this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024
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[–] [email protected] 106 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Google results are actually already pretty terrible. They just have tremendous inertia.

[–] APassenger 24 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I stopped using them months ago. I only notice when I'm looking for places (e.g., restaurants, barbers).

I'm not unhappy but may still shop around.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

yeah, I appreciate the push towards more privacy-centric search engines but as a result searches that are relevant to me geographically on places like startpage are next to useless. I understand why but I wish that local results were a bit better on the alternatives.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

We all keep saying this but can anybody point me to which one is better?

I invariably end up having to go back to them because the other search engines all have their own problems.

The issue is the internet is polluted with SEO and all the useful things that used to be spread out are now condensed onto places like Reddit, or places that aren't even being indexed.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Supposedly there's a paid one that is good. I haven't tried. The thing is Google is completely enshittified. They don't have to care about you or the sites you search. So my theory is Bing is better because they are hungrier and anything that takes away market share from Google is good—but I'm fully aware that Microsoft was just as shitty as Google and will be again if they get back on top.

Everything else I know of is either just an alternate front end for one of them or an aggregator of both. So you're right, there's precious little alternative to Google. But it's almost bad enough I'm ready for the return of web rings of good sites vouching for each other.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I assume you're talking about kagi. I pay for their $5/month subscription and it's great

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Serious question. Can you spell out for me the exact advantages you feel they provide? I have a free account, but every time I try them out I feel like their answers are honestly a little bit worse than Ecosia.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I find Kagi results a little bit better than Google's (for most things). I like that certain categories of results are put in their own sections (listicles, forums) so they're easy to ignore if you want. I like that I can prioritize, deprioritize, block, or pin results from certain domains. I like that I can quickly switch "lenses" to one of the predefined or custom lenses.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Ok I don’t think I’m doing it right then. Is there a tutorial?

[–] bitwaba 0 points 4 months ago (2 children)

my theory is Bing is better because they are hungrier and anything that takes away market share from Google is good

If you think Microsoft is in the business of innovation and healthy competition, you're wrong.

https://www.wired.com/2011/02/bing-copies-google

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If that was what you took from my post, give it another read. I'm not pro MS. I'm pro not feeding Google. And Bing is fine.

[–] bitwaba 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm not pro MS. I'm pro not feeding Google.

I feel like this is similar to arguing that Exxon is bad so it's better to buy gas from BP.

Both are shitty options.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Thankfully there are other options because you just nailed the two places I refuse to ever get gas from when there is any other option. If there was a good third option I'd take it here, but while Google commands so much market share and a new competitor would probably siphon users from Bing (and it's not enough users) I don't think a real alternative will come. I'm intrigued by kagi, though.