Google has screwed up.

[david13]

Google updated, and started giving me "predictions" ? again. I don't mean auto complete. I mean it starts suggesting to me 20 ugly things that I might want to search for.
It used to give me an option on the settings page, but it doesn't do that anymore. How can I get it back?
It's not part of my history. It's a suggestion or prediction of what I might be searching for. I don't want it.
Can anyone help.
On the settings page all it says not is "Google Instant" or not.
dc

[canetoad]

1. This is google.com.au

I'd imagine you would have the same interface, but you never know...

Top right hand corner of the main Google page, link to search settings. At the bottom of the settings page, untick Provide query suggestions.

[david13]

2. That's the way it used to work. But when I try it now, what happens

is that it only says "google instant" in place of where it used to say suggestions.
They changed it. So I am stuck with that garbage, which I do not want. I wonder if I could restore, probably not, as it's their system, or use a different search co.
dc

[Celebration]

3. I don't know

But I think it might give you more options if you are a signed in Google user. So, you might consider that if you want to keep using it.

[david13]

4. No. It doesn't. Apparently this was new and announced by

google, some idiot in san francisco yesterday. It's called google instant. And they put that in instead of the preference for taking out the suggestions.
I am reading many posts from years ago about how other people found it to be useless, a distraction, annoying, and unnecessary.
So what I did was switch to Alta Vista.
Maybe later I'll try Safari.
Typical corporate stupidity. Don't give the user a simple choice. Give them some crap they don't want. Sounds like GM or Ford.
dc

[blogslut]

5. You disable Google Instant

Search Settings > Do not use Google Instant

[david13]

7. It won't work. It doesn't work. That was the very first thing I did.

And it still comes up. On two computers nonetheless.
Even without the instant crap it comes up.
I tried Safari. Too much junk. So far Alta Vista seems good. I would like a direct contact link. Does Alta Vista have that?
dc

[david13]

9. I tried a reinstall and everything. It won't work. The google settings

page, the search settings page no longer has the option on it.
Their attitude is you don't have a choice to take their crap. I do not need any suggestions as to what I am searching for. I'm glad google thinks of me as a complete idiot, but I'm only a partial idiot.
dc

[charlie]

10. While you're looking for a fix

Try using their mobile search:

http://www.google.com/m

It's as no-frills as you can get. Maybe a bit too no-frills, the input won't show more than 20 characters at a time.

[charlie]

6. It's kind of a kludgy fix

but if you've got a script blocker or a browser with a blacklist, disable Javascript for Google.com. None of that stuff will work without Javascript.

As a bonus, you'll get the old image search results back too, instead of that goofy balloon-the-image-under-the-mouse thing they're using now.

[david13]

8. I use Firefox. I don't believe it has the blacklist. If it does, I don't

see it. It only allows a blanket javascript or not.
I think.
dc

[charlie]

11. Ordinarily, I'd suggest using the NoScript addon for Firefox

Unfortunately though, it uses a whitelist, meaning you'd have to input every other site/script-source you want to allow Javascript on. It's a lot of trouble just to disable one site.

However, I just found an add-on that's a simple blacklist -- YesScript. Input Google and you should be good to go.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4922/

[IDemo]

12. Another Firefox solution

Googlebar Lite