Friday, October 27, 2006

Googlepedia Mistake

I just installed the Googlepedia extension (or are they add-ons now).  It is a fantastic way to enhance Google results by simultaneously searching Wikipedia for every Google search.  The benefit is that on your left, you get Google's results and on the right, you get the closest Wikipedia article.  This method works so well that I can see Google offering plugins for both Firefox and Internet Explorer or just modifying their results page.

The problem is that Google's advertising is gone.  In it's place is where you see the Wikipedia article.  Google will not stand for it and frankly, I don't think that it is really right.  I don't mind choosing not to view ads by using an Ad blocker, I feel that everyone has the right to control what advertising they are being showed.  I also believe that advertisers have the right to encourage people to view their Ad by offering content.  I use a Tivo to skip most Ads, but I have the option to view the Ads that interest me.

If Google is smart, they will modify their search results and offer Wikipedia results but move it down enough to show their advertising.  In fact, they could improve the intelligence of the Wikipedia search and if there was no match, they could have the Wikipedia article disappear.  Right now my only complaint with the Googlepedia extension is when it brings up an article that is not related to my search.


Googlepedia Add-On



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