[b112]

The + symbol used to mean this, then some lunatic woman from google explained to everyone it had been removed, but it was OK as quotes were the same.

She was either a highly incompetent buffoon, or a liar for PR purposes, as quotes are not the same.

Why the change? Because it caused issues with Google+ searches from their new fancy pants Facebook clone.

Soon after, due to protest, verbatim was introduced.

It was fine for at least 5 years, but someone keeps reducing its effectiveness.

Clowns. All I hear is clown music, when I Google search.

I mean, who rolls out a product so disjointed that the very search for its users is broken, then like a year later, rolls out a broken fix?!

Google, that's who. The product failure king.