Bye bye Experts-Exchange
So I typically don't have much use for the more advanced Google search tips. I almost always find exactly what I want with a simple query. However - something has been bugging me for a while now and I finally got off my butt to learn how to correct it.
If you have done any searching for technical type matters (like the one I just did: javascript radio), than you have probably ran across Experts-Exchange. This is a site that provides technical answers, but you have to sign up before you see the result. I don't know why but this bugs the hell out of me. The entire domain, as far as I am concerned, is completely useless. As it stands, I can't even get the "View Solution" button to work right now.
Turns out there is a trivial way to hide this site from your results. I just added:
-site:experts-exchange.com
And when I searched again, it was removed from the results.
Now if I can just find a way to make that the default, I'd be even happier. There must be a way to tweak the Google Toolbar for Firefox to get the same results.
Comments
The only reason why I have not abonded them is becasue there have been times where I had a real specific issue, and EE was the only place I could find an answer.
You can hack this out in Firefox. In the searchplugins folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\searchplugins) edit the file google.src. Under the line
<input name="q" user>
add the line
<input name="q" value="-site:experts-exchange.com">
Just reboot Firefox and when you use the search plugin, you should see that the command -site:experts-exchange.com.
I'll blog the entire source here in a little bit.
Since Ray brought up the Firefox search bar, what I've always wondered is why the search bar isn't editable via some simple dialog box. Instead, you have to install and uninstall "search plugins" to make changes to the list. These "plugins" are just simple text files (http://mycroft.mozdev.org/deepdocs/quickstart.html...) that could be easily edited by Firefox. I wonder if they make it harder to change because the Mozilla Foundation collects referral fees from some searches.
I've gotten so used to EE that whenever I hit the site my finger automatically triggers a few mouse wheel revolutions and I don't pay it another thought. It is kind of a pain, but the site has been pretty helpful to me over the years so I guess I just let it slide.
There's like 8 responses....
this is odd...
i clicked on the google link on your blog. Then I selected the experts-exchange result.
on the ee page i scrolled past the bright orange 'View Solution' icons. then i scolled past about 3 light blue adverts for something or other. then i scrolled past loads of search stuff. then i eventually saw the answer.
BUT.......
when i repeated all of the above i could no longer see the answers at the bottom of the page.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Web_Languages/...
You'll see a (usually) pretty thorough discussion of the question. Note that I tried this in both IE and Firefox (too see if it was a HTML rendering issue).
Either way - that to me means unreliable. :)
yeah - i don't actually use ee so i can't really comment but if you look to the right of the comments (well everyone bar ray of course), one of them is marked 'accepted answer'
You Need to Subscribe to View This Solution
Example here:
https://secure.experts-exchange.com/register.jsp?q...
the thing is radio buttons do not work like select boxes.
say you have two different radiobuttons
i.e <input type="radio" name="rad1" value="1">
and <input type="radio" name="rad2" value="2">
then their values can be recieed by
document.formemail.rad1.value
and
document.formemail.rad1.value..
but say you have multiple radio buttons with same name
i.e <input type="radio" name="commonrad" value="1">
and <input type="radio" name="commonrad" value="2">
now this has become an array.
so then you have to run a loop to get the value..
i.e document.formemail.commonrad[0].value will give 1
and document.formemail.commonrad[1].value will give 2
also you will have to check first which one is checked.
to avoid all this i had put an hiddenfield and just assigned the value of the radio button checked so that it can be accessed in a single line of code...
Regards
Hart
Here's a Grease Monkey script that will set all the values of the text input boxes when on google's site. Works on Firefox google homepage and main google homepage. It could still use a bit of tweaking such as saving the previous search terms when paging and it would affect text fields on other google services (gMail, etc.)
Wiggy
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// ==UserScript==
// @name Anti ExpertExchange
// @namespace http://localhost/greaseMoney/antiExpert
/// @description Removes Expert Exchange Listings from google search
// @include http://www.google.com/*
// ==/UserScript==
//
function removeExpertExchange(){
var iBoxes = document.getElementsByTagName('input');
if (iBoxes.length) {
for(i = 0;i < iBoxes.length;i++){
if (iBoxes[i].type == 'text'){
iBoxes[i].value = ' -site:experts-exchange.com';
}
}
}
}
window.addEventListener("load",removeExpertExchange, true);
Sometimes when i am in a hurray i can ask a question and get a good answer,, not always.
But the big thing for me is mani-fold...
1. Training your self to solve lots of different problems, by having actual real data/real problems.
2. Helping other people in the community...
3. Sure it could have been done better, okay if you don't like it, make your own...
4. For me, Do i want to learn and help other people, yes? Then Experts-exchange is a great resource...
I use Experts Exchange occasionally and have never yet found a question where the answer wasn't directly below the ads.
If you go to this page:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Web_Languages/...
Then use Firefox to search for 'window.document.forms[0]'
Do you get any search results or not?
That text is contained in one of the comments I'm seeing and it's pretty unlikely it would appear anywhere other than in a comment, so I'd be curious if you get nothing.
If so, do you have any cookies from experts-exchange.com?
I don't.
Spike
Wow, I don't remember us normally disagreeing. :) But if you say so. I will have to agree to disagree about EE. And as for making my own - doesn't this blog, cflib, coldfusioncookbook.com, etc, count?? ;)
I stick by my original idea - I'm just going to avoid it.
Turning on cookies for EE seems causes it to set 6 or 7 cookies. Two of them look like they expire after a few weeks. In the past I've only hit EE once every few months, so I probably never got caught by the cookie issue before I started blocking cookies by default.
Spike
Here is a Firefox workaround that has worked for me:
1. Open Cookies tab under Options.
2. Click View Cookies and delete all the experts-exchange.com cookies.
3. Click Exceptions and add in experts-exchange.com and set it to blocked.
4. Restart the browser.
Now the results will always show up.
I have toyed with the idea of creating a site for this very purpose (www.cfuser.net). I relaunched it yesterday with Galleon as the forum and would be open to any suggestions on what the CF community would like to see. I am a relative novice, but would really like to pull this off.
I'm sure its a strategic money making initiative, but if anyone has any idea of how to get all of their members and solutions to somewhere unrestricted I'm on board!
Thanks Jeff.
> We should start a site where you get the answers, but need to register for the question.
Experts Exchange Script: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/1898
M
Why not simply copy http://google.com to your hard drive and then mod the post method of the form so it discreetly sends the -site:experts-exchange.com as a concatenation to your real query. Then simply put a shortcut to it on your quick launch bar and use that from now on?
I came accross http://www.codershome.com who seem to be trying to do a similar thing as experts-exchange, might be worth a shot there?
All the best anyway.
however the EASIEST way to fix this problem is register for EE. It is free. You don't get spammed and it is very usefull
http://www.experts-exchange.com/registerFree.jsp
That's how I got in.
If you click the orange button, the site sets a cookie and will block the solutions from displaying in the future unless you sign up or delete the cookies again.
The reason why they do this is because they want everyone to sign up, but also want the search engines to be able to index the solutions.
Just because you're too frickin retarded to figure out how to see the answers doesn't mean the site sucks. Furthermore, subscribing is free, and there is even a way to EARN free premium services. But seeing that you're a frickin retard, you won't be able to figure out that one either.
if you want to post any comments, post them in my website thread, if you dare. Don't forget to read the disclaimer $10 Timmy.
--
phileoca
It was not a question of me not knowing how to use the site. I d o know how. It is just a pain. Therefore, I don't want it to "pollute" my google reasults.
There is no need for you to call me retarded. I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, but if you can't be polite, why bother posting? Unless you are a child, and then I understand your lack of common sense.
Hmm, seems like a good question to ask on Experts Exchange ... oh you are trying to avoid the site ... never mind
They think we are idiots. I am not paying for it, there are better communities outside.
>>
Mike, you are a fuktard.
Experts exchange was not free a year ago. It's 10 dollars month, unless your EARN premium services. If you earn PS, than it's free. you have 2 months to keep your PS status by answering the minimum number of points (3000 per month).
but mike, yes you're right, we do think you're an idiot.
furthermore you don't have to suscribe to see the answer. just scroll down past the ads. and the reason phil called your retarded is because you didn't scroll down to the answer was at the bottom of the page. you call the site useless. we call your brain useless, hence the word retarded.
there's a reason why google has EE TA answers ranked High.
noobs.
but its better that you ee haters stay away. cause we don't want you to show up in a google search on EE
Don't worry guys, I am sure that there are plenty of people out there that will give you the opportunity to feel superior (and get your premium services for free).
I think the general irritation with EE is that when people are looking for a solution to a problem, they expect to be presented with an answer, not to be given a site that tries to coerce the user into buying a service. As information technology professionals we have come to rely on answers to our questions answered by our peers, not by some money making machine. As an IT professional, when I come across that site, I find the tone rude, greedy, and generally distasteful.
the facts are this:
1)None of the users of EE get paid to be there.
2)You don't have to suscribe to see the answers.
3)If you want to do a search from WITHIN EE (using EE's search engine), then you have to suscribe.
4)Subscription is FREE.
5)Premium services are $10 a month, unless you earn them (which is rather easy for anybody that knows anything about computers).
6)Ads are visible when you don't have premium services. Again, premium services can be earned and maintained monthly. I've been a member for 4 years and have yet to pay a dime.
7)We have some of the worlds top experts in the EE community.
in fact, the author of this site(http://www.amset.info) is a Microsoft MVP. That's just an example of the talent that supports EE.
the problem EE supporters have with your blog is it has inaccurate information. She took a snap shot instead of looking at the big picture.
and finally, EE teaches people how to fish, instead of just giving them fish. They help people solve problems and learn how to solve problems rather than just giving them the answer. Look at the Access forums for the largest number of examples.
My suggestion, is next time you want to right a negative blog, do a little research. There's a reason EE comes up in many google searches. And that's because somebody already asked your question, and the solution was found with help from ee.
good luck in your future endeavors.
If that is wrong, please tell me and I'll gladly update the blog post. I do not understand why EE folks feel the need to attack this entry so much. I'm sure some folks love EE. Personally I don't care for it _when using Google_, which was the main point of the blog entry - how to remove sites from Google results.
You made the comment, EE teaches people how to fish - personally I think using Google is fishing. When I get a result from EE and can't read it until I sign up, I'd rather simply not use EE.
Why did you say none of the EE users get paid? I never said they did. I don't want to search within EE. I want to search within Google. It's great the subscription is free, but it means extra steps in my results from Google. To me, this is almost false advertising. The search result shows up, but you don't really get the answer until you logon. As for top experts - I never attacked the intelligence of the EE community.
Note that I was attacked (called retarded) by one of EE's members. I never turned this into a personal attack - EE defenders did. If this is representative of the type of people EE use, then I'm glad I don't go there often.
If you aren't happy with Experts Exchange you might want to take a look at our newly launched site: www.quomon.com
It's based on the same idea, but it's inspired by the web 2.0 trends like tags and AJAX.
And it's free to use and not plastered with ads.
It's not as big as EE yet, but give it a try...
And is it just me or does the site name look more like "expert sex change" hahaha
EE is FREE if you contribute! i have never paid to asked a question because i help others. The site encourages people to share and exchange information.
answer 3 questions a month and is all free, unlimited use! 2 million questions, and 10 years, chances are the solution to your question in there, and if not, ask, and it will be.
the site is about exchanging ideas, sometimes they are crap, sometimes you learn something new.
It's now June, 08, and I found a script finally to block EE results from search.
and the hosts file, so I can't accidentally go there and give them any chance to get a micro cent from my visit.
personally I use EE as a work tool, it is often very helpful to find information about something specific that you cannot find a "SPECIFIC" answer to on sites like this for instance. I understand that people don't like ads but one would have thought that people would get used to it as they are everywhere on the internet, and after all.
who actually cares... if you don't like it don't use it... stop winging about it.
But i use this gr8 site, it's called Fixya, they have good solutions and you can see them without even signing in.
Check it out -
http://www.fixya.com/support/p926113-canonical_ubu...
I hope it will help you
Mind's.
http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=0011279779178640...

