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But now (since yesterday?) that "Google in English" link has disappeared. But what's WORSE is that even when I go to www.google.com I'm still seeing the Taiwan Chinese language interface!
If this is some new fangled "innovation" cooked up by that battery of PhD's then I must say, it sucks. I want my English www.google.com back. Please.
I agree with you totally that the geotargeting is not good for google users in thailand from both our research, but suggesting that people's pages are not accessible from google in Thailand and other countries in Asia is just wrong as far as I have seen. It really does not help your credibility to add furphies, though im sympathetic to your main point.
I think GG has seen yours and other posts, is genuinely concerned, and is contacting those with responsibility, and will come back with an exlanation and what they are doing about it in future.
There's a link:
Google.ch angeboten in: Englisch Französisch Italienisch
Which means in English:
Google.ch offered in...
The link to the English version is
[google.ch...]
But the logo still says Google Switzerland.
I am glad Google has no Localized version for India
Heh, I can just see the fun that would be: "Your IP address is in Bombay, so you must want the Marathi localised version." But they could probably create a major political incident if they screwed up... imagine forcing all Indian users to Hindi, for example.
The link to the English version is
[google.ch...]That's just the link to the swiss G. but in english. There you still get the 'only pages from Switzerland' option. If you want US Google, you have to follow the link 'Google.com', which leads you to www.google.com/ncr.
OOoops!
I think we misunderstood each other.
I dont say your pages would not show up or be accessible from Thailand.
I am saying that people who can not "read the Thai-language" will not use a search-engine where the Lay-Out is completely in Thai-language to search for a website or keyword in English.!
Of course Non-English speaking Thais will use Google-Thailand to search the web.
But these people will not be searching for English-language sites, nor will they use English-Keywords, as they dont speak English. They are searching for Thai-language websites using Thai-Language Key-words.!
Only people who can read both (not speak, thats easier) languages (Thai and English) will feel comfordable with doing a search from a Search Engine that only presents a Thai-language Layout.
I use Google alot, for searches and news. . . and suddenly I am no more comfortable with it (I speak basic Thai, but can not read it). I am sure I would find the same results as using any kind of other language Google-site, but I am not comfortable because all the text that comes above, under and in between the English-Title and English-description of the search-result is in Thai-alphabet.
Meaning like "related searches" "more from www...", "help", "advanced search" etc... etc...
Before, I think until yesterday, on the entry page of "Google Thaiuland" there was a link in English that said: "Google in English".
After clicking this link once. a cookie was stored and the next visit you did not have to pass "Google Thailand" to go to "www.google.com" in English.
Now this link has disappeared, forcing people that connect from Thailand to the Thai-language Google!
I can assure you, that the Ten's of Thousands of US-marines that are currently holding the "Cobra Gold" excersises not so far from my place here in the area of Sattahip/Pattaya are not very happy if they want to surf onto Google.
Regards,
Sanuk
That's just the link to the swiss G. but in english. There you still get the 'only pages from Switzerland' option. If you want US Google, you have to follow the link 'Google.com', which leads you to www.google.com/ncr.
When you're in Switzerland, [google.com...] is redirecting to [google.ch...] believe it or not.
So when following the "google.com"-Link, I'll get redirected to plain old google.ch. Googleplex, we have a problem. Say again. Googleplex, we have a problem. We won't get to the moon (international version), we're being send back to home (localized version) every time we try.
ie. the Google geotargeting still respects my choice - I still get to so to google.com and the toolbar still takes me directly to Google.com - I'm just getting an extra link.
If you guys really want to see the SE that screwed up geotargeting - try alta vista!
I CAN'T see altavista.com - only au.altavista.com I haven't been able to see it for months and months. Clearly - altavistas implementation is more bulletproof - they only want you to go to the local portal. And Looksmart.com has a big pop up boomerang - which askes if I knew that they had an Australian site...
Hastalavista baby - they achieved their result - I don't go there anymore - can't - don't - won't.....
My only advice is to be careful of what you are trying to achieve with geotargeting..... you may be successful!
Chris_D
Sydney
When you're in Switzerland, [google.com...] is redirecting to [google.ch...] believe it or not.
Switzerland speaking:
No, it's not. At least not for me.
Google has respected my choice. I am NOT being redirected to the Australian site by Google. If I type google.com - thats where I wanted to go - and thats where I go.
But there is now a helpful little link on www.google.com in case I DO want to go to google.com.au
To make it really clear - this is the best implementation by an SE I've seen of geotargeting. Credit where credit is due. I vaguely remember it didn't do it quite that way in the early hours of this morning (or was that late last night?)- but that was probably during a cookie changeover - and I had some work to finish so I didn't want to get sidetracked - and the toolbar still got me to google.com.
Chris_D
Sydney
/BP
When you're in Switzerland, [google.com...] is redirecting to [google.ch...] believe it or not.Switzerland speaking:
No, it's not. At least not for me.
Alright. Well, it also seems to depend on the browser or the browser settings. With IE (6) and Opera (7), I won't get redirectet from .com/ncr to .ch. With Mozilla, I do.
Haven't got the time right now to figure out why this is so, but will let you know as soon as I have something to say.
I haven't yet figured out exactly what it is showing and what not, but I'm cetain it doesn't work properly.
Heini: Say bye bye to hosting locations, that's for sure :)
But some of you must recall some time ago that Google, in order to be accessible in some countries, (PR of China) had to filter it's results or be completely banned. That is how they probably started thinking about the whole localizaiton thingy, an idea that was forced on Google to begin with but is now being carried too far.
The page is clearly marked as English with
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en">
(This is a copy/paste from Google's cache).
The other pages having the same meta seem to be correctly recognised language-wise.
When I click the Google.com link I leave Google.com.ar to Google.com but it is still in Spanish.
I actually had to go into the preferences and save the "English" option.
I think I'll be surfing the Pitcarin Islands Google from now on, since that one doesn't get so wacky and they don't let me use Google.us.
The page is clearly marked as English with
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en">
Hi HitProf, I was surprised when I saw your comment in the how do I get a good ranking in Google.de [webmasterworld.com] thread about using the language tag. I remembered that someone in another thread mentioned this tag was ignored by Google. Unfortunately I couldn't find this thread, so I thought it could have been an old one. Are you sure Google recently supported this tag?
The same happens in Canada, you cannot see Google.com, at least we have an almost common language.
Absolutely. Another mistake from Google.... IMHO they are starting to make quite a few these days.
It brings back memories of - well I have to say it - Alta Vista when they started on the slippery slide to oblivion. Those guys had a winning formula and started to mess with it. We all know the results.
Will these people ever learn from history?
That would be great if Google didn't look at OS/browser language settings, but they do. Google will still serve up a non-english language version of their site.
Just to take youir minds and aspirations OFF Domenic for a moment, here's a free beer opportunity!
Technology isn't perfect - and during the 15 years I spent in senior positions in the IT Industry, within Multinational Corporations - it was my experience that most testing - which unearthed most major bugs - occured within 96 hours of final deployment - in the real world.
Just ask Intel (Pentium - around 1994/5 I think that's when every Multinational PC Manufacturer had to recall their PCs over a floating point processor error with the first Pentiums) or Microsoft (name a release - your call - but what are 'security patches' if they aren't 'Field Unanticipated, Collataed, Kollected - Unanticipated Potential S&iTstorms'?).
So - a free beer - if you can tell me HOW Google knows what country your Website is 'located in' - to show your site in "that" country's 'results'. First correct answer - I'll buy you a beer*. There are 3 tests I know of - you may know of more. The first is the hosting IP. Second is the domain URL details (.com, .co.uk .com.au etc) - so if you know of more - tests - and can prove it - step up to the bar!
Typically - on websites where we do geotargeting for clients (eg we want to serve a page in their native language) we look at the language of the browser setting default, and the language of the last page visited. So - if you came from eg a Japanese site, in Kanji, by clicking on a link; and you had Kanji as your default language - you'll get served up a Kanji page.
What is the clincher? Woz - you ARE NOT allowed to answer! Sticky me - and I'll buy you a beer anyway. I still owe you a powerpoint!
*You may need to come to my local hotel to collect your beer, all transport is at your expense. If you choose to do so, I reserve the right to buy you more than one beer.
Chris _D
Sydney Oz.
Another point is of course ad targeting. When you choose to serve your ads to people from say Sweden, you do not want swedish users escaping your ads.
note: this discussion is about the local/language Google site users are served, not about serps. That's a different topic, with even more dynamite in it.
Pat
It's just a guess, thou.
Just to take youir minds and aspirations OFF Domenic for a moment, here's a free beer opportunity!
A traceroute to an IP address reveals what path the packets took to get to the destination. Along the way packets are passed on by "well known routers". These routers are easily identified and their location tends to be absolutely static.
Does that mean I'm going to have to buy someone on the UI team a beer? Or you'll just find out & then I'll buy you that beer?. I'm thinking the 3rd 'test' is an ODP thing (at least thats what Omid said...)
: )
Chris_D
