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AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

03/08/2026 6:06 AM

Hello,

I'm noticing progressive decline in the quality of on-line searches for technical details and am wondering how to only get "true" source details in the search responses.

Recently asked specifically about S2 duty motors and response quoted S1 details and insisted that this was for S2 rated.

More recently requested "diameter and length specifications for nails" and got nothing that was any use. It responded with "peny" derivation for 100 nail lots, but no diameter details/options or length details/options.

The quality of these responses now has me totally NOT regarding any internet search as having any credibility at all.

I don't need some colloquial understanding when I'm asking these questions.

I hope that the considered opinions of the crew here can provide some clarity, not for the specifics mentioned, but how to get into "real" information.

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#1

Re: AI/Copilot interference with search questions

03/08/2026 6:38 AM

The exploitative nature of humans has, indeed, taken a firm grip on the World Wide Web.

Printed manufacturer data (soy based inks on recycled paper) is deemed a reliable source. Getting ahold of a current manufacturers print catalog then becomes the primary challenge. I have had to download an app to order print brochures… make this make sense.

The enterprise that once held promise of an extremely useful information source has become buckets of rubbish and misinformation.

Technology is not a panacea.

A sobering realization is that many consumers of the slop in this informational hog trough are individuals that will decide how we will spend our golden years.

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#2

Re: AI/Copilot interference with search questions

03/08/2026 6:57 AM
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: AI/Copilot interference with search questions

03/08/2026 7:14 AM

Oh, man, is this way cool or what!

Not sure if this will help out our OP or not, but I am throwing a GA on it.

[edit] I wonder how long it will be until this sort of feature is behind a paywall, or maybe a monthly subscription fee… not that I am a cynic or anything…

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#4

Re: AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

03/08/2026 11:42 PM

I have pretty much abandoned Copilot! "They" did something that downgraded it. I had to point out something it should have done, all it said was "Something went wrong, please try again." In other words, quit when chastised! I've gone back to DuckDuckGo for searches.

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#5

Re: AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

03/09/2026 10:55 AM

I just used claude.ai to write a powershell script to remove bing, onedrive and copilot from win 10/11. It works well, as it turns them off, set's the registry and group policies, and uninstalls them. Problem is keeping up with the changes in clsid that get pushed up via windows updates. I'm working on that too. I do like this googler snubber though! I'm gonna GA that, and see if I can make a switch for firefox to turn the ai on and off. Very cool.

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#6

Re: AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

03/11/2026 7:14 AM

Thanks all and glad to see I'm not alone.

I'll see whether the blocker does anything. At home, I can see how it goes, but the controls at work might give me another hurdle to get over and that's where it is most concerning.

Heck, if it's good, our IT group might share this to other users as there is growing frustration.

For many things at work and home I've got "historic documents" in either true hard copy or scanned soft versions that are revision controlled.

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#7

Re: AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

03/19/2026 2:34 PM

click Images. you tend to get a faster and better context.

I came up with this pdq.

Standard Nail Size Table Chart and Nail Terms

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#8
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Re: AI/Copilot Interference with Search Questions

05/26/2026 7:46 AM

Thanks.

That's very similar to what is in my workshop books.

In Australia we don't use the "penny" definition for nails, but I'm old enough to manage with the inch details.

Our "gauge" seemed to relate to the old Brittish system, but then modern sizes that I'm currently using are simply smaller than what was common.

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