Once on a backpacking, cross-country tour of Europe the self-proclamed "renaissance man" and wealthy world-traveller Google came upon the small town of Bassersdorf in Switzerland. As he strolled the quaint streets he came upon an old woman who looked lost. She proclaimed "Ich suche nach Wasser" ("I need to find water"), wherein Google replied, "Meinten Sie Spirituosengeschäft?" ("Did you mean liquor store?"). The woman scratched her head and walked away.
As a child Google was a know it all, who thrived on being right. Even in the remote chance of him being wrong, and someone having the fortune to have caught his foible, Google managed to make anyone appear dumb. Yet through it all he remained charming, and endearing to most students - somehow managing to become class president (through process of accumulation, which infuriated his school-time rival Microsoft who did the exact same things but somehow always ended up in the school newspaper or principals office). Google can often be seen looking for his name in the library index cards.
Despite Google's purposeful lack of design and supreme faith in functionality the "main" website remains crowded amongst of vast open space -- like 3 people ass-to-elbows in a freight elevator. Why not align text and information page-center and flush left? As monitor resolutions grow (with 86% of screen at 1024x768 or higher) the triangulation of the "header" area, contrasted with the search area becomes tenuous (as the eye finds it harder to "connect" the space the wider it becomes). I've tried to admire the "simplicity" of the site, but find it superfluous.
Don't get me started on the logo (obviously designed by an IT guy who "had to throw something up" as they presented to investors) - I have never ever liked the Google logo ever; but that's not the point of w.w.w.. The overall sense one gets from any Google page; not merely the main landing pages, is that functionality and bare-bones simplicity -- reinforced with a sophisticated use of emerging technology in AJAX, etc -- trump any infusion of design to enhnace the user experience. I do admire their strict adherence to keeping the interface and overall look as simple as possible, and not succumbing to fads and trends, the lack of distractions makes the overall user experience (nearly) fool-proof.
simple, basic, bland, white space, browser
More:
YouTube.com »
Facebook.com »
eBay »
Apple »
The Drudge Report »
WikiPedia.com »
JohnMcCain.com »
BarackObama.com »
Yahoo.com »
CNN.com »
Comments (34)
—
See:
Instead of "Ich brauche Wasser zu finden" ("I need water to find") she should have said "Ich brauche Wasser" (I need water") or "Ich suche nach Wasser" ("I am looking for water") or "Ich muss Wasser finden" ("I need to find water").
by Moritz Süß
10/20/2008/ (03:10)
Wow. This is an interesting concept for a site.
Good luck!
by Emma
10/20/2008/ (03:10)
>> Moritz : the funny thing to me (and what I was lamely trying to accomplish) was that the Google Translator doesn't translate accurately at all ... I shall update with that you have sent here though -- thanks!
by Paul Armstrong
10/20/2008/ (04:10)
Awesome, so glad to see you followed through with the Google description. I personally like having incorrect German in the description, as it's a throw-back to Google Translator.
by Rachel
10/20/2008/ (08:10)
I'm assuming a little bit of facetiousness, but I'm sure Kedar wouldn't be so keen on being tossed aside so casually as "an IT guy" /or/ someone who "threw something up." See also: wired.com/techbiz/startups/multimedia/2008/02/gallery_google_logos
by brandonnn
10/20/2008/ (11:10)
>>branonn Yes, I was being facetious. It has the feel of something to thrown together (to me). Just because its a well recognized brand doesn't mean that is a good brand. I still find it somewhat amateur looking. But thanks for the link!
by Paul Armstrong
10/21/2008/ (05:10)
Need to see that web site
by dagoberto
10/21/2008/ (06:10)
The whole point (and brilliance) of the way-too-simple level of simplicity of Google pages is that Google is making itself synonymous with the internet, rather than building something "on top" of the internet -- which is what everyone else does.
by Rob
10/22/2008/ (09:10)
>>Rob -- good point. Google is an international brand, synonymous with the internet (much like Kleenex is synonymous with tissue), it doesn't mean they can't improve upon the overall user experience with better hierarchy and organization of information and usage of that space -- while still maintaining their core simplicity and open-space.
by Paul
10/22/2008/ (01:10)
Very cool, can i check my website too?
by Martin
10/23/2008/ (03:10)
You have to express more your opinion to attract more readers, because just a video or plain text without any personal approach is not that valuable. But it is just form my point of view
by Boris Myers
02/19/2010/ (01:02)
It is useful to try everything in practise anyway and I like that here it's always possible to find something new. :)
by Avery Watson
02/19/2010/ (11:02)
You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?
by Adam Davis
02/21/2010/ (07:02)
Hello!
by cialis
02/24/2010/ (03:02)
Hello!
by cialis
02/24/2010/ (06:02)
Hello!
by cialis
02/25/2010/ (06:02)
Hello!
by cialis
02/26/2010/ (12:02)
Hello!
by phentermine
02/26/2010/ (03:02)
Hello!
by viagra
02/27/2010/ (05:02)
Hello!
by xanax
02/27/2010/ (04:02)
Hello!
by xanax
02/28/2010/ (03:02)
Hello!
by viagra
03/02/2010/ (08:03)
Hello!
by viagra_online
03/03/2010/ (03:03)
Hello!
by phentermine
03/03/2010/ (04:03)
any updates coming ?
by Free Toon Incest
03/03/2010/ (05:03)
Hello. And Bye.
by XRumerTest
03/04/2010/ (03:03)
Hello!
by viagar
03/04/2010/ (08:03)
Hello!
by cialis
03/05/2010/ (04:03)
Hello! cfcekfk interesting cfcekfk site!
by Pharmg548
03/05/2010/ (03:03)
Very nice site!
by Pharmd167
03/05/2010/ (03:03)
Hello!
by online_cialis
03/06/2010/ (06:03)
Hello! gcgbfdd interesting gcgbfdd site!
by Pharme762
03/06/2010/ (06:03)
Hello!
by cialis
03/06/2010/ (01:03)
Hello!
by buy_cialis
03/09/2010/ (04:03)
Send: