Barry Schwartz of SearchEngineWatch recently highlighted an article by The Washington Post on the “Google Feeling Lucky Button”, pointing out that while the button is rarely used, Google executives understand that removal would bring an onslaught of protest.
But the company has no plans to evict “I’m Feeling Lucky,” which whisks users directly to the top Web page matching their search query, even though this feature faces mounting competition from other Google services that could benefit from display on one of the most precious tracts of Internet real estate.
“If we took it away, there would be mass protests worldwide,” said Marissa Mayer, vice president for search products and user experience. “It’s part of our heritage. It’s part of what users really like about us.”
Do you use the Google “Feeling Lucky” button? The only time I have is when someone has pointed me to a very funny link that consistently turns up like how “miserable failure” used to turn up the George W. Bush official website, and how “white house idiot” used to turn up web pages on George W. Bush, but today turns up this CNN story on the Foley scandal.
Sometimes the Google Feeling Lucky button gets it right. Type in “lorelle” and you will get Lorelle on WordPress, this blog! It used to bring in my main site, Taking Your Camera on the Road, but this site has pushed that one out of the lucky business. Hmmm. 😉
What does it display when you type in your name? That might be fun. There is a lot of fun you can have with the Google Feeling Lucky button. Got any good ones?
And if you totally ignore it, would you protest if they removed it?
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Copyright Lorelle VanFossen, member of the 9Rules Network
12 Comments
One important function of I’m Feeling Lucky is when you type text into the Firefox address bar and hit enter. If the text is not URL then Firefox runs an I’m Feeling Lucky search. I know this isn’t directly related to the button but it is related to the functionality. I only click the button in the circumstances you describe as well.
Great story about how a blogger met his girlfriend because she typed in his first name, hit “I’m feeling lucky” and then read his blog
I’ve never really used the button much, except in instances like you described (miserable failure, etc.)
I don’t think I’d consciously miss it if it were gone, but I might get a subconscious jolt of “Whoa, something’s not right here!” the first few times I hit Google. After all, I’ve been seeing the same Google search page for quite a few years now.
I’ve only used it twice. I wouldn’t miss it at all.
I can’t remember ever using the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button, except when I hit the wrong button by mistake. I definitely wouldn’t miss it and would welcome another feature being added in its place (not sure what though).
Feeling lucky with Google or in Vegas — same difference: the feeling vanishes quickly.
Seriously, I know I always have to scroll down to somewhere near the bottom of the third page to find what I need: should the ‘feeling lucky’ button pick at random around the bottom of the third page, I might feel luckier.
Matt would have to make new business cards if they removed the button!
I rarely use the button because I want many choices for my search.
I’ve never used that button … I was scared of it !
Its gone… I can’t find it, so I found this page instead… “Feeling lucky button gone” and here you are! BUT NO DAMN BUTTON! WHERE IS MY LUCK!?
The only times I have ever used the *Feeling Lucky* button was to mess around with something a friend showed me; if you type in “elgoog” back wards it makes the google homepage come up in reverse — the other one was something about making the google homepage sound as if elmer fudd wrote it but i cant recll that one.
Faith I got few of those google thingies.
Type in google, a space, then one of these & click I’m Feeling Lucky
133t
goth
moon
elgoog
linux
bsd
ewmew
klingon
pilatin
easter egg
bork
emo