A black hole.
Today, while trying to find a solution to a problem I’m having with iCal 3, I did a Google search. Among the search results was a page that looked like it might have information that could help me. I clicked the link and wound up on a site called Experts Exchange. It had a question from a user, followed by a number of “Expert” and “Author” Comments. In each case, the comment text said:
All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only. Sign-up to view the solution to this question.
So basically, Google had steered me to a site that requires paid membership to view information.
While I don’t have any problem with Google doing this — if some sites feel they must charge a fee to display content to visitors, that’s their problem — I would like to be able to exclude this site from future search results I get while logged into Google. I thought that would be a good suggestion for the folks in Mountain View. So good, in fact, that I wanted to go on record.
So I followed the links on Google.com. Follow along with me:
- About Google displayed a page full of links about Google organized by topic. This seemed to be the right path so far.
- Contact Us (with a subtext of “FAQs, Feedback, Newsletter…”) seemed like the right link. After all, I did want to provide feedback. But all it resulted in was a list of Specific Inquiries, none of which included Feedback.
I poked around a few of the links. None of them were right. So although the Contact Us page leads one to think that Feedback is an option, apparently it is not. Google apparently isn’t interested in what its users have to say.
Of course, the Contact Us page does provide a telephone number and fax number. I’m toying with the idea of submitting my suggestion by fax. But will it be read?
With all the bad press Google has been getting lately, I’m left to wonder — as many other people have been wondering — does anyone at Google really care?
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I was searching for a feedback page as well,
I spent 20 minutes without much luck as you did….
I agree, it is rather weird :)
Cheers, Andrea
They just don’t want to hear from users. I guess they figure that we don’t pay them (directly) so why should they provide an easy way for us to communicate with them?
Exactly –
I found this site as I was on a mission to suggest a great idea to Google. I typically look for items associated with high temperature research, which is fairly rare. Occasionally, I find things on the standard google site that I may not find on scholar.google.com. When I’m on page 20 of 100, it’s nice to check the sites that seem more relevant to what I am looking for and then gather all the sites in one search page. Why do they not allow a check box beside the search results so that someone can save the relevant results! what a great idea.
Please pass it along to that undercover Google employee.
thanks,
I’m seriously looking for an alterantive to google. I recently moved to work on a secondment in another country. Although I have not changed any settings on my laptop and search for UK sites, my Google search results seems to have a preference for loacel pages. I also get some messages and ads in the language of my current country – which I don’t even understand. I am seriously pissed off and would like a way around it but there does not seem to be one.
Hi Readers,(not Goooogle, i’m sure Google will not visit this page coz thy don’t want feedback from us).
Any body if get the way to send the Feedback directly to Gooooogle then post it over here. it wold be helpful for all of us….
I think Goooooogle person don’t want to look at their mistakes.
Goooooooooogle where are u???
Give us ur feedback link..
Hmmm, seems to me that know one can get through to them…Just like “Big government”. Us little-people don’t count. I’ve been disappointed with Google ever since they stopped actually searching and started showing the highest bidders. I know it’s just business, but it is another fine example of catering to the dollar and the H*** with the real folk.
Phew…That felt good!!
Same problem, crazy. Since Google wont listen, here is my feedback–
When you reply to a message in trash, there is a popup every minute(the auto-save) saying that “you saved the message but we wont save it”. After you click ok, the focus goes to outside the text area!
I just went back to alta vista for now , Until I can find a more focused search provider . No more google for me plz , IVE had enough thank you .
@FG
Alta Vista still exists?
The trick with Google is to use the right search word or phrase. Using quotes around phrases helps. More words gets more focused results than fewer words. I get very good results with Google most of the time.