Right now if I go to Bing, for example, and type in "what ISPs are in my $zipcode"...
It's not using the location data correctly, for one. The first few pages are nothing but spam and clickbait. There isn't a single, actual provider one that page. Using Yahoo I get the same thing, but there's even more ads. Using google, there are actual real results of providers that actually provide service in this area, as well as a handful of fairly trustworth review sites. Tell me, which one is more useful? On Tue, Feb 2, 2016 at 9:38 AM, Ken Hohhof <af...@kwisp.com> wrote: > It doesn’t bother you that a search for high speed Internet in your town is > useless because Google lets lead generators game their system so that the > first several pages of results are ISPs that don’t even have service there? > > Money and monopoly power has corrupted Google’s search business (and > associated services like Maps). They are obviously not strapped for cash, > they should spend a few bucks fixing their search engine. Until they do, we > should look for and use better search engines. So don’t use Google to find > a locksmith. Better choices like Yelp and Angies List come to mind, plus > probably some I’m not thinking of at the moment. > > > From: Josh Reynolds > Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 9:05 AM > To: af@afmug.com > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] SAD day > > > You just described every large scale data source ever. > > Congratulations > > On Feb 2, 2016 8:41 AM, "Ken Hohhof" <af...@kwisp.com> wrote: >> >> Locked out of your house? Don’t use Google to find a locksmith. >> >> >> http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/business/fake-online-locksmiths-may-be-out-to-pick-your-pocket-too.html >> >> Read the whole article to find out just how badly Google search and map >> results are corrupted. This locksmith must be legit, I can see their >> building on Google Maps. Oh, not really there, created by Photoshop and >> “crowdsourcing”. And driven by a “lead generator” to make it look local. >> And advertising $19 but paying twice that to Google for the AdWords click. >> SCAM, SCAM, SCAM. >> >> >> From: George Skorup >> Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 11:44 PM >> To: af@afmug.com >> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] SAD day >> >> Nobody says "Let me Bing/Yahoo that". So yeah, Google is how you search >> the interwebs. But I agree on the other point. I do not trust any company >> that has (or can have) such huge control over information. Be it Google, >> Microsoft, Apple, etc... or the government. >> >> On 2/1/2016 11:36 PM, Travis Johnson wrote: >> >> I would use Yahoo or Bing or any other search engine. Nothing would change >> if Google went away tomorrow. >> >> Blackberries and Android wouldn't even exist if Apple hadn't created the >> first iPhone. Same with tablets... look how many people tried tablets before >> Apple, and they all failed. >> >> I purchased a Macbook for my daughter headed to college 5 years ago. She >> used that laptop literally every day, for over 5 years. She graduated with >> two Bachelor's degrees... using that same laptop. Every paper, thousands of >> emails, etc... and she has never had a single issue... no viruses, no >> hardware issues, no software issues. Never a single issue. No OS reload, no >> malware scanners, nothing. It just works. Just like all the rest of Apple's >> products... they just work. >> >> Travis >> >> >> On 2/1/2016 10:28 PM, Josh Luthman wrote: >> >> The world's most popular site and you don't think the world would change? >> Really??? >> >> Apple is gone. People buy Blackberries and Android. Tablets probably >> won't exist. Mp3 players would probably have come to fruition without them. >> What else do they have? >> >> Josh Luthman >> Office: 937-552-2340 >> Direct: 937-552-2343 >> 1100 Wayne St >> Suite 1337 >> Troy, OH 45373 >> >> On Feb 2, 2016 12:22 AM, "Travis Johnson" <t...@ida.net> wrote: >>> >>> At least Apple makes products... products that literally changed the >>> computing world, the phone world, the retail world, created apps, and the >>> music world. Google created a search engine (actually copying Yahoo, >>> Webcrawler, Altavista and several others at the time). They aren't a >>> "product". They don't "sell" anything. They are a webpage, just like >>> Facebook. >>> >>> Imagine your life without Google or Facebook. NOTHING CHANGES. >>> >>> Yes, they built a better mousetrap using their intelligence and hard >>> work... but they aren't "inventors". They didn't create anything new or >>> groundbreaking. >>> >>> Travis >>> >>> On 2/1/2016 10:09 PM, Colin Stanners wrote: >>> >>> I'd much rather Google / Alphabet Inc. be in that position than Apple >>> with their overpriced yet restricted / non-upgradable / crappy consumer >>> electronics. >>> >>> Google is making themselves the curator of access to the world's >>> information and communications. When you consider the value of those, it's >>> not just the most valuable company in matters of money. The founders had >>> incredible foresight in addition to their intelligence and hard work. >>> >>> On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 10:55 PM, Travis Johnson <t...@ida.net> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> http://www.ibtimes.com/alphabet-inc-goog-surpasses-apple-inc-aapl-become-worlds-most-valuable-public-company-2289113 >>>> >>>> "The world isn't run by weapons anymore, or energy, or money. It's run >>>> by little ones and zeroes, little bits of data. It's all just electrons." >>>> ~ Cosmo (Sneakers 1992) >>>> >>>> Literally, a one page website for a company that is less than 19 years >>>> old is now the most valuable company in the world. :( >>>> >>>> Travis >>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >