totally not feeling it

I have to say, I've been avoiding a post for a little while, because I really wasn't so keen on Rollyo. I kept hoping that if I used it a bit more, I might learn to find some good things to say. Maybe I just wasn't getting it, or didn't give it enough of a chance to win me over.

But, even with lots of experimentation, it's just not working. Like, at all. Sorry, Rollyo, I just don't like you.

Why not? Some of these observations have been made by others, but let me lay my objections out here anyway.

1) It's redundant. I could get the same results by using and advanced search in a general search engine that I already employ - and which gives results on a much cleaner interface - or by just going to the sites in my lists and searching them individually. Which, yes, might be a wee bit more effort, but would be worth it, since I wouldn't be ...

2) wading through a lot of sponsored links. TOO MUCH ADVERTISING, y'all. And yes, I did just shout on purpose. Maybe it's just the part of me that used to go to indie rock shows and scorn the man, but I don't like a lot of advertising when I wander the 'net. I deal with it, because I know that money makes the world go round, but I like to pretend that the internet exists for more esoteric purposes than making some fat cat richer. On each results page for my Rollyo search, there were six sponsored links for ten non-sponsored ones. Plus, two bigger-picture ads along the side. No, thanks.

3) If there's enough demand for it, an aggregator site probably already exists that would do this better.

4) If you include large sites, it will search the entire domain and not let you specify smaller segments. Er, that was badly worded, so let me explain: the first search I made was for home decor/hipster homemaking sites and I included the website for Blueprint Magazine, which I happen to adore in physical form. But, it's a Martha Stewart production and as such is hosted on Marthastewart.com. So when a search is done, I get results from the entire website, including aspects of it I might not care about, like the weddings magazine or from the tv show.

5) As such, if you include large domains (marthastewart.com, cnn.com, wikipedia, amazon) and small domains (random blog), the results from the large domains will dominate. When I removed Blueprint, Apartment Therapy results dominated my results, because it, too, is very expansive. Why is there no option (that I can find) to weight, filter or prioritize the results?

Anyway, those are my objections off the top of my head. Overall, I just don't think I would ever use this. I can think of situations when other people might - many of which my fellow 2.0ers have noted - so, I'm glad it exists for them, but I cannot conceive of a situation in which I am a regular.