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Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
A curious observation I often make.
When searching for information about Debian, Google (what else?) rarely gives links to postings on the Debian forums. It gives tons of hits to the Ubuntuforum and to other forums and to blogs - and those are helpful too - but never/rarely the Debian forums.
Why is this? Is this on purpose, and if so, is it not a bad idea to "hide" the Debian forums from people that use a search engine to find information on Debian?
Just a question that pops into my head.
When searching for information about Debian, Google (what else?) rarely gives links to postings on the Debian forums. It gives tons of hits to the Ubuntuforum and to other forums and to blogs - and those are helpful too - but never/rarely the Debian forums.
Why is this? Is this on purpose, and if so, is it not a bad idea to "hide" the Debian forums from people that use a search engine to find information on Debian?
Just a question that pops into my head.
We're all star children!
Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
You're right I pasted "Why does Google not show the Debians forums?" and no hits on at least the first five pages... no biggie, the first hits are all from productforums.google.com linuxmint.com and ubuntuforums.com maybe they have a relative that works for google?
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- GarryRicketson
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
But Google does show the Debian User Forums,
It might be because you don't use good search terms in your key words,
Me, I get this forum as the first hit:
I don't usually use Google though, let's see about StartPage:
Debian Support Forums
It might be because you don't use good search terms in your key words,
Me, I get this forum as the first hit:
I don't usually use Google though, let's see about StartPage:
Debian Support Forums
We have no control over what Google decides to show as results in a search, obviously it is not on purpose. You can however thank the so called SEO experts , and Marketing engineers, (those are just fancy names for spammers), they pollute the search engines with commercial sites, so most results are usually sites with a few key words, and the rest advertising,... it is a marketing thing, corrupting the search engines with useless info, spam and advertisements, but that is where the $$$$ money is, and Google responds, putting the sites that support the profitable marketing business, you know, the commercialization of internet,... Here at Debian User Forums, have you noticed, we don't have any advertising, etc,... like so many of the commercial sites do ?Why is this? Is this on purpose, and if so, is it not a bad idea to "hide" the Debian forums from people that use a search engine to find information on Debian?
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
Haven't used Google for years, they filter they results with Political Correctness. Even searching for a 'heat gun' or similar may not give you good results - see, there is this horrible word 'gun'. Not to mention they are pressing their destructive leftist agenda. I use Startpage currently. I do not want Masters of Universe to decide what I can see and what I cannot.
- GarryRicketson
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
I just did some other search strings, poorly worded, and got Ubuntu websites first, look at the difference, look close at the top right corner, you will see the Microsoft advertisement, in a Google adds box,
It does not show well in the thumb nail, but if you click the image you can get a full sized view.
Below, this is actually supposed to be the Ubuntu support site, and where you can get it, Geez, I all ways though Ubuntu was Free, but look down at the bottom right corner,... ..
Do you really want Debian, and these forums to get like this ?
It does not show well in the thumb nail, but if you click the image you can get a full sized view.
Below, this is actually supposed to be the Ubuntu support site, and where you can get it, Geez, I all ways though Ubuntu was Free, but look down at the bottom right corner,... ..
Do you really want Debian, and these forums to get like this ?
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
I believe some forums are setup to disallow it. I suspect that's the case here.Starborn wrote:A curious observation I often make.
When searching for information about Debian, Google (what else?) rarely gives links to postings on the Debian forums. It gives tons of hits to the Ubuntuforum and to other forums and to blogs - and those are helpful too - but never/rarely the Debian forums.
Why is this? Is this on purpose, and if so, is it not a bad idea to "hide" the Debian forums from people that use a search engine to find information on Debian?
Just a question that pops into my head.
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
@OP, use startpage.com to avoid being trapped in the Big G's filter bubble.
deadbang
Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
I surely HOPE that Google shows the Debian forum, when entering "Debian support forum", or I would have been really suspicous!GarryRicketson wrote:But Google does show the Debian User Forums,
https://www.google.be/search?client=ope ... 8&oe=UTF-8
(Hey, look: the Google folks know I am using Opera . Firefox ESR stinks, and not just in Debian.)
But no, no Debian forums.
Or, say:
https://www.google.be/search?client=ope ... 8&oe=UTF-8
Nope, no Debian forums.
Or are all Debian users THAT well-informed that no one has ever asked at the forums how to check the used screen res and how to install a printer in Debian?
Okay, let us try Startpage.
https://lmsptfy.com/?q=debian%20install%20printer
No Debian forums. A few Wiki and Debian package pages, but no forums.
DuckDuckGo?
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=debian+instal ... =h_&ia=web
Nothing.
Wait, there is one hit - http://www.debianuserforums.org/viewtopic.php?t=1491
Is "Debian install printer", or "Debian check screen resolution", a bad way to search?GarryRicketson wrote:It might be because you don't use good search terms in your key words,
Perhaps I have to pose it as a question?:
https://www.google.com/search?ei=c-3vW7 ... Yu_f0pYb3s
No Debian forums.
A few search engines that respect one's privacy too(?) (Never ever ever heard of them)
https://www.qwant.com/?q=debian%20check ... tion&t=web
(Some French search engine. No, I am not French.)
No Debian forums.
"Searx", some open source search engine (Never heard of it.). No Debian forums. (I cannot copy the search URL itself?)
Or... Baidu?
https://www.baidu.com/s?ie=utf-8&f=8&rs ... _sug4=5166
First time in my life I am on Baidu.com. No Debian forums.
As one sees, not one search engine shows (and if, then barely) the Debian forums. That cannot be a coincidence.GarryRicketson wrote:We have no control over what Google decides to show as results in a search, obviously it is not on purpose.
Now that you mention that, I indeed realise this (that is how little attention I pay to ads).GarryRicketson wrote:Here at Debian User Forums, have you noticed, we don't have any advertising, etc,... like so many of the commercial sites do ?
Perhaps it is time for me to make a donation to Debian, like I have already done for a few other distros a couple of times (https://www.spi-inc.org/projects/debian/).
What advertisement? I don't see any advertisement. ( Just kidding: I do see it. I just don't/ever pay attention to it, let alone click on it.)GarryRicketson wrote:look close at the top right corner, you will see the Microsoft advertisement
I will (still) defend Ubuntu Linux: it was for me the start of GNU/Linux back in 2007. Ubuntu 10.04 was the best/nicest/greatest OS that I have ever used in my entire life (Sorry, Clem Lefebvre of Linux Mint )Garry Ricketson wrote:Do you really want Debian, and these forums to get like this ?
As for Canonical as a company, I could not really care less.
-oo-
When I search for information, I want to find it. If this or that search engine gives me that information, then I will use that search engine again.
Yes, I sometimes notice the same ads showing up on different websites (like about some coat - as in clothing; I do not shop online - earlier this week (???) ), but I have "programmed" myself to ignore ads.
Google does this the best: I regularly use other search engines, then I curse because I do not exactly find what I want, and then I go over to Google again and find what I look for.
Google earns money, while they give me the information I want? Fair enough. They are a for-profit corporation, after all. Without businesses there would be no (cheap/free) Internet.
As for Google knowing information about me: I'd rather have a private company to have information on me than the (my) government (the latter being very unlikely, considering the incompetent imbeciles in "charge" here...).
The thing is that Google is the best...Head_on_a_Stick wrote: use startpage.com to avoid being trapped in the Big G's filter bubble.
Privacy <> Results. It is an important issue, but a quick choice, if I want good information.
We're all star children!
Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
You should ask google, not here :)Starborn wrote:Why is this? Is this on purpose, and if so, is it not a bad idea to "hide" the Debian forums from people that use a search engine to find information on Debian?
The only factor controlled by the forum itself which may have a (severe) impact in the google ranking is the fact that forums.debian.net does not use SSL/TLS (of any kind). AFAIK google lowers the rank of insecure pages significantly.
Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
now that you mention it, whenever i do a google search including the term debian in the search this forum never shows up
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
a lot else.Starborn wrote:Google (what else?)
https://duckduckgo.com/
https://www.startpage.com/
to only name 2.
both more suited to search for linux stuff than google; no search bubble.
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
You misunderstand me: startpage.com forwards anonymous search queries to Google on the user's behalf in order to avoid the filter bubble that distorts results depending on previous search history.Starborn wrote:The thing is that Google is the best...Head_on_a_Stick wrote: use startpage.com to avoid being trapped in the Big G's filter bubble.
Privacy <> Results. It is an important issue, but a quick choice, if I want good information.
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- GarryRicketson
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
That is a matter of opinion. I don't think it is the best, unless of course you like advertising and spam, then I suppose it would be.The thing is that Google is the best...
==== kind of off topic, but ===
Who is "we", are you extraterrestrial or what ? I certainly am not some "star child" , I hatched from a egg, but can't speak for the others.We're all star children!
And while we are on the subject, me too, I actually am diagnosed manic depressive, so that's my excuse for my erratic mood swings,... and yes, please don't take it personalI suffer from depression and may lash out occasionally, try not to take it personally.
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- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
GarryRicketson wrote:And while we are on the subject, me too, I actually am diagnosed manic depressive, so that's my excuse for my erratic mood swings,... and yes, please don't take it personalI suffer from depression and may lash out occasionally, try not to take it personally.
Thanks for sharing Garry but I have to say that I've never seen you be nasty to anybody (unlike me), you seem to be a fundamentally nice person
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
That is because I managed to delete the posts before anyone replied or saw them, I guess.
Someone mentioned about the ssl (https) thing, and it is a factor as well, another factor, Ubuntu is much more common, more problems, and questions are asked about Ubuntu, so it often comes up first.
Google is so bad, even when I use for example, key words: "How to install Debian",... if I use google, there still will be results on MS windows, and Ubuntu, as well as for Debian, google is a corrupted search engine, and will return results that they want you to see, not necessarily results that are related to your key words.
Also, a high page rating, does NOT make it the best OS, or the best buy deal, eaither. In fact, usually the first page top results will be the worst companies, but they have put the most money into their promotions and advertising.
If the Debian community really wanted to promote Debian, and this forum, they could use some of the money that gets donated to do that, but that is NOT what Debian, nor this forum is about, Debian is not looking for high webpage rankings with google, neither is the forum owner/admin or admins. Quality, is what is the priority, not high page rankings on Google.
Someone mentioned about the ssl (https) thing, and it is a factor as well, another factor, Ubuntu is much more common, more problems, and questions are asked about Ubuntu, so it often comes up first.
Google is so bad, even when I use for example, key words: "How to install Debian",... if I use google, there still will be results on MS windows, and Ubuntu, as well as for Debian, google is a corrupted search engine, and will return results that they want you to see, not necessarily results that are related to your key words.
Also, a high page rating, does NOT make it the best OS, or the best buy deal, eaither. In fact, usually the first page top results will be the worst companies, but they have put the most money into their promotions and advertising.
If the Debian community really wanted to promote Debian, and this forum, they could use some of the money that gets donated to do that, but that is NOT what Debian, nor this forum is about, Debian is not looking for high webpage rankings with google, neither is the forum owner/admin or admins. Quality, is what is the priority, not high page rankings on Google.
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Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
Actually, we are all "children of stars".GarryRicketson wrote:Who is "we", are you extraterrestrial or what ? I certainly am not some "star child" , I hatched from a egg, but can't speak for the others.Starborn wrote:We're all star children!
I don't know how much you know about stars fission, but all the atoms except hydrogen (and helium) are formed, when starts "explode" and become a nova. The carbon, for example, in our body was formed inside stars. Stellar nucleosynthesis.
http://www2.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/chapters/10/0.html
So, in a way, we all are star children. I think that is pretty cool.
We're all star children!
Re: Why does Google not show the Debians forums?
You are very right. That is indeed how Starpage works (so I read). I will try Startpage instead of Google.Head_on_a_Stick wrote:You misunderstand me: startpage.com forwards anonymous search queries to Google on the user's behalf in order to avoid the filter bubble that distorts results depending on previous search history.
We're all star children!