why waste time searching…

…the internet is uber-hyped.

Internet has quickly gone the way of American TV … it is already so full of ads for all businesses want to sell us that we can't find anything worth watching. Well, it had to happen.

Information overload isn't so much of a problem on internet anymore, since there isn't much real and useful information to find. Instead search-engines and all else seem to try to overload us with sponsored ads and pointers to all sorts of “trendy” stuff in the hope that we will give in and click on some of those links now that all the potentially useful stuff is pushed far enough out not to be noticed.

Still a fact that there tends to be more useful information to find after the first 5 search-result pages than on the first, but that has less to do with sponsored ads and pointers and more with search engine optimization. I can live with that.

As one who isn't particularly interested in trends there is tons of stuff search-engines send across my screens daily I'd rather not see — ever. Tailoring ads to my search-inputs also hits wrong 99% of the time, as I do for instance not necessarily want to know who sells items when I am searching for information on how specific items work.

Over time my list over companies I do not want to deal with because they do not provide enough information about their products, is growing. Telling me that so‐and‐so is using their products, means absolutely nothing.
More non-informative ads from them on my screens do not improve their ranking – not that I think anyone cares.

it's free…

…except that it isn't. Time is money, and all the unwanted stuff that clogs up screens and internet connections eats of the time set aside to search for information.

There is a “no soliciting” sign by the entry to the community I live in, and to the degree possible I have put an equivalent “sign” on my internet connection. Wish search-engines would respect it, but I guess that is too much to ask. End-users' personal preferences aren't worth much when everyone and their dog fight for attention and big money across internet and everywhere else.

feel better now.

Just had to get all that off my chest … before going on a new search for information. Have managed to turn off nearly all disturbing factors on search-pages in my browser — “no soliciting” you know — so searching is fun again.

How to turn off disturbing stuff on search pages and elsewhere? Well, either you get an add-on to your browsers that does it for you, or you check off all the relevant check-boxes under “site specific preferences” – if your browser have that option. It all comes down to knowing how browsers work and what you want yours to do for you.

sincerely  georg; sign

Weeki Wachee 14.apr.2012
30.apr.2012 - revised and expanded
14.may.2012 - revised, and expanded addendum
14.jun.2012 - fixed typos
last rev: 14.jun.2012


side notes.

same with all major search-engines.

They are all in the business of generating income by selling space for ads and through promotions and various deals with other internet-based businesses, so the amount of unsolicited stuff ending up on our screens varies only slightly with how successful they are. “Income” is what makes the wheels go round everywhere, and the more the better – especially for shareholders.

If anyone thinks I am against the business-models behind the major search-engines and other sites, think again. All that is fine with me, I am just “taking care of my own business” – minimizing the noise at my end. If I don't look after my own interests, nobody else will.

surreal situation.

“Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility.”
-Pablo Picasso

Clearly the spreading of paid ads and promoted stuff has been successful, as otherwise there would not be so much of it everywhere. Following up previous successes by spreading more of the same may work well for a while, but “the sameness” also makes it all that more boring, and so much easier to block almost all of it at the user-end.

are we recycling stupidity?

I guess we are, and since recycling in all its necessary and many unnecessary and some right out stupid forms is so popular these days, I don't think this form of “recycling” will be slowed down. Too much money involved.

Adblocking has become a business in itself you know, and some of the numerous add-ons for and options in various browsers, work remarkably well. So, as on all other “battlefields”, every action triggers a reaction, and the “back and forth movements“ will probably go on for as long as there are conflicting interests between groups — forever that is.
Carry on…


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