Google has discontinued its specialised Linux and BSD search pages. The services at google.com/linux and google.com/bsd offered search which was limited to a specific topic by searching only relevant web sites, message boards, blogs and other hand-selected sources of information. Users are instead now redirected to google.com/webhp, a standard search page.

In a statement to Search Engine Roundtable, a Google spokesperson confirmed the closure of the pages saying "These services were established many years ago to offer search across a limited index of the web, which in the past was a better way to find this information. Today, search quality has advanced tremendously, and based on our analysis we’ve found that in most cases you're better off looking for this kind of specialized information using the regular Google search box, for example by typing [linux fedora upgrade]". Users can find advanced search tips to restrict their searches to specific sites or types of information in the company's search Help Center.

Several other special searches were also removed. These include Google Microsoft, Google Mac and Google Uncle Sam, the latter being used by local, state and federal employees to search US Government web sites. In a post on the Google Support Forums, Search Product Manager Rishi K. apologised for the company's "poor communication" regarding the termination of these special searches; no official announcement was made before the searches were removed.

(crve)