Some of the earliest and most useful search verticals in Google have been discontinued. Google search for Linux, Microsoft and BSD (Chrome license) blogs and forums have been shut down along with those for Mac, “About” Google and Uncle Sam about the state and location information.
In a message to Search Engine Roundtable, Google said that it is shutting down these verticals because “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.”
A lot of Google services are in a state of evolution as old services get refined and folded into new or existing products. For instance, Google is closing some of its old or redundant APIs in May as the Code Search, Diacritize, Feedburner, Finance, Power Meter, Sidewiki and Wave APIs are all scheduled for shutdown or degradation.
Google continually tweaks and improves its search algorithm. As Google’s primary product, it is important for the company to stay ahead of the game when it comes to search prowess. The specialized search verticals, such as Uncle Sam, were intentioned to be part of the superior search experience in Google. Yet, as search evolves, those functions are now part of the main search box and a redundant product in Google’s lineup. For example, Google improved its blog search in August 2010, which may have made the some of the specialized searches unneeded.
Google often creates or acquires products that become of part of core products. For instance, Image Swirl and Similar Images were both products of Google Labs that eventually were folded into the experience of Google Image Search.
