What is your favorite internet search engine and why?

[BG405]

Am I right?

Quite possibly yes. One way round this (I hope, anyway) is to block Google stuff like "googleapis", "googlesyndication" etc. & use ad blockers.

[Portreve]

In looking back through this thread, I don't think I've given a serious answer to the OP yet. Perhaps I should.

Occasionally, I will use DDG, but honestly Google's search portal is number one for a reason.

I know I can find anything findable with Google; that's not the case with DDG. When I'm looking for images, as just one example, I've yet to find anything even as good as, much less better than, Google's search system.

That said, I'm not a fan of monopolies, and by all means I want to see others out there become serious competition for my search needs.

[Moem]

I know I can find anything findable with Google; that's not the case with DDG. When I'm looking for images, as just one example, I've yet to find anything even as good as, much less better than, Google's search system.

And have you tried Startpage.com?

[Portreve]

I know I can find anything findable with Google; that's not the case with DDG. When I'm looking for images, as just one example, I've yet to find anything even as good as, much less better than, Google's search system.

And have you tried Startpage.com?

No, actually, I haven't. Perhaps I should?

[bob466]

My favorite is now DuckDuckGo...ever since Google decided to censor internet searches for Aussies.

[carum carvi]

My favorite is now DuckDuckGo...ever since Google decided to censor internet searches for Aussies.

I use DuckDuckGo a lot as well, but there is one thing about it that makes me use another search engine as well, as an alternative. I noticed that DuckDuckGo often uses OLDER search results compared to Google. Often this minor flaw doesnt matter, but sometimes I want results dating from 2019 and not from 2017 or earlier.

I know I can find anything findable with Google; that's not the case with DDG.

That said, I'm not a fan of monopolies, and by all means I want to see others out there become serious competition for my search needs.

That' s my wish as well. I am currently using Etools.ch as well, as an alternative to DuckDuckGo, because it is Meta Search Engine, combining the results of many different search engines, which are manually configurable to ones own liking. Furthermore etools.ch has got the same privacy minded headset and is as good as Google in producing the best results. The only thing that is truly lacking in this swiss based etools.ch is the fact that you cant search for images or videos. I use DuckDuckGo for that purpose.

Just for clarity. Startpage is a great privacy minded alternative for Google. It is still based on Google, but it wont share / sell your personal search results.

[Portreve]

Just for clarity. Startpage is a great privacy minded alternative for Google. It is still based on Google, but it wont share / sell your personal search results.

Since I wrote the post you quoted, I've set up Startpage and I'm playing around with it. So far, it's been pretty cool.

Unlike many others here, I'm not yet to a point of actively trying to run away from Google.

[DAMIEN1307]

hi portreve, using startpage on the brave browser is kinda the best of both worlds, google results without google tracking and the privacy of startpage, and brave browser based on chromium with robust security features without the constant google tracking/ads etc...DAMIEN

[Stefano_IT]

Interesting topic.
I've always used Google, in the past I tried DDG but then I returned to Google because of disappointing results.
After reading this I decided to give DDG another chance and set it on all the browsers on my two PCs.
I just hope it's not snake oil (I read various opinions where some people don't trust)

[DAMIEN1307]

It is just fine, DDG is my backup search engine if anything were ever to stop Startpage...DAMIEN

[Portreve]

As a follow-up, since my last post in this discussion, I've had Startpage installed and I've been actively using it.

It's "ok" and I have no plans to stop using it, but for certain kinds of searches, like image searching, it's not as good as Google.

[absque fenestris]

A look beyond the box: Yandex...

https://yandex.com/

I'm just trying out the included translation function - looks not bad.
Whether I should still learn Russian at age?

[151tom]

.

[BG405]

a few days ago they started using this dark theme

Isn't that optional? I've been using it for quite a while (from when it became available, I think) but sure I had to choose it in settings.

[151tom]

.

[otacon14112]

Alta Vista, because that was what h4X0rz used , and Dogpile. Back in the late '90s, when I was in high school, the school librarian and IT person seemed to prefer Dogpile over other search engines, so I started using it. For some reason, I thought Dogpile closed down, but after looking it up just now, I was elated to see that it still exists! So I'm going to start using that again, instead of Google. Btw, I like the original Google logo infinitely more than their current one. While I'm on the topic of old school internet back in the good old days , I sorrowfully miss the days of HTML webpages, original iMacs, and dial-up.

[BG405]

Dogpile

I'd just about forgotten about that! I used it for years until I changed to DuckDuckGo.

For some reason, I thought Dogpile closed down

The .co.uk site (and probably other regional variants) did indeed close down some years ago. However, the reason I switched was that search results were getting progressively more sparse; it appeared that only one search engine was being utilized (whereas previously I think it used about three), meanwhile I found that DDG had improved quite a lot since I'd last tried it.

DDG seems to be improving all the time.

[carum carvi]

DDG seems to be improving all the time.

I still use DDG as well. I love the ability to select any text in Firefox and right click for a search in DDG. It's based on Bing search engine as far as I could remember. For quite recent, more difficult search results, the database of DDG still isnt very up to date is my experience. Especially for search results within the last year, when something is not very well known, the results DDG gives are often 2 years old or older. I guess search engines have to pay for up to date databases / logarithms?

[Stefano_IT]

After reading this thread I used a few days DDG again to see how much it has improved.
It has improved a lot compared to the past but still cannot compete with Google.
I returned to Google but I installed an extension that allows me to select the text and do research with DDG.
This extension will allow me to do occasional searches with DDG.
it lies on chrome web store : (I use it with Chromium) "Right Click DuckDuckGo"
The more people use DDG, the sooner it will improve

I saw a similar extension also available for Firefox
https://addons.mozilla.org/it/firefox/a ... duckduckgo
Both work well

[BG405]

I installed an extension that allows me to select the text and do research with DDG.
....
I saw a similar extension also available for Firefox

In my case I just added DDG as a search provider (as far as I can recall, anyway) and this option appeared. Very handy. I don't use Chrome so don't know how their externsions work, but the DDG SP did work on Firefox too at least up until Quantum. Don't know if it still works with Quantum so will give it a try on the other machine later.

I'm using Waterfox BTW.