When it first debuted back in 1998, Google's indexed search was a new approach to cataloging and searching the Internet. Its simple, yet option-rich programmatic interface revolutionized the search engine space, and the company received wide accolades for its "Don't be evil" ethic.

Since then, it's become most users' default portal to the Internet, its name synonymous with looking stuff up online.

But does it still hold up 27 years later, or has it collapsed into enshittification?

Launched in 1998... in the era of the internet, that's some incredible staying power.

It's hard to judge the search engine for what it is now without considering its history. It was clearly NC when launched and for a while after that. But even now, I still use it multiple times a day.

I have to go with NC.

(just to be clear, this is not a "NC" for Google LLC)

Crap. It was sad, yet predictable, to watch it devolve from a very useful tool, to something that prioritized searches by paid content, to forcing its Gemini AI bullshit into queries. The last part got so bad for a research project a year ago that I was forced to use something else (DuckDuckGo). I could see where the AI was sourcing from but the way it combined the information was often incorrect.

I think eephus summed it up correctly once by saying the version of google from the last 10 years or so (collecting and selling your data, sponsored content, etc.) was what they were always going for, and the free utilitarian tool was the accident. Makes sense, as the awful parts generate $$$. Enshittification indeed.

penningtron wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:02 am Crap. It was sad, yet predictable, to watch it devolve from a very useful tool, to something that prioritized searches by paid content, to forcing its Gemini AI bullshit into queries.

Agree with this, but it seems to be the case with everything, and google is not even the worst offender. It’s still my default search…also find their maps the best. Crap

zorg wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:50 am Agree with this, but it seems to be the case with everything, and google is not even the worst offender.

Possibly, but the other stuff you have to actively seek out, and isn't default inserted into "find tacos near me".

penningtron wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 9:06 am

zorg wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:50 am Agree with this, but it seems to be the case with everything, and google is not even the worst offender.

Possibly, but the other stuff you have to actively seek out, and isn't default inserted into "find tacos near me".

I will confess to being ignorant how Google rates for obtrusive marketing. It's become second nature to gloss over the paid bullshit, but absolutely the algorithmic monetization of the internet overall has turned the open frontier into an endless casino gift shop. Or maybe I've just been fully zombified now. Either way, I've stopped caring, really, as a creature of habit, I typically already know where I am going to eat tacos. Better just to put the devices away whenever possible.

As a search engine? It's all right. Just ignore the AI bullshit at the top and know your sourcing.

But Chrome, Gmail, and Google as a lifestyle and organizational tool? Crap. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but Safari and Outlook webmail (Hotmail's corpse) seem a bit less invasive and all-seeing, not to mention a little simpler.

Sadly, Google Docs, Meet, etc. have become ubiquitous in my industry, so I use them all the time. But not much in my personal life.

Am now wondering what a Yahoo! search looks like in 2025, and if Lycos even still exists... Would be easy enough to find out.

penningtron wrote: I think eephus summed it up correctly once by saying the version of google from the last 10 years or so (collecting and selling your data, sponsored content, etc.) was what they were always going for, and the free utilitarian tool was the accident. Makes sense, as the awful parts generate $$$. Enshittification indeed.

Yeah, not as much that it was an accident, i guess, as that their arc has been:

a) give away a truly useful, comprehensive search engine for free out of the goodness of their hearts
b) create a reliable, comprehensive "free" email system that works really well
c) create a cloud storage system that works really well
d) add on enterprise programs for biz alongside all kindsa ad possibilities
e) encroach more and more on the free info with paid info and start narrowing the window of survey in the name of curation
f) start thinking they know best, make a shitty AI, impinge on natural search results with a bunch of terrible AI stuff that is wrong 75% of the time
g) get really rapacious about the advertising so you basically have to do it pretty hard to protect your brand name etc. etc.
h) fire a lot of engineers and onshore support so the overall product degrades over time and become less and less useful

Quite a masterplan! The end game is to give you "an answer" ala chatgpt etc. and just leave it to you to figure out if you wanna take their word for it.
Sort of like a moderately well-read uncle who is full of himself enough to have opinions about everything and may not remember the details half the time (or just be wrong).

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 9:31 am As a search engine? It's all right. Just ignore the AI bullshit at the top and know your sourcing.

People should more than just ignore it due to the massive amount of power AI wastes. Turn it off, or use something else.