The search experiment discussed at http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2009-10-06-n52.html has now become official according to this blog post by Senior Vice Presedent of Search Products and User Experience, Marissa Mayer http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont.html

<<You may have noticed that our homepage is sporting a new look. Today we're excited to be releasing a new version of our classic homepage. The main feature of the new homepage is that it "fades in" — when the page first loads, it shows only our logo, the search box and the buttons.>>

<<All in all, we ran approximately 10 variants of the fade-in>>

<<Like the new supersized search box we launched several months ago, this change is one that is very noticeable at first, and then quickly becomes second nature. We hope you like it!>>

Why I do not see it...?
(and I liked it very much)

I don't know why, but I hate it.

I also can't see it as of yet, but I'm sitting in an internet cafe with an outdated IE6, which may not work with the fade-in version...

(Update: Seeing the fade-in variant now, I'm still on the same IE6)

I hate it. I often select "pages from Australia " before I start typing, so when a match comes in the type ahead I just click and go.

Now I have to do 2 searches to get what I want.

Also, occasionally the fade causes what I have already started to type in to disappear.

All this for a gimmick! Not very google-ish at all.

So I have started playing with Bing – so far so good.

Yes i've started to see it early last night.

I hate it because your browser loads DOM elements that are preset as "display:none". That's sucks. it means you load HTML code for nothing!

Moreover there is no longer the bottom line with copyright, so people will wait the loading of the page while it's already loaded...

How much longer will you be in China?

New Google homepage fade in is like "ready, fire, aim!" I'm moving mouse before I know where to move it to. Confusing. I vote utility over distracting slickery.

Randy: Yeah, they've broken the "Go automatically to Google Australia" (unless you've clicked "Go to Google.com" in the past) feature, and google.com.au doesn't have the fade in feature. Personally, I always search from my browser and never use the homepage.

I can't believe some things going on with Google.

Yes, minimalism is good. Yes, it allows you to concentrate on _search_. To focus your thoughts and get the best results. Google understands it very well.

But NOT, for Heaven's sake, not minimalism _hindering_ the search. Not minimalism because of itself. "Search Australian (or Croatian, in my case) pages" is a search option. The one that, evidently, many users choose before typing (especially now that suggestion box covers it after you start typing).

For many more users, I suppose that option is the only reason for going to www.google.com, instead of just searching via address bar or integrated search box. Now I don't see that option by default.

By the same logic, they could hide the suggestions until the user pressed down arrow. :-P That would be obviously wrong, I hope.

The problem is: we don't know why they did this change. Because search is the most important thing for user? Right, they gave us EXACTLY the same argument when they have increased the size of the input field.

So, why all that shit?
PS: as a IT guy, I hate waste time, even milliseconds, that's why I've disabled special effects on my computer. And I'm not alone... so this new thing from google sucks. Hopefully there is an input field to Google search in the top bar of Firefox... ;)

Works fine with FF3.5

When typing: http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=nl&gl=nl the fading homepage is gone with the wind.

I thought that Google was expanding its homepage --- so not only will the fade be there, but a new left hand navigation will be present. Or is that only on search results?

Yes the new left navigation is only on the search results page.

Veky: @Random Holmes: May I point out that at least in my case the search options for "pages from the netherlands" is still there all right???

Google is now even more longer to load (OK, a little bit only) because of 4 textareas at the head of the page.
Try Google.com with Lynx browser!

Ah indeed, you can see it when disabling all CSS.

you should really change it to like warping in or click on the google door to enter

I have experienced the fade effect and I don't like it because it slows me down. I usually open Google and immediately click on my gmail button....but now I have to wait till it loads. I thought it was a bug on my pc at first, that's why I googled it....I really hope this isn't permanent. Google has always been my favorite search engine. Please change it back!

I hate it. Switching from language to another language in homepage took longer than usual. It sux. Bring back the old one!!!!

i think no point doing this.....

I FREAKING HATE IT, but not as much as I hate MSN which is ONLY available in the local language and no other. If you are a visitor to some country where you don't speak the language, you are totally fucked.

I basically am very concerned about the reactions I read hear.

Let me redefine the word "hate" : you would "hate" someone that does intentionnal and actual harm to you.

Ok, if you're 5 years old.. or/and on crack...then you hate...blablabla got the point.

For Mary, and other ones that feel slowed down by this fading time

if you need to go to gmail....type gmail first place, you would have saved a click already.

I agree with letting people click on their language before doing the search.

nice one But i see... in a different angle...

google want to show the users that they are not just here for to bring what you search, we also have other areas where you can come and join us(google) and one point of time we will dominate the world...

I'm tired of the fading homepage, Google should make an option to disable it!. I'm switching to the new interface now so I don't have the fading homepage anymore....

> How much longer will you be in China?

Scjm, actually we're not quite sure yet! :)

but once it loaded,its permanent!
doesn't fade out after that in India!
what about others

Congrats, Google. You've finally given me a real reason to try Bing. What an idiotic feature.

complain to one of the google idiots that implemented this rubbish

[removed for privacy protection]jonwiley.com

To protest the Google Homepage Fade-In, sign the petition at:

Petition Online (as one word) dot com backslash G0OG13 backslash petition dot html

You always can download / create a copy of the Google homepage. Then you don't have the fade-in homepage anymore. I think I will do that eventually when the fading homepage is also activated in the new prototype homepage which I'm using now.

The fade-in is just to slow and annoying.

Really really annoying and totally pointless.

I hate this google fade on the homepage and they have totally ignored the negative user feedback on their support forum.

Indeed! just a quick search gets me 15 threads against the new homepage.