Life before Google: What was it like?

janusz · 21 Jul 2018, 11:04 PM

In the 20 years since it was founded, Google has provided answers to the most random queries, become a verb and, on Wednesday, received a record $5bn fine after giving itself a bit too much of an edge over its rivals.

Some jobs with an emphasis on research have been altered in major ways by its invention, to the extent that it's hard to imagine how those jobs were once done.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44871028

RaymondClaypool · 8 Sep 2018, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janusz

In the 20 years since it was founded, Google has provided answers to my why do i become a verb and, on Wednesday, received a record $5bn fine after giving itself a bit too much of an edge over its rivals.

Some jobs with an emphasis on research have been phenq from GNC altered in major ways by its invention, to the extent that it's hard to imagine how those jobs were once done.

I remember using Yahoo, AltaVista and Ask Jeeves. Also, there was WebCrawler, which I believe is still alive.

somdcomputerguy · 8 Sep 2018, 10:37 PM

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/88/1b/1d/8...41f29b8071.jpg

- Bruce

**Gankaku** · 11 Sep 2018, 03:41 AM

Before the internet, it was encyclopedias and much library research.

TenFour · 11 Sep 2018, 05:45 AM

There were lots of ways to search for things well before Google existed. I used to amaze people by how fast I could find obscure stuff using Apple's Sherlock, starting around 1997 or so I think. Prior to that I was accessing government records and such using the Internet before the World Wide Web existed. I created several printed books that were best sellers in their obscure niche based on my accessing this stuff using the Internet before most people even knew what it was. Google was/is really good at searching, but it has cemented its dominance by creating an entire ecosystem of services like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, etc.

TroyWhite · 30 Oct 2022, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaymondClaypoosl

I remember using Yahoo, AltaVista and Ask Jeeves but when i searched and found this webpage regarding best otc weight loss pills. Also, there was WebCrawler, which I believe is still alive.

Libraries were more popular, research articles were more original, the world was somewhat disconnected, recommendations were made by only people

hadaso · 31 Oct 2022, 04:58 AM

I remember around 1980 when I was in high school and we needed to write an essay about something from World War 2, I took the bus to Tel Aviv to a library that kept an archive of newspapers from back then and looked for information there.

Lat week I found some phone-books in my basement (thought they were not from pre-Google era. They were from 2012, not so long ago).

sterdeus · 25 Jun 2026, 11:03 PM

Now, 4 year since the last discussion, does Google still provide value? Do the AI summaries help of hinder your search?

hadaso · 26 Jun 2026, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterdeus

Now, 4 year since the last discussion, does Google still provide value? Do the AI summaries help of hinder your search?

In most cases the AI summary is all I need. In many other cases continuing the discussion with the AI is better than trying to follow the links to look for answers. Also following the links from within the AI summary is often the better choice. In the past I much more often spent lots of time trying different search phrases and following links and eventually getting frustrated by not finding exactly what I am looking for. Now I can explain what I am looking for, and if what I get is not what I meant I can explain why it is not what I wanted and get better results. In the past it was more an effort to try to guess the right combination of words that would be found in a document that includes what I am looking for.

dryoldlime · 26 Jun 2026, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janusz

In the 20 years since it was founded, Google has provided answers to the most random queries, become a verb and, on Wednesday, received a record $5bn fine after giving itself a bit too much of an edge over its rivals.

Some jobs with an emphasis on research have been altered in major ways by its invention, to the extent that it's hard to imagine how those jobs were once done.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44871028

I did not look at/touch the link yet, but before Google, people went to the library (actuallly libraries, both educational, institutional, and public), sometimes including literature searches, looked into their own book collections, or at times checked into the book collections of other associates, and maybe conducted some of their own laboratory research to make their own observations and data and processed those.

Tsunami · 27 Jun 2026, 01:45 AM

"Libraries gave us power"

The opening line from the fantastic song (with equally fantastic video) "A Design For Life" by Manic Street Preachers. Since it was track 1 on "Forever delayed" album, also a fantastic line to open an album with.

And I very much subscribe to that line. I still visit libraries very often, even with Google being around. I can spend hours in libraries going through books and I still find a lot of fascinating books. A library visit to me is not just about gaining knowledge, I just enjoy it a lot as well.

As for the internet searches before Google: I remember AskJeeves.

Also, there was word of mouth (friends sending a link to an interesting website) and some sites were part of "circles": a circle of websites with more or less the same (or similar) websites, so following the circle you would find related other websites.

And then there were sites with a very interesting "Links" section, even without being part of a circle.

We found the information we needed, to large extent. Must add, Wikipedia and YouTube would be sadly missed if I'd go back in time 25 years (for YouTube: mainly using it to check music videos and travel vlogs/documentaries).

Other than that, I think the internet was fine back then. Over the years we gained a lot of great new services, but also some services that maybe we'd be better off without. Social media for example can be a blessing if there is moderation, but can be a plague when moderation is lacking.

I have fond memories of the internet pre-Google.

21 Jul 2018, 11:04 PM	#1
janusz Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: EU Posts: 5,016	Life before Google: What was it like? In the 20 years since it was founded, Google has provided answers to the most random queries, become a verb and, on Wednesday, received a record $5bn fine after giving itself a bit too much of an edge over its rivals. Some jobs with an emphasis on research have been altered in major ways by its invention, to the extent that it's hard to imagine how those jobs were once done. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44871028

8 Sep 2018, 10:37 PM	#3
somdcomputerguy Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Rupert, WV Posts: 909	https://i.pinimg.com/736x/88/1b/1d/8...41f29b8071.jpg - Bruce

11 Sep 2018, 03:41 AM	#4
Gankaku Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 3,271	Before the internet, it was encyclopedias and much library research.

11 Sep 2018, 05:45 AM	#5
TenFour The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: USA Posts: 2,308	There were lots of ways to search for things well before Google existed. I used to amaze people by how fast I could find obscure stuff using Apple's Sherlock, starting around 1997 or so I think. Prior to that I was accessing government records and such using the Internet before the World Wide Web existed. I created several printed books that were best sellers in their obscure niche based on my accessing this stuff using the Internet before most people even knew what it was. Google was/is really good at searching, but it has cemented its dominance by creating an entire ecosystem of services like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, etc.

31 Oct 2022, 04:58 AM	#7
hadaso Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Holon, Israel. Posts: 5,221	I remember around 1980 when I was in high school and we needed to write an essay about something from World War 2, I took the bus to Tel Aviv to a library that kept an archive of newspapers from back then and looked for information there. Lat week I found some phone-books in my basement (thought they were not from pre-Google era. They were from 2012, not so long ago).

25 Jun 2026, 11:03 PM	#8
sterdeus Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 184	Now, 4 year since the last discussion, does Google still provide value? Do the AI summaries help of hinder your search?

27 Jun 2026, 01:45 AM	#11
Tsunami The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: in between the bright lights and the far unlit unknown Posts: 2,622	"Libraries gave us power" The opening line from the fantastic song (with equally fantastic video) "A Design For Life" by Manic Street Preachers. Since it was track 1 on "Forever delayed" album, also a fantastic line to open an album with. And I very much subscribe to that line. I still visit libraries very often, even with Google being around. I can spend hours in libraries going through books and I still find a lot of fascinating books. A library visit to me is not just about gaining knowledge, I just enjoy it a lot as well. As for the internet searches before Google: I remember AskJeeves. Also, there was word of mouth (friends sending a link to an interesting website) and some sites were part of "circles": a circle of websites with more or less the same (or similar) websites, so following the circle you would find related other websites. And then there were sites with a very interesting "Links" section, even without being part of a circle. We found the information we needed, to large extent. Must add, Wikipedia and YouTube would be sadly missed if I'd go back in time 25 years (for YouTube: mainly using it to check music videos and travel vlogs/documentaries). Other than that, I think the internet was fine back then. Over the years we gained a lot of great new services, but also some services that maybe we'd be better off without. Social media for example can be a blessing if there is moderation, but can be a plague when moderation is lacking. I have fond memories of the internet pre-Google.