Need a Good Web App? Google Blog Search is worth trying out.

For many internet users, the homepage that immediately appears for them is the Google site. It is a browser that we are all familiar with, and it has become so habitual in our daily lives. My mom is still clueless when it comes to using the internet, but she sure knows about Google. If I ever ask her a question that she does not know the answer to, her first response is always, “Well why don’t you just Google it?” She is beginning to think that Google has the answers to all of life’s questions, and in many cases it has.

Google has used its popularity with the public to expand and create many web applications that help its users. There are applications for Google maps, advertising, office productivity, email (gmail), video, and so many more. The web application that I want to focus on is www.blogsearch.google.com . Google Blog Search helps its users to find the most recent and interesting posts in the blogosphere. I have to admit, that prior to taking this class I was not extremely interested in finding blogs, I was actually sort of “anti-blog”, if you will. Now that I have become a part of the blogosphere I am finding how interactive and unique this world is. However, with so many people out there blogging it can be more tedious than entertaining or resourceful when you have to dig through all of the junk on the web to find the good stuff; that is where Google’s Blog Search comes in to play.

For people like my mom who did not grow up using the internet, I believe that her unwillingness/slow adaptation to using the World Wide Web is due to how overwhelming it has become. My mom will put a label or a post-it note on anything and everything. Her coupons are alphabetized, events are highlighted on calendars and bulletin boards, and her closet is even organized according to color. The point is, when it comes to such a vast field of facts and opinions, people want organization and Blog Search does exactly that.

First, Google models this site to make it look very similar to the regular old Google.com. Right off the bat, this familiarity makes the application that much less intimidating for users. There is a simple search box and it is very plain, no decorations, cluttered designs, or distracting colors. An addition to the site includes a side bar on the left that lists categories for further organization of blogs. They include: US, World, Business, Technology, Video Games, Science, Entertainment, Movies, Television, and Sports. If you do not have anything specific to search, by clicking on one of the links mentioned you will receive a list of blogs according to the most recent, which can be as recent as being posted only a few hours prior to your search. They are clearly presented with the topic in bold, with the name of the forum listed underneath.

This site makes entering the blogosphere easier and less time consuming. It is extremely helpful how quickly the site is updated and how easy it is to read about the biggest issues in our society. Obviously this connects people because it is spreading not only facts, but tons of opinions and perspectives on current events, and allows for what we have been discussing in class: progressiveness. By easily locating new information, internet users can quickly expand on it. I highly suggest using Google Blog Search for research, social networking, and just plain old curiosity.