At least they're working on it. The homepage could really use some clean-up. =) |
I don't like this design either. Does it really need to be changed? What it really needs is the ability for the user to decide what links are there, e.g. web | images | desktop | blog search | book search | more >> |
If you are familiar with Firefox 'Stylish' extension and userstyles.org , it is worth to give a look at these CSS tweaks that were made for this certain page ;)
http://userstyles.org/style/search_url/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F |
Yesterday, I got a variant of this at a university computer. The home page looked as usual, but on the left side of the search results, I gut a vertical list of the other search types as shown in your second image.
I didn't like this version because it cuts away an entire strip of vertical screen estate, making it difficult to use narrow browser windows. Do you know where one can give feedback to Google about these experiments? |
Google automatically collects feedback by clicking patterns, at least that's what everyone assumes why they're doing it publicly to sample crowds. For example, we heard from Sergey Brin that Google once added site thumbnails on result pages as prototype and then realized that people take longer, not quicker, to find the desired page (I don't have a reference for this bit, it was in a mainstream article or the like years ago, quoting Sergey). So I guess the best thing to do when you see a pattern you don't like is to stop clicking anywhere for a minute so you crush their usability stats! |
An interesting change. It looks like a quick-and-ugly hack, and it looks like the Ask.com homepage.
I should note that the Ask.com homepage is, on the other hand, quite elegant and easier to use than the Google homepage. Why? Usability ... and I'll let Don Norman explain: http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/the_truth_about.html (The truth about Google's so-called "simplicity").
Who's Don Norman? He's the other half of the Nielsen Norman Group (think Jakob Nielsen, usability genius). |
On the other hand, Jakob Nielsen used to (still does?) advice Google on usability. (Not that he's the king of web usability; e.g. useit.com contains some problems with too-long text lines.) |
I agree – it does need change. But vertical is so totally not the way to go.
Google should have some sort of design contest. It'd be interesting to see what people come up with. |
No need for a contest, Google now got a *designer*. |
hmm I would like to see a google x kind menu thats of drop in.
That wil maintain the cleanes and could be a good option for al the other cool google tools to be seen by the big public
See example: http://www.cmd.tech.nhl.nl/users/rucht200/projecten/Google%20x%20/
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Inout, sort of reminds of this :D
http://blogoscoped.com/files/google-wise-weird.png |
White space gone wild!
I don't like the second design either, but the first one is really appalling. The only thing I can think of is that someone felt the links weren't getting sufficently noticed in their more discreet positions. But this design is almost insulting in its wasteful use of screen space: almost your whole screen for nine or ten words. |
no, either not good enough, |
