Google Images

Æthelred

This is just a small topic I know, but Google appear to have modified their image search slightly. Now the results page has a mouseover effect that displays the image size and location - probably the most advanced html they've ever put on their search results layout. It's rather annoying though - I frequently look for large images through their search and now I have to hover over each one to find out the size. I know they have functions for this - searching by size - but frequently I want one that's, say, just a little below their 'large', but way above their 'small.' I wonder why they went for this now; people aren't struggling for screen real estate.

Aroduc

Wow, that really is irritating. My usability education bile is rising.

Marty81

Do what I did and disable Javascript for google.com

bruin

I like it. It's slick.

Handkor

I don't see the point, the space around the picture is still the same, why not show all the info.

FreddyD

Handkor wrote:

I don't see the point, the space around the picture is still the same, why not show all the info.

Exactly. It is utterly pointless and uniuntuitive.

Recoil42

It seems to me that they're working to try and clone Windows Live's much slicker image search...

http://search.live.com/images/results.aspx?q=penny+arcade&mkt=en-us&FORM=LVSP&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=Search


I don't like it either, and the worst part is, they totally missed the best part of Live's search -- the infinite page -- as you scroll down, more images just appear, there's no need to go to a "next page".

Grizzly_Addams

I just checked it out now and that is pretty annoying. But that Windows Live infinite page thing is brilliant.

FunkyWaltDogg

Does anyone know how to contact Google to provide feedback? I can't find anything.

Couscous

It is annoying but probably not worth complaining about.

BigDes

never knew about the Windows Live thing, it's pretty awesome.

LewieP

I'm using mozilla atm, does it make sense that I see nothing new?

DigDug2000

LewieP wrote:

I'm using mozilla atm, does it make sense that I see nothing new?

It does some sort of browser sniffing. Works in FF2 but not in Minefield.

LewieP

DigDug2000 wrote:

LewieP wrote:

I'm using mozilla atm, does it make sense that I see nothing new?

It does some sort of browser sniffing. Works in FF2 but not in Minefield.

Mozilla, as in Mozilla 5.0. For some reason my university deems firefox unacceptable.

Quintile

titmouse wrote:

It is annoying but probably not worth complaining about.

It's worth complaining about for me... I use google image search mainly to find album artwork, and I need images that are at least 200x200, so before the page would load and I'd easily be able to tell which I can use and which I can't, and now I have to mouse over each one to find the highest resolution image.

They took away ease of use in exchange for trying to look cool.

Very much not worth it, and quite the opposite of what google as always been about.

Voro

Man, this fucking blows. I hope someone's going to make an extension to disable this stupid shit.

fragglefart

Aroduc wrote:

Wow, that really is irritating. My usability education bile is rising.

Ditto.

BigDes

Quintile wrote:

titmouse wrote:

It is annoying but probably not worth complaining about.

It's worth complaining about for me... I use google image search mainly to find album artwork, and I need images that are at least 200x200, so before the page would load and I'd easily be able to tell which I can use and which I can't, and now I have to mouse over each one to find the highest resolution image.

They took away ease of use in exchange for trying to look cool.

Very much not worth it, and quite the opposite of what google as always been about.

I always found that Amazon.co.uk helpful for album artwork.

LewieP

BigDes wrote:

Quintile wrote:

titmouse wrote:

It is annoying but probably not worth complaining about.

It's worth complaining about for me... I use google image search mainly to find album artwork, and I need images that are at least 200x200, so before the page would load and I'd easily be able to tell which I can use and which I can't, and now I have to mouse over each one to find the highest resolution image.

They took away ease of use in exchange for trying to look cool.

Very much not worth it, and quite the opposite of what google as always been about.

I always found that Amazon.co.uk helpful for album artwork.

wikipedia's quite good too.

Goomba

Voro wrote:

Man, this fucking blows. I hope someone's going to make an extension to disable this stupid shit.

...it's that big of a deal. Also, NoScript or Adblock already let you disable it.

Æthelred

Recoil42 wrote:

It seems to me that they're working to try and clone Windows Live's much slicker image search...

http://search.live.com/images/results.aspx?q=penny+arcade&mkt=en-us&FORM=LVSP&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=Search


I don't like it either, and the worst part is, they totally missed the best part of Live's search -- the infinite page -- as you scroll down, more images just appear, there's no need to go to a "next page".

Definitely very cool, but Live's search utterly fails in usability too - the rollover is even more obnoxious as the image pops bigger (for no apparent reason other than to jar) before you can see the image dimensions and location. Both sites appear to be trying to make their result page look like an awesome gallery. Users don't want a visually appealing gallery of images, they want to find what they want and get on with it. Quintile is very much right that it's surely a step away from Google's design philosophy.

Quintile

LewieP wrote:

BigDes wrote:

Quintile wrote:

titmouse wrote:

It is annoying but probably not worth complaining about.

It's worth complaining about for me... I use google image search mainly to find album artwork, and I need images that are at least 200x200, so before the page would load and I'd easily be able to tell which I can use and which I can't, and now I have to mouse over each one to find the highest resolution image.

They took away ease of use in exchange for trying to look cool.

Very much not worth it, and quite the opposite of what google as always been about.

I always found that Amazon.co.uk helpful for album artwork.

wikipedia's quite good too.

Yeah, I use Wikipedia first, then Amazon.com if it's missing from Wikipedia, and then Google if it's not at Amazon.

Æthelred

An almighty thread resurrection, but this 'feature' now appears to be utterly gone from GIS. How strange. Did they hear the cry of the internet?

JJ

I'm not noticing anything different at all.

It still says that size and dimensions under the thumbnail.

My noscript is allowing google so I have no idea what anyone is talking about.

Edit: oh, nevermind.

Variable

yeah I see no difference and I haven't gone out of my way to change any settings.

Æthelred

That would be because I posted this a month ago and now it's gone, as I think JJ just twigged.