How many links does it take to
How many links does it take to get to your site from Google.com?. Without using the search box, wiseass.
Advertise here with Carbon Ads
This site is made possible by member support. ❤️
Big thanks to Arcustech for hosting the site and offering amazing tech support.
When you buy through links on kottke.org, I may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks for supporting the site!
kottke.org. home of fine hypertext products since 1998.
Reader comments
Brad ChoateJul 14, 2004 at 1:04AM
6.
more -> directory -> people -> personal homepages -> c -> choate, brad
PauloJul 14, 2004 at 1:14AM
Google > More > Directory > Internet > On The Web > Weblogs > Personal > B > Me.
Eight clicks. The directory pretty much does it for most folks.
Dave S.Jul 14, 2004 at 1:15AM
huh, I thought the 6 of us who did the Blogger templates might have had the inside track on this, but no such luck. Still 6.
more -> Blogger -> Knowledge -> Blogger Reloaded -> Read all about it -> Dave Shea
PauloJul 14, 2004 at 1:19AM
(You know, a meme this fresh needs a name. "GooLinkNumber?")
David JacobsJul 14, 2004 at 1:22AM
MediaRights: 6
more -> directory -> society -> activism -> media -> MediaRights.org
Hello, Typepad: 7
As Matt said: ...I found a second path from Google to my site that used 7 links. From Blogger, to their Knowledge Base, is a link to a Wired story on Blogger Burnout, which links to Kottke.org which links has a sidebar link to my site.
RandomWalks: 8 or 9
8: The above method +1
9: more -> directory -> Computers > Internet > On the Web > Weblogs > Personal > R > randomwalks.com
Of course, all blogger members are 3 clicks away if they're logged in.
R.Jul 14, 2004 at 1:43AM
Eight:
Google -> more -> Directory -> Internet -> On the Web -> Weblogs -> Personal -> H -> highindustrial.com
Swami PremJul 14, 2004 at 1:57AM
6 for me.
Google -> more -> Directory -> Religion -> Yoga -> Personal Pages -> Swami Prem
MattJul 14, 2004 at 2:47AM
I tried a bunch of ways and couldn't get lower then 7 or 8, but then found this path in 5:
Google > More > Directory > Reference > Quotations > moi
Of course it's much cooler if you don't go through the directory.
Ryan MacCarthyJul 14, 2004 at 2:53AM
3 for me (if i'm already automatically logged into blogger... otherwise 4)
Google > More > Blogger > Bay Area Free Wireless (under "Blogs of Note")
of course that'll be more once I drop off the list. but hopefully that won't be for a while. also, to get to my personal page, that adds a click too... from the BayAreaFreeFi site to my personal site.
rgJul 14, 2004 at 3:09AM
5.
News -> Guardian (almost any) -> Guardian ("Weblog") -> Guardian ("Online") -> nyclondon.com
JoshJul 14, 2004 at 3:22AM
12. (I'm a. maintaining some level of anonymity b. not producing any worthwhile content and c. not a big part of the weblogging community.)
Google -> more -> Blogger -> Blogger Developers -> AtomEnabled.org Developers -> Feed Validator -> Dive Into Mark -> XML is Tough -> Phil Ringnalda -> Musings: Objection Overruled! -> Musings -> Musings: WordPress 1.2, MathML Goodness -> me.
You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.
GregJul 14, 2004 at 3:44AM
You all have too much time on your hands :)
Michael HanscomJul 14, 2004 at 4:01AM
Eight for me:
Google > More > Blogger > Knowledge > Working With Blogger > How Not to Get Fired Because of Your Blog > Seattle Times: Microsoft Fires Worker Over Weblog > eclecticism
Subzero BlueJul 14, 2004 at 4:46AM
For me, it's eight.
Google > More > Directory > Internet > On The Web > Weblogs > Personal > S > Subzero Blue.
JeffJul 14, 2004 at 8:02AM
I'm a little obscure, so it took seven clicks.
www.dontforward.com
CraigJul 14, 2004 at 8:21AM
Seven clicks, from two paths:
more -> Directory -> Computers -> Graphics -> Web -> Colors -> Using Colour on the Web
more -> Directory -> Society -> Genealogy -> Personal Pages -> S -> Saila
AlteregoJul 14, 2004 at 8:51AM
Google > More > Directory > Computers > Internet > On the Web > Weblogs > Technology > Google Weblog > Alterego
10.
CorniJul 14, 2004 at 9:06AM
i count 5 clicks.
Google > Verzeichnis (1) > Menschen (2) > persoe. HPs (3) > weblogs (4) > persoe. weblogs (5) > weblog
nosaJul 14, 2004 at 9:26AM
Google > More > Directory > Internet > On The Web > Weblogs > Personal > A > > Aderemi's New Notebook > me @ insinuendo
11. I got lucky with step 9...otherwise i'd have given up due to RSI.
Brad DailyJul 14, 2004 at 10:32AM
Here's some variety off of the directory theme....
Google > Directory > Computers > Data Formats > Stlye Sheets > CSS > Examples > CSS Zen Garden > bradleyboy
AndyJul 14, 2004 at 10:41AM
How about the question:
How many clicks does it take to get from any page to any other page on the web?
I wrote a short entry about the path length between two web pages. On average any two random sites can be connected by only 19 clicks. Pretty small considering how gigantic the web is.
IzzyJul 14, 2004 at 11:16AM
9 here
Google > More > Directory > Internet > On the Web > Weblogs > Webrings > Obscure Blogs > Member List > Undisclosed Location
10 this way
Google > More > Directory > Internet > On the Web > Weblogs > Collaborative > Meme > Unconscious Mutterings > Check out who's playing > Undisclosed Location
Jason WallJul 14, 2004 at 12:03PM
Mine tally's up to 6:
Google > more > Directory > People > Personal Homepages > The "Computers>Internet>On the Web>Weblogs>Personal" link, W, Walljm.com
Could also do it in 7:
Google > more > Directory > Internet > On the Web > Weblogs > Personal > W > Walljm.com
Six degres of separation?
AndrewJul 14, 2004 at 1:25PM
Google > Blogger > Knowledge > "Bloggers Suffer Burnout" > Instapundit > Eric Zorn's Notebook > Weblogs of Interest > Gapers Block
googlemasterJul 14, 2004 at 1:50PM
0: Google
DeannaJul 14, 2004 at 2:40PM
Only eight people a day read my blog (and probably 4 of them are my mother), and it only took me 9 clicks.
google>more>directory>internet>on the web>weblogs>directories>blogscanada>DeannaInUganda
If it only takes me 9, i don't know where the challenge is for the rest of you
MossJul 14, 2004 at 4:35PM
Nine clicks: Google > More > Blogger > Knowledge > Burnout > Whiskey Bar > Crooked Timber > Language Hat > PF > Moss
Fun! But now it's going to be all I can do not to spend the rest of the day trying to find a shorter path.
SharonJul 14, 2004 at 5:34PM
5:
Google > more > directory > Games:Board Games > Print and Play > Invisible City Productions' Game District
Moss! I know you. You're Remi's friend. I recognized you by your url. Fancy meeting you here...
Jonathan StanleyJul 14, 2004 at 8:30PM
Eight...
Google » More » Directory » Internet » On The Web » Weblogs » Personal » L » My good self
ACJJul 15, 2004 at 12:37AM
I'm affraid I'd have to keep clicking untill any relation actually comes to exist. Could take a while, too.
Michael BuffingtonJul 15, 2004 at 12:58AM
Google > More > Directory > Computers > News Media > freshnews.org > Gizmodo > digitalslr.org
7. Would have thought I could find a shorter path to Gizmodo, but no luck.
PurpleCarJul 15, 2004 at 10:45AM
Google > More > Society > Religion & Spirituality > Atheism > Personal Pages > The Raving Atheist > PurpleCar 7? Maybe 8 if you don't see my link right away.
How dubious, eh? This game will morph into who has the shortest and WEIRDEST path. Mr. Kottke should hand out prizes for the best one.
7 clicks is the quickest route I could think of right now, but I'll have fun with this. Thanks! Although, I think I'll start worrying if it gets below 5 clicks. I like to be anonymous.
yiJul 15, 2004 at 6:09PM
we used to play a similar game when i was in college. yahoo had a random link that would take you to a random site in their index and we'd see how long it took to navigate to your home page. it was like 1994/95 back then so not many people had personal sites and "blogrolls" but it was pretty simple to find a government page which usually linked to state governments and universities and then we could easily navigate back to our sites since they were hosted on the university's servers.
AdrianJul 17, 2004 at 1:06PM
7: More > Directory > Regional > Polar Regions > Antarctic > South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands > Boogenstein.com
A nice surprise, I thought it would take me hours to get from one to the other.
This thread is closed to new comments. Thanks to everyone who responded.