About Firefox's Google search engine

[azulmarino]

I suggest to replace the customized Google search engine that comes preinstalled Firefox and leave the original Google search engine which renders no customized search results.

I understand that the customized search results sponsored by Linux Mint is an alternative source of revenue (via Adsense) for the project, I have no problem with that, but the fact is that customized search result pages are incompatible with GustomizeGoogle, a Firefox extension I use which embeds extra funcionality into the Google search result pages, so via this "mint" Google search engine I get any of those extra features.

[indigoboy]

Actually, it sucks big time. Does anyone know how to replace it for the default google search page?

[azulmarino]

Actually, it sucks big time. Does anyone know how to replace it for the default google search page?

There are two ways to get the default search engine. Replacing it is quite simple. Read my blog: http://mentoliptus.blogspot.com/2008/10 ... hware.html.

[mr kenmore]

Yeah, I was completely annoyed by the lack of options in the linux mint google. My replace was very easy. I have a few installs of Ubuntu/Kubuntu. All you need to do is copy the google.xml in the regular version and replace the file in the linux mint version. Took two seconds. Restart firefox and you're done.

/usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins

[big_dog1968]

Azulmarino, I tried your instructions, but couldn't get it to work. I remove firefox, select firefox and force ubuntu, but the version still shows mint in the file name. When I go to var/cache/apt, all the .deb files have mint in the name. I am running felicia 64.
Any suggestions?

[freshness]

I have to agree, that the Google search that Mint uses is really bad. Mint really needs to fix this if they want users to keep it. Fortunately, it's easy to remove their google search and replace it with a working version in 2 easy steps:

1. Click on the google icon in the seach area and select Manage Search Engines. Highlight the Google icon in that list and select remove.

2. Next install the working google search. Go to the following Firefox addons page and install Google (English) search by Jeremy Morton:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/12625/
Now go to the firefox search area and re-select Google as your search engine. Also, Jeremy has Google searches in other languages, so if English is not your first language just go to his developer page and download one of the other language specific Google search addons: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/64483

[Kaye]

There is nothing the Mint team can do to improve the search - it is limited by Google.

Also, you might want to consider leaving the Mint search if you enjoy using the OS - it is one of the largest sources of revenue for the project.

[singh.gurjeet]

@Kaye , I am really glad that Mint uses such resources to support itself, but you should understand that users are flocking to Mint for its elegance and usability, and if you look at the attached screenshot, none of that is reflected in those results

Untitled1.jpg

Untitled2.jpg

[telenux]

Thanks for this thread, OP! And thanks for the idea, freshness. I decided to choose your solution. Mr. kenmore, your idea is also good but the less savvy might have to look into these steps. Nice of you not to include them.

Anyway, this 'internal Mint' search toolbar is enough for me to leave Mint. I'm presently looking at going to an alternative Linux OS.

Mint is a pretty OS but too many bad signs.

[viking777]

How strange I should find this thread now, I just spent part of this afternoon altering the default google search location on my three browsers. On Chrome and Opera it was simple (once I found the correct url - which wasn't simple) just replace the default search url with:

http://www.google.com/webhp#hl=en&sugex ... xhr=t&q=%s

(providing you want answers in english that is).

On Firefox it was nowhere near as easy, but the answer I found was to install the add on called 'Add to Search Bar'. This is an excellent solution as it allows you to add any search path to Firefox directly, all you do is to navigate to the search path you want to add then right click in the area provided for entering search terms and click 'Add to Search Bar' and it is done automatically.

If you want to rid yourself of the horrible and totally inadequate Mint google default search url then you just delete it (it will usually be the first one listed) and replace it with the one you just added by moving it up the list.

I think Mint is the best distro around and I would be quite happy or even proud to display the Mint logo on a search page, but not a page that is deliberately degraded to the extent that it is not even second rate compared to the default page. As singh.gurjeets two images graphically display the page options on the Mint page are woeful compared to the proper Google page. Degrading peoples computing experience is not what Mint is all about - shame on you

[DrHu]

I use scroogle
http://www.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/scraper.htm
--and

• Use scroogle
  --to avoid historical data tracking
• make visited and unvisited links the same color value
• Remove and prevent all browser based history data

Not because i am so concerned about their data tracking, but I object to their data analysis and geotragging

Geotagging could be exposing you to risk, photo sites which add it on or if a picture is taken with a GPS enabled digital camera of your house
--you have immediately identified your location, and possibly the times you take vacations etc..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotagging

• Dangers of geotagging
  Following a scientific study[11] and several demonstrative websites,[12][13] a discussion on the privacy implications of geotagging has raised public attention.[14][15][16] In particular, the automatic embedding of geotags in pictures taken with smartphones is often ignored by cell-phone users. As a result, people are often not aware that the photos they publish on the Internet have been geotagged.

[/Zoran\]

I use:
https://duckduckgo.com/
https://ixquick.com/ << currently it has some issues


Read:
http://donttrack.us/

[cliste]

The easiest way (And my personal favourite) is to use keywords, and type directly into the addressbar. For example:

For a Google Search I type:

g searchwords

Or for imdb searches:

imdb Toy story 3

To set this up its really simple just right click on the seach field next time you're on google.ie and choose "add a keyword for this seach" - It works for any search engine etc

Tutorial is to be found here: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/smart%20keywords

I wouldn't hold it against the Mint Devs who have to finance the project, perhaps if your donations were a bit more generous they wouldn't need to I personally think it's important to support Linux Mint in any way possible, I'd fight for them to keep the search set up

[singh.gurjeet]

I have found the simplest way (for the ones who can execute sudo commands). Just execute the following 5 commands and restart firefox

cd /usr/share/linuxmint/common/artwork/firefox/
sudo wget http://mxr.mozilla.org/firefox/source/b ... .xml?raw=1 -O google.xml.fixed
sudo mv google.xml google.xml.orig
sudo mv google.xml.fixed google.xml
sudo cp google.xml /usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins/en-US/google.xml

[GiSWiG]

I have found the simplest way (for the ones who can execute sudo commands). Just execute the following 5 commands and restart firefox

cd /usr/share/linuxmint/common/artwork/firefox/
sudo wget http://mxr.mozilla.org/firefox/source/b ... .xml?raw=1 -O google.xml.fixed
sudo mv google.xml google.xml.orig
sudo mv google.xml.fixed google.xml
sudo cp google.xml /usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins/en-US/google.xml

That is the best way. Also mirrors what the google.xml under Windows is (work PC)
I initially...
replaced template="http://www.google.com/cse" to template="http://www.google.com/search"
removed the "cx" parm line
changed the <SearchForm> to http://www.google.com/firefox

either way, I get the same result.

If you do this, be sure to donate to Linux Mint! Doing some awesome stuff they are!

And if you're reading this Linux Mint guys, make the google search work 100% like the original, but with minty freshness

[kooldino]

I have found the simplest way (for the ones who can execute sudo commands). Just execute the following 5 commands and restart firefox

cd /usr/share/linuxmint/common/artwork/firefox/
sudo wget http://mxr.mozilla.org/firefox/source/b ... .xml?raw=1 -O google.xml.fixed
sudo mv google.xml google.xml.orig
sudo mv google.xml.fixed google.xml
sudo cp google.xml /usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins/en-US/google.xml

Thank God for this. I despise the linux mint search.

[swampson]

I agree with the general sentiment here: the problem with the custom search is that it does not offer any of the features that we have come to expect with standard Google searches (e.g. instant results, search tools). I will be more than happy to donate to help fund Mint - I think it's a really nice interface and I've come to appreciate it a lot in the past months that I have been using it.

I also respect their need to generate revenue, but the fact is that the custom search seriously hampers efficient search results. So, now that I've disabled the custom search I am going to go donate some money directly to the Mint cause.

[cotte]

I agree with most of you guys, I'm fairly new to Mint but not to Linux, I believe that this is a good way to go a bit more mainstream, or at least have some more people working full-time on a Linux distro. Donations are just not enough. I have set google as my default starting page so whenever I need the "real" google, I just hit "home" on my browser and voilá there it is. I can live with the Mint ads on my firefox most of the time, specially if I'm just surfing around just for the fun of it. Ok, so they make money with it? Good for them. It's not just that big of a deal for me, I can always go to home and do a "proper search" when I need to.

If you can't deal with it, don't like it, or you feel that this does not go with the "Linux philosophy" of things, then make any of the work around people mention here, or pick another distro, but don't forget to donate and participate!
My two cents.

[MALsPa]

If you can't deal with it, don't like it, or you feel that this does not go with the "Linux philosophy" of things, then make any of the work around people mention here, or pick another distro

Those are pretty much the only choices that Mint gives us. It would be nice if there was a simple option during the installation or something, a choice to use the Minty Google search engine or not, but that's not the way the Mint devs want to go apparently. The fact that it's there by default, and you have to find a work-around if you don't like it, is one of the few turn-offs I find about Mint.

[varonbondumb]

I found this forum thread and clem's blog post (http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=142) about mint's custom google search after being annoyed by the inherent lack of full google search capabilities, like everyone else here. I assumed that Mint was getting some money and I wanted to confirm it before I changed the search back to normal google. After finding out that it is one of their primary sources of income, I will happily keep it as it is and merely add google as another search engine for when I need images / videos / whatever that the mint custom search can't provide.

As for "providing a choice", I feel that one has enough of a choice by being able to http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html and searching for the normal google plugin. I have both mint custom google search and normal google search in mine, but mint is set to default. If mint were to offer a "choice", I'm afraid the majority would opt out without knowing the huge contribution they could otherwise give to Mint (freely and effortlessly), thus depriving Mint of a huge revenue stream which allows them to operate and offer us such a wonderful product.

I'm not in a position to donate money, so I'll gladly take one for the team every time I search and be *slightly* inconvenienced 1/20th of the time.