
  Google’s Experimental Homepage Fades To A Single Word  - jmonegro
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/05/googles-experimental-homepage-fades-to-a-single-word/
======
mikeryan
Do that many HN readers use the Google homepage anymore? My searches are all
entirely through my browser search field.

It seems like a cool feature for "power users" but I'd think that most people
that still use the homepage would be newer users.

~~~
raju
I go a step further and use FF's nifty "Add a Keyword for this Search..."
feature (Right click in the Google search box and pick that option).

The keyword that I pick is usually a single letter - G for Google, A for
Amazon, I for IMDB, W for wikipedia.

I completely remove the search field from FF's toolbar. To search Google, its
Alt (or Apple) + L (focus shifts to search box) type g followed by search
terms. Similar for every other keyword I have defined

~~~
nitrogen
Unless you find yourself short on screen space, or frequently have to type
really long URLs, the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is
equally useful for those who use one search engine (Google in my case)
significantly more than the others. I don't know what the Mac equivalent would
be.

~~~
WalterGR
> ...the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally
> useful for those who use one search engine...

It's actually not. When typing in either the keyword box or the URL box, it
shows similar previous searches in a dropdown. The URL box's method is
superior:

For suggestions, the keyword box does a "StartsWith" query against your
previous searches. The URL box does a "Contains" query.

The keyword box has a delay between when you stop typing and when previous
searches are displayed. The URL box does not.

(Firefox 3.0. Can't speak for other versions.)

------
snorkel
Reminds me a while back I was experimenting with a UI fading trick I called
"proximity". UI elements would be faded out proportional to how far away the
mouse pointer is. In my own jQuery-like API it looks like this:

    
    
            // Ramp up element opacity as mouse gets closer
    	jf('#foodiv').resizable().proximity( { 
    		mousenear : function(el,distance){
    			var _opacity = distance/600;
    			jfutil.setElementOpacity( el, _opacity );
    		}
    	});
    

I'm guessing someone has already made a jQuery plugin to do something similar.

------
rufo
I noticed this earlier today. 95% of the time I use Google I use the search
bar, but earlier today I went to the Google homepage expecting to click on a
link - I thought something was wrong with the page and/or Safari at first. It
took a few moments before I moved the mouse and everything faded in.

If it confused me, I'd have to wonder what less experienced users' reactions
might be...

------
fname
Interesting, considering, most people still haven't found out that you don't
have to click the "Search" button for the query to execute.

~~~
NathanKP
Really? I didn't realize most people were that ignorant. I've always typed
then hit enter and everyone I know does as well.

Anyway....

~~~
stumm
Many people also click the "go" button after typing a URL into the address bar
of a browser.

~~~
ludwig
I only use that button when I copy/paste a URL using the mouse.

~~~
snprbob86
Chrome's address bar provides the insanely awesome right-click -> "Paste and
go" option.

------
hughprime
Is the single word really necessary? I mean, it already says "google.com" up
in the URL bar, so you know what you're looking at.

~~~
litewulf
I'm pretty sure that in user tests most people don't know what the URL bar is.

