So anyone else here experiencing what I'm experiencing on google searches now? That being the layout reverted to something from the turn of the century, especially with images reverting back to those awful squares with dimensions listed underneath? At first I thought it was just an issue with Safari 5.1.10 or Mac users but apparently it's across the board on every browser except Firefox. You can view comments here:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... 25-true%5D

Some ponce named nealem who claims to be google stated that it is not a bug and it's on purpose forcing people to upgrade browsers. She was universally flamed (the comments are pure comedy gold on that). The jist being goggle is trying to force people into Chrome. It's pretty clear they are because it was working fine for me just days ago, as well as many other users different browsers.

I hate Firefox, Chrome, Explorer, and any other browser. Maybe it's just me but I'm only comfortable with Safari, and not the bells and whistles Safari Apple wants me to be on with trying to get me to upgrade from Snow Leopard to Mavericks! I'm no neo-luddite either. I fully embrace technology but I'm full on committed to desktop versions so I refuse to upgrade because lets be honest things have only become worse for OS since snow Leopard- that's why it's Apple's version of Windows XP. I don't like how every developer tries to force users into mobile world. I'm not alone because Apple keeps trying to get rid of us (Snow Leopard users) but everyone I know using it is exactly like me- refuses to upgrade. My g/f who is a graphic designer recently upgraded to Mavericks (she had to) and it's a shit show. Super fucking slow.

Why can't companies just leave well enough alone. End rant.

Coz its a rat race

Yeah it all ties in for me:

Yahoo trying to strong arm me, so now I just use Flickr as a posting photos dump only, never surfing it like I use to. I dropped Tumblr altogether after repeated attempts to force me to upgrade to Chrome by losing most functionality. Facebook buys Instagram, dumped that account like a bad habit immediately because I hate social networks and how they completely destroy all privacy. I fucking hate how Facebook is omnipresent. Pixlr dumps support for my browser. Next Apple tries to strong arm me to upgrade from Snow Leopard on my iMac and iOS 6 on my iPad. I really regret going to iOS7 and won't upgrade from Snow Leopard. Now this Google BS. It never ends. Remember when I upgrades to iTunes 11 and had to go through some serious hell to get back to 10? Still won't upgrade because of that one simple issue I have with iTunes not remembering your place on the list when switching btw playlists. It's a deal breaker. I have 10000 tracks in some lists and keep them alphabetically. I don't want to get reverted back to the letter A every time I go between lists.

Common theme? What I'm using currently works better than these supposed "upgrades".

Facebook bought instagram?

Damn.

That Facebook/Instagram buyout happened quite some time ago (if I'm not mistaken).

I feel your pain Lixx.
Would love to use Yahoo sites on my mac, but they haven't worked in more than a year (on any browser). I've tried everything under the sun to fix the issue to no avail and Yahoo's "help" line is a disconnected joke. If it weren't for my phone, I wouldn't be able to use Flickr or browse YJA at all.
Was beginning to think Snow Leopard's functionality was the cause of the problem, but if you're having no issues with Yahoo on your desktop, I just don't know what the damn deal is...
Regardless, I'm not "upgrading" to Mavericks solely out of fear they'll try to bundle that iTunes11 garbage with it. Made that mistake once (spent way too much time downloading the apps to revert back and lost all my play counts in the process), and won't fall for it again.

Yeah I don't have any issues using Yahoo sites yet with Snow lLeopard but I'm sure that's probably around the corner.

My main issue with all of these tech companies is once upon a time innovation and functionality seemed pretty important, now they've traded that away trying to out do each other at the expense of the consumer. iTunes was great as a music library but Apple doesn't give a crap about musical curators anymore just selling you shit. Fuck function. Now Google decides you need their browser (or Firefox) or your not allowed to do the most common thing on the internet: searching. If not you get the second class search layout. Fucking BS!

Hey Lixx. I just ran into that issue on my android tablet. I just use the stock browser. I cleared the browser cache and deleted all the stored cookies, and it seems to be working normally again.

Hope you've had some joy with blakewests suggestion Lixx. I though I'd put this here in this thread as it shares some of the ideas raised.

Anyone interested in moving forward from a hierarchical based Internet i.e. One usurped by a few over bearing, privacy invading, data mining, agencies and companies, might like to have a look at this new-ish platform. Ethereum : http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethereum

Nay it runs deeper than that and simply clearing/resetting won't fix it. I own an Android phone (how ironic is that considering every other gadget I own is Apple?) and Google has much to do with Android technology. It's heavy Google integrated. So I suspect any issue Android users had was a glitch. The Safari issue reeks of much back dooring because frankly Apple cannot stand that 20% of all Mac users refuse to give up Snow Leopard. They stopped supporting it with security updates almost a year ago, and now routinely ask me through software reminders and itunes to upgrade to Mavericks. It's free but I'm not doing it! Why? Because I don't like it. I'm happy with what I have. I like desktop fuck mobile. Basically they want to make Snow Leopard users internet experience as bogged down and annoying as possible. Yeah it sounds conspiracy theory, but I would not put it past Apple to have Google put pressure on Snow Leopard users with coding the Google layout for older browsers to a "less enhanced" version when it was working fine just days before. Google has had a hand in coding with Safari as it's integrated as the default search engine with every Safari I've known going back to Panther at least I think.

If I suspect Apple isn't playing fair why do I stick with it you ask? Simply put, I've owned a Mac since 2000 and gave up annoying Windows based technology a long time ago. It's all I know for the last 14-15 years. Apple until recently was never this aggressive with trying to force users to upgrade, while at the same time their innovation and functionality to actually get their users to upgrade has gone way down. I use to gladly upgrade because I saw legitimate reasons to upgrade. True users know inferior product when they see it.

Not that ironic, same story here
Been using Android since the first "Google phone" (G1/HTC Dream) hit the market. Love my mac and ancient iPod, but still haven't found a reason compelling enough to join the iPhone-crazed masses. Admittedly, some friends of mine can't understand why someone would have an iMac and no iPhone, so I guess we are an anomaly of sorts...

It really boils down to a personal decision not to blindly surrender my technological life over to one company just for the sake of convenience. If Apple was still the same innovative powerhouse it was (when Jobs was running the show) this might be a different story... but it's clear that's not the case anymore.

So back on topic, this is a Google issue that's been a real pain lately:
I typically browse Skullbrain on my phone via Google Chrome (like right now). After foolishly updating the Chrome app about a month ago, now half the time I can't even read comments due to this "blocking" that never was an issue before.

Sometimes zooming in/out or scrolling up/down will temporarily get rid of the blocks but the only sure fire "fix" is to switch to mobile layout . This has been going on for weeks, but the latest update has greatly lessened it. Hoping that future updates will rid the problem once and for all...

Anyone else deal with this issue when browsing SB via Chrome on your cell?

Muhahahahha Google! Rogue kung fu always trumps corporate kung fu by miles! Or where there is a will there is a way. Leave it to Google to leave a loophole for getting around this "old browser version reset".

So in case you haven't been following:

Google on purpose cut off any browser they deemed "old and outdated" from using the newer google layout. Instead you get redirected via a block Google put in place to recognize useragent to an archaic layout used almost a decade ago with images in squares with dimensions underneath etc. Purpose? Well I think we all know why- every company wants you to use the latest bells and whistles browser even if it sucks. They also always try to scare you with the security BS. Don't listen.

Well folks here is the fix:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... 07ZFF69ppQ

So simple also! I'm back to the decent modern layout. I'd do it quick before Google probably deletes the thread.

I should also note this fix works for my specific OS (10.6. and Safari (5.1.10) but if you go to the original thread post above and scroll to page 11-12 other users have started to find fixes for other Safari versions.

Not to be a wet rag, and I'm sure you guys will disagree with me, but Google probably wants people to use newer browsers because they can't afford to continually support older browsers as they add new functionality.

It kind of helps if you think of technology companies like car companies. Car companies are continually adding new features to their new vehicles, but they don't go back and add those features to older cars. If they were required to do that, the amount of vehicles that they need to add features to would grow exponentially. Instead, they add new features to the new vehicles, and if you want the new features, you have to get the new vehicles or find 3rd party add-ons.

With technology companies, they're constantly working to develop new features. The majority of consumers want more functionality, more "bells and whistles" if you will, and so they strive to add those. Some users prefer to stick with their existing browsers / OSes / etc. though, and to those users, the technology companies say, "Sorry, we can't support the new features on older browsers." Not because they make more money off of you if you upgrade, but because they can't afford to support older software.

James I see that point, and do agree with you to an extent BUT I personally have used other peoples Lion and Mavericks OS and don't see any vast improvement on functionality I'd use. If anything its taken a step back IMO and geared for shit I'd never use or mobile apps. I think it's all a matter what you use your computer for. My G/F is a Graphic Designer/Illustrator so she obviously needed to upgrade to the latest OS for her Adobe programs. Me I surf the web, have various older musical applications, and I love my iTunes 10.7- mainly for that issue Apple never fixed with remembering your scroll place when switching btw playlists. Being the curator of a large iTunes library of music you could never even find in the iTunes store (mostly obscure music I've digitized myself from records). So while yeah I get the whole support thing I still won't go quietly into newness

I think we Snow Leopard users are an albatross around Apple's neck because we just won't go away lol