I use DDG, but do not currently recommend it to others. I think you still have to be cautious about the results it surfaces b/c it doesn't have the same anti-spam mechanisms in place that Google has. For instance, I recently searched for holding mail for the USPS and the first result was a scam site that looked pretty convincing. So, I like the idea of DDG but still do not fully trust it.
DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
61–70 of 490 posts
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#62I switched over from Google to DDG back in 2013 and never looked back. I use it heavily on a day to day basis ranging from obscure java error messages for my job to just general searches and once in a great while I have to throw a !g in front of the search, but that's really it.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#63I think I've figured out what is happening when people tell me that DuckDuckGo's results "aren't good enough". What's really happening is that they've been trained to search a certain way to using Google and because DDG doesn't have all the historical data of your searches on their platform they can't fill in the gaps as well. After a couple days using DDG I found the right vocabulary to get good local results and wh…
I find DDG works for most purposes but I sometimes have to use !s to get meaningful results; even with very specific search terms such as a part number. These days I rarely find a need to use !g but it does happen a few times a week.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#64I think I've figured out what is happening when people tell me that DuckDuckGo's results "aren't good enough". What's really happening is that they've been trained to search a certain way to using Google and because DDG doesn't have all the historical data of your searches on their platform they can't fill in the gaps as well. After a couple days using DDG I found the right vocabulary to get good local results and wh…
Please teach me how to use DDG, as I’m clearly missing something. I’m happy to switch to a service that provides better results in exchange for a bit more effort in constructing search queries, but the results I get for that effort really do need to be better.
The only specific advise I’ve ever seen is “use !g if you don’t get good results the first time”, which really isn’t encouraging.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you share what is the right vocabulary for example? I have DDG as main engine for the phone and unless it’s Wikipedia level question, I have to use g!
Don’t use natural language, use keywords and quotes. Essentially the way people searched 5-10 years ago. I rarely need !g
This is the trick. Google got good at letting people search using 'natural' language. DDG is just a bit different. In some ways, I think it's better because my results are more specific in a lot of cases. I look up a lot of academic stuff where Google has the tendency to feed me a lot of garbage that DDG doesn't.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#66I switched over to DDG a few weeks ago. I slowly regressed to more and more !g usage, and finally switched back to GOOG a couple days ago. Then just an hour ago I searched for "google fiber stadia", because I was curious how well they work together. The main reddit result opened in an amp page (and of course reddit pressured me to install the mobile app). I went back to the results and started scrolling down. I hones…
Try using a google mirror instead, like Startpage. The google results without the spying.
Startpage is in bed with an advertising company.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#67I think I've figured out what is happening when people tell me that DuckDuckGo's results "aren't good enough". What's really happening is that they've been trained to search a certain way to using Google and because DDG doesn't have all the historical data of your searches on their platform they can't fill in the gaps as well. After a couple days using DDG I found the right vocabulary to get good local results and wh…
A lot of DDG fans on HN blame the user or social conditioning and use that as a crutch. It’s BS. You need to provide clear examples of the differences in order to really make this argument to someone who might switch. What specifically are the differences? The last time this topic came up someone told me I was a total noob because I didn’t know how to use search and that was basically the extent of it.
One could ask that you provide clear examples of searches that don't work right for you, then maybe we can provide advice.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#68I wish DDG all the best but for me, "good enough" isn't enough. I don't care about tracking so that isn't a real incentive for me either. I use Bing for my main search because they bribe me with points I can use to buy Amazon gift cards. It regularly isn't good enough so I regularly end up at google.
I want more competition in search so I'm glad people use DDG but it isn't for me yet
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#69I switched over to DDG a few weeks ago. I slowly regressed to more and more !g usage, and finally switched back to GOOG a couple days ago. Then just an hour ago I searched for "google fiber stadia", because I was curious how well they work together. The main reddit result opened in an amp page (and of course reddit pressured me to install the mobile app). I went back to the results and started scrolling down. I hones…
Similar. DDG just wasn't quite as good, and Google is getting too sleazy.
Re: DuckDuckGo is good enough for regular use
#70I strongly disagree, especially when you have all the Wikipedia / contact / google map embedded into Google search, with one click it can call phone number from a restaurant. Edit: To add more, it's all those details that makes Google better than other, search engine are not just for searching things it's all about the display and relevance.
I don't like that stuff in Google, so I'm fine with DDG not over-doing it. Wikipedia overview is fine, but the many widgets just get in the way IMO. If I want a map I go on maps. If I want reviews I go on a review website.
Like if I type "apple" on Google search the only web result I get is apple.com, everything else is taking with tangentially related widgets: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=apple
Special points for the IMO completely useless "people also search for" widget.
DDG tones it down a lot more: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=apple&ia=web
Here without scrolling I can see potentially useful links to iCloud, Apple TV, Apple's support etc...
Back when I first used Google its main selling point was that it was lean and clean and with decent results. DDG is like that for me these days.