Trying to find anything related to fixing a computer issue based on an error message is nearly impossible without massaging the query by adding a domain name in the query like spiceworks.com, reddit.com, or microsoft.com (though the initial reply from the Microsoft person is always a the same install updates, sfc /scannow, etc) . There are so many worthless sites that all have the same or very similar content that are followed up with a sales pitch for registry cleaners and other worthless software to automatically fix your problem.

Well I mean, I'm not gonna keep a list of all the examples, but I do know that I struggle a lot more with finding stuff than I used to, because I remember the feeling and frustration of not being able to find the thing I know exists (or has to exist) that I want to find.

Also the front page is often full of garbage, sponsored shit, or straight up ads or scams.

I can give you an example. I was looking to run FFXIV on Linux WITHOUT Steam. Because I never bought the Steam version and have been on it for 8 years. When I changed distros (from Unbuntu to Cinnamon Lime) I had to find it again.

Luckily I know where to go with previous experience. But that is one example. Also I was recently searching for any medical findings from Norway or Sweden regarding schizophrenia and the findings from 10 years ago. They just give modern equivalents and need to refine your search.

I find something weekly that I need to go find using Firefox. Because of the Reddit and shopping spam. Granted most of the time I am looking for something to buy and the shopping is convenient, I wish exclusion was easier.

For me it's not about specific examples, rather the overall quality of searches. I get a lot more results non exactly pertaining to what I wanted

There's a million different posts on Reddit if people giving specific examples of results being irrelevant, and search operators not working, especially the negative operator. Google has stripped their search of all the tools that used to make it useful, all so you have to search more, see more ads, and still end up only seeing whatever is profitable to them.

I usually find what I'm looking for, but after 5 pages of AI generated filler content filled with adds. Quite often I'll need to search 3 of those pages to actually find one that goes into enough detail to provide the help I need. ea when im stuck on a quest in a game.

Still works great for me too. Came to this thread puzzled why some people think it doesn't anymore...

Results are often filled with low-effort, low-value content designed primarily for advertising. Listicles, recipes that would be 20 pages if printed and each page containing ads, content that's just copied from some other site with more ads added, etc. I think Google could fix or alleviate these issues, but they choose not to because a lot of the ads are probably being served by Google's own ad network. Kagi, for instance, alleviates some of these issues with an obviously much smaller budget than Google.

There are millions of us

Still works great for me too.

I have a fairly unique use case. There used to be a site that tracked the prices of a chocolate bar vs their weighted scoring system.

If you try to find that, you get pages of listicles. Same thing for looking for a specific feature I'm looking for in a wireless earbud or mouse for example

If I want a product review, I add Reddit to the end

It's definitely noticeably WORSE but yeah not unworkable. The thing you were looking for used to always be the first result but it's still on the first page for me now 95% of the time. So worse? Yes. Broken? Not YET