no, and there are two major features of using LLM instead of search engines.
1. No prompt about decline/accepting cookies every time I want to look something up.
2. No ads.
the results are mediocre the same way using google is.
Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
201–210 of 609 posts
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#202Yes, as borked as Google search results have become, it doesn't make shit up like LLMs do.
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#203ChatGPT is frequently wrong with its answers, so yes search and forums and websites are still the best option.
For example I asked it about rear springs for a 3rd gen 4runner and it recommended springs for a 5th gen.
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#204I use mostly Perplexity, sometimes a "normal" LLM and, very rarely, Google. It depends on what I'm looking for.
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#205I got so disappointed with Google search results that I started looking into alternatives. I tried duck duck go, phind and chatgpt and while those have their strengths, they weren't best fit for me.
I often search for solutions for some specific (often exotic) problems and LLMs are not best to handle them.
DDG does not have best results I'm not sure if those are better than those from Google. Definitely have different set of issues.
Finally seeing another positive comment at HN about Kagi I decided to pull the wallet and try it. And it's great. It feels like Google from 2000s
I decided to replace my subscription to anthropic and chatgpt with Kagi where I have access to both providers and also Gemini, meta and others. So in bottom line I it actually saving me money.
Their Ki assistant (LLM that iterate with multiple search queries when looking for answers) is actually neat. In general it best of both worlds. depending what do you need you can use LLM interface or classic search and they have both working great
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#206I still prefer tranditional search engines over LLMs but I admit, its results feels worse than it has traditionally. I don't like LLMs for two reasons: * I can't really get a feel for the veracity of the information without double checking it. A lot of context I get from just reading results from a traditional search engine is lost when I get an answer from a LLM. I find it somewhat uncomfortable to just accept the a…
Am I the only one who double checks all of the information presented to me, from any source?
No.
Part of why I prefer to use a search engine is that I can see who is saying it, in what context. It might be Wikipedia, but also CIA world fact book. Or some blog but also python.org.
Or (lately) it might be AI SEO slop, reworded across 10 sites but nothing definitive. Which means I need to change my search strategy.
I find it easier (and quicker) to get to a believable result via a search engine than going via ChatGPT and then having to check what it claims.
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#20799% Perplexity
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#208Earlier quoted context omitted.
You mean like the golden age of speech recognition a couple of years ago when they claimed 80% of computer interfacing will be voice only?
More like as in the Golden Age of Google search, where the product optimized for returning the best, most relevant, most reputable results. As in, pre enshitification.
Its already stained. And it was never golden so why care?
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#209I've moved over to Kagi, last month.
Liking it a lot.
Re: Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
#210no, and there are two major features of using LLM instead of search engines. 1. No prompt about decline/accepting cookies every time I want to look something up. 2. No ads. the results are mediocre the same way using google is.
Unfortunately I feel like the no ads is just a matter of time.