mint special google search page....

[sqbing]

I use Opera, i see if i save something in internet explorer it does not want to open up in firefox

opera?well i love opera's smooth...but...i often lost focus in opera,& i had to right click somewhere in the window then i works again...have u ever met this problem?

[greentechgirl]

If you want to edit the Google Search in Opera to the default, you can do this easily in the preferences.

Tools -> Preferences -> Search (tab)

Select Google and hit "edit"

Select "Details"

Remove the existing URL and replace with:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%s&btnG=Google+Search

Sorry if this takes away Mint revenue; I personally don't click on search result ads anyway for the most part. Maybe in a year's time they are losing 10 cents from me.

PS For some reason my Mint-branded Firefox Google search had the regular options since I upgraded to Helena so I don't need to change that one.

[carmi]

I just wrote a how to on removing the mint custom search and adding search engines like the normal google search engine to firefox manually. It's in the howto section: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=39623 if anyone is interested in an alternative method.

[MALsPa]

How it should work is this: Linux Mint Google is the default search. Standard Google is an option in the drop down list. That way, people can easily choose, and can switch back and forth between the two at will.

I like this idea -- especially the part about switching back and forth between the two.

As it is, people are getting frustrated, and they have a valid reason to be. Furthermore, when they switch away from the Mint page, they are permanently on the default Google page, without any easy way to switch back if they want to support Mint. This would be the best option for everyone.

By the way, even if I am currently using the standard Google page, if I bookmark the Linux Mint start page (http://www.linuxmint.com/start/gloria/) and use it sometimes, will that help generate revenue for Mint?

[bloodrivet]

I removed 'that' search engine [manage search engines; remove] and replaced it w/this firefox add on (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/51000). True freedom and a lot more elegant.
Also removed L.M.'s version of 'Clippy' (http://www.linuxmint.com/wiki/index.php ... n_Terminal)

[BrianD]

I removed 'that' search engine [manage search engines; remove] and replaced it w/this firefox add on (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/51000). True freedom and a lot more elegant.

as I have stated elsewhere on this board: if what you state, above, is all that you have done to "resolve this" on your Mint 8 installation, then you will find 'that' search engine will have returned and become the default again, the next time you reboot. I will not repeat it here, lest we (again) get inundated with folks clamouring about wonderful it is to have our choices made for us. If you'd like to read what I wrote before, my posts remain unedited in the other thread.

[Robin]

as I have stated elsewhere on this board: if what you state, above, is all that you have done to "resolve this" on your Mint 8 installation, then you will find 'that' search engine will have returned and become the default again, the next time you reboot. I will not repeat it here, lest we (again) get inundated with folks clamouring about wonderful it is to have our choices made for us.

What is likely to happen (again) is not a chorus of people in support of taking your choice away, but instead of chorus of users debunking the myth you're trying to perpetuate here (again). The only way a user's settings aren't saved is if he's using a LiveCD instead of an installed Mint.

Either you are using Mint only in Virtual environment or LiveCD, or your experience is quite unique, since no one else has reported any such reversal after applying the changes offered in both this thread and the other one you tried to pull this stunt in.

Dumbfounded,
Robin

[MintHat]

It's good to hear google is a source of income for Linux Mint, I did not know.

I to had an issue with the Mint google, and changed it to google.nl, but that was before I knew Mint generated income from google, and I do want to support Mint in any way I can.

So my solution to this, in order to search for pictures, was just to add a google.nl bookmark on the toolbar, and to restore the mint google for "normal" google searches. And the google.nl bookmark happens to be directly under the google toolbar,

[BrianD]

What is likely to happen (again) is not a chorus of people in support of taking your choice away, but instead of chorus of users debunking the myth you're trying to perpetuate here (again).

it's a myth, is it? ...so that program doesn't appear on your system, nor operate as it was intended to do? ...or, is it more likely that you simply haven't looked?

The only way a user's settings aren't saved is if he's using a LiveCD instead of an installed Mint.

oh, perhaps you've misinterpreted what I meant by "overwritten". The settings are, indeed, saved. Then, on the next boot, they are overwritten.

Either you are using Mint only in Virtual environment or LiveCD, or your experience is quite unique, since no one else has reported any such reversal after applying the changes offered in both this thread and the other one you tried to pull this stunt in.

No. It's a "standard" Mint 8 installation. My experience is not unique, as others in that other thread actually tried to candy-coat and defend the script that you claim is only a "myth" and imply is only a figment of my imagination.

I'm surprised that you, Robin, would try to pretend that this program does not exist on a standard installation, when you need only look at your own standard installation to verify that it exists. I understand, from another thread, that you are a recent Linux convert... maybe you know python, maybe not; go ahead and read through the program's source code on your machine. Even if you don't know python, the comments within the source code should be satisfactory to explain the program's inner workings.

Dumbfounded,
Robin

I don't know why you should feel dumbfounded, unless you're having difficulty navigating to your /etc/init.d/ directory, and using the less command to investigate the contents of mintsystem; it has but one executable line in it, calling /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintSystem/mint-adjust.py, the program in question in that other thread. You will see, in reading that source code, on line 43 of that file, the comment "Perform file overwriting adjustments", followed by a block of code that... well, performs file overwriting "adjustments" ..and the source directly after that indicates that it looks in /etc/linuxmint/adjustments. In that directory, you'll find a file called 15-mint-artwork-gnome-firefox.overwrite (as well as a README that describes the contents of the *.overwrite files). In the *-firefox.overwrite file, you'll clearly see that your bookmarks.html, firefox.js, google.xml, browserconfig.properties, and mimetypes.rdf files are specified therein for overwriting by the "default" files of the same names found in /usr/share/linuxmint/common/artwork/firefox/.

So, go ahead and feign moral outrage, indignance, dumbfoundedness, or whatever ....but don't imply that I am the one here "pulling a stunt". What I've outlined above is not of my design -- it's on every Linux Mint 8 installation.

[Robin]

Then perhaps you should completely remove Firefox, disable the Mint repositories, and then install Firefox from the Ubuntu repositories. Or from Mozilla's website. That should give you a completely non-Mintified Firefox.

[Kaye]

BrianD,

You are so wrong about the search plugins it's incredible. It absolutely is a myth that the search will revert itself to the Mint search once the proper fix is applied. (A myth that only you seem to believe, by the way). Honestly, you are either misunderstanding the problem, the solution, or you're just being pointlessly contrary.

When the fix is applied, the search will remain how the user configures it no matter how many times they restart, log off, log in, whatever. It is a fact, not an opinion. Stop posting incorrect information as it can easily confuse people who don't know any better.

[MALsPa]

With Mint 5, I believe I used the instructions that were posted earlier in this thread by erginemr. Just curious -- do these steps work with later Mint versions like Mint 8?

As already posted with a link before, to go back to the default Google search in Firefox is easy:

1. You need to install the "Add to Search Bar" add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3682

2. Visit Google homepage (http://www.google.com), right click on the search text area and click on "Add to Search Bar" (or similar).

3. Then, click on the icon on the left of the Firefox Google search text box and select "Manage Search Engines" (or similar).

4. Delete the Google search item by Linux Mint and move the one you have just created to the top. And you are all done!

[emorrp1]

ENOUGH of this squabbling: please keep discussions civil and fact-based, don't take perceived comments as personal attacks as they probably weren't intended to be. <-- This is related only to page 4 of this topic

FACT: Mint's custom google search generates a significant amount of Mint's income
FACT: This allows Clem to work on Mint full-time
FACT: Google dictates the restricted functionality of custom searches
FACT: Mint 8 introduced an adjustment system, so you can use upstream firefox releases
FACT: This system is run at startup (can also be run manually without reboot)
FACT: This system alters *default* values only (just tested excessively in VBox)
FACT: *Any* method that does not invoke root powers [(gk)su(do)] will work
FACT: You can leave the default search alone and add the pure google for when you really need it
FACT: The search on the *default* homepage also generates income for Mint

Please let this be the last of the discussion.

[MALsPa]

ENOUGH of this squabbling: please keep discussions civil and fact-based, don't take perceived comments as personal attacks as they probably weren't intended to be. <-- This is related only to page 4 of this topic

FACT: Mint's custom google search generates a significant amount of Mint's income
FACT: This allows Clem to work on Mint full-time
FACT: Google dictates the restricted functionality of custom searches
FACT: Mint 8 introduced an adjustment system, so you can use upstream firefox releases
FACT: This system is run at startup (can also be run manually without reboot)
FACT: This system alters *default* values only (just tested excessively in VBox)
FACT: *Any* method that does not invoke root powers [(gk)su(do)] will work
FACT: You can leave the default search alone and add the pure google for when you really need it
FACT: The search on the *default* homepage also generates income for Mint

Please let this be the last of the discussion.

Sorry, I do think that my question posted immediately prior to your post is a valid question. Does the "adjustment system" that you're speaking of mean that those steps that erginemr posted don't work with Mint 8, or that they are not applicable? Just asking, because it's sounding to me like things may have changed with Mint 8, but I'm not sure.

Also, it's understood now that the custom Google search and the default homepage are important sources of income for Mint. Still, not everyone wants to use them, or wants to feel coerced into using them -- that's another fact.

[emorrp1]

Sorry, I do think that my question posted immediately prior to your post is a valid question. Does the "adjustment system" that you're speaking of mean that those steps that erginemr posted don't work with Mint 8, or that they are not applicable? Just asking, because it's sounding to me like things may have changed with Mint 8, but I'm not sure.

see facts 6 and 7

Still, not everyone wants to use them, or wants to feel coerced into using them -- that's another fact.

see facts 7 and 8

[MALsPa]

see facts 6 and 7

FACT: This system alters *default* values only (just tested excessively in VBox)
FACT: *Any* method that does not invoke root powers [(gk)su(do)] will work

So do those facts mean that the steps that erginemr posted don't work with Mint 8? Sorry, just trying to get a clear answer on that.

[pmorton]

The Mint Google page is bad. The answer is clearly for the Mint people to fix it, if it's essential for revenue but greatly inferior to the standard page. Comments of the like-it-or-lump-it and hey-don't-criticise-it's-free variety are silly. Till it's reworked, I'm ditching it.

[lgoltry]

I was going to start this post of ripping Linux Mint about the Mint/Google search ordeal. But the after I thought about it for a minute or two. I realized, hey, a lot of people worked really hard on this distribution. And who am I to try and tell them how to set it up. They can do what they want. I really like Mint. All in all this is a pretty small gripe when I step back and look at the big picture. Keep up the great work Mint developers. Linux Mint 9 is awesome! Thanks!

[euthypro]

There seem to be three separate threads on this subject, so some people must dislike the Mint search page. To replace the Mint search page in Firefox, there's an easy solution here:

viewtopic.php?f=90&t=52420&p=301244&hilit=mint+google+search#p301244

To do the same in Opera:

Go to "manage search engines." Select google>edit. Copy and paste the address somewhere for saving in case you need to revert. Replace the address with the following:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%s&num=%i&sourceid=opera

Try it. It should take you to Google's normal search page.

Angel

[dragonfly310]

ENOUGH of this squabbling: please keep discussions civil and fact-based, don't take perceived comments as personal attacks as they probably weren't intended to be. <-- This is related only to page 4 of this topic

FACT: Mint's custom google search generates a significant amount of Mint's income
FACT: This allows Clem to work on Mint full-time
FACT: Google dictates the restricted functionality of custom searches
FACT: Mint 8 introduced an adjustment system, so you can use upstream firefox releases
FACT: This system is run at startup (can also be run manually without reboot)
FACT: This system alters *default* values only (just tested excessively in VBox)
FACT: *Any* method that does not invoke root powers [(gk)su(do)] will work
FACT: You can leave the default search alone and add the pure google for when you really need it
FACT: The search on the *default* homepage also generates income for Mint

Please let this be the last of the discussion.

*emphasis mine

I can appreciate the income generation. Really, I can. I really shouldn't griping too much because you do indeed get what you pay for. That said, even though Linux Mint is free, it's a damn good distro. I switch from Ubuntu to Mint yesterday and I love it more than Ubuntu. Mint looks and works less clunky than Ubuntu in my opinion.

However, relating to the first two of what I bolded, it might be a good idea to tell everyone about this trick either on the first page of the Linux Mint download page or in the Official User Guide. The right side bar of the download page is nearly empty. That could be used as a place to put little tips and tricks like this. That way, it's more up front and transparent. People would then be more trusting when this is said:

... However, I said it and I'll say it again, I believe in choice and transparency, I give straight answers and I justify all the decisions I make. ...

This would prevent a lot of the nastiness that occurred in this thread. Hopefully it's seen where the offense comes from because it indeed does seem like we had no choice on this issue. It did seem like we had to use Linux Mint's Google search from the search bar. Since this "fix" was only shared in a message board and not up front via the Mint website or in the User Guide, it does make Clem's statement about choice and transparency seem contradictory. Personally, I understand why a couple of Mint users were ticked off in this thread. Getting solutions to things like this via a message board is bad form. (Personally, I don't mind it, but there are those that do, especially when the Mint Founder and team leader is saying stuff like what's quoted above.)

About the last FACT that I bolded: When I first opened firefox, it took me to the Ubuntu Firefox start page. Since Mint is a variant of Ubuntu, would Mint get the proceeds from that homepage if I searched with that page using Mint as my OS?