Customize Your Google Homepage Background

Jshay said:
How do I change it back to white?
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In Firefox, use a no-script type plugin to disable scripting for Google.com. Also gets rid of the fade-in effect.

In Internet Explorer, just add *.google.com to a Security Zone that has scripting disabled, works the same as the Firefox plugin mentioned above.
 
Also, the script-disabling method works better than setting the white background, since changing the background doesn't fix the white logo and text. Disabling the scripting takes care of the logo and the text as well.
 
I think it is a nasty ploy to force everyone to login. If you aren't logged in, there is no way to get rid of the obnoxious default background. Of course, you never see it if you use browser integrated searching.
 
Google Exec: "Okay, we have the best search engine and website around! What can we do to make it better?"
Random Art Guy: "Let's copy Bing and add pictures!"
Google Exec: "Holy, effin shit man, you're a god damned genius! Sold. Do it."

It. Sucks. Change. It. Back. Please.
 
ferzerp said:
I think it is a nasty ploy to force everyone to login. If you aren't logged in, there is no way to get rid of the obnoxious default background. Of course, you never see it if you use browser integrated searching.
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I think you're reading too much into this. Google's just changing their background from boring white to something interesting and random like Bing does. Now they would have better web searches than Bing and interesting background that Bing is known and liked for.

The ability to set your own background would obviously require you to log in because otherwise it would be difficult for Google to know what background you prefer when you're on different computers. It's not a ploy, but rather a feature to those who DO sign up.

They just need to include an option not to have backgrounds at all in their search settings where you can chose language, new browser, language, and so on.
 
I do not want to log in to Google, nor do I want to use some browser plugin to disable scripting.

This background image crap should be an opt-in type of situation. The fact that you cannot disable it and store this preference in cookie or whatever is maddening.
 
I moved to the firefox/google homepage instead of google.com thanks to the stupid fade in effect thing.

I'm not particularly pleased with being opted into this. Google is better because it's fast, efficient and non-bloated. Tossing in a picture load is not helping any of that.
 
I am also astonished that you guys do not use the SSL page anyway if you are actually going to a Google search page to search Google.


https://www.google.com/


But yes, I see what you mean about not being able to go back.....pick a color and move on.
 
OMG, that mess sucks, ugly and distracting.

I'll just stick to Firefox's default google search page.
 
Blatant ripoff of Bing.com... Really can't argue with that one.

Where's all the legions of Bing-critical people that criticized the images for being too much to load, hmmm? For blocking such images being too much trouble, hmmm??

Google does it and now it's justified? lol



Regardless, I think it's cool. I just don't like the hypocrisy of people slamming Bing for it,and now when Google does it it's fantastic. Sounds like something Apple followers would do.
 
TexUs said:
Blatant ripoff of Bing.com... Really can't argue with that one.

Where's all the legions of Bing-critical people that criticized the images for being too much to load, hmmm? For blocking such images being too much trouble, hmmm??

Google does it and now it's justified? lol



Regardless, I think it's cool. I just don't like the hypocrisy of people slamming Bing for it,and now when Google does it it's fantastic. Sounds like something Apple followers would do.
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I dont really see too many people praising it. I personally like the option. Not that I would ever use it, but Ill go with a darker background of that bright white just because it tends to hurt my eyes
 
They force the effing everything bar on the left hand side of the screen requiring a plugin to kill.
Now they are forcing distracting background images into the default page which will require a plugin to kill.
Yet it seems like nobody at either firefox or google are able to make it so that it remembers my search preferences.
I like to have 100 listings per page since I have a larger screen and a fast connection.
The problem is about once or twice a week I have to tell it to remember my settings again as it then defaults to the puny 10 listings per page.
I have tried this, I have tried that, have scoured the web to try and find an answer to no avail.
But whooooooo hey check us out, we're forcing pretty pictures to distract you from the reality that everything you do on google is being recorded and saved.
Big brother google is watching you.
Phooey, and here I thought I had to worry about big brother government watching me. :p
 
overkill said:
With Google as your homepage, you launch the browser and begin typing your search query, since the focus is immediately set to the search bar. I don't see how this is inefficient, especially if you close/reopen Firefox a lot.
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EXACTLY. I still like a homepage for that reason, though I use Bing. I was on someone else's machine and they had MSN.com set, it's been revamped and cleaner... I might go back to that.

Mackowitz said:
On my own computer, I agree - only use the google toolbar for search and never see the homepage.
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You use a toolbar?????????
:confused:
 
I am among the minority that like it. I have a nice custom background for my page and I don't notice any difference in loading times. Looking at my system in my sig, you could understand why, but on the other hand I cant see how the rest of yous see a performance hit. Your rig's are typically better than mine.
 
rogue_jedi said:
Fortunately for everyone who doesn't like it, it appears that the change is only for today. It'll be changing back to the old white background tomorrow.

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/06/promotion-for-googles-wallpaper-feature.html
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THANK GOD!!!

Although, as mentioned, the Firefox version of the google homepage was never raped.

And 2, this thread, thanks to Kyle, pointed out the SSL version of Google search, and I also went and got the SSL search engine plugin for Firefox. Great feature! definitely have that setup and continue to use it from my work computer.
 
XamediX said:
I've used this feature since last week, so I dunno about that.
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The ability to chose your own background has been around for a week. The random background that appears when you haven't signed in or if you haven't chosen a background yet started today.
 
Azhar said:
The ability to chose your own background has been around for a week. The random background that appears when you haven't signed in or if you haven't chosen a background yet started today.
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Ahhh, I see says the blind man. Thanks Azhar for clearing that up. :)
 
Maybe its my undaignosed ADD talking but I would like a random image from that l337 collection of artists to show up as my background everytime I load up the ol' Goog. I wonder if they'll code that in?
 
XamediX said:
I am among the minority that like it. I have a nice custom background for my page and I don't notice any difference in loading times. Looking at my system in my sig, you could understand why, but on the other hand I cant see how the rest of yous see a performance hit. Your rig's are typically better than mine.
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I don't think it's about the performance (as it's so negligible it's non-existent). I think it's just preference and simplicity.
 
Mackowitz said:
On my own computer, I agree - only use the google toolbar for search and never see the homepage.

At work, we can't use FireFox and we can't install google toolbar in IE. So I either have to use the "Live Search" toolbar in IE (which sucks), or go to Google page. And we're on thin clients via Citrix with craptastic servers, so any unnecessary hi-res images seriously slow my computer down, so google going from white to pretty hi-res picture was not a welcome addition to my browser today. :(
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Double on that. This feature is annoying and has a picture by default unless you login. This is also a Bing ripoff. I don't see the need to have a background picture on a search page, especially that being a default choice.
 
Thanks Kyle for reminding me about SSL. Like a poster above said I added it to my firefox search bar and will use it.
 
Who the fuck actually SEES the Google page anymore? The only time I have been there in the last couple of months is to see Pacman, which I missed, and the background thing. You guys are using the wrong tools.
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I'm old fashioned - I open my browser to search and Google is my homepage.
 
funny thing is that it doesnt work with opera by default, seems like google doesnt like opera :mad:. you have to tell opera to pose as firefox or iex, then it works.

oh well, its not like i´m missing this annoying "feature" anyway :D
 
Removing your image now defaults to Google's normal white page at the time of this posting.
 
overkill said:
I do not want to log in to Google, nor do I want to use some browser plugin to disable scripting.

This background image crap should be an opt-in type of situation. The fact that you cannot disable it and store this preference in cookie or whatever is maddening.
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This is totally an "opt-in" situation. I sense that many here are experiencing an "id10t" error. You should shut down the computer and walk away before you fly into a rage and staple an eyelid half closed... or something even more humiliating. :p
 
Cannydog said:
This is totally an "opt-in" situation. I sense that many here are experiencing an "id10t" error. You should shut down the computer and walk away before you fly into a rage and staple an eyelid half closed... or something even more humiliating. :p
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You're posting a little late in the game. It was enforced on all of us until about 10-20 minutes ago. It's now your choice to have a background or not.
 
Cannydog said:
This is totally an "opt-in" situation. I sense that many here are experiencing an "id10t" error. You should shut down the computer and walk away before you fly into a rage and staple an eyelid half closed... or something even more humiliating. :p
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recent revelation. It wasnt opt-in until just a few ago.
 
they should have copied bing a little more and not have the background image suck up the entire screen
 
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