Do that many HN readers use the Google homepage anymore? My searches are all entirely through my browser search field.

It seems like a cool feature for "power users" but I'd think that most people that still use the homepage would be newer users.

The only time I go to Google's homepage is when, after arriving to search results from a query typed in my browser search field, I see a special Doodle and am interested in knowing more of what Google is celebrating today.

If I'm interested in images, I'll still type it in the browser search field and click "images" afterwards.

I go a step further and use FF's nifty "Add a Keyword for this Search..." feature (Right click in the Google search box and pick that option).

The keyword that I pick is usually a single letter - G for Google, A for Amazon, I for IMDB, W for wikipedia.

I completely remove the search field from FF's toolbar. To search Google, its Alt (or Apple) + L (focus shifts to search box) type g followed by search terms. Similar for every other keyword I have defined

Unless you find yourself short on screen space, or frequently have to type really long URLs, the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine (Google in my case) significantly more than the others. I don't know what the Mac equivalent would be.

> ...the Ctrl+K combination to get straight to the keyword box is equally useful for those who use one search engine...

It's actually not. When typing in either the keyword box or the URL box, it shows similar previous searches in a dropdown. The URL box's method is superior:

For suggestions, the keyword box does a "StartsWith" query against your previous searches. The URL box does a "Contains" query.

The keyword box has a delay between when you stop typing and when previous searches are displayed. The URL box does not.

(Firefox 3.0. Can't speak for other versions.)

I always go to google.com and type there. I just like seeing the logo changes, checking if they've changed any UI bits/extras, and I want to be sure I'm getting results exactly as I want.

I never use the homepage unless I want to search 'news' or 'images'. All the rest trough the browser bar, but for follow up searches I'll use the form on the results page.

Only when I need to translate something.

Reminds me a while back I was experimenting with a UI fading trick I called "proximity". UI elements would be faded out proportional to how far away the mouse pointer is. In my own jQuery-like API it looks like this:

        // Ramp up element opacity as mouse gets closer
	jf('#foodiv').resizable().proximity( { 
		mousenear : function(el,distance){
			var _opacity = distance/600;
			jfutil.setElementOpacity( el, _opacity );
		}
	});

I'm guessing someone has already made a jQuery plugin to do something similar.

I noticed this earlier today. 95% of the time I use Google I use the search bar, but earlier today I went to the Google homepage expecting to click on a link - I thought something was wrong with the page and/or Safari at first. It took a few moments before I moved the mouse and everything faded in.

If it confused me, I'd have to wonder what less experienced users' reactions might be...

Interesting, considering, most people still haven't found out that you don't have to click the "Search" button for the query to execute.

Really? I didn't realize most people were that ignorant. I've always typed then hit enter and everyone I know does as well.

Anyway....

Many people also click the "go" button after typing a URL into the address bar of a browser.

I didn't even realize any browsers still had the go button. That's one 'feature' that has never existed in safari. Here's a screenshot of safari 1.2, circa 2003:

http://www.codescene.com/browsercam/Mac-Safari1.2.jpg

I only use that button when I copy/paste a URL using the mouse.

Chrome's address bar provides the insanely awesome right-click -> "Paste and go" option.

Maybe this will educate them?

Is the single word really necessary? I mean, it already says "google.com" up in the URL bar, so you know what you're looking at.

I'm pretty sure that in user tests most people don't know what the URL bar is.