Google

[gusl]

hey Google, I want my old GUI back! Seriously! (For some searches, my first two pages are ads... I can get the classic Google homepage rather than iGoogle, but the results page still sucks)

and why can't I find other complaints?

Comments

[demarko (from livejournal.com)]

I think because a lot of people use something like Customize Google and Adblock nowadays. I don't see any ads anymore, like ever

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

But this change happened tonight!

Does your results right now page have the same GUI as yesterday?

[demarko (from livejournal.com)]

yeah, pretty much

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

mine is back! :-)

[simrob.livejournal.com]

Then they're probably just testing out things. Being Google, I imagine your criticism has been automatically detected and noted :).

[gwillen.livejournal.com]

Are you using Windows? If so you probably got malware'd. There are a lot that do this.

[phoenix1701.livejournal.com]

Nothing automatic about it.

I mean, hi! <_<  >_>

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

so you're saying someone noticed that I was desperately typing "Google new GUI". Are you one of the people who reads the queries?

[phoenix1701.livejournal.com]

Reads the queries? No. Reads my friends page? Yes. :D

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

Maybe the ads flew non-stop, but the content took the "direct" flight via Asia.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

what's your theory? Why did my results page change, and why was this reverted an hour later? Does Google randomly test out new GUIs, as simrob said?

[phoenix1701.livejournal.com]

Yes. we do. It's called Split A/B testing. See article here:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9954972-7.html

You can also opt-in to various experiments if you like:

http://www.google.com/experimental/

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

I am using WinXP with Firefox.


I got the same GUI as this screenshot:


source:
Google nervously testing a new display?

<< Screen shots of this particular GUI test are not rare on the web. As Google trials the proposed results page on different test groups the search engine allows more people see the proposed GUI. Although allowing users to see the test interface also encourages screen grabs of the interface to spread around the web, Google benefits from letting more people experience the proposed new GUI. Google monitors the actions and behaviour of the test groups carefully. >>