The Google Effect This is an interesting idea, that the developent of good search engines is reducing the need for easily guessed domain names. I had noticed myself searching for companies on google more than just typing in names. Mind you I type in the ones I know.. but when I don't I always go to google. I started using google as my primary search engine about the same time Yahoo started putting ads on its search results pages (two years or more ago). I was a google fan long before google was cool, back when it was still a little project. I liked the clean results pages, I still do. I like the low graphics nature of the site, it loads fast. I like that the ads which didn't used to be there are there (which I liked better, but good things don't come free) are clearly marked as such. I even click on them when they are applicable.

Good search engines will save the web, I once stated that the web would be like CB radio of the 90's. It would flurish, be popular for a while and then die because it wasn't really useful. Good search engines make that untrue. I am always on the lookout for a good new search engine. I want fast, uncluttered results with no annoying "features." Now that yahoo's search engine is backed by google the results are as good there, but the interface isn't as fast. I am not a slave to google though, if I find a better search engine I will drop it as fast as I dropped alta vista when its results went to crap. Competition rules in this arena. Search engines are the unregulated utility of the internet. But unlike utilities in the physical world it is easy to switch, you aren't bound by civic contracts, or infrastructure problems.