Google's Version of "Beta"

The other day, I was reading Ray's review of what he seems to think is Yahoo's "RSS Reader." While his review is plainly wrong in several ways, that's not what I remember about it. Well, I may discuss that at a later time.

At the end of it, he says:

Yeah, I know the service is clearly marked as Beta, but I've become used to Google's definition of Beta...

Well, good news! Google's recent beta isn't much better.

Let's have a look...

Let's say you want to use Google's new local search to find Badminton related places in zipcode 94089 (Sunnyvale, where Yahoo happens to be--not far from the Googleplex). The results are preserved in the first screen shot on the right. The full-size version is, of course, easier to read.

Let's see. Result #1 is good. Badminton Alley sound like just what I might expect to find. Result #2 is "Sociedad Cervantes Espanola." Hmm.

But wait. It gets better!

Result #3 is Kit Kat Club, a strip club. A nudie bar. That sort of thing. Al Bundy would be proud, I'm sure. And result #4 is for a railroad club. Result #5 is for an American Legion Post.

And so on down the list.

Well, Ray, it may be time to revise your idea of what "Google Beta" is. I know I'm not impressed.

Oh, wait. I forgot. It's Google so it must be good. Silly me. That's what I get for missing my last brainwashing.

Yahoo Yellow Pages, on the other hand, produces highly relevant results when I tell it I want Badminton near zip 94089. Here's proof (second image on the right).

I guess it's all about using the right tool for the job, isn't it? :-)

Posted by jzawodn at March 18, 2004 06:03 PM | TrackBack (0)