Personalized search will never work. For me.

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NIKON D70 - 1/500 sec, f3.8 at 27mm

I'm kind of regretting the day i signed up to Google's personalized search service. All my web searches are now starting to be skewed to what Google thinks I'm interested in or the fact I live in New Zealand. But the reality is, it'll never know me, nor will it know what I'm actually looking for. It would be better if it just plain stopped trying to second guess me.

Over the last couple of years I've bought from amazon.com a Nikon point and shoot digital camera for Gabba, a 50mm lens for me, an iPod for Gabba, a potatoshop CS for photographers book, Microsoft Streets and Trips and the odd other minor thing. There is probably other things, but thats the gist of my amazon purchases for the last 2 years. Now every time i go to Amazon, the site shows me products like camera batteries or ipod accessories or yet another book on potatoshop. All of the email marketing they send my way is replete with those kinds of products. it's as if I'm completely one dimensional to amazon now (bloody hell, perhaps I am one dimensional). The site has completely no idea why I'm actually there this time, yet it thinks it knows me so offers that more of the same shit I've been buying before.

The same thing is starting to happen to me with Google. Yeah my job is a technical one and most of my hobbies are tech related, but that doesn't mean that that is all I want in my search results. The main reason why personalized Search will fail is because Google (and Amazon for that matter) have no idea why I'm there searching at any one time. It doesn't know if I'm searching for me or for one of the kids or because Jody wants me to find something for her. It doesn't even know if I'm working or not which also has an effect on what I'm searching for. For Pete's sake it doesn't even know if I'm me or someone else.

It doesn't matter how many PHDs you have Google, I will always be an enigma to you!

Every now and then I like to mess with Google's mind by searching for the most obscure thing unrelated to my one dimensional life.

A Dr Seuss Cabbage Tree, from Whatipu, monkeyed with in Potatoshop thanks to some help from the book I bought from Amazon.

Map of the photo location
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Posted: Tuesday, 16 May, 2006 18:06

Captured: 2006:05:14 12:58:55

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  • Dave, I love this photo! And I do agree with you on the personalized search. I no longer read the emails I get from Amazon, as they are completely about the Christmas gifts I bought for OTHER PEOPLE last year. Google's search doesn't take into account the fact that I'm jody-at-home, jody-at-work, mom, wife, reader, gardener, etc. And I can honestly say you'll always be an enigma to me, mate! Keep up the great work . . . and keep us all guessing!
    Jody - Wednesday, 17 May, 2006 0:20
  • This is an awesome landscape photo - love the composition with the single plant in the foreground, also the sepia like tones work very nicely! cheers :)
    david kleinert - Wednesday, 17 May, 2006 10:24
  • Thanks David. Coming from you that means a lot! I love your work!
    Dave - Wednesday, 17 May, 2006 11:38

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