learning how to quote strings, use the minus operator, see which sites link to which, and restrict a search to a specific site are so useful and all covered in this book! Become 10x more productive by learning how to search google!

Google Pocket Guide, 2003

By Tara Calishain, Rael Dornfest, and D.J. Adams

Published by O'Reilly and Associates, Inc.

ISBN: 0-596-00550-4

Paperback, 129pp





The search engine Google, born on September 7, 1998, derived its name from a word invented by a nine-year-old child, Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician, Edward Kasner. As with precocious children like Milton or the giant bean stalks of English fairy tales, it is difficult to keep up with Google's rapid development. Until I read the Google Pocket Guide, by Tara Calishain, Rael Dorfest and DJ Adams I was unaware of all the things Google has learned to do. Now, in addition to finding Web pages that contain keywords, Google helps me find telephone numbers, solve mathematical equations and cook -- Google can convert cups to pints or just about anything to anything else. Using google maps, I can look at the crater, Giordano Bruno, on the dark side of the Moon, fly to Mars or see my house and yard in a satellite picture that seems to have been taken from only few hundred feet away. The pocket guide is full of information about how to use features I never knew existed. Did I mention Google Images? After reading Google Pocket Guide, I want to read more books about Google. I would like to read Google Hacks, Google: The Missing Manual and Google Maps Hacks.



In addition to describing all the things Google has learned to do, the Google Pocket Guide explains how to make searches more efficient (Part II), "explains how to interpret Google's results pages and URLs, and set preferences to influence what those pages contain" (Part III), and goes into advanced functionality like Language Tools, Groups, Directories and News (Part IV).



The authors say, "Knowing how to be specific with your search criteria is key. That's what this book is all about." To remember this I think (ASAP=ASAP) the key to getting results ASAP is being As Specific As Possible. For instance, instead of searching every Web site on the Internet, limit your search to educational sites by using special syntax (also referred to as advanced search operators). For example, when I search for "plenoptic camera site:edu" Google will return results from educational sites only. The authors also suggest using basic Boolean operators like NOT, represented by the minus sign, AND and OR. Did you know that Google limits queries to ten words and ignores the rest?



Tara Clishain, Rael Dornfest and DJ Adams have delivered a lot of information in only 129 pages. This book is a great starting point for anyone wanting to know Google better. This is a link you might find useful: http://www.google.com/help/features.html.



Google is fun:)



Michael Morgan

Google Pocket Guide, 2003
By Tara Calishain, Rael Dornfest, and D.J. Adams
Published by O'Reilly and Associates, Inc.
ISBN: 0-596-00550-4
Paperback, 129pp


The search engine Google, born on September 7, 1998, derived its name from a word invented by a nine-year-old child, Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician, Edward Kasner. As with precocious children like Milton or the giant bean stalks of English fairy tales, it is difficult to keep up with Google's rapid development. Until I read the Google Pocket Guide, by Tara Calishain, Rael Dorfest and DJ Adams I was unaware of all the things Google has learned to do. Now, in addition to finding Web pages that contain keywords, Google helps me find telephone numbers, solve mathematical equations and cook -- Google can convert cups to pints or just about anything to anything else. Using google maps, I can look at the crater, Giordano Bruno, on the dark side of the Moon, fly to Mars or see my house and yard in a satellite picture that seems to have been taken from only few hundred feet away. The pocket guide is full of information about how to use features I never knew existed. Did I mention Google Images? After reading Google Pocket Guide, I want to read more books about Google. I would like to read Google Hacks, Google: The Missing Manual and Google Maps Hacks.

In addition to describing all the things Google has learned to do, the Google Pocket Guide explains how to make searches more efficient (Part II), "explains how to interpret Google's results pages and URLs, and set preferences to influence what those pages contain" (Part III), and goes into advanced functionality like Language Tools, Groups, Directories and News (Part IV).

The authors say, "Knowing how to be specific with your search criteria is key. That's what this book is all about." To remember this I think (ASAP=ASAP) the key to getting results ASAP is being As Specific As Possible. For instance, instead of searching every Web site on the Internet, limit your search to educational sites by using special syntax (also referred to as advanced search operators). For example, when I search for "plenoptic camera site:edu" Google will return results from educational sites only. The authors also suggest using basic Boolean operators like NOT, represented by the minus sign, AND and OR. Did you know that Google limits queries to ten words and ignores the rest?

Tara Clishain, Rael Dornfest and DJ Adams have delivered a lot of information in only 129 pages. This book is a great starting point for anyone wanting to know Google better. This is a link you might find useful: http://www.google.com/help/features.html.

Google is fun:)

Michael Morgan