Live data from Hacker News

Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

help.duckduckgo.com

81–90 of 126 posts

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#82
post #56

DDG is nice initiative. The problem is that it does not solve any problem related to privacy because it is based on a matter of trust. Distributed search, similar to bittorrent, DHT-based designs and the like are notoriously difficult. I've participated in such efforts, like the Seeks Project [1], Yacy [2], and related initiatives like Unhosted [3], and it takes a certain amount of dedication (and suffering ;) ). How…

Which of those is the best for the average joe?

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#83
post #77

I can support this, but only if it offers real safety as opposed to Google. So does it? Or is it safe only because NSA hasn't bothered to go to DDG yet, or do whatever they are doing to get Google's search data (cable splitters or whatever)?

They claim not to record any data, so there's no worry about gov't requests. http://donttrack.us/

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#84
post #83
post #77

I can support this, but only if it offers real safety as opposed to Google. So does it? Or is it safe only because NSA hasn't bothered to go to DDG yet, or do whatever they are doing to get Google's search data (cable splitters or whatever)?

They claim not to record any data, so there's no worry about gov't requests. http://donttrack.us/

Oh wow. I didn't know this.

Interesting. This could become a real competitive advantage for them.

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#85
post #77

I can support this, but only if it offers real safety as opposed to Google. So does it? Or is it safe only because NSA hasn't bothered to go to DDG yet, or do whatever they are doing to get Google's search data (cable splitters or whatever)?

You should read their privacy policy: https://duckduckgo.com/privacy#s5

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#86
post #3

...and you trust Chrome? Not even Chromium, but... Chrome. Google makes Chrome, you know.

Yes, I trust that Google has not shipped a binary modification to their open source software to track search terms, which would be (a) illegal, (b) easily detectable enough that someone would notice it eventually, and (c) pointless, since they're already getting the vast majority of users' search terms legitimately. Then again, I work for them, but I would have said the same thing a month ago...

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

have you checked out some of the !bang options available? I just took a look and here is a sampling of what you have available. Sysadmin: !apache !awesome !bsd !chef !codeweavers !cookbook !cve !datasheet !distro !distrowatch !eventid !everymac !exex !exploitdb !filext !fsf !fsfe !funtoo !gdiag !gnomebugs !gnu !howtoforge (!htf) !ip !irp !iso !linode !linuxfr !linuxhcl !linuxmint !lxr !mysql !nginxwiki !openbsd !open…

Part of me thinks those are cool, but the rest of my shouts "why should I have to do that?!".

Because Google learns what your preferences are, DDG don't. This is why there is no "search bubble", unfortunately it comes at a price.

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#89
post #58

Pretty lame of DuckDuckGo to use this controversy to gain some cheap exposure. Besides, there are zero guarantees that they are immune to the kind of accusation currently aimed at Google and co.

It'd be hard to provide any data to the NSA based on DuckDuckGo's privacy policy: http://donttrack.us/

(Unless, of course, you think they're blatantly lying about what they do and do not track, in which case I'm wasting my energy.)

Re: Make DuckDuckGo your Chrome default search engine

#90
post #23

OK, but tomorrow when I've forgotten that I've done this and I do a quick search, if the very first thing that comes up isn't what I want, I bet I switch right back.

"^L g search" and you're searching Google.

I've had DDG as my default search engine. It's been a bit rocky. I've left it in place out of privacy preferences, and used it occasionally, but had actually started getting used to the google search method above.

I'm consciously reverting to using DDG more (it's getting better). Why? Because my privacy and rights do matter to me. I've still got Google literally a keystroke away (or !g from any DDG search, or !sp for StartPage's private proxied Google search).

And DDG's TTY mode is pretty awesome: https://duckduckgo.com/tty/

Post reply on HN