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The Who, What, Where, When, How, And Why Of Google

By Robert Swartwood on July 31, 2010

First, some Hint Fiction news:

  1. My panel “Hint Fiction: Stories That Prove Less Is More” has been accepted by the AWP committee for next year, which means I’ll definitely be in D.C. and hope to see everyone there. Participants on the panel include contributors Michael Martone, Ann Harleman, Randall Brown, and Daniel A. Olivas.
  2. Also, I got the official word that the anthology will in fact be available as an e-book.

Now, to set the record straight, I love Google. It’s probably one of the greatest things in the world. I don’t even know why other search engines try when Google has the market cornered. I mean, the friggin’ word had become a verb. Nobody Yahoos or Bings something; no, they Google it. Anyway, the auto suggestion is great, too. It gives one an idea of what a lot of other people are searching. I think in a thousand years, when civilization has crumbled and those digging through the mess want to learn about our culture, all they’ll need to look at are some screen shots of Google’s auto suggestion. Like Hint Fiction, for example:

Pretty neat, huh? And of course that auto suggestion will change as time goes on. But right now, July 31, 2010, that’s what is there.

Now with Google’s auto suggestion in mind, I thought I’d try to go through the six basic questions of who, what, where, when, how, why and see what Google comes up with. I’m sure this has been done before (I wouldn’t be surprised if Jimmy Chen did something like this at HTMLGIANT), but I haven’t seen it yet, so I figured what the hey (my favorites, without a doubt, are the second suggestion for where and the third and tenth suggestions for why). Enjoy.

Posted in | 12 Responses

  • http://www.sophieplayleblog.blogspot.com Sophie Playle

    Google is pretty awesome (and funny). Ever got a Google-wack?

    (Pssst, it’s a verb, not an adjective.)

    [Reply]

  • jimmy Chen

    yup, i did something like that: http://htmlgiant.com/random/is-context-content/

    [Reply]

  • Robert Swartwood

    Sophie — Yikes! Nice catch. That’s what I get for deciding to do a blog post right before bedtime.

    Jimmy — I figured as much. You are not only a scholar and a gentleman, but an inspiration to us all :-)

    [Reply]

  • http://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com Madeline@TheShellshankRedemption

    Congratulations on all the Hint Fiction news! My husband and I were just at our local indie bookstore talking up the anthology. :)

    [Reply]

  • http://poweringthedevilscircus.blogspot.com Jason Jordan

    Haha. Nice.

    [Reply]

  • Robert Swartwood

    Madeline — Excellent!

    Jason — :-D

    [Reply]

  • http://www.barrynapierwriting.wordpress.com Barry Napier

    That DOES bring up good question…where IS Chuck Norris?

    [Reply]

  • Robert Swartwood

    Barry — Hopefully Chuck is working hard to develop WALKER, TEXAS RANGER: THE NEXT GENERATION.

    [Reply]

  • David E

    congrats on awp. see in you dc next year. may miss the actual awp but we’ll have to meet up for a drink.

    [Reply]

  • Robert Swartwood

    Of course, Dave, drinks it is.

    [Reply]

  • http://www.womenofmystery.net Kathleen A. Ryan

    Hi Robert,

    Wonderful news ~ congrats on the panel being accepted at AWP in DC, and that is terrific about the anthology being available as an e-book, too.

    I did a blog post in Sept. 2009 regarding questions asked on Google, as if it was a Magic 8 ball…I had a blast writing the post, titled, “When Will I Die and Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?”

    http://www.womenofmystery.net/2009/09/when-will-i-die-and-why-do-dogs-eat.html

    [Reply]

  • Robert Swartwood

    Kathleen — Very nice :-)

    [Reply]