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DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

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Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#21

Post by epi0Bauqu »

crux wrote: post #8

I have been using DDG as my primary search engine at home for several months and I've been happy with it. The !commands are of little utility to me, since my browser supports search keywords and I use them extensively. There's a couple areas I can think of that I wish it would improve: 1. Its ability to intelligently bubble up semantic information is very impressive but not as broad as google's, I think. For instance…

On 1, I hope to improve that for verticals like music soon. I'm doing movies right now actually.

On 2, there is !i, but you say keywords don't mean much to you. Would it help to have a link to GImages on the right sidebar? Others have requested that as well.

On 3, math definitely needs a revision. Conversion syntax has improved recently. In any case, if you send me specific examples that don't work, I'd be happy to make them work.

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#22

Post by magv »

epi0Bauqu wrote: post #19
magv wrote: post #11

I've been using DDG since the new privacy policy. There are two points I frequently bump into: 1. DDG has a spellchecker, but not a good one. For example, DDG correctly guesses "hcker news", but unlike Google it fails to correct e.g. "hooker news". 2. DDG is relatively good on general queries (like unique names), but not on specific ones (like phrases). Recent example: searching for "r6rs vote" on Google gives ratifi…

On 1, I was planning to backfill with Bing. In fact, I'll move that to the top of the list and do this weekend. Side note: Bing doesn't catch "hooker news" either; and should they? On 2, I actually have that link but have something in place to only show one per domain. Perhaps I should choose the more specific one be default. Also will change! I hope in time, it will impress you :). Please keep sending me feedback so…

"Hooker news" is obviously a made up example. A real example would be "kelvin hobles". Google correctly guesses "calvin (and) hobbes", DDG and Bing do not.

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#23

Post by krainboltgreene »

nfnaaron wrote: post #17

I've been using it for a week, I like it. Health food features: (features that are generally good for you but which you don't notice specifically at each use) - Access via https, if you want. - Logs deleted quickly - Less data about you collected by Google. Note: For Firefox, if you want to put the https version of DDG in your search box list, use the Add to Firefox link on the DDG page, rather than "Add Duck Duck Go…

features that are generally good for you

- Less data about you collected by Google.

How pretentious of you.

Edit:

  1 : characterized by pretension: as 
    a : making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing) 
    b : expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#24

Post by krainboltgreene »

epi0Bauqu wrote: post #20
helwr wrote: post #18

when i search for HN it displays it at 8th place after some irrelevant punk band and an obscure town in Montenegro. When i search for my name (as i always do to test search engines) it doesn't show my linkedIn profile with 500+ connections at all. Even Bing learned to find it. Summary: Not usable (yet).

Thanks. HN gets a disambiguation page. Arguably, Hacker News should be higher. In fact, it's on my list to re-visit the ordering by popularity. It does a bit of this now, but of course could be improved. What's your name? I should actually be promoting LinkedIn pages, so this may be a bug. I'd love to check it out.

Not only does it not show my LinkedIn profile, but doesn't show: My Google, Blogger, Tumblr, Stack Overflow, or Facebook profiles.

Google does all those except Twitter and Tumbler (Stack Overflow is on the second page, sadly).

Search: "Kurtis Rainbolt-Greene"

I'm certainly not an important person but this is a very specific search.

Edit: HA! It actually shows one of my LinkedIn "friends" 30 listings down. Awesome.

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#25

Post by mhd »

nfnaaron wrote: post #17

I've been using it for a week, I like it. Health food features: (features that are generally good for you but which you don't notice specifically at each use) - Access via https, if you want. - Logs deleted quickly - Less data about you collected by Google. Note: For Firefox, if you want to put the https version of DDG in your search box list, use the Add to Firefox link on the DDG page, rather than "Add Duck Duck Go…

I already use keyword bookmarks in Safari/Firefox for that, where I don't have to go through another search engine before (and can use "wiki" instead of "!wikipedia").

http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Smart+keywords

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#26

Post by heyitsnick »

jcromartie wrote: post #15

What happens when DDG gets more popular? Google or Yahoo (or whatever APIs they depend on) could pull the plug, and then what? Interestingly, DDG (as it is) could never replace its "competitors."

If you read about the DDG architecture (posted extensively in DDG threads here, and also on the blog page), you'll see that there is no one plug that could be metaphorically pulled.

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#28

Post by crux »

epi0Bauqu wrote: post #21
crux wrote: post #8

I have been using DDG as my primary search engine at home for several months and I've been happy with it. The !commands are of little utility to me, since my browser supports search keywords and I use them extensively. There's a couple areas I can think of that I wish it would improve: 1. Its ability to intelligently bubble up semantic information is very impressive but not as broad as google's, I think. For instance…

On 1, I hope to improve that for verticals like music soon. I'm doing movies right now actually. On 2, there is !i, but you say keywords don't mean much to you. Would it help to have a link to GImages on the right sidebar? Others have requested that as well. On 3, math definitely needs a revision. Conversion syntax has improved recently. In any case, if you send me specific examples that don't work, I'd be happy to m…

2) Yes, definitely. 3) I'll start keeping track of what does and doesn't work.

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#29

Post by epi0Bauqu »

startupcomment wrote: post #27

Nice job, Gabriel. I plan to start using DDG. I also am enjoying your work in progress on gaining traction. Many thanks for undertaking it.

Thanks! For those of you who don't know what he's referring to wrt to traction: http://tractionbook.com/

Re: DuckDuckGo as my primary search engine for the past 7 months

#30

Post by epi0Bauqu »

magv wrote: post #22
epi0Bauqu wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On 1, I was planning to backfill with Bing. In fact, I'll move that to the top of the list and do this weekend. Side note: Bing doesn't catch "hooker news" either; and should they? On 2, I actually have that link but have something in place to only show one per domain. Perhaps I should choose the more specific one be default. Also will change! I hope in time, it will impress you :). Please keep sending me feedback so…

"Hooker news" is obviously a made up example. A real example would be "kelvin hobles". Google correctly guesses "calvin (and) hobbes", DDG and Bing do not.

I honestly didn't know whether it was a made up example or not. Thx for the real example though.
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