Googol Trouble

It was Y2K; the year 2000. I was doing MTech in Computational Techniques from the University of Hyderabad, also known as HCU (Hyderabad Central University). In this recently created program, we used to take courses in physics, mathematics, and computer science. I developed a knack for problem-solving thanks to my early exposure to computers, the internet, and plenty of dabbling with machines.?

Starting with tools such as Foxpro and Lotus123 back in the 90s, I had come a long way to programming in Fortran and MatLab. I was conversant with every key on the keyboard and had muscle memory for a vast array of software-specific keyboard shortcuts. I remember I used to be the sole user of one of the ten odd machines with a malfunctioning mouse in the bustling central computer center.?

One day, when I was sitting in the VAX lab in the School of Physics late in the night, working on projects and playing with machines, one of the physics seniors brought in someone from the School of Mathematics. This maths PhD scholar looked very nervous and was looking for someone who could fix his misbehaving computer. My senior brought him in, saying, "This boy can solve your problem."

I went to his PhD advisor's chamber, which the old man had left open so that the scholar could use it for the literature survey using his computer. No, the university could not afford to provide a personal computer to every research scholar back then.?

Google was a very recent yet popular phenomenon in 2000. A click in the Google search box opened the search history, and I realized that the maths scholar was in deep trouble. Well, the literature he was surveying late at night was?extremely sensitive. He was searching for?sutras?(Sanskrit for equations), but not the kind that his professor would have wanted him to.?As I looked at him, the guy had a mixed look of embarrassment and anxiety. It was a matter of a few hours before his early-rising supervisor walked into the office and opened the browser, only to be welcomed with his mentee's 'literature survey.'?

With a sense of emotional detachment a sexologist would have, I returned to the subject matter, looking for a solution. I tried many ways of getting rid of the history, including the apparent method of clearing the browser's cache (I guess it was either Internet Explorer or Netscape). But none worked. As usual, the key was persistence, trying all possible options systematically. The two seniors tensely watched over my shoulders as I struggled to find a solution for what felt like hours.?

And, Bingo! The answer was in the 'Del' key. Use the up-down keys to move to the search phrase and press 'Del' to remove it from the history.?

As I deleted every search phrase referring to the human reproductive system and the act of procreation, the tension in the room dropped exponentially from a Googol to (epsilon tending to) zero, accompanied by a sense of great relief and gratitude. I left the room with the detachment of a sexologist devoid of judgment. :)

Google has since learned from the customers' feedback to provide a convenient 'Delete' button against each search phrase.