On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:12 +0530, "gaurav luthra" <[email protected]> wrote: > FOSSManiac's concerns about Google(at the last GeekMeetup on 16th Jan. > 2011) > may have some weight in them but that DuckDuckGo is a better choice is > surely not something that I agree with. > Thanks you felt some weight in them, but sorry everyone for Pushing it too much and repeating same lines again and again.
> Let me list out some quick findings after few parallel searches across > Google and DuckDuckGo. > > 1.Google's search is more refined and to the point.Though it can be > attributed to the fact that DuckDuckGo is a new player. > But opt for DDG only if you have some patience to look through the > results to find what you want and have some(if not plenty) spare time > on your hands,which is very unlikely. > 2.When searching in Google,you have a timestamp associated with each > result(which enables me to decide whether the information is of any value > to > me) but DDG simply displays links which may lead to some time penalty > if > you hit a dead end after opening a link. > 3.Google provides a handy feature in Link Preview that is not present in > DDG. > . These are all kind of subjective stuff, as you said later in the thread different people, different preferences! > Now coming to the privacy part. For privacy part first read https://duckduckgo.com/privacy.html , it would be an eye opener for you! > 1.Everybody hates Ads.DDG doesn't have Ads but you can customize Google > to > act the way you want. > Install Ad-Block Plus for FF and save yourself a lot of irritation. Its not just about ads being displayed, where the privacy part comes in, it is about being tracked by Google(or other search engines) to show you targeted ads! > 2.If you don't want Google to customize your search results,Turn OFF Web > History. > Note:Google provides the Web-History Controls to both Signed-Out and > Signed-in users. > 3.And if you want to minimise the effect of searches being traced back to > you,search when Signed-Out of Google. They will still store your IP-addresses and User-agent which can be requested legally! > And if you are looking for some sensitive/classified info. or > restricted > keywords use a VPN/Proxy etc. > > Now some points that make DDG look evil than it is. > 1.When you use image search on DDG.ie. <search-keyword> !i it redirects > to > Google Image Search.(wooottt???). > 2.When you use news search on DDG ie.<search-keyword> !n it redirects to > Yahoo News. > 3.When you use Maps search on DDG ie. <search-keyword> !m it redirects to > Google Maps. > > Now even if DDG doesn't track you,rest assured when you click on the > Google > Image,Yahoo News,Google Maps pages from above your IP > is still being logged into their servers. > So can I say that DDG is just adding one messy step to my Google > way.Either > way i am already being tracked (Privacy goes Boom!) this is called "search leakage" and that doesn't happen in DDG how? for that I seriously recommend you to read the Privacy Policy link, I gave above. Actually whenever you get redirected to any page from DDG search page here is what happens (from their Privacy policy only): "DuckDuckGo prevents search leakage by default. Instead, when you click on a link on our site, we route (redirect) that request in such a way so that it does not send your search terms to other sites. The other sites will still know that you visited them, but they will not know what search you entered beforehand. " > ,so why not be smart with Google(use proper settings and protection) than > be > foolish with DDG. Not everyone is smart, so DDG helps them in making/acting smart, by not storing no data related to you! 1. One of the biggest difference bw DDG and Google.: For Google your Privacy is Optional (I hope it is not the same case with you) but for DDG it is of prime importance, so it makes it default, and that are the things which makes a lot of difference, millions of people does not even know about "Privacy" but simply search, that's what Google does its business on, but DDG cares about them, for that I love DDG! > So IMO the trick is to make smart Decisions. Ya agree with this but a person can't be smart, if he/she don't care about their Privacy! PS: Thanks for your feedback, you can send your issues/concerns to <https://duckduckgo.com/feedback.html>. Even anonymous feedback possible(Blank email field) and he will reply pretty soon! -- Parin Sharma https://identi.ca/fossmaniac -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class -- LUG@IITD - http://tinyurl.com/ycueutm
