Google factors in duration of stay on a page when ranking domains, not just the keywords. That allows for higher quality sites to surface at expense of SEO keyword gamified ones. Searching for Online Wishlist surfaces a bunch of “Wishlist%” starting domains that offer junk services. The private quality ones with high duration of stay are not showing, even after a lot of scrolling. Same with other queries. Something to keep in mind. The highest quality search comes from a lot of context, not just about the user.
Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
211–220 of 477 posts
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#212Earlier quoted context omitted.
I strongly second this. I immediately gave up on trying it out once I realized I had to download something. Your KPIs should be around how sticky your search features are, it seems like it is currently based on download counts.
Hey. Yea. We struggle with the extension -> navbar search requirement also. We have found that if you're not the default engine that is easily accessible from the Navbar, you will not be able to break the Google monopoly. We also found that many people will just do a quick search for "asd" or "weather" and then leave because those searches aren't really differentiated (and just can't really be). Our extension is 33kB…
Agree with all the other commenters. I'm not necessarily against eventually downloading the plugin or changing my navbar setting, but, to be blunt, there is no way in hell I'm doing that before I get to try it out. I'm not going to trust you until you've given some evidence that you're worth trusting. Especially since your tagline is "built for devs", in my experience devs are the least likely to put up with unnecessary hoops and user hostile gates in order to try out a product.
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#213Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hey. Yea. We struggle with the extension -> navbar search requirement also. We have found that if you're not the default engine that is easily accessible from the Navbar, you will not be able to break the Google monopoly. We also found that many people will just do a quick search for "asd" or "weather" and then leave because those searches aren't really differentiated (and just can't really be). Our extension is 33kB…
Having the extension and letting people try it on the web seems like a more reasonable choice. People need to try it out. That said...there is a search textbox at the top of the page and it worked for me in Firefox and Chrome. Did people just miss it? If so, it should probably be in the middle with the big blue button.
it takes 5 seconds to install and uninstall an extension.
we will open source it also so people can see how simple and benign it is.
It feels like 5s to help move the internet away from a privacy invading monopoly isn't too bad?
If you like privacy and agency of your information diet, or saving lots of time while coding, or Reddit results always accessible to browse for most queries, etc.
Then the 5s install will be worth it for you :)
PS: You can try in incognito mode (though some apps wont work due to hardcore privacy and no location sharing, etc.)
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#214I found your pitch really interesting, I'd love to try it. I, however, refuse to install an extension and change my default search engine just to be allowed to type in a search query. I'm sure you have some "growth hacking" reason for this that is compelling to you. Maybe you hope that the slight annoyance of switching back will outweigh the inevitable annoyances with a new product like this. It does come off as user…
Yea... Requiring the extension for navbar searches was a tough choice. You actually can try it out in incognito mode and any other browser. But we found that without the convenience of a navbar search, most people won't give it a proper try either way. I hope we can drop this requirement even in Chrome when we become one of the default options. We will implement an a/b test and see if we can get rid of the requiremen…
lol come on man
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#215Earlier quoted context omitted.
I strongly second this. I immediately gave up on trying it out once I realized I had to download something. Your KPIs should be around how sticky your search features are, it seems like it is currently based on download counts.
Hey. Yea. We struggle with the extension -> navbar search requirement also. We have found that if you're not the default engine that is easily accessible from the Navbar, you will not be able to break the Google monopoly. We also found that many people will just do a quick search for "asd" or "weather" and then leave because those searches aren't really differentiated (and just can't really be). Our extension is 33kB…
That other VC backed search engine also wanted an extension for beta.
Nope.
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#216Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yea... Requiring the extension for navbar searches was a tough choice. You actually can try it out in incognito mode and any other browser. But we found that without the convenience of a navbar search, most people won't give it a proper try either way. I hope we can drop this requirement even in Chrome when we become one of the default options. We will implement an a/b test and see if we can get rid of the requiremen…
Is there a way for me to use it without omnibar integration? I'd really prefer to leave my search engine as-is...
> I'd really prefer to leave my search engine as-is
That's a tough start for trying out a new search engine :)
But yes, you can go into incognito mode or manually set your navbar, or try a different browser.
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#217Earlier quoted context omitted.
I strongly second this. I immediately gave up on trying it out once I realized I had to download something. Your KPIs should be around how sticky your search features are, it seems like it is currently based on download counts.
Hey. Yea. We struggle with the extension -> navbar search requirement also. We have found that if you're not the default engine that is easily accessible from the Navbar, you will not be able to break the Google monopoly. We also found that many people will just do a quick search for "asd" or "weather" and then leave because those searches aren't really differentiated (and just can't really be). Our extension is 33kB…
DuckDuckGo seens to have been able to do this just fine, even with the weirdest name for a company ever. Their growing by word of mouth from geeks like us. I set DDG as default on all of my family/friends browsers. Focus on making a good search and users will come
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#2181. Who are the folks behind this?
2. How is this funded?
3. The You.com domain must have been an incredibly expensive purchase. The folks that wrote the check for that were cool with never selling user data at any point down the road?
3a. Did the people that wrote the check for you.com make the money they put into it from investing in companies that do sell user data?
4. I’m actually supposed to believe that they don’t have a revenue model at all aside from affiliate links?
5. Most importantly, what is the current valuation of this business?
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#219Earlier quoted context omitted.
I avoid Chrome whenever possible. It's a battery and privacy killer. Search field worked fine in Safari.
Well, that's fine, but all the issues being reported here are due to Chrome users seeing the same thing - inability to use You.com unless you install an even larger potential privacy killer in the form of an extension. Otherwise it refuses to let you search using the on page bar.
Not all extensions are the same.
I understand healthy skepticism since there are a ton of sketchy extensions out there.
We will open source it in the next few hours since 80% of comments here are just about this extension :D
It's 33kB and a dead simple change in one setting.
Re: Show HN: You.com, private search engine that summarizes the web – built for devs
#220Earlier quoted context omitted.
Having the extension and letting people try it on the web seems like a more reasonable choice. People need to try it out. That said...there is a search textbox at the top of the page and it worked for me in Firefox and Chrome. Did people just miss it? If so, it should probably be in the middle with the big blue button.
it takes 5 seconds to install and uninstall an extension. we will open source it also so people can see how simple and benign it is. It feels like 5s to help move the internet away from a privacy invading monopoly isn't too bad? If you like privacy and agency of your information diet, or saving lots of time while coding, or Reddit results always accessible to browse for most queries, etc. Then the 5s install will be…
Please don't be like that. We don't want to install an extension. If your focus is privacy, please understand where we come from on this.