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September 10, 2009

Google Emphasizes the Search Box

When your homepage is so simple that's almost invisible on a widescreen, you have to find a way to stand out. Google decided to supersize the search box:

"The new, larger Google search box features larger text when you type so you can see your query more clearly. It also uses a larger text size for the suggestions below the search box, making it easier to select one of the possible refinements. (...) Google has always been first and foremost about search, and we're committed to building and powering the best search on the web — now available through a supersized search box."



If you don't see the redesigned homepage, then the data center you hit hasn't updated it. For those that are curious, Google uses a 17-pixel font for the search box, up from 13 pixels.

Update: You can go back to the old interface using a Greasemonkey script.

95 comments:

  1. looks HORRIBLE!
    I'm not blind and if i WANT it bigger i'll increase the font of my browser! REDO THIS PLEASE! :O

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  2. @Anon: Uh, you mean 'undo' this, don't you? :P

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  3. Smart move. Screens are getting bigger, graphics cards higher resolution it's a fact that pre-2000 websites look small these days (mine included -eek!) Those that are moaning about it are just afraid of change.

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  4. there should be an option like youtube/XL for big screens rather than doing it for everybody !

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  5. I meant this http://www.youtube.com/xl

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  6. "Those that are moaning about it are just afraid of change."

    Or maybe we just think it's ugly? Larger than normal fonts for anything other than headers is ugly in my opinion. It looks like something for kids or almost blind people.

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  7. Who cares... It's just a logo. It really impacts absolutely nothing. It's like saying the sky is a really annoying shade of blue today.

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  8. This is a joke right? Seriously??? Someone please shoot me now.

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  9. Ok, it looked nicer and cleaner with a small search-box, I agree on that. Also, I don't think much people would've asked to make it bigger, or am I wrong on this one?

    But well, it is true: sites are looking smaller and smaller due to widescreens and higher resolutions. So I can understand this move and this isn't much of a deal to be honest.

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  10. nice. I like small steps with nice small features.

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  11. Google China enlarged its search box exactly one month ago. see the screenshots here:
    http://www.danielwang.cn/2009/08/google-china-enlarged-its-search-box.html

    To fit Chinese characters, the search box has to be bigger than other Google sites in other countries!

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  12. It's quite ugly, very obtrusive, and all too domineering.

    Google's design department must be made up of rejects from amongst its programmers: teens, wet behind the ears, impervious to the canons of good taste, and to the need for transparency of the user interface.

    They would do well to take the work of Edward R. Tufte to heart.

    At the very least, Google should have given their users the option of varying the search box type size and font. But I reckon it's not the way of dictators to provide freedom of choice.

    Yrs,

    roughdoggo

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  13. Well, not everybody has 30" widescreen. There should be an option to revert it back to old font size, i don't really care how big default search is so long as i can enjoy old font size.

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  14. Greasemonkey to the rescue!

    http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/57449

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  15. My little laptop has been completely overwhelmed by this new font size! It was 'just right' the way it was. Please at least allow us the right to CHOOSE whether to adopt this new option or NOT.

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  16. My god this sucks.. I really used to like google.. Now their just shoving changes down our throat, kinda reminds me of Micro$oft

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  17. I agree! This bigger font sucks.

    Hey Google, please us all. Give us a choice in the settings as you did with the filtering options.

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  18. You guys think large texts suck, because you all use Windows XP.

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  19. i think google should give us chose on witch font we want to use on home page

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  20. IT LOOKS FREAKING HORRIBLE. SO PC-ish. the new google seach box looks like it was made for my grandparents, which are all dead! EVER HEARD OF ZOOM IN/OUT?? we should be able to choose from the clean slim look vs the new bulky annoying blocky look.

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  21. Hate the new font size. Its so intrusive and ugly!! We should have a right to choose which font size we feel most comfortable with. Have no idea why Google think this is a 'great' idea... if anyone needed a large font size on their computers the option was always their to be used on their tool bar. Sorry not prepared to put up with this so as much as it hurts will be considering a new default search engine!!

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  22. I HATE this change. Why not propose this new size in the préferences?

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  23. It is really stupid (no brain) change!!!! What is it for if only search bar is bigger and the search result has still the same (smaller) size????? Every single browser has an ability to increase/decrease the font, therefor, this it just an annoying and completely useless change!!!!!!

    change it back !!!!!!!!!!!!

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  24. Google, please make the enlarged searchbar and associated font size AN OPTION !!!! I happen to like relatively small fonts; to force this on everyone is inconsiderate to say the least. It really looks bad, ugly even.

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  25. i hate it. everyone in my office can read my search terms.

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  26. Should be an option.

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  27. Users should be given an option to choose if they want to change the font size. Google has been very good up until now, on not forcing changes on its users, but if this is the way they are headed now, I would like to consider some other search engine.

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  28. What on earth is Google thinking!!! MY EYES KILL after looking at the BOLD font in the search engine now and I have a 22" screen!!! We are dedicated Google users, but if it remains like this, I will be glad to find another search engine. (Please revert back and give us 'options' to change font)

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  29. I am amazed and disappointed by people.

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  30. hate it, change it back otherwise i'll use Bing (maybe)

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  31. i would like to have an option to change it back or at least get the command-enter to work within the box for osx.

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  32. There should be an option to alter the font size however you wish without using an add-on. The font size is unsightly and somewhat painful to my eyes, and I am very nearsighted.

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  33. I've got to agree with most people here. It's annoying, especially on smaller monitors. Make it a preference, hell even allow the user to specify whatever size they want. Just give us a way to change it back.

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  34. Thought I had a virus... it is jarring, and do not like. Do not make changes that make your programmers more comfortable, make changes for the client. If you are not going to revert, at least make this an option.

    Words of advice for future "enhancements" - focus group testing.

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  35. Yuck change it back! At least provide an option to change it back if your gonna mess with things.

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  36. Most definitely do not like. I went crazy trying to figure out what happend to the font settings but apparently this has happend to everyone. very annoying and I hope it's changed back to normal. Seriously, how many good comments is google gonna get when most people whe care to comment only disagree with this retarded text size???

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  37. Hate it. Noticed the change straight away and immediately checked all my pc settings - very disappointing to find there's not much I can do about it!! Agree that there really should be an option to revert back to the previous font size. The new look is unsightly Google!!

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  38. Vote

    http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1979773/

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  39. It wasn't a very good move. Most people use either work computers, which don't have huge screens, or laptops, which also don't have huge screens. Seriously not well thought out.

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  40. A bloody awful adjustment with no facility to alter the font size. If the idiot that decided to impliment this change without the facilty to change it expects people to now use this search engine he or she must be living in another time zone . i for one will now use anothe search engine

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  41. Please, please, please, please, pretty please with sugar on top--go back to the old size. This is just ugly and jarring. It makes me think I should wear my belt above my belly button, read book with large type, and complain that when I was young, google used standard font sizes and we were glad....

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  42. Also not a fan of the larger google search box. Maybe a supersized search box option, like McDonald's.

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  43. This supersized search box is awful! What is this, Bing? Those giant fonts make me feel like someone is yelling at me. Why can't Google make it optional for users to resize their search box instead of this Pick Any Color As Long As It's Black approach? When a giant box is the biggest thing showing in your result list, it looks like a gawdy annoying neon sign in your face diverting attention away from the substance of what you want >> the result set.

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  44. The goolge bigger font size is horrible.
    I will definitely switch if they don't make an option to use the "NORMAL" font size.

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  45. Terrible annoying and not really discrete, really when I am at work I don’t want the all office to know what I am googling. Please Please Please put it back the way it was before I never ask you to change anything before in so many years but this is really bad. I am sorry.

    Rob

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  46. I uses a 24" at 1920x1200 and I *hate* the bigger font!

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  47. annoying ... maybe I will switch back to altavista.digital.com :-)

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  48. Terrible - I will switch search engines

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  49. You have been assimilated. Resistance is futile.

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  50. Hate it, goodbye google.

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  51. I hate it. I'm changing search engine. It would be OK if they at least gave me a choice....

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  52. I hate the large font. I will be using a different search engine in protest until the large font becomes an option or goes away.

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  53. We know tirminyl... WE KNOW.... do we have to like it then????? Seriously. Its pathetic.... why enlarge the fonts when anyone can do so on their own computer. I like to have a choice and this is not a choice that I like, its annoying and inconvenient. I have used Google for many years and have been happy with Google all this time. But not now. I don't want a kindergarten search engine... SERIOUSLY!!!
    So I will find a new search engine and use that search box to find places I want to search... SERIOUSLY!!!

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  54. I've just spent 25 minutes trying to figure out what I'd accidentally done to the search box font size & trying to find a way to revert the font to its former size. Why has Google implemented this change? I can't think of a reason why it would be considered beneficial to have the search box font larger than the search results font. This makes Google look messy, awkward & amateur. Change can be a good thing, if there is a reason for it. This, however, is change for no reason &, if anything, is a step backwards. I have always found Google to be a reliable & user-friendly search engine. Its no-nonsense, no frills, no gimmicks, straightforward, sensible & logical approach & design has always given it the edge over other search engines. I agree with the other comments posted here that it now feels like the search box is shouting out of the screen. It looks and feels condescending & intrusive. Please change this back to how it used to be as soon as possible.

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  55. Dick move, Google is no longer my homepage purely because of this change.

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  56. @Meow (http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-emphasizes-search.html#c1020099457123822249)
    No.. I'm using Linux (with Fluxbox as WM)

    My grandparents have fixed "2x ZOOM" and they were totally OK with former state
    but now I'll probably have to teach them to un-zoom when they're writing and zoom back to see results :(

    I have smaller (17" 1024x768) screen and that bold font is hard to read !

    @google: Please make that damn thing optional and see how many people choose that

    BTW: google login does not work for me ("Your request could not be processed. Please try again.")

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  57. update: I've managed to log in (the page was saying "login to administer your blog")

    but this change still sucks and makes my eyes sore.

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  58. I suggest posting feedback at http://ipv6.google.com/quality_form?q=google+bold+search+box&hl=en

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  59. Thanks MMlosh. I have followed the above link and posted my feedback!

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  60. Who the F thought of this change? I've only seen a few 'newer is better' freaks that think this was a good idea. The HUGE font and button texts are really intrusive. What ever happened to the good old google? Search and find. Sure the tech is still there but it's NOW IN YOUR FACE. Screw it. Changing my homepage to bing, at least I'll get some pretty pictures. Ironically I love things to be basic, but I'd rather put up with the 'pretty pictures' than see this 'LOOK I'M GOOGLE' crap. C-ya.

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  61. wow google if you cant figure out the majority of users didnt want something as simple as the search bar font size changed to something bigger, you are definitely losing your touch. better wake the @#$#@ up and start payin' attn again

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  62. i think google drop ball on this one,i think they need put font back way it was before they decide that it need to be fix for senior citizen's of world,i hope miss marissa mayers is read these post and getting big supersized picture that major of googlers don't like supersized font on google homepage,but i am not holding my breath for that to happen so i am just going have to get use to it .

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  63. I hate it,I feel like I'm in kindergarden,a throw back to the stone age

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  64. OMGGGGGG, Its like a fricken Pine Tree Sideways on my home page WTF????

    for the hard to see and elderly its goshdamn called ctrl +

    Who in the hell ordered this to be approved wtf again I hate it.

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  65. If I want it bigger, I will ask for it

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  66. It is annoying to look at and I hate it. I have been using Yahoo all day to avoid looking at it.

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  67. Totally Repulsive! Makes me want to vomit!

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  68. Now only does the new size look like crap but, by not telling anyone about it, they made me waste my time trying to figure out what I had done to Firefox. I've downloaded and installed the Grease Monkey script, but it's just more overhead.

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  69. Hair brained desgin. Forcing an infantile big text, big search box on everybody is also arrogant in addition to looking ugly and poor style. If Google wants people to use bigger text/search box then given them that as option (off by default).

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  70. My homepage has changed (after 7+ years!) to http://search.yahoo.com/
    See ya around, google.

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  71. Very perturbating, I dislike it.

    I prefer and use mainly small fonts (8pt, like the GNU/Linux DejaVu Sans and DejaVu Sans Mono fonts for example) on all my computers ; tested on various screen size (12.1" 1280x768, 15.4" 1680x1050, 24" 1920x1200) and definitely looks too big for me...

    Hopefuly there's a greasemonkey script that can revert this annoying change or the possibility to change the classic theme by another via iGoogle page.

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  72. It's fine.
    Who would think one small change could cause such a fuss.
    I was impressed that when I typed into the New large Google searchbox "why is this search box so big?" I was transported to this page. You can enter just about any sort of search phrase into google and get the answer you are looking for. Yes I remeber a time when there were no mobile phones, no computers, 2 black and white TV channels and you searched for answers in a library or lived in ignorance.

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  73. New size really stinks for smaller resolutions/monitors/lcds, WAY too big.

    Just make it an option already and be done with it.

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  74. Worst move ever!! I had no intention of resorting to 'Bing', but now I'm going to give it a chance. I despise Yahoo with their 'in your face' ad clusters everywhere, but Google's 'in your face' search box font is just as bad. Like others, I wasted a LOT of time looking for some setting that I accidently changed, then scanned for viruses! THANK YOU GOOGLE FOR WASTING MY TIME you ignorant, inconsiderate jackasses.

    Having worked for medium-sized corporations, this looks like some bonehead executive decided that he's a genius and forced his idea through instead of letting the proper departments do their respective jobs. If true, he will never admit it was a stupid idea, and will not allow it to be changed back. If not, then someone else needs to be fired.

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  75. The Australian 2-cent coin was introduced in 1966 and was the second least valued coin until it was withdrawn from circulation in 1992.

    Here is my 2 cents worth:

    I DISLIKE THE NEW LARGER FONT SIZE, AND HATE THE IN ABILITY TO CONTROL MY GOOGLE INTERFACE.

    Please give the option in Search Settings/preferences.

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  76. Seriously guys... grow up. The infantile thing here isn't the search box, it's the people whining about it.

    You people are acting like the brand new toy car you got for Christmas was the wrong colour, and now you're throwing a tantrum.

    Let's be serious for a moment. How many of us ACTUALLY visit the google.com page to search? Nine times out of ten, I'm using my browser bar anyway.

    Get a grip people. It's just a font. If you don't like it, don't use it. No one is forcing you.

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  77. I think I know why they did this. Google is always trying to shove their browser toolbar down our throats. Maybe they knew everyone would hate the Fisher-Price search box and decided it's a good way to force the toolbar on us.

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  78. It's horrific - and that an aesthetic judgement not a kneejerk reaction to change. Big is bad - USA v. rest of world, ATV v mini, U2 v. Miles Davis - big's got no taste.

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  79. Google says: "We're committed to building and powering the best search on the web — now available through a supersized search box." Funny, I find the same results, but my visual experience is screwed.

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  80. I have to keep going back to Google News, where, thankfully, it's still small. Thanks, Google, for making my life harder. Time to change search engine, but what else has such resources? One could turn off the damn PC, I suppose.

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  81. First time a saw the new livesearch here in switzerland (google.ch). this isn't new in the web 2.0 sphere. a few of my webpages use such livesearches before they even had their first one (the one without even the bold font of the current search).
    but yes you guys are right, the font-size should be 1-2 px smaller than the actual 17px.

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  82. I went nuts trying to figure out what I had done wrong. Searched for adware, viruses, everything. I finally found this page. Google, I have a smaller monitor with XP, and this HUGE font SUCKS! Please give me back my regular font, or at least make it an option. Meanwhile, I am going to give other search engines a try!

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  83. I have 2 computers. One has suddenly started displaying Google search wuth a huge font and it now has, and needs, scroll bars!

    However the other one shows it as before. Both are XP machines.

    Do I have a virus or what?

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  84. We have 2 pc's and one has this horrendous Google mess and the other does not - both are XP - one is SP3 and the other is SP2.

    Whoever thought of changing the font without doing their market research wants shooting.

    Then whoever allowed it to be imposed rather than offering it as an option via preferences wants shooting very slowly :)

    Wake up Google and get your act together, this is pathetic. I have checked with 45 friends what they think about the 'new font size' - 100% hate it!

    By the way - I also thought that I had a virus at first.

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  85. Why do I have to have all this nonsense? Why can't you just leave success alone?!

    I don't want these nonsense fade-in scripts, gbars, electric blue large buttons, super sized font, etc. Just put it back to standard white without all the javascript either. It's annoying and, in my opinion, undermines one of the things that made Google search so much better than the rest.

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  86. It's like blue LED crap... it's painful for the eyes but it's everywhere either you like it or not.
    I'd like this big ugly font to be an option... I still can't get used to it.

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  87. I do not like this new 2010 google. Bring back the google sign with the shadows that looks 3D! Now google seems to appear messy and immature. Also, I have noticed that when search results pop up the actual search reesults are are squeezed into a box in the middle.
    My suggestion is to have enlarged font as an option. This new design is really annoying and in my face. Please consider this option.

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  88. this search sucks.

    who do they think they are....give users options.

    You just make changes like the fade in on mouse move. Now this bold crap.

    People don't like such drastic change.
    Give us options !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  89. The search and font does not need to bigger for all. It is really, really, really, annoying that gets resized automatically. I have to keep readjusting and readjusting it to keep it reasonable and small for my taste. I can see it just fine when it is small. There should be a simple option to have it be how you wanted. Everyone set ups and idea of perfect are drastically different. So please give an option. DAMMMIT!!!

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  90. Having the option for larger text in the search box is good. Not re-sizing the search box to accomodate the newly enlarged text is just poor design. Not giving users with decent eyesight the option to revert to normal size text is poor judgement. Removing customization abilities for additional search options is just plain annoying. WTF Google? Seriously, from one web designer to another, you should know better.

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  91. Why is 25% of my screen now a search box? WTF. Doesn't every browser have a search box already that is at the top and fully adjustable? Why does google's need to take the top half of my entire screen up? This is stupid.

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