[nerdponx]

The fact that I get different results based on what device I'm using really bothers me. Why does Google have to try to be so omniscient? Why not just ask me, "Prioritize fast-loading pages? (y/n)".

Concerns over Google-the-company aside, Google-the-search-platfrom really sucks IMO because it assumes it knows what I want, rather than just asking me. That mentality was Steve Jobs' worst legacy and I hate how it's wound up everywhere.

[Klathmon]

I feel like it's easy to frame the question that way, but really look at how many questions they would need to ask...

* Prioritize fast-loading pages?

* Prioritize mobile pages?

* Prioritize by pagesize?

* Prioritize your language? Prioritize local results first? Prioritize news sites? Prioritize blogging sites? Prioritize comment platforms? Prioritize "safe-for-work" websites? etc...

There's an almost unlimited number of questions that you could be asked, and the reality is that nobody wants to answer any of them.

At some point, they need to make some decisions for you, otherwise you are tasked with coming up with your own search algorithm yourself! The question becomes which decisions should they make for you, and which should they let you make.

Currently the answer looks like they are making most of them for you, while allowing you to make decisions on whether you want "web, videos, images, books, news, etc.." and what date range you are searching for.

I think that's a good choice for them, because at the end of the day if you want more control or choice in your searches, you can always use another search engine.

This isn't also unique to Google or their products. I've struggled with this in my own programs and products, even open source ones. An endless list of configuration options means that nobody will ever set them all correctly, and it increases the amount of testing you need to do almost exponentially. Choosing good defaults, or in many cases making the decision outright for your users is the best possible case, because there just isn't any other way which scales out to the entire piece of software in most cases.

[jjuhl]

Agreed. Knobs to turn is a good thing. But only if they are super relevant knobs. Too much configurability leads to bloat. Good defaults are good, but even better is (often) not having a knob to turn at all.

[jacksmith21006]

Have to disagree. Use Google search a lot and find it uncanny in getting me what I need in most situations in the first couple of links.

Now I am old and been using search engines for a long time and remember Veronica and Jughead coming online and do think I have learned through the years how to word a search to optimize getting the results.