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Improving Google's cache

Google

I don’t know how many of you use Google’s cache of web pages when searching, but it comes very hand for me because it highlights my queries. I’ve been thinking lately of what could be a nice enhancement to Google’s cache, one that would made my searching a tiny bit easier.

Google search results with 'Cached' links


Google could have their cached webpages permalinked to the paragraph level (read: purple), so that when I click on the “Cached” link for a result, I get to read the paragraph that carries the first occurence of my query.

If my query consists of a single word or a phrase surrounded by double quotes, bringing me to the first occurence of it shouldn’t be a problem.

What happens when my query consists of more than one words (or a phrase surrounded by double quotes, plus additional words)?

I think I should be redirected to the paragraph carrying the first occurence of the first term in my query. Example:

Google's cache highlights the terms of my query



The first paragraph that mentions 'retag'

May 31st, 2005

Comments on “Improving Google's cache”

  1. Yes that would be very helpful. It wouldn’t be hard to implement either. Since the cached html page have highlighted words, they can also add an anchor to the highlights and automatically redirect the page to the anchors. Most of the times when I google though, I click the links to the real pages, instead of the cached. It’s only when those links are down that makes me view cached pages (they aren’t so great - missing media and messed up stylesheets). The real links may also have updated information about your search queries too.

    Oliver on June 1st, 2005 at 6:49 am / Edit