June 17, 2002: Improving Google Images
Google Images is an ambitious project from Google and of course it's nowhere near as good as the original Google Web. But much to Google's credit, it's continuously getting better. However, I think I have a few suggestions to make it better:
- Use Google Web - Google Web is incredible, it will very often bring back the right match as the first hit. Take advantage of this -- display images from that page.
- Search ALT attributes - Although they're not used everywhere, ALT attributes are a big source of useful information about pictures. (There are also title, longdesc and other useful attributes they can use.) Also, if Google Images uses them, it will encourage more authors to put better info in them, which helps Web Accessibility.
- The first or only image is often right - On many web pages there's only one image (like my own) or the first image is right (like Guido van Rossum's) or it's the first non-space image (like Land Rover's). Return these as results!
Google Web is an incredible thing and it doesn't make sense Google Images not to take advantage of it. Right now using Google Web and then picking an image off the page is often better than Google Images. I hope that changes in the near future.
Example searches that can be improved:
Do you have suggestions? Mail them in!
Posted by Aaron Swartz on June 17, 2002 06:54 PM
