did not reveal the size of its index, but search experts said it crawled far fewer Web pages.

Matthew Berk, an independent search industry analyst, said a larger index did not necessarily mean better results.

"If you want to ask very specific questions, having a bigger index can sometimes overwhelm the results with things that are not appropriate," he said. "Folks like Yahoo and Google have to play the size game because they're taking on all comers."

Yahoo's move also could spur further interest in paid inclusion, in which advertisers pay to have Web pages crawled but results are based on relevance. Jupiter Research forecasts that the paid inclusion market could grow from a projected $110 million this year to $500 million in 2006, if Yahoo and MSN fully embrace it. If just Yahoo adopts it, Jupiter expects the market to reach $293 million.

Paid inclusion's proponents say it improves the relevancy of search results by providing updated information on Web pages deep in sites that might not be regularly crawled.

Google does not use paid inclusion; company representatives have said it would taint search results. Still, Kevin Lee, chief executive of search engine marketing firm Did-it.com, sees softening in Google's stand against outside inclusion. He notes that results from Froogle, Google's shopping search engine, already appear on many commercial results. Froogle results are based partly on Web pages submitted by marketers, although not paid for.

"They've acknowledged the fact that just because we got this data feed from a marketer doesn't mean it's garbage," Lee said.

Yahoo has devoted considerable resources to developing new search technologies, recently starting a search research unit to explore Web search breakthroughs using machine learning, data mining and efficient algorithms. Yahoo is not alone in targeting search. Microsoft has said it will develop its own algorithmic search technology in order to take on Google.

 

[geerlingguy]

Is Google down right now? I can't get it at all.

 

[rwclark]

"New" Yahoo

Actually, Yahoo recently implemented their own search technology, and is starting to put tons of money into the technology side of things. Their new search is roughly comparable to, if not better than, Google's. For example, try searching for John Edwards, no quotes, and see which engine you think gives the most relevant results.

Read more here:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/25/1077676814425.html

 

[in_my_head]

google vs yahoo

simple: if it isn't broke, don't fix it...........anything else?

 

[MacSlut]

Breaking some myths...

Yahoo used to use Google for search results, but gave notice a long time ago when they purchased Inktomi. Yahoo had stopped using Google for search results on a growing basis (for different versions of Yahoo) for quite some time. They just recently announced they were clean of Google for all of Yahoo.

Google is not owned, nor has it ever been owned by Microsoft. Bill Gates is on record as saying he wants to kill Google and eat its children (or something like that).

The search field for Safari is not worth that much money. I used to do biz dev and have worked on such deals with pretty much all the major players. Yahoo may pay/barter for that search field, but it's not worth much.

I also think some people are confused about what the search results would be on Yahoo. The results are pretty close. You may have a preference, but it's not as big of a deal as people are making it out to be.

You guys do know about the Javascript Toolbar trick, right? Edit this into the URL for a toolbar bookmark...
javascript:void(q=prompt('Enter%20text%20to%20search%20using%20IMDB.com',''));if(q)void(location.href='http://www.IMDB.com/Title?'+escape(q))

It will pop up a search box for IMDB. You can do the same for pretty much any Website that has a search...eBay, Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Netflix, Dictionary, etc...

Don't want to futz with Javascript? Try Saft:
http://haoli.dnsalias.com/Saft/

Amongst other things, it allows you to do what Apple should've done in the first place...it allows you to have multiple searches assigned to the field. It gives you a drop down menu allowing you to choose the search you want.

If Apple wants to make some chump change with their browser, they should allow the functionality of different searches with the field, but then charge for the one that's the initial default.

 

[singletrack]

Google Sucks

I'd agree entirely with the 'Google sucks' people.

For a long time Google has been poisoned by commercial sites who know how to press the right keyword buttons in Google's robot. It's next to useless to search for computer tech on Google now as you just get a load of price comparison sites and online shops.

Try the same in AllTheWeb.com which is owned by a company Yahoo bought - Overture. The interface is as clean as Google but the results aren't full of shops.

 

[ggbrown]

Who knows what Steve Jobs has planned. Maybe it's the first step in a bigger partnership?

1. Add Yahoo search to Safari

2. Add Yahoo Messenger to the AIM Network so iChat, AIM and Yahoo Messenger all talk to each other, including AV chats.

G

 

[edenwaith]

OmniWeb Shortcuts

I haven't spent the time to read through all four pages of notes, so if I'm just rehashing what has already been said...

My preference is the customizable search bar, like what OmniWeb offers. That way, I can search through Google, VersionTracker, or any other web site which uses a search which can be customized, including my own web site if I see fit.

 

[Skiniftz]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

[scat999999]

I'll just add google to my bookmark bar.

And have an extra window open. No big deal with Expose.

 

[AssassinOfGates]

Hell no

Im sorry, can you repeat that thing about yahoo being used instead? I think I had something crazy in my eyes.

 

[gekko513]

maybe part of hp deal

Maybe this is part of the hp-deal. Yahoo has a rather large "Powered by HP" logo at the bottom.

I don't really understand why some people are so anti-yahoo. It's not like google is that much better than most search-engines.

 

[slowtreme]

Originally posted by gekko513
You really are a bunch of whiners ...

Exactly

 

[mrsebastian]

this is really not such a big deal. i'm used to google and would rather use that, but you know that little address bar at the top there? yeah that one, you can type in google. no really it works... enough for being a smart ass. if apple were to change it, i'm sure that within 5 minutes someone would give us a hack to change it back.

 

[mac4drew]

Originally posted by Wonder Boy
isn't google in kahoots with M$?

No.

Microsoft hates Google, as it does all companies that are not it or subsidiaries of it.

Google would never (I hope) become any part of Microsoft because Larry Page wouldn't sell out like that.

But then again, I thought Bungie would never sell out and look what happened there.

 

[ionas]

yay!

Originally posted by ggbrown
Who knows what Steve Jobs has planned. Maybe it's the first step in a bigger partnership?

1. Add Yahoo search to Safari

2. Add Yahoo Messenger to the AIM Network so iChat, AIM and Yahoo Messenger all talk to each other, including AV chats.

G

now THAT would rock, only icq is missing there (works over AIM nowadays?)

 

[The Tuck]

Now it looks like you can?

Safari2Yahoo This program lets you use Yahoo! instead of Google in Safari. Could this be what they were thinking about?

 

[iindigo]

Re: maybe part of hp deal

Originally posted by gekko513
...It's not like google is that much better than most search-engines.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the results I get from Google are about 88% more revelant than every other engine, and it has saved me from looking through pages and pages of results.

 

[AoWolf]

No! Google is simple simple is good. It would be a really bad move to change from google. Yahoo is too clunky and if you go to there home page your gonna get a whole lot of ads and other crap.