Pardon me if I'm simply the one dork who didn't know this already, but I just learned that Google not only provides super-easy (and free) code to put a Google search box on any site — which I did know — but they also have a simple set-up procedure to allow you to customize the look of the search-results page that they serve you, including your own logo and color scheme.
For any site running a database-driven CMS (like virtualinclude.net itself), search is still probably better done in-house. But for a simpler flat-HTML site that wants a little search capability, Google's freebies would be a good solution.
I can't help thinking that I'm not the only dork who didn't know this — otherwise more people would use this, and I'd have noticed it by now. Speaking of which, does anyone know of sites that have used these freebies to good advantage? Post them in comments, if you would.
Not that we don't share Google's apparently deep and abiding love of the primary colors.... OK OK, actually, we don't. :)
Posted by Jon on July 31, 2004 10:44 AMW3schools.com uses these tools for their site search.
I don't really like it very much, at first you think, "Why am I at Google now?" Then you notice that there are 147 hits, too many, poorly ordered, etc.
Would a more site specific search be better? I don't know, but I have be disappointed by the Google site search results.
Posted by: Brad Farris at July 31, 2004 12:29 PMphp.net uses Google when their internal search engine has crashed. I think they have it setup so it switches automatically.
I'm not sure what this says about their search software...
Posted by: Nathan at August 2, 2004 08:53 AM