Friday, October 3, 2008

A Removed Dictionary Link in Google Results

Google has removed the dictionary link in search results for at least a portion of users, or perhaps all users, I’m not sure which (who of you is still seeing it? I’m not seeing it on computers in two different locations tested). Before, when you searched for a word in the dictionary – e.g. “house” – there would be a link leading to a definition in the top blue bar. Some years ago this was linked to dictionary.com and since January 2005, to answers.com. Answers.com may be suffering some traffic breakdown if this is removed for all, and not just a results prototype being tested.

I actually liked this feature and used it sometimes, though of course there are many other ways to get to the definition results (like using a Firefox bookmark keyboard shortcut connected to an answers.com result). GG Sturgeon in the forum comments: “The Answers.com link in Google searches has become my life line since I developed this obsession with blogging and I’ve come to rely on it as my spelling/definition/synonym crutch so I don’t look so stupid and lame. And not having it there has totally thrown off my daily blogging rhythm.”

[Thanks DPic!]

Update: The dictionary link is back now. Google tells me that yesterday “users were unable to access the dictionary link in their search results. We have now resolved the issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.” [Hat tip to Matt!]

A Removed Dictionary Link ... by Philipp Lenssen | Comments (8+49)

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