When you only have a slow Internet Connection like a Dial-Up line, using a Search engine like Google.com takes a completely different technique than when you’ve got fast High-Speed Internet.
First, let’s talk about the art of forming the search query. Let’s say that you want to know why Benjamin Franklin’s picture is on one of the US dollar bills, which denomination, and why it’s there. My suggested search for this would be:
“Benjamin Franklin” +currency
I’ve put the Benjamin Franklin in quotes to keep it together as a unit. All responses must have both words side-by-side. I don’t want responses about “Benjamin Netanyahu” the Israeli Prime Minister, nor about the Arctic Explorer “Franklin”.
I chose “currency” as the next word as it’s most likely to be in a technical response, as compared to “dollar” which may mean “one dollar” and cause some off topic responses (Ben’s picture isn’t on the one dollar bill – I know that much). Also, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t get a lot of Benjamin Franklin pages about his life and accomplishments, so I put a plus sign (+) before “currency” to demand that any page MUST have this word on it.
So, click on Search, and away it goes …. finding a Google page full of results for you.
Now here’s where the “dial-up” considerations come in. How do you use your time efficiently with a slow dial-up connection to the web.
First, immediately “Right Click” on the first response that Google returns, and choose: “Open in a New Tab”. If the Browser’s focus goes immediately to this blank tab, click on the first tab (Google Search Results) to get it back and continue reading the list. The new tab that you just opened (with the first results item in it) is still blank and your Internet connection is busy downloading the page. It could be a minute or two or longer before it’s even close to readable. It’ll have a little spinning icon or other indication on the tab that’s it’s not ready yet, so don’t waste your time waiting for it. Continue reading through the list of Google’s search results. Pretty much ignore the Title (it’s underlined and bold), and only read the couple of sentences excerpted from the document and look at the website link name below that.
Text that seems to support what you want is good, as well, reliable websites like wikipedia, U.S. Mint, Universities, etc. will all give you good factual information. Sites with a personal name such as “CraigsBlog” will probably give you unfounded opinion – which of course is fine if that’s what you want. You’ve got some time to spare so read over the first few Google results and pick the next best one, and Right-Click on it to open it in a New Tab. (This would now be the third tab: Google .. First Choice .. Second Choice). If the first choice is still loading with a rotating icon, go back to the first Tab and find a good other choice. Keep this up until you’ve gone through the whole first page of Google, then click on the “Next” page for Google, which will start it’s icon spinning.
By now, one of the results page will have formed up, and it’s icon will have stopped spinning. It may not be the first choice, but it’s something to read while you’re waiting. Choose any page that’s ready, and enjoy reading it. When you’re bored or it doesn’t seem to be answering the question, choose any other page that’s ready. If the one that you just read is really off topic, then you can close it (that tab) right then and there before going to another ready page, otherwise, leave it available for a re-read or a cross reference.
Eventually, you’ll have read all of the results that you’ve chosen, and if you’re still not satisfied, go back to the first tab, and Google’ll be on it’s second page of results list waiting for you.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for on the first two pages of Google – then give it up and type in a new slightly different search phrase; and begin all over again.
I hope that you enjoy this technique of searching without having to wait for a slow dial-up connection. The idea is to use your time constructively while you’re waiting for pages to come in. By the way, for some browsers, you can configure them to always open a link on a new tab (instead of a new page) and to NOT leave the current tab when it opens a new tab. This makes the whole process easier.
Enjoy your searching ….
Mike Merritt
— Business Sell Canada —
Classified Ads of Businesses For Sale in Canada
Buy a Profitable Business — Sell your Own Business
— http://www.BusinessSellCanada.com —
