10 Simple Google Search Tricks

Paul N

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
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Mar, please ignore this thread......:p

From The New York Times

10 Simple Google Search Tricks

By SIMON MACKIE of GigaOm

I’m always amazed that more people don’t know the little tricks you can use to get more out of a simple Google search. Here are 10 of my favorites.

1. Use the “site:” operator to limit searches to a particular site. I use this one all the time, and it’s particularly handy because many site’s built-in search tools don’t return the results you’re looking for (and some sites don’t even have a search feature). If I’m looking for WWD posts about GTD, for example, I could try this search: GTD site:webworkerdaily.com.

2. Use Google as a spelling aid. As Rob Hacker — the WWD reader I profiled last week — pointed out, entering a word into Google is a quick way to see if you have the right spelling.
If it’s incorrect, Google will suggest the correct spelling instead.

Additionally, if you want to get a definition of a word, you can use the “define:” operator to return definitions from various dictionaries (for example, define: parasympathetic).

3. Use Google as a calculator. Google has a built-in calculator — try entering a calculation like 110 * (654/8 + 3). Yes, your computer also has a calculator, but if you spend most of your day inside a browser, typing your calculation into the browser’s search box is quicker than firing up your calculator app.

4. Find out what time it is anywhere in the world. This one’s really handy if you want to make sure that you’re not phoning someone in the middle of the night. Just search for “time” and then the name of the city. For example, try: time San Francisco

5. Get quick currency conversions. Google can also do currency conversion, for example: 100 pounds in dollars. It only has the more mainstream currencies, though — if you’re trying to see how many Peruvian nuevos soles your dollars might buy, you’ll be out of luck.

6. Use the OR operator. This can be useful if you’re looking at researching a topic but you’re not sure which keywords will return the information you need. It can be particularly handy in conjunction with the “site:” operator. For example, you could try this search: GTD or “getting things done” site:webworkerdaily.com

7. Exclude specific terms with the – operator. You can narrow your searches using this operator. For example, if you’re looking for information about American Idol but don’t want anything about Simon Cowell, you could try: “american idol” -cowell

8. Search for specific document types. Google can search the web for specific types of files using the “filetype:” operator. If you’re looking for PowerPoint files about GTD, for example, you could try: GTD filetype.ppt

9. Search within numerical ranges using the .. operator. Say, for example, you want to look for information about Olympic events that took place in the 1950’s, you could use this search: Olympics 1950..1960

10. Area code lookup. Need to know where a phone number is located? Google will let you know where it is, and show you a map of the area, too. For example: 415
 
Gawd, I love Google! Constantly looking for ref photos of all kinds of neat stuff....And sometimes doing a Google search for one of my artwork titles is cool....Several times it was the #1 item:icon19:.......as a web search, not image,that gets me on the first page,but not generally #1...L.
 
Very useful, Paul.

I never knew you could use “site:” or “filetype:” to narrow a search.
 
Thanks Paul. Definitely some useful things to know. Unfortunately, I don't think any of them will help me with the search I just tried. What's the best way for a nosy person to find out if her friend's jerk of a brother got a divorce? I keep getting sites that want me to pay for that info. :shrug: (No, my friend wouldn't know. No one in the family talks to her brother anymore but she heard a rumor through an old acquaintance.)
 
He lives in a different county. I tried the county website, but couldn't find where their public records are. In our area, the publish divorces in the local paper but not in his. If he did get a divorce, it may have a bearing on the continuing legal battle my friend is in with her brother over their father's estate.
 
Not all small newspapers or small towns have online capabilities.

Back when I went hunting for Bob Hendrixson I found a record of when he and Margie got married but no death record for him. I just stumbled across a website that was "dedicated to" his memory.
 
Thanks Paul. Definitely some useful things to know. Unfortunately, I don't think any of them will help me with the search I just tried. What's the best way for a nosy person to find out if her friend's jerk of a brother got a divorce? I keep getting sites that want me to pay for that info. :shrug: (No, my friend wouldn't know. No one in the family talks to her brother anymore but she heard a rumor through an old acquaintance.)

There are several on-line “detective” search engines which can do a lot of the work for you e.g. Intellius.

You must subscribe to it but I don’t know what the cost is. Some, if not all, have a one time use or a monthly or yearly subscription for people like landlords who want to check background for prospective tenants and the like. There is a “sex offender” search function, too, but I’m not particularly interested in the details for Paul’s escapades since he tends not to come to New Hampshire too frequently, I am told. :D (Just kidding, Paul!)

I have heard that one called “net detective” is pretty good, but they continue to bill you monthly even after you terminate your account, so I wouldn’t recommend them.
 
I've heard reference to the "deep web" which accesses lots more sites than show up even in Google. Is there a search engine specifically for this, or a way to make Google get there? (This is not a joke, matrix reference etc.)
:cool: Rick
 
State of Wisconsin - Simple Case Search

AnneL said:
...What's the best way for a nosy person to find out if her friend's jerk of a brother got a divorce?...

Anne,

As long as the legal action happened in the state of Wisconsin, and you know the person's birthdate, you should be able to find anything....

State of WI - Simple Case Search


John
 
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