20 Services Google Thinks Are More Important Than Google Scholar (original) (raw)

Google has demoted its glorious research tool, yet another sign that projects without much revenue are endangered under Larry Page's reign.

I know I'm not representative of the average person. I'm a guy who trolls through PubMed Central for fun and buys 1950s technology ephemera. As such, I think Google Scholar is one of the most wonderful things Google (or any technology company) has ever created. I use the cross-publisher academic search tool every single day, even many times a day.

Apparently, Google's not as convinced of Scholar's worth. It doesn't appear across the main Google navigation bar, which features nine other services: Search, Image Search, Maps, Play, YouTube, News, Gmail, Documents, and Calendar. But OK, it is more niche than any of those applications and it used to reside in the More menu at the top right of the nav bar. No longer. Google has now moved Scholar to the 'Even More' section. That ranks its importance in the Googlesphere behind Translate, Mobile, Books, Offers, Wallet, Shopping, Blogger, Reader, Finance, Photos, and Videos.

Google, of course, has the right to play with its user interface, even to the detriment of my predilections. But I worry that this is a signal that the company is turning away from Google Scholar like it has some other recent projects. After all, it is the sort of revenue-less service that seems endangered under Larry Page.

So, let me just say this: Don't do it, Larry! This is an invaluable tool for content creators that will not be easily replicated. If you kill Google Scholar, our web won't be the same.

Update: To be clear, this change appears to have happened late last year, but I noticed scholars complaining about it today.

Via @publicroad

About the Author

Alexis Madrigal is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the host of KQED’s Forum.