Alternatives to Google

[artherd]

my midget wrestling preferences are well known - what's the point in taking a hard-line stance against data-gathering that just improves search (and most of the rest of the internet) for everyone?

Never really got the whole anti-google thing. Schmit Brin and Page are good people and have so far done rather a lot of good things with their company.

Plenty of companies out there to hate and boycott. Google isn't one of them.

[Regulus]

I've also heard they've also been very cooperative when releasing some peoples privacy info, but I don't have any 'proof'.

Did you try Googling it?

[artherd]

[glock_this]

Google archives everybody's searches. Ties that search to a specific URL and logs it for safekeeping.
Did a search for doggie porn?? Or for hotels that have midget wrestling nearby? Those searches will be forever tied to your URL at home.

They are also trying to digitize the worlds' libraries, and trying to publicly host every book ever written. That will play havoc with writers trying to make some money by those folks buying the books. Why buy when you can download?

I've also heard they've also been very cooperative when releasing some peoples privacy info, but I don't have any 'proof'.

The search archiving is what did it for me though.

yeah, so? what corp. doesn't? CC companies know as much about you. at least these guys admit to it. did you watch that recent show on them where they talk about these concerns? they keep the info for a limited time - 5 years IIRC - and IIRC there is no way to tie it back to a name per se. You do not have a "URL at home" - unless you mean an IP address. keeping everyones search is one thing, tying them back to you exactly is another. but again, so what. Any time you use your CC and buy any seller can do the same thing AND see what you like to buy. Just think what the credit card companies know about you. old news and just the world we live in.

but really.. in the end, I so don't care. I do search porn topics, among hundreds of other things. I am a man and an adult and that kind of info, so what I say.

as for the books.. in 50 years, your kids or grand kids will thank them for having done this and had the foresight to do so. paper books and paper media WILL become a thing of the past. And once again, they are thinking ahead. You just can't see it now, but they are ahead of the rest - like Apple - and taking proactive steps and digitizing media is a darn good thing.

not only that.. are you kidding about writers making money. there is more money to be had. ever looked at the price of a digital book, higher than a paperback. there is no money to be lost PLUS they have digital security on them so the book knows if it has been transferred to a new eBook reader. Like iTunes use to do with their music.

you being on your computer on this forum is in part thanks to companies and brains like Google. Heck, there is even a CGN Google Search

[JDay]

+1 and Bing.

I only use those two now.

What makes you think you can trust Microsoft anymore than Google?

[JDay]

One more thing, Google lets you opt out of what info about your searches and pages you visit they keep. You can disable it all and even delete what is already saved. You cannot do this with other search providers.

https://www.google.com/dashboard

[darcblue]

This one claims to be the most private. They do not store what you search nor do they keep track of your searches as I have heard google does.

startpage.com

[Federalist]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I didn't intend to bash Google in this thread. Based on my own personal experience (but without getting into details), I would prefer to use an alternative search engine. From my perspective, competition is a good thing.

[The Duke]

I know bing.com is bought and paid for by microsoft, but I've enjoyed the 'different' results I've gotten there. A good backup search.

[bigcalidave]

EVERYONE keeps all your searches. Google just sells it the best.
Why would anyone not use google? They are great! I fully support any company that is successful at taking over the world. Sign up for google voice too! Might as well let them access all your voice calls and text messages too. At some point, you will forget what someone said in a phone call and you will be able to google it yay!

That wasn't sarcasm, I love google. They have made everything better.

Here is a question, I don't know if it deserves it's own thread...
Why would ANYONE use bing?

[mbrown]

I also have a hard time stomaching Google's liberal bent. I've been using Bing a lot lately for that reason. Microsoft is not as overtly liberal as Google. Google has the right to be liberal and I have the right to not support them. In most cases I've found Bing to return many of the same first hits as Google. If I'm doing some deeper research on an obscure subject, I will use Google as well as Bing.