Not because DDG got better, but just because google got worse.

google is still better for site-specific searches, and google scholar still has minimal AI slop

    • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml
      0·
      2 years ago

      I just typed “african mouse” into both bing, and ddg. I got EXACTLY the same results. Which I kind of expected . Same order, everything. However, my understanding is, that DDG obfuscates the user, and doesn’t track. This is my hope, and why I use it.

  • HouseWolf@lemm.eedeleted by creatorEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    I’ve been using DDG since 2016 and never felt it was worse in terms of “search quality” than Google.

    Especially nowadays I hear friends whine near weekly about Google, but it’s still somehow “better than DDG”.

    Honestly people just make excuses not to change what they’re use to. Even if what they’re used to has changed around them for the worse.

    My only real complain I have is I wish ‘search by date range’ was less finicky use and also worked in the image tab like it does in Google images.

  • venotic@kbin.melroy.orgdeleted by creator
    0·
    2 years ago

    Not really. If you focus purely on just searching, yeah DDG is decent. But, I find its maps inferior and trying to find answers to some questions can get tedious. DDG I guess is just for people who want guilt-free searching.

        • Xanthobilly@lemmy.world
          0·
          2 years ago

          Agreed. Even if it were identical to Google maps in terms of content, it runs slower on all platforms I’ve so far tried (windows, iOS, OSX).

        • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
          0·
          2 years ago

          yes, it is. but between it and graphhopper (or osm), it’s “enough” for me.

          i don’t need a feature-filled “app” (my phone is ‘dumb’), and the only time i end up on something else like bing or google maps is if a site i need to use embeds and relies upon them.

          • The D Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
            0·
            2 years ago

            my problem with apple maps is how frequently it has something’s location completely wrong because osm addresses use the European addressing system everywhere when i don’t live in europe

            • Luc@lemmy.world
              0·
              2 years ago

              OpenStreetMap contributor here. What address format isn’t supported? Maybe I can help

              • The D Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
                0·
                2 years ago

                United States format is very different from the european format and often the apple maps algorithm makes some boneheaded assuptions to translate from a US address to something OSM understands. i contribute, too, but the next time i have an example of apple maps fucking up… i’ll have already forgot this convo happened, but i’ll try

  • EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

    …Oh, sorry.

    Hell no. If anything, it’s gotten worse.

    In their defense, however, it’s probably largely not their fault. In my admittedly one-person-sample-size experience, 90% of the searchable Web is either Reddit threads or articles, and with Reddit going officially with Google (meaning DDG doesn’t catch as many Reddit threads as they used to), that leaves most of the searchable Web being articles. Because SEO has to ruin everything.

    So, it’s not really that DDG is shitty (mostly), but that all searches are shitty. Though, with the whole Google-and-Reddit thing, I find Google’s results are noticeably less shitty (though still shitty).

    • shinratdr@lemmy.ca
      0·
      2 years ago

      Yeah I really tried with DDG, switched my phone to it for 2 months. I was using !g so often it made the whole thing pointless.

      Google sucks, but right now nothing is better. This is why they’re able to push their AI bullshit results so heavily, because just like with YouTube, ultimately there is no real competition.

    • Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zoneBannedEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      The killer for me has to be that it doesn’t support searching for phrases within websites I need. Latest example: github. I can be on the project page, copy a phrase from the code and search ddg with it in double quotemarks, and get 0 results. Copy - google.com - paste - enter - loads of results.

      Also the search function broke for about a day, a few days ago

      • flux@lemmy.mlEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        That’s a bit surprising, given DDG uses Bing, Bing is Microsoft and Microsoft owns Github.

        Did you try the same search with Bing, or have an example to share?

      • EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        To be honest with you, I didn’t even know that was a feature. (Unless I’m misunderstanding you.) Sounds cool!

        If I need to search a website, I use either Ctrl+F or the site: search engine operator.

    • untorquer@lemmy.world
      0·
      2 years ago

      I feel the same except Google is worse due to higher number of ads in results and most SEO prioritizes Google over Bing meaning more Google results are AI spam articles.

      • EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        I feel the same except Google is worse due to higher number of ads in results

        I generally don’t see ads due to uBlock Origin. Or am I just not noticing them? Lol.

        and most SEO prioritizes Google over Bing meaning more Google results are AI spam articles.

        I will give you that. But I find that’s the case with DDG too which is why I’m having to rely more and more on search operators like site:. I agree that it’s really annoying.

        • untorquer@lemmy.world
          0·
          2 years ago

          I generally don’t see ads due to uBlock Origin. Or am I just not noticing them? Lol.

          I’m talking about the results as ads(paid for result ranking). Not as much a thing in DDG but google, they’re awful and you get maybe 2 results a page that aren’t paid promotion.

          Freya Holmer did a good video on AI/SEO i think touches a little on this…

  • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
    0·
    2 years ago

    Duckduckgo mostly uses Bing for its search results. It also uses yahoo, yandex, and it’s own crawler, but for the most part you’re getting Bing.

    So what you really want to know is if Bing is just as good as Google. If you think it is, you should definitely use ddg because they’re the least intrusive.

  • yata@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 years ago

    I switched to it a couple of years ago, with the expectation that I had to resort to google in more complex search instances. But very soon I found out that ddg did the job, and my “alternative” google searches did not turn up anything better, quite the contrary in fact, and I haven’t been back since.

  • ByGourou@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 years ago

    I really tried, I set duckduckgo as the default for my second browser (I use it a lot) to slowly get used to it, but every time results are so bad I get mad and switch to Google especially for images

  • Silk@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    I use Kagi, I really like how it’s AI answer gives sources for statements.

  • fibojoly@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 years ago

    Have been using it for 8 years now. I never felt the need to switch back honestly. Only Google thing I really love is Maps and that’s it.

  • Zeppo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    I use it for almost everything. I only resort to Google if I can’t find what I’m looking for, which is rare and typically it’s something obscure. Google has also steadily made their service worse over the years. I don’t feel like I am missing much.