# Quit Saying "Google Is Your Friend", Okay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 16, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905 "2011-08-16T14:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/21 "2011-08-16T19:25:44Z")
If The Dope had to anything like the jobs done by Google and Wikipedia it would soon be completely swamped. What is so wonderful about The Dope (well, GQ, anyway) is that you can get answers to questions that, because they are on subtle points, or because you do not know the relevant terminology, or whatever, are really impossible to answer with those sorts of tools. Too many “dumb” questions are likely to drive the answerers (who, after all, are just doing it for fun) away, and I do not think it is inappropriate, sometimes, to discourage them. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/22 "2011-08-16T19:27:02Z")
Google is your friend if you’ve learned all the search options. Every family member and friend of mine can use “the google”, but they all turn to me because I have been using it since it was a single machine in a dorm room. I have been playing with all these options, and know where to look. For instance, a while back, I was working on the Wikipedia page for the former Gang of Four bass player. The fact that her name is “Sara Lee” makes a simple search a _bit_ tricky if you don’t add other words to the search. You have to search with any number of options, and go off the beaten path of the regular Google web page search to Google Groups and Books. (That the Sara Lee corporation had a former chief executive named “Bass” did not help. And yeah, it is her given name.) ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/23 "2011-08-16T19:27:23Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > “Google is your friend” is shorter than a meaningful answer to all but the simplest questions. Still four words longer than those used by the people who _really_ cant be bothered answering the question. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/24 "2011-08-16T19:46:26Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Still four words longer than those used by the people who _really_ cant be bothered answering the question. Truth. However, if I ignore them, they think I just can’t hear them and persist. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/25 "2011-08-16T19:48:28Z")
The only thing I can contribute is that I don’t see “Google is your friend” or “let me Google that for you” as inherently snarky or rude. There are Dopers who mean it to be rude or dismissive, but most of the time I’ve seen it used in a light-hearted way. I think OPers should do a basic search before creating threads in certain fora (“General Questions” is definitely one of them), but for those who aren’t 'net-savvy or whose first or second language isn’t English, I understand if they post to the SDMB first so they can guidance as to search terms and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/26 "2011-08-16T20:09:51Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I endorse the OP, especially since it would appear that [Bing and Yahoo searches are more accurate than Google](http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208879/Bing_searches_more_accurate_than_Google_s_study_finds). That seems like a weird metric. I know I’m only talking anecdotally, but at least in my experience Google doesn’t lead me to a website because Google answers my question. If I plug in “6.7 lbs in kg” the search engine gives me the answer without me ever needing to hit a website. If I type in an unusual word, more often than not the definition shows up in the summary of a dictionary website. I frequently use Google at work to verify names of corporate executives and terminology, and reading the summaries is usually sufficient for the purpose. I mean, maybe it _is_ more inaccurate than Bing, but on first blush I question it since the Google search bar is used for so much more than just finding websites. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/27 "2011-08-16T20:51:54Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Google is your friend if you’ve learned all the search options. Every family member and friend of mine can use “the google”, but they all turn to me because I have been using it since it was a single machine in a dorm room. I have been playing with all these options, and know where to look. There are cases where what you’re saying is perfectly reasonable, but many others where it isn’t. Often, if you can manage to type the words into the title, you could get the exact answer you seek using google using those exact same words. [I mean, really?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=479490) I can’t say as I’ve ever used any “options” in Google. I pretty much take a question sentence, and type in all the relevant nouns. If that doesn’t work, I add some adjectives. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/28 "2011-08-16T21:19:11Z")
I don’t like “Google is your friend” or it’s even more boorish cousin, “Is your Google broken?”, 'cause it’s really just a veiled insult to the guy asking for the cite or information. It’s basically saying, “You’re too stupid or lazy. Why are you so stupid or lazy?” It’s really overused on some other forums, and usually as a not-so-transparent attempt to avoid giving a citation for some arguable position. A) “Scientists are being bribed daily to push the Global Warming conspiracy!” B) “Um… cite? 'Cause I seriously doubt that.” C) “Is your Google broken? LOL.” ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/29 "2011-08-17T15:57:08Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > [http://lmgtfy.com/?q=straight+dope+thread+on+LMGTFY](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=straight+dope+thread+on+LMGTFY) [lmgtfy.com](http://lmgtfy.com) is the most passive aggressive, condescending, assholish reply to a question possible. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/30 "2011-08-17T16:04:20Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I endorse the OP, especially since it would appear that [Bing and Yahoo searches are more accurate than Google](http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208879/Bing_searches_more_accurate_than_Google_s_study_finds). Did you miss the entire point of the OP, which is to support the Dope? Anywhistle, I refuse to use Bing because of my hatred of its marketing, and I refuse to use Yahoo! partly because I find its home page obnoxious and partly because there are to many exclamation points in its name. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/31 "2011-08-17T16:08:14Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > When I post questions here, it’s because I’m actually interested in the SDMB community’s take on it and the related anecdotes, side information and other jaunts that come with it. The collective responses (and responses to those responses) are usually more informative to me than a Google search or Wikipedia page. Agreed. Yeah, OK, if someone on here is posting question after question that could be answered with a simple Google search, sure, ask them why they don’t just use Google already. But if I come on here and ask something that could be answered with a Google search it’s because I want to see what the SDMB has to say on that topic, for better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/32 "2011-08-17T16:18:32Z")
I agree with what most people say, which is that if you ask a simple question and don’t explain why you didn’t go elsewhere first, you will be asked or referred to a simpler resource. That said, many of my own threads are 'I found x answer here, but I wondered if that was the case if y- and I don’t have the googlefu for it myself. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/33 "2011-08-17T16:21:53Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > [lmgtfy.com](http://lmgtfy.com) is the most passive aggressive, condescending, assholish reply to a question possible. [http://lmgtfy.com/?q=whoosh](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=whoosh) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/34 "2011-08-17T16:32:07Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > [lmgtfy.com](http://lmgtfy.com) is the most passive aggressive, condescending, assholish reply to a question possible. I agree it’s condescending and assholish, but you should look up the meaning of passive-aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/35 "2011-08-17T16:33:17Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I agree it’s condescending and assholish, but you should look up the meaning of passive-aggressive. [http://lmgtfy.com/?q=passive-aggressive+definition](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=passive-aggressive+definition) ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/36 "2011-08-17T16:40:13Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > [http://lmgtfy.com/?q=whoosh](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=whoosh) Nothing went above my head. I wanted to comment on [lmgtfy.com](http://lmgtfy.com), and that was a convenient place to do it. No whooshing involved. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/37 "2011-08-17T16:44:18Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I agree it’s condescending and assholish, but you should look up the meaning of passive-aggressive. Harboring aggressive emotions while behaving in a calm or detached manner. I don’t see how that doesn’t fit. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/38 "2011-08-17T17:32:09Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > Harboring aggressive emotions while behaving in a calm or detached manner. I don’t see how that doesn’t fit. [Let me Google that for you.](http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+passive+aggressive) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/39 "2011-08-17T18:21:47Z")
Hey, does anyone know which film won the Best Picture Oscar in 1990? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905/40 "2011-08-17T18:28:46Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > [lmgtfy.com](http://lmgtfy.com) is the most passive aggressive, condescending, assholish reply to a question possible. I just googled that phrase and the only hit was this thread. So apparantly besides a few cranks in this thread no-one else on the internet agrees with you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-saying-google-is-your-friend-okay/592905.md?page=3)