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DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

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Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#81
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious: who will they turn to if (when) Yahoo shuts the service down? Bing?

Their only options are Google, Bing, Yandex, Exalead, Gigablast, and Mojeek, and most probably in that order as the last two need to grow considerably first. Unless there's any others that have their own index?

and Baidu.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#82
post #74

Most of the comments here are complaining that, while people like the idea of DDG, the search results are poor. Two comments regarding that: 1) the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly. Using it regularly drives not only revenue, allowing them to hire additional developers, but it also drives feedback to help DDG improve search results. 2) I suspect that the difference in searc…

Well biggest problem for me with DDG that it does not track me or basic tracking does not cut it. Maybe I do not like some policies about users of big players, though some intelligence about the user makes service much better (extent of tracking is another question/rant). I am not from USA, and 30-50% of my searches are not in english and not some international terms. So when I search for something in my country and…

DDG has a "local search" switch on the top right corner of your search results. It seems to know where you are, you just have to ask for it.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#83
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their only options are Google, Bing, Yandex, Exalead, Gigablast, and Mojeek, and most probably in that order as the last two need to grow considerably first. Unless there's any others that have their own index?

How is Google an option? They offer no API whatsoever

StartPage uses Google so there must be a way.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#84

I'm trying to use DuckDuckGo, but for now the local search results are really, really poor. I can't blame them much though, because Yahoo and Bing suck as well. But then Bing's index is in fact the only competition Google has and DuckDuckGo cannot improve as long as they depend on Bing. One favorite example that I've been using for feedback is when I'm searching for "restaurante" (the Romanian word for "restaurants")…

DDG depends on Yahoo Search API (BOSS) which depends on Bing. And Yahoo Search will be no more according to the news. As far as I know neither Google nor Bing offer a Search API for third parties. DDG already uses Yandex (RU) for certain markets, maybe that's where they are heading. Or DDG starts using their own crawler as main data source.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#85
post #81
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their only options are Google, Bing, Yandex, Exalead, Gigablast, and Mojeek, and most probably in that order as the last two need to grow considerably first. Unless there's any others that have their own index?

and Baidu.

Yeah sorry, I was only counting engines suitable for DDG, ie. English language etc. There's also Qwant and although they are crawling their results still appear to be Bing.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#86

Most of the comments here are complaining that, while people like the idea of DDG, the search results are poor. Two comments regarding that: 1) the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly. Using it regularly drives not only revenue, allowing them to hire additional developers, but it also drives feedback to help DDG improve search results. 2) I suspect that the difference in searc…

Fundamentally what stops DDG from becoming just like Google, Bing and Yahoo when it does get as big as them? Remember how Facebook used to be all about user privacy?

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#87
post #85
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and Baidu.

Yeah sorry, I was only counting engines suitable for DDG, ie. English language etc. There's also Qwant and although they are crawling their results still appear to be Bing.

I am not related to Baidu, I just see their crawlers regularly on English language websites. Example search result: http://www.baidu.com/s?rsv_idx=1&wd=duckduckgo&ie=utf-8&sl_l...

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#88

Most of the comments here are complaining that, while people like the idea of DDG, the search results are poor. Two comments regarding that: 1) the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly. Using it regularly drives not only revenue, allowing them to hire additional developers, but it also drives feedback to help DDG improve search results. 2) I suspect that the difference in searc…

Fundamentally what stops DDG from becoming just like Google, Bing and Yahoo when it does get as big as them? Remember how Facebook used to be all about user privacy?

>>Remember how Facebook used to be all about user privacy?

Sorry, but no.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#89
post #61

Most of the comments here are complaining that, while people like the idea of DDG, the search results are poor. Two comments regarding that: 1) the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly. Using it regularly drives not only revenue, allowing them to hire additional developers, but it also drives feedback to help DDG improve search results. 2) I suspect that the difference in searc…

I think an unavoidable conclusion is that while people may like privacy or some other benefit/function, they are rarely willing to take a hit on the main benefit/function (search results) to get it. It think this is an important thing to learn here as it applies in many cases. Maybe everyone complains about bad behaviour of their insurance company, but that does not mean they'll take a higher premium. Some people car…

I think you're fundamentally right, when considering the benefits DDG vs Google offer today, at a static point in time. Remember, however, that the world is dynamic and constantly changing, and things like the Snowden leaks change how much we/consumers value privacy vs easy of use (and certainly factors that affect things in Google's favor can happen too!). I am guessing that most people who get screwed over by their insurance company, even once, are willing to pay a higher premium in the future (assuming they can afford it after suffering the financial damage caused by said insurance company refusing to pay).

My original point was that things are changing, DDG is improving, and some things are purely perception issues. We like to talk about companies and markets in terms of battles, with concrete winners and losers coming out at the end of the day, but things are always changing. Google is the clear winner today (but also had a 10 year head start), but it may or may not always be that way.

Re: DuckDuckGo grew more than 70% this year

#90

Most of the comments here are complaining that, while people like the idea of DDG, the search results are poor. Two comments regarding that: 1) the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly. Using it regularly drives not only revenue, allowing them to hire additional developers, but it also drives feedback to help DDG improve search results. 2) I suspect that the difference in searc…

>the only way DDG is going to improve search results is by you using it regularly.

For what company or product is that not the case? Unfortunately, most people (myself included) aren't interested in integrating inferior products into our lives with the hope that "one day" they might be as good.

I decided to default to DDG last year to see how it was, and because my online privacy is worth something. I found the results lacking, having to Google things anyway, and eventually just went back to Google.

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