AJAX
Is Google Testing New Technology Which Prevents Third Party Analytics Search Referral Tracking?
Analytics vendor Clicky has published a blog post saying that Google is testing Ajax-powered search results which prevent third-party analytics providers from tracking search referrals.
This sounded a bit fishy to me. It’s to Google’s advantage for third-party analytics programs to be able to track referrals. This helps sites know that they should keep Google as a major part of their search marketing campaigns.
So, I reached out to Google and this is their official statement:
We’re continually testing new interfaces and features to enhance the user experience. We are currently experimenting with a javascript enhanced result page because we believe that it may ultimately provide a faster experience for our users. At this time only a small percentage of users will see this experiment. It is not our intention to disrupt referrer tracking, and we are continuing to iterate on this project. For more information on the experiments that we run on Google search, please see: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/this-is-test-this-is-only-test.html
What do YOU think? Let us know in the comments.
Related Reading:
Google’s Search Experiments are Sometimes Subtle
Google to Test Video Ads on SERPs
Google Beta Testing New AdWords Interface
Google AdWords Beta Testing Demographic Bidding
FriendFeed Adds Duplicate Detection! And Twitter Tweaks Interface Design
Social sites FriendFeed and Twitter have (separately) updated the designs of their interfaces. You won’t notice much by going to the homepage not logged in.
But once you’re passed the wall, you’ll notice a few changes.
Twitter’s are largely cosmetic in nature, with the biggest change being moving the tabs for Replies, Direct Messages, etc. to the sidebar. They’ve also slapped some Ajax on there to just refresh Home or @Replies when you click on them. Thank goodness.
FriendFeed’s new design incorporates a much needed feature: friend lists. Kind of like buddy lists on AOL’s Instant Messenger, you can sort the people you’ve subscribed to Friends, Professional, etc. You can also create your own lists. Another new feature is adding photos directly to FriendFeed.
But the biggest awesomeness of the day is DUPLICATE DETECTION! This makes Friday end on a happy note after such a crappy week on Wall Street. Ok, it doesn’t bring your money back or prevent all those financial companies from failing, but it does make FriendFeed that much nicer!
What do you think of the updates? Let it fly in the comments.
Google OS Arrives, In the Form of a Browser
Rumors of a “Google Operating System” have been around for a few years now, fueled by Google’s expansion into e-mail, analytics, desktop search, Web applications, pizza delivery…well, maybe not that.
Today, Google has made a significant step toward becoming a Web-based operating system by launching a beta version of the open-source Google Chrome browser, which has been optimized to run Web applications rather than simply rendering HTML on a page.
“All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends — all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there. We realized that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that’s what we set out to build.”
Chrome’s main features include a beefed-up Javascript engine (aka V8), which will improve performance of AJAX apps like Gmail and Google Docs. It also offers better memory allocation, and an architecture that keeps apps running in separate windows as isolated processes — so a crashed app won’t bring down the browser, and security is markedly improved.
The browser includes its own URL box, which Google is calling the “Omnibox.” It incorporates features from Google Suggest, browser history and search history.
As with the Google Toolbar before it, Chrome will also present an opportunity for Google to collect more user behavioral data. On the plus side, that could help Google develop better Web analytics applications. More cynically, Google can also take this mountain of user data and use it to better monetize its ad platforms.
While this move can be seen as a challenge to Microsoft on the browser front, it’s more of a threat to Microsoft’s Windows operating system. By developing its own open-source browser, Google is able to establish de-facto standards for Web applications.
Combined with Google Gears coming at Web applications from the developer side, and there’s not much use for a desktop operating system any more.
Facebook Drops Another Hurdle
Still looking for some attention from the social networks? Facebook delivered a new client library on Friday afternoon, which makes your widgets easier to launch in their ecosystem. While this library isn’t exactly the second coming, it’s welcome news.
According to Facebook developer Wei Zu, “This JavaScript client library allows you to make Facebook [...]
Facebook Drops Another Hurdle
Still looking for some attention from the social networks? Facebook delivered a new client library on Friday afternoon, which makes your widgets easier to launch in their ecosystem. While this library isn’t exactly the second coming, it’s welcome news.
According to Facebook developer Wei Zu, “This JavaScript client library allows you to make Facebook API calls from any web site and makes it easy to create Ajax Facebook applications. Since the library does not require any server-side code on your server, you can now create a Facebook application that can be hosted on any web site that serves static HTML.â€
Facebook also encourages developers to install applications outside its domain, which I understand was possible (if more difficult) before this release anyway. Blogger Nick O’Neill is ebullient about the social connections to be made across the web, if you place these applications on your site.
My reaction is just more measured, that’s all. When someone arrives on your site, they can connect with others only if they are signed into Facebook. Will you attract people or turn them off? This entirely depends on your business and whether joining up is an important attribute right now.
Here’s a gameplan for your Facebook interactions. Since the widget hurdle has been virtually dropped, it’s worth thinking about what kind of traffic (or links) you might get from Facebook overall. Like any social network, it’s not under your control — but you should try to become more available and present there. Consider the following approaches for engagement.
Click to read the rest of this post…
An Open Letter to Google Engineering: Please Slow Down a Little
We really do love your software. And we appreciate the fact that you introduce valuable new features so frequently. But please: slow down a little, and spend a bit more time on bug testing.
In the time-honored model of software development (call it “pre-Web 1.0″), teams of programmers worked for years to craft scores of subroutines, [...]
links for 2007-12-13
Simple Thoughts – Java
Great blog with tons of wordpress help.
(tags: ajax wordpress plugins java translator-pro taragana angsuman)
» I’m attending the Ross Goldberg’s Masters Internet Marketing Seminar Are You? – ArticleSnatch Blog
I just completed my registration for Ross Goldberg’s Masters Internet Marketing Seminar in Las Vegas Nevada on January 25 – 27, 2008. I would love [...]
SES – Metrics Challenges & Measuring Success
Meet the Web Analytics Players: Vendors from major web analytics services each cover different metrics challenges plus answer questions about measuring success and their tools in general.
Moderator: Frank Watson, Head Search Marketing, FXCM
Speakers: Chris Knoch, Principal Consultant, Omniture, Inc, Thomas Grant, Director – Internet Marketing Solutions, Unica Corporation, Kristen Nomura, Sr. Account Manager, Google Analytics.
Chris [...]
links for 2007-11-19
Prototype Window Class : Introduction
This javascript class allows you to add window in a HTML page.
This class is based on Prototype. The code is inspired by the powerful script.aculo.us library. You can even use all script.aculo.us effects to show and hide windows if you include effects.
(tags: ajax css web-design web2 ajax-windows overlay-windows ajax-login)
links for 2007-11-12
Juixe TechKnow » Learning JavaScript
Do you want to learn JavaScript from the experts? You don’t have to pay over $1000 in conference fees to learn from the best JavaScript developers. Here is large collection of video and slide presentations given by Douglas Crockford, senior JavaScript A
(tags: yahoo ajax javascript javascript-tutorial jquery john-resig douglas-crockford)
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