New Search Engine for Images: Compare Google Images vs. Flickr

[panabee]

Hi all,

I'm new to the site.

My friends and I built a site we think could help bloggers research stories faster and find relevant images for their posts.

For instance, this page lets you compare Google Images vs Flickr side-by-side if you're searching for the right image to accompany a blog post: bit.ly/yU6ZB (Sorry, I'm restricted from embedding the URL. Please copy and paste.)

Since we're not true bloggers, we don't know if the site is useful for blogging or not. We're looking to get a little validation or feedback.

What's the best place on this forum to post this question? Should I also post the question at other sites?

Thanks so much for your help!

- Clarence

[Nathan]

Hmmm, looks pretty good.

Just for everyone's information the direct link to the site is:

ice - Panabee: Search Portal

One thing I noted was that it was not very clear how to adjust which engines were in the search frames. There should be an easy drop down box to change one frame to an alternate search engine.

Administrator Note: Changed thread title to be more descriptive.

[teranceh]

I'm not too sure how flickr works exactly as I don't have much experience with it.

I could be wrong, but I'd imagine you'd upset a lot of flickr users by suggesting other users use their photos on other blogs? Or, is this the usual with flickr? As long as the artist is credited?

Otherwise, I feel as if Google images with the License options (advanced search) is the only thing anyone would need. Except for stock photo websites.

Also, one more thing I think, most bloggers should find a way to create their own images. They should go snap a picture for their posts or something. Although, I understand if you write a post about Paris and live in California, you might need some Google.

Even though my previous point somewhat defeats the purpose of your idea, I believe you might be on to something. As suggested in the post above mine, you might want to simplify selecting search engines in each box (notice the word box, and not frame.)

I think an entirely new layout is needed. Iframes? Ew. If you can find a way to display Google images, Flickr images, Yahoo images all on ONE single page, you might be on to something. Then again, you might also have to ask Google, Flickr, and Yahoo for persmission.

Now that I've said all this I realize I know very little about this subject, and it seems you would probably know more considering you already have this site up.

Anywho, keep at it and goodluck with the results.

[Nathan]

I could be wrong, but I'd imagine you'd upset a lot of flickr users by suggesting other users use their photos on other blogs? Or, is this the usual with flickr? As long as the artist is credited?

It depends on the individual image. Creative Commons Licensed images can be reused as long as credit is given to the original photographer.

[QuirkyJessi]

Ooo, that was really fun and interesting to tinker with. I generally just search through Google, but it was surprising how many great results came only from searching through Flickr.

[Nathan]

Flickr is more artistic and has generally better quality images in my opinion. Google Images is much broader in topic range though and better for things such as searching for book cover art. It is a bad source of artistic/photographic images though.

[panabee]

Cool! Thanks everyone for the feedback.

@Nathan, the blue "Sites" bar lets you search other sites. Are you able to see and click on this bar?

General question: besides images, what about using the site to research blog posts? We have a reference category that lists all the major reference sites (e.g., Wikipedia, Answers.com).

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by panabee

Cool! Thanks everyone for the feedback.

@Nathan, the blue "Sites" bar lets you search other sites. Are you able to see and click on this bar?

General question: besides images, what about using the site to research blog posts? We have a reference category that lists all the major reference sites (e.g., Wikipedia, Answers.com).

Yes I can see and click the bar. The problem is that it only changes the left hand frame, not the right. So I can make the left hand frame Bing, but I can't make the right hand frame Google or something like that. The right hand frame is still Flickr.

If there is a way to change both frames, not just left one, I'm not seeing it. Maybe it isn't as intuitive as it should be.

[panabee]

@Nathan, sorry if the site is confusing. Feedback like yours will help us improve the interface. Interfaces shouldn't require thought, and clearly ours is too confusing right now.

If you mouse over the right frame, the Sites bar should appear there and let you change the right iFrame to another search engine.

Does that work?

[Nathan]

Ah...... I see.

I got it to work now.

I was mousing back and forth over the bar at the top, so the drop down menu wasn't changing from side to side. I think if you put in two separate drop down menus, one for each frame, it will be more intuitive.