Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Big Mac · Sep 11, 2009, 02:43 PM

Why are the google search field and search button now humongous? Is this Google's answer to Bing? And lest anyone think this is a Mac browser only issue, it's the same way on the PC side.

The Final Dakar · Sep 11, 2009, 02:52 PM

AFP: Google's search box gets bigger

wallinbl · Sep 11, 2009, 02:55 PM

Looks like ass. It's been bugging me all day.

pooka · Sep 11, 2009, 02:57 PM

I like it. It's the only reason I visit the site. It's function to me.

Big Mac · Sep 11, 2009, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

looks like ass. It's been bugging me all day.

qft.

Chuckit · Sep 11, 2009, 03:01 PM

It's like they're trying to get me in trouble for searching for porn while at work.

CharlesS · Sep 11, 2009, 03:01 PM

Who ever goes to Google's front page anymore? I just use the search field that's built into both Safari and Firefox.

wallinbl · Sep 11, 2009, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Who ever goes to Google's front page anymore? I just use the search field that's built into both Safari and Firefox.

The results page has the jacked up font as well. Maybe you search perfectly the first time and never need to adjust your search terms, so you never notice it.

imitchellg5 · Sep 11, 2009, 03:27 PM

I forgot that page even existed.

The Final Dakar · Sep 11, 2009, 03:29 PM

It makes me think of old people. Which is lamentable.

mdc · Sep 11, 2009, 03:38 PM

I don't mind the larger font that much but I don't like the ugly buttons.

wallinbl · Sep 11, 2009, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

I forgot that page even existed.

Google? That's laughable.

CreepDogg · Sep 11, 2009, 05:44 PM

I agree. Ick. The first time I hit it, I thought I had done something to zoom that page.

imitchellg5 · Sep 11, 2009, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Google? That's laughable.

No, not Google, but the Google home thing. I've always used iGoogle for my homepage and then the search bar in Safari for searching.

richwig83 · Sep 11, 2009, 06:36 PM

Its HORRIBLE!!!!
Looks like im runnin 640x480!!

Sealobo · Sep 11, 2009, 07:23 PM

i don't remember the last time i actually went to google.com and do a search...

torsoboy · Sep 11, 2009, 10:04 PM

I agree that it is pretty ugly. But, like most of you, I *never* go to that page anymore. Why would anyone go there when all browsers have the search box built in?

wallinbl · Sep 11, 2009, 10:20 PM

Google's results page has the same font problem. The worst part are the suggestions as you type that are in the large font + bold. It's a visual assault when you try to refine your search.

CharlesS · Sep 11, 2009, 10:31 PM

So refine your search in the Safari (or Firefox) search box instead. Problem solved.

voodoo · Sep 11, 2009, 10:32 PM

http://www.google.com/mac now sucks a lot. (now it's «software downloads for the Mac) jeez

everyone sells out in the end, eh?

- - e r i k - - · Sep 12, 2009, 06:29 AM

The worst part is that the search field and the oversized button on the result page doesn't even match in size. And that's a page you see ALL THE TIME no matter if you use the built in search or not.

besson3c · Sep 12, 2009, 01:17 PM

I think it's a good usability enhancement, have you guys considered it in this respect?

Atheist · Sep 12, 2009, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

I think it's a good usability enhancement, have you guys considered it in this respect?

Usability functionality should be configurable. Let me decide if I want this big ass font. Don't just thrust it upon me. It's an assault on my eyes.

Wiskedjak · Sep 12, 2009, 01:41 PM

Wow. You've all got pretty sensitive eyes that you find this so offensive. Personally, it doesn't matter to me either way.

0157988944 · Sep 12, 2009, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Google Software Downloads for the Mac now sucks a lot. (now it's «software downloads for the Mac) jeez

everyone sells out in the end, eh?

what was it before?

besson3c · Sep 13, 2009, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Atheist

Usability functionality should be configurable. Let me decide if I want this big ass font. Don't just thrust it upon me. It's an assault on my eyes.

Do you mean this in a very general way, or in this particular instance? All sorts of usability decisions are thrust upon is in all sorts of products without configuration options, particularly Apple's own.

wallinbl · Sep 14, 2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Do you mean this in a very general way, or in this particular instance? All sorts of usability decisions are thrust upon is in all sorts of products without configuration options, particularly Apple's own.

Apple's generally piss me off. For example, why in the hell does the tab key skip over drop down lists? I can't fill in a form without them, so I'm forced back to the mouse for no good reason. To this point, however, you can poke around and set this back to the correct functionality. Just a case of poor defaults.

For Google, I think the default should be the larger text, but they should let the rest of us change it to a reasonable size. The older users who need the larger font aren't going to know how to make it larger (yes, this is a generalization that doesn't include all).

besson3c · Sep 14, 2009, 02:07 PM

One usability problem with putting font size adjusters on the page is that it may help form incorrect rules that the only way to adjust font sizes on any webpage is with these sorts of controls when you can adjust them on any page with your browser. I realize that there are differences (e.g. using size adjusters to adjust font sizes within a particular region as opposed to the entire page), but how do you communicate this to the user? Some font size adjusters provided on a page may just be global font size adjusters, and some may not stick as you move to other pages of that site.

Chuckit · Sep 14, 2009, 02:12 PM

If they didn't know about the browser controls anyway, do you think they'll magically know if you don't give them a visible UI?

besson3c · Sep 14, 2009, 02:22 PM

Probably not, but I have no clue what percentage of users know that you can change your browser's font size and whether there are issues with providing two means to adjust font size that work in different ways? There's also the question of whether providing people too many controls detracts or adds to user experience, and whether Google settings are visible to enough users so that they are aware of them?

These are all rhetorical questions.

Atheist · Sep 14, 2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Do you mean this in a very general way, or in this particular instance? All sorts of usability decisions are thrust upon is in all sorts of products without configuration options, particularly Apple's own.

I mean in a general way. Pretty much my only complaint with Apple is there insistence that they know best when it comes to how I need to interact with their software.

Wiskedjak · Sep 14, 2009, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Probably not, but I have no clue what percentage of users know that you can change your browser's font size and whether there are issues with providing two means to adjust font size that work in different ways?

As somebody who works in software usability, I can tell you with certainty that a tiny number of browser users know that you can change your browser's font size. Most browser users know little about the browser's functionality beyond Home, Back, Forward and Bookmarks.

Chuckit · Sep 14, 2009, 10:33 PM

And they don't know that much about bookmarks.

alex_kac · Sep 15, 2009, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Apple's generally piss me off. For example, why in the hell does the tab key skip over drop down lists? I can't fill in a form without them, so I'm forced back to the mouse for no good reason. To this point, however, you can poke around and set this back to the correct functionality. Just a case of poor defaults.

Lots of Mac OS 7-9 users don't want the tab key to go to a drop down list and only go to actual text fields. My wife is one. I don't understand it...but that's how it is.

You can change it in the keyboard prefs so I don't see the big deal.

CharlesS · Sep 15, 2009, 02:21 AM

It's because if you have a bunch of fields, like Last Name:, First Name:, Telephone Number:, etc. you can just type last name <tab> first name <tab> telephone number <tab> etc. instead of having to go <tab> <tab> <tab> <tab> each time until you finally get over to the next text field.

Although with OS X it's not nearly as annoying as it is on Windows, since the tab key doesn't cycle through every damn link on a Web page the way it does with IE/Windows.

besson3c · Sep 15, 2009, 03:09 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

It's because if you have a bunch of fields, like Last Name:, First Name:, Telephone Number:, etc. you can just type last name <tab> first name <tab> telephone number <tab> etc. instead of having to go <tab> <tab> <tab> <tab> each time until you finally get over to the next text field.

Although with OS X it's not nearly as annoying as it is on Windows, since the tab key doesn't cycle through every damn link on a Web page the way it does with IE/Windows.

As a web developer you can control this behavior, so it's probably just a matter of what browsers do by default without any overrides.

CharlesS · Sep 15, 2009, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

As a web developer you can control this behavior

But as an end-user having to deal with other people's web sites, you can't.