Can I teach Google that when I say “Java”, I mean “Java 6”?

Question

I use Google a lot to look for Java documentation.

Example: If I want to find documentation for HashMap, I just google Java hashmap and Google knows to redirect me to the javadoc page.

However, it usually directs me to Java 1.4 or Java5 documentation, and I want Java6 documentation.

If I google Java 6 hashmap, it works fine; the problem is I keep forgetting to put 6 and have to search twice.

Can I teach Google somehow that when I say Java, I mean Java6? (I have a Google account, so if it is somehow configurable via an account, I'm open for suggestions.)

Answer 1

I had the same problem/wish. This is what I did to solve it:

• Install this Greasemonkey script (which is a bit out of date, since it was made before Oracle bought Sun)

• Edit the script slightly to make it work with Oracle's website. This is the edited script:

  // ==UserScript==
  // @name           Java 6 Documentation Redirect
  // @namespace      http://freecog.net/2007/
  // @description    Redirects to the Java SE 6 documenation from older pages.
  // @include        http://download.oracle.com/javase/*
  // ==/UserScript==
  
  var old_loc = loc = window.location.href;
  loc = loc.replace(/\/javase\/[^\/]+\/docs\//, "/javase/6/docs/");
  if (loc != old_loc) window.location.replace(loc);
  

The only changes are to the @include URL and the regex.

That way, whenever you open a Java documentation page, it redirects to the Java 6 version. If you ever really need to see an older version, you can temporarily disable the user script.

Answer 2

I have a search keyword with the URL of

http://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/%s.html

Then I just have to type in the name of the class replacing . with /. I type this into my browser:

j java/util/HashMap

You can also use Duck Duck Go — it will onebox Java classes, and it appears to consistently choose Java 6:

http://duckduckgo.com/?q=java.util.HashMap

Answer 3

Thank you for all the answers - I eventually solved it by creating my own custom search engine in Chrome (partial solution to the problem I posted - but a full solution for my personal problem).

The search engine is defined as: https://www.google.com/search?q=java%206%20%s
And I assigned it the keyword java - that way all I need to type in the address bar is java hashmap and I get the result I wanted.