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What would make you switch search engine?

Published on Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006

So, you all have your favorite search engine, right? And probably also the tools/approach you prefer to search with it; for instance, a text field in your favorite web browser, perhaps a web browser toolbar or have it set up through Quicksilver. What I’m interested in, though, is what would make you switch search engine? What would make you use another one?

Posted in Google, Technology | 19 comments

19 comments

Maaike
November 22nd, 2006 at 13:03

I wonder if anyone here is not using Google? I would switch if another engine offered a similar amount of relevant results, but I can’t think of any one that can do this.
Nick
November 22nd, 2006 at 13:09

I use google and I doubt I would switch to any other current ones, but I would be tempted by a search engine that had a less sponsored results and returned more accurate results. Google is good for the most part but it returns rubbish sometimes - the “i’m feeling lucky button” is just useless now as rarely returns something you want, it should really be a “you’ll be lucky” button. I would never use yahoo or MSN though, there is just too much going on - i just want to search!! I like live.com but it does
feel quite right starting safari with it!
Anders
November 22nd, 2006 at 13:15

I agree.

I would switch only if another search engine offered not only more content but also more relevant search results.

The only search engines I could think would be able to do so in a forseeable future is MSN or Yahoo.

But they probably won’t. Google is involuntary de-facto standard..
Michael
November 22nd, 2006 at 14:09

I do not switch, because I want a clean, simple search box and not ads, thousands of categories and so on.
Nick Webb
November 22nd, 2006 at 14:36

I use Google for most search and don’t expect to change any time soon.

The only exception would be for image searching - I love the way Microsoft have produce their image search as part of their Live Search system. I think that’s an improvement on Google’s current offering.
Alex Morse
November 22nd, 2006 at 16:00

I’d actually like to switch. Google’s results have been pretty good, but more and more I’m getting crap. Maybe that’s just temporary as spammers make link spamming sites and they’re not filtered out yet.

Regardless, it’s all about results.
Thomas Peklak
November 22nd, 2006 at 16:27

Most of the time google is the search engine of my choice. But sometimes especially when I search for something that is also a file extension (e.g. JSP), google just shows results containing pages with this file type (somthing.jsp). Very much annoying. Every time I come over this problem, I switch to yahoo. Which doesn’t show this behavior.
Additionally I use MSN for link searching (e.g.: link: http://www.robertnyman.com) which IMO delivers the best results.
Aaron Bassett
November 22nd, 2006 at 17:50

Google is good for the most part but it returns rubbish sometimes - the â€œiâ€™m feeling lucky buttonâ€ is just useless now as rarely returns something you want, it should really be a â€œyouâ€™ll be luckyâ€ button.

Your wish is my Command - Greasemonkey script
Changes the text on the feeling lucky button to ‘You’ll be lucky’

Nothing ground breaking but kept me amused for about 3seconds
web
November 22nd, 2006 at 18:26

I switched from google to Blingo.

Its google results, but I have a chance to win prizes every time I (or my frineds) search for something.

So far a few of my friends have won some movie tickets and a few gift certificates. Not bad for using google like I always have.

If you sign up, use my link so we will be “frineds” and if you win, I also win.

http://www.blingo.com
Eugene
November 22nd, 2006 at 20:02

the “i feel lucky” option just redirects you automatically to the first result (if you would do a ‘regular’ search….)
jrf
November 22nd, 2006 at 21:30

I use Google when I’m searching in those situations when I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking for (so when I want to view numerous results to see which result fits best).

If I know pretty much what I am looking for, I use ixQuick - http://www.ixquick.com/ - the interface is just as simple and there are just as few ads/sponsored results as in Google (or even less). The results are based on the ‘best of’ results from several search engines together and because of that will normally have what I’m searching for within the very top of their results (first page or even on first position).
Robert Nyman - author
November 22nd, 2006 at 22:03

Thanks for your comments, and your opinions! Personally, I use Google all the time, and I’m still very satisfied with it.

Thomas,

Interesting option with MSN about link searching (and a fantastic example! :-)).

Aaron,

That’s hilarious!

web, jrf,

Thanks for the suggestions. And web, that was quite some promotion!
Lachlan Hunt
November 24th, 2006 at 7:03

I mostly use Google cause it’s conveniently located in the Firefox toolbar. I like the I’m Feeling Lucky search, I use it frequely from the Firefox address bar, but usually only where the result is predictable.

I just took a look at some other search engines to compare them and I still really dislike MSN.com and Yahoo home pages. They’re just far too cluttered with information I’m not interested in. I like Google, Live.com and Ask.com because their home pages are relatively clean.

The live.com image search interface is really innovative and has some nice features that Google doesn’t. As far as results go, that’s difficult to tell. I’d need to try them out for a little longer to compare the results.

For dictionary search, I used to use dictionary.com, but I’m finding myself using answers.com more and more recently. The fact that Google’s definition links now go there is a major reason for that, but I found that answers.com lacked
Pat
November 24th, 2006 at 7:06

Google is my homepage, with that said, I don’t think I’d be switching anytime soon.

What would make me switch? Well first the layout is extremely important.. I love Google’s simplicity, I mean it’s about search right? Not content shoved everywhere making my poor head spin, and my computer sputter.

More relevant searches, but how do they do that?- already considering they combat spammers as best as they can. I suppose it would be nice to vote some links out, or at least give me the option to get rid of them while logged in. Sorta like they do in adwords (filtering domains).

Well, nothing else that I can think of off hand, Google just fits, when I go to their site it’s like part of my computer, it’s there, it’s important. It would be hard to switch.

However I have noticed lately that yahoo is storing my pages alot faster than google or MSN. Also, yahoo is speedier than MSN, I’d say almost comparable to google.. a big bonus, especially for me, who’s connected via ADSL lite yet.. I still find the yahoo network overwhelming.
Robert Nyman - author
November 24th, 2006 at 8:41

Lachlan,

I mostly use Google cause itâ€™s conveniently located in the Firefox toolbar

Me too.

Pat,

I love Googleâ€™s simplicity

Me too.
Douglas Clifton
November 25th, 2006 at 3:00

Firefox users who are also Google loyalists might find the CustomizeGoogle extension handy. I do.
Robert Nyman - author
November 27th, 2006 at 14:17

Douglas,

Thanks for the tip!
web
November 27th, 2006 at 17:40

Shameless self promotion .. I know.

But if you signed up — SOMEBODY has to benefit .. why not me?

I do hate how search engines assume that the mouse focus should be in their search field.

Lots of times I open a web browser and set the search engine to be my homepage .. and it steals the cursor on me.
Robert Nyman - author
November 27th, 2006 at 18:58

web,

Shameless self promotion .. I know.

Don’t worry.

All the proceeds from ad clicks will go to charity. However, if you like to give something directly to charity yourself, I recommend choosing from the listed ones below.