radix
msg:715785 | 6:30 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
Hello Pontifex, Just noticed this, too. Doing a search on it on google (biw parameter google) it turned out to be the width of the browser in pixels. Interesting how it varies. Small snippet from the logs for biw values:
1016, 851, 778, 1004, 772, 780, 1003, 780, 1024, 839, 995, 1007, 1005, 995, 993, 759, 740, 1004 (and dozens more) Care to optimize your page for all of these widths? radix.
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larryhatch
msg:715786 | 6:50 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
So how does G know my browser width? I didn't tell them. -Larry
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rubenski
msg:715787 | 7:50 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
A very simple client side script (Javascript) could do this.
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larryhatch
msg:715788 | 8:46 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
Yes, a simple js script can do this on the fly.
But, how does the info (my screen width) travel back in time and space
to get into the search engine request string? -Larry
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larryhatch
msg:715789 | 8:50 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
Ooop! I should have thought that out more.
G doesn't want my screen width. It fetches the width of the browser's computer.
That would explain why I see all different values.
I suppose I should experiment to see if G is looking at my personal screen width.
I'd like to know what else they are reading. -Larry
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vincevincevince
msg:715790 | 9:33 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
function rbi(f){if (navigator.appName == "Netscape") {f.biw.value=self.innerWidth;} else {f.biw.value=document.body.clientWidth;}}// --> That's on their home page, writes it into a hidden variable
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pontifex
msg:715791 | 10:09 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
google does absolutly nothing without an idea behind it. I wonder, if they are planning a further redesign? Radix: good senses! browser inner width, i really was wondering why that number changed all the time and what it meant ... p!
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vincevincevince
msg:715792 | 11:14 am on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
Google does a lot for users with small screens. Even very small screens. You've seen the random spaces in URLs that are displayed? They are so that long URLs don't cause horizontal scrolling on a small screen. I think that it is a key part of any such decision to monitor the utilisation of such features and whether demand continues to be justified.
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DanG
msg:715793 | 3:14 pm on Jun 27, 2005 (gmt 0) |
Hi Adjusting the value of biw manually seems to have a very slight effect on the page layout, mainly on the blue bar containing the top two sponsored results. For example setting biw to 200 makes the blue bar go all the way across the page to the right hand side pushing the rest of the sponsored links down below it, but changing it to 1024 makes the blue bar stop before the right hand side column and the right hand side sponsored links start from the top. This all depends on you entering a query where there are sponsored results at the top. Cheers DanG
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pigeontechs
msg:715794 | 10:13 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
then what is the meaning of biw? i mean whats abbreviation? b. i. w.?
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Tropical Island
msg:715795 | 10:18 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
"Basic Indicator Width" just a guess:-)
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pigeontechs
msg:715796 | 10:23 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
i see. thank you very much.. i m sorry. my english is not good enough.. i m still trying to understand this topic. and in my hand i have a dcitionary.. but can not yet..
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DerekH
msg:715797 | 10:40 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
| then what is the meaning of biw? i mean whats abbreviation? b. i. w.? |
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I rather fear that since Google decided to "sell itself" to its highest bidders, it's Business Increases Weekly, and nothing more subtle that that!
DerekH
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harbs
msg:715798 | 10:40 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
| then what is the meaning of biw? i mean whats abbreviation? b. i. w.? |
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Based on what I see, biw = "browser inner width"
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pigeontechs
msg:715799 | 10:46 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
whose guess is better?! harbs or Tropical Island or DerekH? and are these only guesses?
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balam
msg:715800 | 11:43 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
> You've seen the random spaces in URLs that are displayed? They are so that long URLs don't cause horizontal scrolling on a small screen. Hmm! Neat! I had always wondered about the seemingly random spaces - and have cursed them when cuttin' 'n' pastin' - but never enough to pose a question here.
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Tropical Island
msg:715801 | 11:49 pm on Jun 29, 2005 (gmt 0) |
| ...and are these only guesses? |
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Mine was. I thought that this would start a real interesting thread as my creative mind couldn't come up with something better:-)
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