give a kid a google

i thought this article in the nytimes (where else?) was pretty interesting. about how kids use search engines.

it brings up the point that kids aren't always at that point where they can separate their questions into search terms. so when asked a question, a lot of kids will just type the question directly into the search box.

not gonna lie. the thought of some poor kid. typing an entire sentence into a searchbox. and then coming up emptyhanded and assuming that the answer is therefore not important enough to be on google. it just cracks me up. totally. cracks. me. up.

but it also makes me stop and marvel at the way our minds work. how we're capable of taking very complex questions. and distilling them into just a couple of key terms/phrases. it's amazing.

also, quick rant:
the article mentions that search engines, like google, could add certain features to make them more user-friendly for children. like, oh, i don't know. an automated chat system to help kids when they get stuck. i believe this has already been invented. and its called askalibrarian.