Google Backgrounds Start Today

In a word:

Why?
Yawn?
Overhead?

Surely that is three words. 

I got started using Google years ago shortly after they burst onto the scene because they were lightweight and had no added "noise" on the web page.   I am one of those computer users that want speed over form.  I want something to load fast, and I want as little extra on the page as possible.  I was a supervisor of a blind programmer and after listening to him complain about how difficult it was to use the web, I suggested Google to him and he jumped right on it and never looked back.

I'm not saying that I will stop using Google for search.  The interface is still fairly clean, there is only today the addition of a background that is behind their search box.  When I was greeted by Google today, I saw the Google Doodle of their name in white fade in and then a graphic of an abstract metal tree that made the page look less clear where to type.

Basically as an IT Project Manager, I'd have sent this back to the programming staff and said Clean This Up.  It detracted from the simplicity and ease of use that I have grown to expect.  If they insisted on having this kind of "Web 2.0" Bling, they should have added the graphic as a watermark as any typesetter would have suggested and not have it distract from the message of their product.

Luckily it is only for one day.  Tomorrow I will join some in turning the background off as it is distracting.  I may use a solid colour instead, but that will have to wait.  Like a petulant child, they insist that we have this picture in the background today to "See If You Like It". 

I don't.  I didn't on Bing.  I don't on Google.   Yahoo is a sloppy mess that I avoid except for my professional email.  

Tomorrow I'll fix this and go back to my simplistic aesthetic and have a clean interface again.

Ugly, Google, Ugly.