Soon, you can muck with Google search results

Google is testing a way for users to personalize search results. This is revolutionary, since up to now Google has relied upon the wisdom of crowds to give you the highest-ranked web pages based on how popular they are with the rest of the world.

With Google personalization, you decide what's important -- and edit results for frequent searches by removing pages you don't like, adding comments, or viewing comments from others. Note that paid ads ("sponsored links") are missing from the demo video; Google obviously has the good sense not to mess with its advertisers.

This personalization misses one angle -- most people "search" for things they don't know how to find, so customizing a search is like changing your commute route after you've already arrived at the office. How do you personalize results if you don't yet know the results you want? If Google could find a way for people to pre-edit search preferences, and then have new search results tailored based on those preferences, it would be on to something.

Expect to see it at Google Labs soon. Via TechCrunch.