[candiodari]

> (A simple switch saying "include ads relevant to the query" would change this to "pull" mode in my books, as long as I could enable or disable it permanently for my session/account.)

I must say, occasionally I do actually use an ad in Google search. They can be useful. Not that often, sure, but still. Not zero. They have something to do with what I'm trying to use Google for.

They're not random attention whore ads like, say, newspaper sites have. No big, moving, brightly colored "CONTEST! PARTICIPATE!" ad, none for getting a fitness subscription and no attempt to sell me wine.

But you're right that they aren't "pull" in an absolute sense. I guess I still think they were closer to "pull" ads than pretty much any other website I use. And if the whole web would do ads Google style, I'd be very happy and consider that a big improvement.