Poll: Should Google Suggest activation be handled by Google, or be turned off by default?
Let Google handle it.
Turn it off by default.
I have no preference.
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Google Suggest
Feb. 24, 2009, 02:49 PM
Post: #1
Google Suggest
In the original thread, http://prxbx.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=1080 , Mele said:
Quote:Google is rolling out that horrible Google Suggest feature to Google.com. I've had it since yesterday. It is driving me nuts. A thread at dslreports security forum claims the ONLY way to disable it is through Google preferences. I have NEVER allowed Google a cookie and never will! I have no intention of allowing Google to profile me. Google Preferences cannot be used unless you allow Google a cookie.

Others said they like it.

Currently Suggest is activated at the .com/.it/.fr frontpages. I just found the corresponding cookie field, so i think i could modify our faked Google cookie, which overrides the Google default settings in Standard Mode and above, to turn that off.

You could still activate it (on any Google search, not just .com/.it/.fr) via the upper right "Autocomplete" link. You could also make "Suggest" your default search, by saving a bookmark/shortcut/search-module like http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1 , or similar.

Up to you! Smile!
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Feb. 24, 2009, 03:31 PM
Post: #2
RE: Google Suggest
(Feb. 24, 2009 02:49 PM)sidki3003 Wrote:  I just found the corresponding cookie field, so i think i could modify our faked Google cookie, which overrides the Google default settings in Standard Mode and above, to turn that off.

How would I override the Google default settings in the 'light' mode (which I use)? Thanks.

soccerfan
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Feb. 24, 2009, 03:40 PM
Post: #3
RE: Google Suggest
Use Google's Preferences page (and allow its PREF cookie to persist)?
http://www.google.com/preferences?hl=en
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Feb. 24, 2009, 04:58 PM
Post: #4
RE: Google Suggest
Thanks. I also put suggestqueries.google.com in my hosts file (though I don't know if it is related).

soccerfan
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Feb. 24, 2009, 05:06 PM
Post: #5
RE: Google Suggest
may i cast a vote and "voice" that vote as well ???

what the heck, here goes -
off by default

Big Teeth

<line break>

although, um, disable scripts serves the purpose just as well...
it still amazes me how someone can *NOT* trust a cookie but *TRUST* scripts...
why would anyone block a cookie but NOT block scripts?
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Feb. 24, 2009, 08:13 PM
Post: #6
RE: Google Suggest
More information - How to Disable Google Suggest
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2009/02...ggest.html
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Feb. 24, 2009, 08:28 PM
Post: #7
RE: Google Suggest
I voted that Google's Suggest be turned off by default. Primarily my reasoning it that filter editors (and users in general) may need to stay on top of what Google's doing. It seems to me they're merging more tracking processes, maybe inheriting some of Doubleclick's antics.

Recently I've noticed a couple of things about their search results:

1) In my Opera and IE (but not Firefox), there's a new image tracker (new to me anyway) at the bottom, just before the xjs script. I put "xxx" where a longer identification string representing me was:
Code:
<script type="text/javascript">(new Image()).src="http://id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif";</script><noscript><img src="http://id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif" height=1 width=1 alt=""></noscript>

2) Where is the /BODY and /HTML for search results? They're totally missing in my Opera and IE, but present in Firefox. Google is breaking common standards when injecting crud into the results.

If their Suggest is allowed, then maybe a lot of people won't realize the desire to react to some other future changes.
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Feb. 24, 2009, 08:42 PM
Post: #8
RE: Google Suggest
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:28 PM)Graycode Wrote:  id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif
AdBlock's ABP Tracking Filter blocks /id.google.*/verify/*.gif by default.
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Feb. 24, 2009, 10:20 PM
Post: #9
RE: Google Suggest
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:28 PM)Graycode Wrote:  1) In my Opera and IE (but not Firefox), there's a new image tracker (new to me anyway) at the bottom, just before the xjs script. I put "xxx" where a longer identification string representing me was:
Code:
<script type="text/javascript">(new Image()).src="http://id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif";</script><noscript><img src="http://id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif" height=1 width=1 alt=""></noscript>

I think it's new. The entire scholar.google.com search tracking is now based on:
Code:
onmousedown="new Image().src='/scholar_url?...';"

...might be a candidate for "Google: Multi URL Untangler" if getting popular...


Quote:2) Where is the /BODY and /HTML for search results? They're totally missing in my Opera and IE, but present in Firefox. Google is breaking common standards when injecting crud into the results.

I get a missing opening <html> tag in Firefox since half a year or so.


Quote:If their Suggest is allowed, then maybe a lot of people won't realize the desire to react to some other future changes.

Looking also at other recent "inventions", it seems like they still haven't figured out how to handle their founder's "don't be evil" motto.
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Feb. 24, 2009, 10:24 PM
Post: #10
RE: Google Suggest
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:42 PM)43unite Wrote:  
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:28 PM)Graycode Wrote:  id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif
AdBlock's ABP Tracking Filter blocks /id.google.*/verify/*.gif by default.

Aha! I'm wondering about that domain for some time now!
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Feb. 25, 2009, 06:00 AM
Post: #11
RE: Google Suggest
I think it should be handled by me if I visit Google. I make very little use of Google these days, though. I like Scroogle.
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Feb. 25, 2009, 06:28 AM
Post: #12
RE: Google Suggest
Speaking of Scroogle, I'll work on some filters to make it look/function better =]

EDIT: Well, what do you know, I got temporarily IP banned from scroogle.org for refreshing too many times. I hope it's temporary. I managed to create a filter that should hypothetically work; it adds "Previous" and "Next" buttons. When/if I'm unbanned, I'll work on the styling to make it look more attractive (might just borrow the CSS from the Google filters in Sidki's pack). Right now I'm too lazy to go search for a proxy/install Tor.
Visit this user's website
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Feb. 25, 2009, 12:17 PM
Post: #13
RE: Google Suggest
(Feb. 24, 2009 10:24 PM)sidki3003 Wrote:  
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:42 PM)43unite Wrote:  
(Feb. 24, 2009 08:28 PM)Graycode Wrote:  id.google.com/verify/EAAAABD-xxx.gif
AdBlock's ABP Tracking Filter blocks /id.google.*/verify/*.gif by default.

Aha! I'm wondering about that domain for some time now!

Looks like this "id" subdomain is only serving script/noscript webbugs, hence gets blocked by the generic anti-tracking filters.
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Feb. 25, 2009, 12:55 PM
Post: #14
RE: Google Suggest
That's 0 "keep as is", 5 "block!", 1 "whatever" within one day.

So i'll attach a test version of CookieValues.ptxt that applies discussed change.
I've also added a "Description of a few more cookie fields" paragraph.

In case you've edited the "IP Address Cookies -- Edit!" section (optional, despite the exclamation mark), don't forget to copy over your custom entries.

Note 1: This list isn't used in Minimal and Light Mode.
Note 2: Besides replacing CookieValues with the attached version. you'd also have to edit IncludeExclude.ptxt yourself, replacing all instances of ":CR=2)" with ":CR=2:SG=0)".

Clear your Google cookies afterwards.
Please post back if it doesn't work.


Attached File(s)
.zip  CookieValues_2-25.zip (Size: 1.87 KB / Downloads: 597)
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Mar. 02, 2009, 04:07 PM
Post: #15
RE: Google Suggest
Might as well chime in, seeing as my Google-fu is pretty strong. Wink

I'm under the impression that if you dissect the the address bar of your search results, you'll find that all of your Google-stored preferences have been appended in the usual manner, with ampersands. I've long since abandoned Google's preference, due to that cookie nonsense, and just store my desired appendages in my Google shortcut (bookmarklet, registry entry, Proxo filter, whichever way turns your crank). When I search, my Address Bar entry looks like:

g "bozo the clown"

Where "g" is short for Google, and whatever text that follows becomes the search term/terms. Quotes, OR (must be in caps), negative (the minus sign tells Google to ignore the following term), site specific qualifiers, everything that Google allows in the front page's Search box can be put into that text string - it'll all work!

I daresay, since I don't use Google's front page, the Suggest "feature" has never come up for me, so I don't have a way to get the necessary term. Howver, 43unite links (in a post above) to a page that does show the term, so my work is already done. Smile! If you include "&complete=0" in your stored search string, you should be good to go. Applause

HTH


Oddysey

I'm no longer in the rat race - the rats won't have me!
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