In my last post, Search Engines Are Dead, I told you guys how flustered I was with the idea that someone thinks that search engines are a thing of the past.  Well, “social” is very much alive, but a complete replacement for search?  I just don’t think so.

Search is part of our collective sub-conscious.  In the real world, aka, my desk, my bedroom, my living room, my car, I SEARCH for things, all the time.  You want to find an errant sock?  You search for it amongst the all the other socks that have been in the dryer for the past two days.  You want to find that receipt where you bought that laptop battery?  You search for it in your office, or your bedroom, or if your like me, somewhere in your car, probably under the car seat with the old candy wrappers and that pen you’ve been looking for since who knows when.

So I thought I’d challenge myself.  A pretty scary challenge it is.  I’m gonna try somethin’, and see how far I can get by just clicking links, or going to portals, or news sites, or social bookmarking sites, and not use search engines for one week.

That’s right, no Google, no Yahoo, no MSN, not even Ask, for one whole week.  (Damn, ok, I won’t use Mahalo either) I’ve been thinking about some self appointed rules for this little gambit of mine, to be a little realistic.  I’ve got a job to think about as well, so I can’t just give it all up for the sake of science, but I think I might be able to survive with the following rules.

1. I can’t use SEARCH ENGINES.  The basis of my experiment.  I can’t go to Google and type in “baby boogers” or anything else into the search box.  I can however, use the tools I’ve signed up for, like GMail, Gtalk, Yahoo! Mail, Calendar, and all the other stuff the SE’s give away so you’ll STAY there.
2. I can use my bookmarks.
3. I can go to websites I know from memory.
4. I can go to sites that my friends refer me to.
5. I can go to search results I find linked to in posts and forums.
6. I will allow myself to be led by friends to the right spot.
7. This one is important.  I can’t use search engines, but I can use the built in search of the sites I visit.  However, some sites use Google for their internal search.  I’m going to allow myself to use these because they are an internal search to the site alone.

So, what am I trying to prove or disprove.  I’m not sure, I’m not done with the experiment.  But I’m interested in what someone like myself, who knows how to use search, will find just by using blogs, social bookmarking, portal links, and news sites.  Can I find what I’m looking for?  (Neat, instead of search, I need to find)  Can I exist without SEARCH.  Hmmmmm.

Ok, off the top of my head, I’m going to start with these sites, and move on to blogs that I personally know of as well.  Well, the blogs are all SEO blogs, but they often link to important stuff as well.

del.icio.us – they’ve been at it for awhile, and I’m interested in really testing their algo.

Reddit – Same thing.

ma.gnolia – I did an interview with the founder, and I like the setup.

Digg – What, for real information?  Nah.  Good for finding funny pictures of Bush doing whiskey shots, but I sometimes question what digg’s users think of as super important information.  Hey, I use digg all the time to find very unique content, so I’m hoping that experience might also pay off for search.

Best of The Web – Shoemoney says that they should replace DMOZ as a bonafide directory.  I know that I like their MO more that the MOZ, so I’m gonna try it out.  But I still might use DMOZ from time to time.

So every day this week, I’ll let you know how the previous day went.  Along the way, if you want to point out some good sources, please do.  I have a feeling that I might need the help.  Please feel free to point out any sites or services where you think that I can find what I want by clicking or doing an INTERNAL search only.

My first order of business this week?

ASP.NET code for the new e-commerce site I’m building.

CSS – yes, I know some of the best spot, like AListApart.

Beauty News – I work for banler, I have to be up on the latest.

Odds and Ends?  Don’t know, I haven’t started wondering yet.

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I’m not going to enjoy this, am I?