No, but there's a lot to be said for knocking down the easy 90-95% of it...
Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
31–40 of 60 posts
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#32For search needs you can try www.startpage.com ..just found it recently and the search is fantastic.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#33For search needs you can try www.startpage.com ..just found it recently and the search is fantastic.
“StartPage uses results from Google”
https://hackernoon.com/untraceable-search-engines-alternativ...
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#34No, because one is still forced to use some of their products by others: captcha, mailing gmail addresses, ads and tracking even in iOS apps, tracking on most websites (which can usually be blocked). Youtube is unfortunate, because many obscure things are only available on it, but it's not an essential service. FIY if you're in the US they're also buying access to your CC purchase info.
Regarding YT, my solution is youtube-dl. Which is also a massive improvement on the service itself; cross-platform, choosing of format and resolution, keeping the media file and not being at the whim of an internet connection, work around tracking and intrusive / malicious advertising, etc. https://ytdl-org.github.io/youtube-dl/index.html
On Android, I recommend NewPipe. Available from F-Droid repo.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
The exercise is pointless, the equivalent to arguing about the most private pen for sending postcards.
More like two people having a conversation in the street, except one of them is screaming every word and you're just asking to please tone it down a bit, which is too much to ask for that person.
In that scenario, the quiet guy doesn’t realize that there is a cable guy standing behind him listening as well.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#36No, because one is still forced to use some of their products by others: captcha, mailing gmail addresses, ads and tracking even in iOS apps, tracking on most websites (which can usually be blocked). Youtube is unfortunate, because many obscure things are only available on it, but it's not an essential service. FIY if you're in the US they're also buying access to your CC purchase info.
Regarding YT, my solution is youtube-dl. Which is also a massive improvement on the service itself; cross-platform, choosing of format and resolution, keeping the media file and not being at the whim of an internet connection, work around tracking and intrusive / malicious advertising, etc. https://ytdl-org.github.io/youtube-dl/index.html
Often however, one needs to search for the correct ID first.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#37Have rarely used google outside the search engine. Moved to DDG primarily several years ago.
Have a tablet to watch Netflix on, uses a dummy goog account with no info given, and most apps uninstalled. I've bought a Play card at the grocery a few times, not often. Try to avoid Youtube and use youtube-dl, but not entirely successful. The commercials have made it easier. Apple maps and downloadable maps.me offline. Perhaps ~90% g-free.
I do remember around 5-10 years ago there were a lot of folks that believed everyone was on gmail and incredulous if anyone mentioned they weren't. Found that odd as someone who's had a domain and multi-account email since the mid 90's, years before goog even existed.
Thankfully those comments have given way to this sort of post.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#38[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#39I use Firefox on laptop, Brave on mobile. DDG for search. Outlook for email (and have started trying Protonmail).
Android is the biggest obstacle. The other option is iPhone which is too expensive (I personally don't see any point in buying a mobile which costs more than 250 USD). Too bad WIndows OS and Blackberry died. Google map is also hard to give up.
Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully been able to completely quit using Google?
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Regarding YT, my solution is youtube-dl. Which is also a massive improvement on the service itself; cross-platform, choosing of format and resolution, keeping the media file and not being at the whim of an internet connection, work around tracking and intrusive / malicious advertising, etc. https://ytdl-org.github.io/youtube-dl/index.html
On Android, I recommend NewPipe. Available from F-Droid repo.
youtube-dl is also usable on Android. Available through Termux.