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 Google result links take forever to load
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Insectoid




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:17 pm   Post subject: Google result links take forever to load

This has been bugging me for a while now. Whenever I click a link on a google search results page, it takes forever to connect to Google for whatever reason before redirecting me to the link I clicked (ie, 'waiting for google.ca...'). If I highlight the link to the actual site and paste that into the address bar, thereby bypassing Google, it loads instantly. You'd think with Google's emphasis on speed this wouldn't happen. Does anyone know why it does, or how to work around it?
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Tony




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:24 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

For the most part, Google is insanely fast. Some of the requests are issued to multiple servers, in duplicate, and they race to give you (the same) response.

I don't know what the deal is for your experience. Have you tried to setup an experiment with different computers, browsers, and ISPs?
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
Insectoid




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:35 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

I don't have other computers (or ISPs) to try it on, but it's the same across all browsers. It only happens sporadically, but when it does it's really annoying. Why am I waiting for Google when I'm trying to get to Wikipedia, or Reddit, or anything else?

Why does it need to connect to Google at all? Could Google not integrate itself with Chrome to do any referral stuff in the background and load the page instantly?
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:10 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

It connects to google to track click-through rates for particular queries. If the number 2 result is getting more clicks than number 1 result (adjusted for position weights), then it's a signal that number 2 result might be better.

Try out https://duckduckgo.com/ -- it doesn't have this click-through tracking mechanism.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
Insectoid




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:49 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Could Google not integrate the click-through tracking into Chrome in order to execute it while simultaneously loading the web page? It couldn't be that hard to do and I can't imagine any obvious downsides.
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:12 pm   Post subject: Re: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Insectoid @ Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:49 pm wrote:
I can't imagine any obvious downsides.

70% of people that don't use Chrome...

The redirect is not supposed to be slow (this is why this needs to be tested with other setups). I suspect that something else is up. E.g. your ISP is also tracking your Google clicks, as that data could be sold. Not that crazy of an idea -- at some point Bell messed around with YouTube pages to overwrite the video source location (presumably to cut down on bandwidth costs via site-specific proxy) and totally broke everything.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
Insectoid




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:42 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Quote:
70% of people that don't use Chrome...


Google can identify non-Chrome browsers, can't they? So give them the standard treatment while giving Chrome a bit of a boost. As long as there's no antitrust crap involved it should work, shouldn't it?

I wouldn't be surprised if it's my ISP. My ISP is not good. Shaw is the quality connection 'round these parts.

Quote:
E.g. your ISP is also tracking your Google clicks, as that data could be sold


Is this common practice? I'd rather not be paying for a subscription if they're profiting off my activity.
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:46 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

I don't think having such tight coupling between two completely different products is a good idea. There are some exceptions where it things would simply not work otherwise, but in this case a general solution is a better approach from Engineering standpoint.

Profiting from just tracking your searches is not even as devious as outright injecting (or replacing) ads on various websites -- http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/how-a-banner-ad-for-hs-ok/
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
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Insectoid




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:01 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Quote:
Profiting from just tracking your searches is not even as devious as outright injecting (or replacing) ads on various websites


Not at all. That's downright abominable. I'd just like to benefit somehow from giving up my information. Facebook and Google give me something in exchange for my data. What's my ISP giving me? Diddly squat, that's what.
mirhagk




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:16 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Well your ISP is giving you internet, but they do an evil job of it. Hopefully Google Fibe puts enough pressure on ISPs to actually charge fair prices.

Legally they are probably allowed to inject ads, but it is def illegal for them to replace a website's ads with their own.
Tony




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:55 pm   Post subject: Re: RE:Google result links take forever to load

No. He's already paying for the internet. It's just that some ISPs like to argue that they are not really a common carrier and mess around with the data they transmit.

Since the Postal Service seems to be the standard example for a common carrier...
mirhagk @ Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:16 pm wrote:
Legally they are probably allowed to [stuff ads in the mail envelopes they deliver]...


Which would obviously make people upset.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
[Gandalf]




PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:46 pm   Post subject: Re: Google result links take forever to load

You're using Chrome right? Check your proxy settings, and under "LAN settings" disable "Automatically detect settings" if it's enabled. See if it's faster now.
mirhagk




PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:28 am   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Well if you give the post office permission to attach ads to all the mail you get, then they might be allowed to.

I agree it's a dick move, but I don't know if it's within their ToS, it might still be legal.
Tony




PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:32 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

In the U.S. it is a federal offense to tamper with mail. My understanding is that it's the same way in Canada (covered by RCMP), but as typical it's more difficult to find Canada specific sources to cite.
Latest from compsci.ca/blog: Tony's programming blog. DWITE - a programming contest.
Nathan4102




PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:50 pm   Post subject: RE:Google result links take forever to load

Yeah, it is a federal offense to tamper with mail in Canada.
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