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Does anyone know how to search google more precisely?

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  1. #1

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    Does anyone know how to search google more precisely?

    I have seen people on here find the most amazing information, so I thought I would ask.

    I am trying to figure out why my Mac copy of PowerPoint has so many crap templates in my "personal" area which are not mine, not personal, and not in the directory that this setting supposedly looks at.

    So I go online and try searching for information, and get pages and pages and pages of standard "how to do templates in PPT" or any number of other pieces of information vaguely related to the question, but nothing at all close to what I want to know.

    I think the problem is that I cannot specify the question in a way that avoids all sorts of other crap coming up, and things like "powerpoint", "templates" and "personal" are just too generic.

    (Our IT support has no clue). For the avoidance of doubt, I know how to use templates and I know how to tell Mac and Office where to look for user files, it's just that these things are not in those areas. It's just bizarre. I cannot be the only person on the planet with the question so somewhere out there I am sure there is a solution!

    Anyone else any ideas on how to search?

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  2. #2

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    Can you name a template or two that you cannot identify as being yours?


  3. #3

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    To answer your question - the more precise your search, the better your answer.

    I often add "site:.hk" or site:.gov.hk to narrow down searches. I also use the "-" operator to ensure that keywords are not included in the search. Adding "'s around a term will ensure that the term in "s exists on the page (bypasses a fair bit of google black magic).

    Finally, the best result for your search might be ["template name" mac office powerpoint] ..


  4. #4

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    In case this wasn't already known:

    https://www.google.com/advanced_search

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  5. #5

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    HK_Katherine likes this.

  6. #6

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    Snap!


  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    I have seen people on here find the most amazing information, so I thought I would ask.

    I am trying to figure out why my Mac copy of PowerPoint has so many crap templates in my "personal" area which are not mine, not personal, and not in the directory that this setting supposedly looks at.

    So I go online and try searching for information, and get pages and pages and pages of standard "how to do templates in PPT" or any number of other pieces of information vaguely related to the question, but nothing at all close to what I want to know.

    I think the problem is that I cannot specify the question in a way that avoids all sorts of other crap coming up, and things like "powerpoint", "templates" and "personal" are just too generic.

    (Our IT support has no clue). For the avoidance of doubt, I know how to use templates and I know how to tell Mac and Office where to look for user files, it's just that these things are not in those areas. It's just bizarre. I cannot be the only person on the planet with the question so somewhere out there I am sure there is a solution!

    Anyone else any ideas on how to search?
    I like the irony within this post...

    It purposefully didn't ask people to search "how to fix a Powerpoint template".
    But it did ask people to search "how to do a search".

  8. #8

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    Bloody hell. I don't use a Mac and don't understand your question. But a quick search "Mac powerpoint templates personal not mine" loops me straight back to this page

    Name:  mac.jpg
Views: 244
Size:  200.2 KB

    HK_Katherine and Stu79 like this.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    loops me straight back to this page
    You're being country-targeted by Google.

    If you go to their "No Country Redirect" link then search again, the results will be different: https://www.google.com/ncr
    HK_Katherine likes this.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    Bloody hell. I don't use a Mac and don't understand your question. But a quick search "Mac powerpoint templates personal not mine" loops me straight back to this page
    You're welcome!

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