iamlost - 7:28 pm on Mar 2, 2005 (gmt 0)

A study that shows that people (in the West) look first at the top left and click on the first result (long marketed as most "relevant") is not new nor news nor particularly useful. It is simply how we learned to read. As mentioned above - similar studies long done, results long known.

The eye-track studies I would like to see:

* if tracking/clicking differs when users are opening "tabs" instead of "windows".

* if tracking/clicking differs when apparent "spam" results list higher or are mixed in with "wanted" results.

* if tracking/clicking differs when a search term can mean (and return) conflicting results i.e. Washington (US state, US capitol, several persons, etc.).

* all of the above differentiated between novice, casual, and professional searchers.

Let's get real and practical and useful. This "release" appears to be a wonderful example of a PR exercise.