Navigate Using Search Engines Not the Address Bar
Marhsall Kirkpatrick of Read Write Web makes a supposition that may be inherently incorrect.
A huge number of people online don’t know the difference between their browser’s address bar and search bar. Let’s keep that in perspective. What will it take for them to learn?
That particular point has created a great conversation over at Read Write Web including an extremely well thought out response from John Andrews.
The path to Amazon.com via Google is a richer experience for her [a user] than the direct navigation path, without much cognitive overhead and without much perceived risk.
To read John’s entire response head on over to Read Write Web. I however believe that another commenter, Jahbuh, got it right when he said;
The answer is very simple – People feel safer with Google correcting their mistakes than the typo sending them to a virus, porn laden site. How many times has a slip of the finger sent you to a site you would never visit? Do a Google search and even if you do a typo somehow Google still points you to the site you want to go to.



