• cypher_greyhat@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Google’s search results are absolute garbage lately. It pushes the most advert-heavy spam sites first.

    DuckDuckGo has more reliably been giving me the technical documentation I was looking for in the past year.

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        9 months ago

        The first half of the first page is all ads now on Google. It’s utter shit - the things it’s a lot better at than DDG is NLP, being able to understand questions, and anything news related. If you know exactly what you’re searching for though, using the old style of search words works great on DDG

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        9 months ago

        Search engines are about to be replaced by AI anyway.

        If you want good results, use something like perplexity.ai.

        It is slow, so it isn’t my main engine. But those results are amazing. You can be very specific in what you are searching and keep refining your search since it remembers your previous results, it tells you why the result is relevant and it also gives summaries of the website so you can know what it says before you click on it.

        It truly is artificial intelligent searching.

    • Sendbeer@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I used to be able to search for a tracking number by Google and it would link to the correct delivery tracking service. About 1-2 months ago Google stopped doing this and just gives no results. Why would they stop linking you to FedEx or UPS? Who knows, but my wild ass guess is since Google was not able to link “related” sponsored links along with it they just removed the functionality. They are just actively making their service shittier anytime something minor doesn’t dish out a shitty ad along with it.

      I’ve gone on to using Kagi and DDG. Rarely do I miss Google search.

        • Sendbeer@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          Not sure what I am doing wrong, work is when I discovered problem. This is what happens when I try to search in android. Doesn’t work on my work pc or on mine. Maybe it is a Firefox thing?

          EDIT: YUP. Tried it with chrome and DuckDuckGo browser and ups tracking search works fine. Wonder what’s going on with Firefox preventing it. Don’t think it’s an extension because doesn’t work in Firefox focus either and my work pc doesn’t have any addons.

          • hypelightfly@kbin.social
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            9 months ago

            User agent. Google wants you to use Chrome. You can spoof the user agent in Firefox to get the same results.

      • kmkz_ninja@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Google search is less than useful nowadays. Google assistant seems to be Google’s inbred idiot cousin. DDG doesn’t seem to be any better. Most of my searches give the same clickbait results that google does.

        Honestly, outside of Google Maps, is there any legitimate value to any google product? Is there a single search engine that is brave enough to give 0 results and also literally parses what you’re asking instead of valuating against what the advertisers want you to see?

        I dream daily of Google imploding, and every single investor at that useless company going immediately bankrupt and destitute for the disgusting, addled, brain-malware they push.

    • Neato@kbin.social
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      9 months ago

      When I built my PC last year I decided to just let Edge and Bing go for a bit instead of immediately downloading another browser or changing the search engine. I can count on one hand the number of times I needed to enter in Google.com to get a different or better result. And almost every one of those was because I wanted a google maps results and not whatever weird maps MS has.

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      9 months ago

      If I recall correctly, DuckDuckGo uses Bing’s search database (not search itself, just the database).

    • ComradeR@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      I miss the 2000s/2010s Google. Now I need to endlessly scroll down the page in an attempt to find something barely useful.

      • cypher_greyhat@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Depends on what you’re doing. I look up Linux admin stuff. DDG points to the Arch Linux wiki which is solid, even for non-Arch Linux stuff. Google points to random sponsored blog tutorials that are sometimes outdated or the author doesn’t have a full understanding of what their copy-paste terminal commands do.

        Recently I used google to look up a Kotlin coding thing. It pointed to every source except the official Kotlin documentation.

    • nitefox@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      DuckDuckGo has been giving me poor results lately - especially when I look for news, everything is a redirect to Bing now - so I instead use Brave Search. It’s kind of disappointing since DDG had always worked great for me

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    But Weinberg testified that getting users to switch from Google was complicated, requiring as many as 30 to 50 steps to change defaults on all their devices, whereas the process could be shortened to just one click on each device.

    Full disclosure, been using Duck Duck Go for a while but…

    30 to 50 steps? On a Samsung it’s one click from the address bar to select a search engine and then another to select Duck, Google, yahoo, or bing.

    The way it’s worded they’re adding steps for like 10 devices together.

    And for it to be a single click, all the options would have to display every time you click the address bar, which would make it look like a 90s web browser.

    I’m all about Duck, but that reeks of bullshit because they know most politicians don’t know as much about the internet as a 9 year old does.

    • Izzy@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      That does seem like an exaggeration, but there is truth in the power of defaults for the mainstream audience.

      • lustrum@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        Pixel phones it’s harder:

        Change fucking launcher… The google bar is always there, cannot be removed and it’s always google.

        • passepartout@feddit.de
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          9 months ago

          This fucks me up to no end. I love this phone but that fucking search bar made me switch the launcher. I also love the Pixel launcher (if it wasn’t for that search bar), so I run the alpha release of Lawnchair. Problem is, there is no proper release bc there is not enough manpower to develop it.

        • Alph4d0g@discuss.tchncs.de
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          9 months ago

          Pixel owner here. Changed to Nova launcher on day one. No search bar on my home screen and DDG is my default search engine.

          • Delusion6903@discuss.online
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            9 months ago

            I use Firefox and DDG on my Pixel but I do keep a small Google option for those (usually location based} particular searches

          • lustrum@sh.itjust.works
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            9 months ago

            I can change the browser search just as easily on a pixel. Just the default device search is always Google.

            • CoderKat@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              Do people even use that? I’ve literally never. Even if I want to search something, I’d rather just use my browser where I have tabs. Relatedly, why don’t more apps have tabs? Like apps for Reddit or Lemmy. Literally none that I ever tried have tabs. I know they don’t perform that great, but not even an option?

        • hypelightfly@kbin.social
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          9 months ago

          You’re talking abut the search bar at the top of the first home screen right? It’s always google but it can be removed.

          That should be fixed for sure, it’s annoying. Personally I use firefox anyway so I change it to the firefox search widget which uses your firefox default.

          • lustrum@sh.itjust.works
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            9 months ago

            You can’t remove it on a pixel without changing launcher or root. It’s at the bottom. It’s not a widget

            • ShortN0te@lemmy.ml
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              9 months ago

              Yep. I wasted hours on that. Worst thing is that it is combined with the app and setting search.

    • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
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      9 months ago

      My Samsung phone automatically reverts my favourite browser to the Samsung browser all the time without asking.

      • Dawn@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Interesting, I’m using an s20fe for around 3 years now, and haven’t had it happen once, was using an a50 before that, and don’t remember it happening there either

            • ditty@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              Yeah my last few phones were Samsungs, same with my parents and friends and none of us have ever had that issue. In the US

    • CoderKat@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Yeah, what the fuck is that number? Are we just straight up lying in court now?

      I decided to see how long it would take me to find out how to change it with no help. Took about 30 seconds. In mobile Chrome, it’s basically the first setting on the settings page. So the steps are (1) open chrome, (2) hamburger menu, (3) settings, (4) search engine. Even if I have to count turning my phone on and opening Chrome if it wasn’t on my home page, it still wouldn’t even add up to 10 steps.

      I checked Firefox and it has one extra step. There’s still a search option literally at the top of the settings, just it goes to a page with multiple search related options (default search engine is still at the top). The fact that it worded it as “default” also made me immediately realize you can tap the Google icon in the address bar to choose another option, which must be what you used. 2 steps in that case.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I didn’t know anyone uses those…

        But aren’t they widgets? I don’t even know if you can change it, you might have to use a different widget

        • English Mobster@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          I have a Pixel. The Pixel Launcher that comes stock on the phone has a Google search thing that is not removable except via switching to another launcher. It looks like a widget, but you can’t remove it. It exists on every “panel” of the screen, below the app shortcuts.

          I do use it quite a bit when making searches, but only because it’s there already and can’t be removed. If I could remove it, I would.

          • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
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            9 months ago

            It’s supremely useful if you want to use Google search. If you don’t on the other hand… 🥲

    • hypelightfly@kbin.social
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      9 months ago

      I have a phone with stock android 13, which would be the same experience as a Pixel or other stock android phone.

      Here’s the process for me:

      1. Tap chrome
      2. Tap vertical … menu
      3. Tap settings
      4. Tap search engine (it’s the top option under basic settings and visible without scrolling)
      5. Tap DuckDuckGo (or bing or whatever)

      Definitely not 30-50 steps on a phone setup by Google. Only real complaint is it can’t be changed from the search field itself.

      • lustrum@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        Nope. The pixel phones have a Google widget on the homescreen that cannot be removed.

        I have a pixel and it would be those steps +

        Open Google play, find a launcher, find a new search provider. Set new launcher as default, insert new search provider widget. Probably missed a few steps.

        • junderwood@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Yeah, that was my experience as well as a Pixel user. That said, it didn’t take too long to just finally switch to Firefox, Nova launcher, and Duck Duck Go. Mostly painless, and I’m over 40 👴

          • lustrum@sh.itjust.works
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            9 months ago

            I’ve done all but the launcher. The gestures became super choppy with another launcher (nova).

            I have put a FF search bar above the Google one and I just ignore it.

            • Raineacha@lemmy.ml
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              9 months ago

              I’ve been using Niagara on my pixel 7. It takes a bit to get used to, but is so much cleaner. Add that with a browser other than chrome, and duckduckgo. Works pretty well.

    • schmidtster@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      For each browser on your phone* for the default on your phone*

      I have 3 browsers on my phone for various stuff. If each is 5 steps, that’s 20 steps just to change them on my phone alone. People have multiple phones, multiple tablets, multiple computers…….

    • octoperson@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      If I hold down the home button on my phone, it launches the stupid Google Voice Search thing. Try as I might, I can’t find any way to remap that function.

  • kamen@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    He’s probably right, but from what I see, the reality is that like 95% of people simply don’t care, and the rest will find an alternative.

    • owf@feddit.de
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      9 months ago

      Thing is, Google is also (still) just better.

      I use DDG as my primary search engine, but I find myself repeating searches with Google so often, I wrote a userscript to add a “Search with Google” link to the top of the DDG search results.

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        9 months ago

        I’ve seen a lot of chat recently about Google search quality tanking and it’s made me realise that I haven’t re-searched a DDG query in Google for a really, really long time. when I first started using DDG as my main a few years back, I would repeat searches in Google probably 25% of the time? but I honestly can’t remember the last time I had to now. Been at least 6 months!

        • WuTang @lemmy.ninja
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          9 months ago

          unfortunately, I do that often. Even when using meta search engine which sources to google, Google UX and results are simply better but sometime feeling is just not rationale

          regarding duckduckgo, it is simply too long to type and people rarely configure their browser, especially on mobile.

          so yeah, in a sense, Weinberg is right. At the very least, a choice should be provided on first run but you can’t force people to be curious.

        • RustedSwitch@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Sure, but I think there’s still benefit to what the other person did. Search DDG by default, and then if you don’t see good results, it’s one extra click for the google search… vs mousing, clicking, 2 keystrokes…

      • BurnedDonutHole@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        I agree. At least in my experience Google does a better job when it comes to search engine. I use DDG as well but when it comes to searching specific things Google beats it unfortunately.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Its the easiest thing in the world. I degoogled everything in my life in like 2-3 days after work. People aren’t switching because the bulk of the world’s populace likes the centralization and using the popular option. They just want to use what everyone else is.

    • gamer@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I think if you were to ask “most people” about which search engine they prefer, they wouldn’t really understand the question. I remember in highschool a teacher asked someone what operating system they have at home, and she replied “I think it’s Microsoft Office”.

      Tech people tend to severely overestimate non-tech peoples’ understanding of tech.

      • TeddE@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Counterpoint: tech literacy is irresponsibly low for a modern developed world that now requires it for everyday operation.

      • owatnext@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I am lucky my husband likes to learn about this sort of stuff. When we started dating he barely knew the difference between Mac and Windows. Now he uses Linux. Granted, I have to install it, but he keeps on top of maintenance.

      • Lazylazycat@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Seriously, most people don’t even know you can go into browser settings, let alone change your default browser there.

    • SnowdenHeroOfOurTime@unilem.org
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      9 months ago

      I made a list of the Google services I needed to replace, replaced a couple of them, but ultimately that list had dozens of items on it and I’m too tired already to complete it

      It is not easy. This comment must be satire?

      For example have you tried navigating in a car with a navigation app besides Maps? I don’t have an iPhone and the ones I’ve tried so far suck. I mean, I think Waze isn’t even all that good and Google owns even them now.

      • page@discuss.online
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        9 months ago

        I tried Mapquest recently for the first time in 18 years. It was astonishing just how terrible their app and directions were.

        I would gladly pay a few dollars a month for an alternative to Google Maps or Waze, but it’s like no company even wants to try and compete with Google and Apple maps.

    • Mikina@programming.dev
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      9 months ago

      While I don’t believe you can degoogle that quickly, because some of their services take quite some time to properly switch, such as email, in the end it’s not too hard, but just takes time and some work.

      Changing email is easy, if you don’t mind it being a slow process. Just forward your google email, and start slowly replacing any service you notice in the following months/years to your new address.

      Google Drive is harder to replace, I went for just running a NAS with Nextcloud, which takes care of most of Google Drive/Docs/Calendar stuff. If self-hosting isn’t your cup of tea, Proton is slowly setting up usable google alternatives - they have Drive and Calendar IIRC.

      Now for phone, that’s the hardest task. You wouldn’t help yourself by getting an IPhone. While it would de-google you, there’s basically no point in switching google for apple. Getting android to be usable for stuff like banking, MFA and other bullshit you need your phone for while being degoogled is hard, due to the bullshit Google Services. The only solution I found is to either just go with dumb phone with an obscure OS, or just get a Google Pixel and run GrapheneOS.

      Maps are another issue, but thankfully we have a local https://mapy.cz/ , which is a pretty OK alternative to Google maps for our country, and I guess they even work worldwide. I don’t drive a car, so I don’t really need it that often.

      The only remaining Google service I use is GCloud VPS, because I have some websites running there on the free instances that I’m too lazy to move. But I’m slowly migrating it to Amazon. Not that it would help much, anyway. And also Youtube, but I’m trying to go through the alternative front-ends as much as possible.

      And for browser, I’m using https://mullvad.net/en/browser. Fuck chromium.

  • cloudy1999@sh.itjust.works
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    9 months ago

    I installed a custom launcher that’s close to the stock one on my Pixel 3 specifically to make it possible to remove the Google Search widget. Now I have a Firefox widget that points to DDG.

    If any are interested, the launcher is Lawn Chair, and it can be installed via F-droid.

      • funkycarrot@discuss.tchncs.de
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        9 months ago

        For more convenience, the newest version is also available via the IzzyOnDroid repo, you can enable it with one tap in Drod-ify.

      • Resolved3874@lemdro.id
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        9 months ago

        I e been debating switching the graphene for weeks weeks now. But I just know I’m gonna end up installing Google play services on it and completely defeat the whole point of the OS. I’m probably gonna buy the pixel 8 when it comes out so once I have that I’ll put graphene on my current phone and see how I like it.

        • Mikina@programming.dev
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          9 months ago

          I’ve just switched to it literally yesterday, and while you will probably not avoid Play Services, being able to install it into a different profile that’s only limited to the few apps that need it is nice.

          Also, just the fact that on Graphene Play Services do not have the special privileges as on any android phone, and are subjected to the same limitations as any other app (which are even stricter on Graphene) helps a lot. It also means that even if you end up just running the play services at all times, they can’t do as much as they can on other android phones, and the data they can access without your explicit permission is really limited. So, even that helps by a lot.

          • Resolved3874@lemdro.id
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            9 months ago

            This is actually great to hear. I’ll probably still ending up holding off until I have a spare phone to test with just because wiping my phone and redoing everything just isn’t something I’m up for right now though. Thank you very much for the info.

        • moody@lemmings.world
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          9 months ago

          Play Services is sandboxed on Graphene and is treated as a regular app, so you can actually disable most of its features, including network access.

      • cloudy1999@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        I like the ‘ground up’ approach they mention that doesn’t rely on insecure ‘adversaries’. I’ll check it out soon.

  • redfellow@sopuli.xyz
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    9 months ago

    DuckDuckGo CEO apparently is just another CEO. I’ve been an early adopter that’s been using their search engine long before there were apps or a browser.

    What’s stopping people from using DDG isn’t switching to DDG, it’s getting absolutely dogshit results 90% of time. As an advanced user I know I can prefix my search with “!g phrase” to use Google instead of DDG. The sad fact is that despite the ad-ridden result page and tracking, Google is still lightyears ahead in providing relevant, and especially timely results for a user that is both tech-savvy and critical.

    They need to improve their product, users will follow a good adfree search engine, that’s a given. Only a fraction of users will put up with degraded results in order to search without tracking.

    I sincerely hope they will get their tech up to par. And that their browser on mobile reaches feature parity soon. (as a Z Fold user, DDG browser doesn’t have tabs. Brave, Vivaldi and Firefox does).

    The new kid on the block needs humility and good tech, not shittalk. Fuck that CEO,. he’s undermining something very promising and important.

    • PP_GIRL_@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      I’ve never had a problem with DDGs search results that simply rephrasing my query didn’t solve. What are you all searching for that Google’s results are “light-years ahead” of DuckDuckGo’s? (Honest question)

      • CO_Chewie@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        I agree. Honestly anytime I’ve resorted to having to use Google for something I feel the results are even worse than DDG.

      • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Not OP, but I get completely trash results on a ton of technical questions no matter how I phrase it. Not a specific example, but if I’m having an issue with some niche distribution of Linux that requires a specific fix, it’ll instead insist on showing me the massive pile of results for the normal distros instead of the couple of links containing the answer I want.

        For as shitty as Google has gotten, it’ll at least give you the one or two better hits before piling on the generic results.

        It’s like DDG changes the query to get more results whereas Google will just run the damn search even if they stuff the results with ads and tracking.

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        9 months ago

        The only thing I goto Google for is when I’m looking for local attractions. With Google maps being native everything is just smoother. Also, Google reviews are much more relevant with whatever duckduckgo has integrated (yelp?). Just my 2 cents.

        I offset any inconvenience with how Google is not much of a search engine but more of an ad company. Also, I disabled all Googles data scavenging shit and I can’t even load the site without getting hit with a captcha. As someone who saw Google rise from the librarians favorite search engine, when a cable modem was life changing, it’s devastating to see it become everything that’s wrong with the internet.

      • sonnenzeit@feddit.de
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        9 months ago

        In my recent experience Google still delivers better results for tech troubleshooting queries. “linux drivers for acer e15 card reader” at least points me to some semi-relevant pages on Google that could lead to a solution or more ideas where to look while ddg throws a lot of generic stuff that is only faintly related.

    • blind3rdeye@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I often don’t find what I want in DDG; and I then try !g to look for it with Google… and Google doesn’t find it either.

      In my experience it is very rare for Google to help me with a search that DDG failed with. As for the converse, I wouldn’t know - because I never search Google first. Why wouldn’t I? They’re evil.

      That said, I will point out that I don’t use a google account, and I block most google-related cookies. I know that some people find Google gives better results due to its personalised results; and obviously I’m not ‘benefiting’ from that. So it is believable that you get better results from Google than I do, due to it knowing more about you, and thus guessing what you might want to see.

      • AeroLemming@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        In my experience, DDG has less relevant results than Google most of the time, but will occasionally end up being way better than Google if you’re looking for something that goes against corporate interests. It’s a lot easier to find free movie sites and whatnot on DDG.

    • not_amm@beehaw.org
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      9 months ago

      I always see people saying Google provides better results, but to me it’s awful. I don’t even use DDGO anymore, but Google only shows ads and SEO optimized results that look AI generated. Is this common or am I just an isolated case?

      • paris@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        9 months ago

        I only ever hear people say the opposite. The comment you’re replying to is I think the first time I’ve seen someone say google is better than ddg in the wild. I keep feeling like I’m going crazy when people say ddg is better than google. Google is the only search engine capable of actually finding the results I’m looking for. Half the time it feels like it’s reading my mind.

        I genuinely don’t know what people are searching for that yields better results on ddg than google. Every time I’ve gotten someone to give me an example, the thing they supposedly couldn’t find was the first result.

        • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          Lol, yeah right? I feel the same way most of the time. On top of that, I’m in Google’s beta AI thing so usually I just get a summary of whatever the hell I’m searching for right at the top and I don’t even have to look at any of the actual results what I’m looking for data.

        • not_amm@beehaw.org
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          9 months ago

          I gotta say I’m pretty good finding stuff, but i swear Google makes it more complicated for me. In DDGO I only need to change words, in Google I need to filter out half the results to get something human.

          But that was when I used to use DDGO, I now self-host SearXNG and only use DDGO for simple searches and when using my phone.

          I guess Google needs constant use to give something better(?, which would be another reason for me not to use it hehe

      • millie@beehaw.org
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        9 months ago

        Google results are garbage compared to 10 years ago, but they’re still miles ahead of ddg.

    • gamer@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      DDG isn’t the only alternative to Google. I use Kagi and love it. The results IME are definitely better than Google’s.

    • Mikina@programming.dev
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      9 months ago

      I’ve switched to DDG almost a year ago, and I never had issues with my search results. Quite the contrary, every time I tried using !g because I simply wasn’t finding an answer, the Google was ad-ridden bullshit full of promoted pages without relevance to what I was looking for.

      I guess I’m just used to DDG quality of results, but I never felt like it’s as bad as you say.

      • owf@feddit.de
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        9 months ago

        That depends very heavily on what your searching for.

        If you’re a programmer or similar, like the poster you’re replying to appears to be, then you absolutely will find DDG crap compared to Google.

        I use DDG as my primary search engine, but if I have a tech question, I usually skip it and go straight to Google.

        • Mikina@programming.dev
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          9 months ago

          I work part-time as a game developer, and part time as a pentester, so I do search for technical questions quite a lot.

          Hmm, now I wonder whether I’m just used to it. I haven’t used any other search engine in more than a year. I’ll have to compare the results more, but as far as I remember every time I couldn’t find what I needed on DDG and resorted to !g, the Google results were even worse.

      • Rubanski@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        I am with you. I don’t know what this guy’s about about the search results of Google. A couple comments above people were complaining about the terrible results googles ad driven engine spews out. Also saying he’s so tech savvy and needs the Google “quality”, somehow not knowing !g just completely circumvents the benefits of DDG

      • redfellow@sopuli.xyz
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        9 months ago

        I work in IT and use the search engine around 100 times a day in order to find specific answers to specific edge cases. DDG results are just too generic most of the time.

        But once they get better, oh yeah.

    • Floey@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I agree that DDG’s results suck, but so do Google’s.

      • Kumatomic@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        9 months ago

        They really are both just awful. I’ve yet to find a search engine as good as Google was 10-15 years ago.

    • Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Until recently I would have agreed 100%.

      But Google’s search has turned to dogshit since it’s started trying to be smarter than it is, and DDG is now giving me results on par with old Google - that is, a list of exactly what I was searching for on the first try.

    • xtapa@feddit.de
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      9 months ago

      I made the switch a week ago. For two days at work, I always used Google, DDG and ecosia(uses bing) at the same time to compare the results. They are the same most of the time for the first 10 to 20 results. There’s sometimes a blogpost that one engine shows that the other doesn’t, but that post never made a difference.

      When DDG does not get me helpful results, I can still ask Google to help out.

      • nudny ekscentryk@szmer.info
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        9 months ago

        ecosia(uses bing)

        Ecosia is a fucking scam. They claim that “every search plants a tree”, except the monetary contribution towards their “tree-planting” stuff comes from clicking ads – therefore if you are a knowledgeable user who purposefully skips over ads (or just use an ad-blocker) then Ecosia makes exactly $0 off of your traffic.

    • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Yeah, I e had worsening search results from DDG over the past 6+ months. I’ve set it to my default browser, but I often have to switch because the results are not specific enough compared to Google.

      And now Googles AI results are a huge time saver.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    9 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The U.S. Department of Justice argues that Google has smothered competition by paying companies such as Apple and Verizon to lock in its search engine as the default choice — the first one users see — on many laptops and smartphones.

    Even when it holds the default spot on smartphones and other devices, Google argues, users can switch to rival search engines with a couple of clicks.

    DuckDuckGo still sells ads, but bases them on what people are asking its search engine in the moment, a technique known as “contextual advertising.” That focus on privacy helped the company attract more users after the Edward Snowden saga raised awareness about the pervasiveness of online surveillance.

    It gained even more customers after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal opened a window into how personal information extracted from digital services can be passed around to other data brokers.

    But Lehman said machine learning has improved rapidly in recent years, to the point that computers can evaluate text on their own without needing to analyze data from user clicks.

    During the exchange, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta drew a laugh by asking how internet searches would answer one of pop culture’s most pressing questions this week: whether superstar singer Taylor Swift is dating NFL tight end Travis Kelce.


    The original article contains 637 words, the summary contains 212 words. Saved 67%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • BubblyMango@lemmy.wtf
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      9 months ago

      But on Google Pixel for example, you have no trivial way to get rid of the google search bar on every pagw on your home screen, and the global phone search also always uses google for the web results. This can only be changed by replacing the launcher or OS. this is not a fair competition. Google are abaolutely abusing their ability to control the platform.

  • millie@beehaw.org
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    9 months ago

    Okay, sure. I agree that this is an unfair advantage. But like, I’ve been using DuckDuckGo for a while and the best thing about it is the ability to easily search other search engines. Their own actual search engine isn’t exactly great.

    Mostly using it makes me realize how much time Google saves me by already having my location and search history. I still don’t trust them and it isn’t what it was a few years ago, but it’s the actual quality of their search that’s keeping them on top.

    Also like, why does clicking a thumbnail in video search not take me to the video? Dumb.

  • SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.ml
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    9 months ago

    I could switch but I don’t see any need to. The lockin from apple apps and google play apps is far stronger.

  • FIST_FILLET@lemmy.ml
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    9 months ago

    that’s DuckDuckGo and “Names Database” CEO*, folks. PLEASE do not look to this man as a beacon for anything privacy-related, even when he says something true.