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What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:05 pm
by Redacted
I don't know why I can't seem to find things I'm searching for, whether using Google or duck duck go.
A couple days ago I put in - word for word - a warning from YouTube about my browser. I even added the words Pale Moon.
I got nothing related to the issue. Yet today I see that this topic has been discussed since the beginning of January on the PM forums.
This has been happening to me for a couple years.
My wife used to call me a search engine guru
, yet I'm floundering these days, typing in all kinds of different search terms to try and find answers.
My question: is it me, or is it the search engines (or both)?
I know they change their algorithms, but have they changed that much from 10, 15 years ago?
And any pointers on better ways to search in these days?
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:11 pm
by richb
Got some hits with this search term using Google.
YouTube warning browser not supported
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:25 pm
by Mauser
I am returning multiple hits on "YouTube warning browser not supported" as well when I Duck it.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 10:17 pm
by jeffreyC
Not so new.
A good read on it:
https://neosmart.net/blog/2016/on-the-g ... h-results/
One of the things puzzling me lately is when I search for Linux I get results about Ubuntu nearly exclusively, when I search for Debian I get results for everything from Arch to Zorin.
Starting to think I need an English/Googlese dictionary.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:27 pm
by JayM
I've found that when searching for information about Linux the results tend to be better if I add -ubuntu to my search terms. Sometimes I even have to add -windows depending on what I get in my results the first time.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 1:14 am
by mjtux
The phrasing, choice of words and the
order in which they are listed can have a dramatic effect on the results.
With error message seaches, I have found that the exact wording in quotation marks is more likely to produce helpful results.
If it's a very long message, try certain portions only, starting with the beginning, also in quotes.
In duckduckgo.com - fourth hit is the Pale Moon forum:
"We'll stop supporting this browser soon." Pale Moon
https://forum.palemoon.org/viewtopic.php?t=23566
duckduckgo search without quotes:
debian linux based distros
These are on the first page of results:
As
JayM mentioned, weeding out unwanted results with the minus prefix can be
very helpful.
I do the same type of thing with Youtube searches. Word choice and ordering is more critical there.
I've been watching all types of Linux videos; distro reviews, xfce customization, Bash tutorials ...
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:54 am
by Bonzoo2525
Wording a search is an art form
NO : I have a problem with my mommies Linux printer
YES: print Gentoo Canon
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:11 am
by tascoast
I did a workshop on searching academic databases when studying a few years ago and found it quite valuable.
Too narrow, too specific, etc are common issues common to web searches in many instances.
Learning more about advanced search options where your result must include a word string or excludes a particular term etc., tweeking your search criteria will improve results.
https://www.google.com.au/advanced_search
will show some of the options available but other search engines will vary.
Never underestimate the monetisation and promotion of search results, or limitations of safe search setting in your browser
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:06 am
by Redacted
Thanks for the responses.
In that link that jeffreyC gave, it quotes Google as saying:
"If you use a long query, Google might ignore some of your keywords".
I think maybe that's been my part of my problem.
I definitely will also start trying to use the minus and advanced search. I used to use them long ago, but for some reason stopped.
Thanks again for all the help.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 5:24 am
by LU344928
Redacted wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:05 pm
have they changed that much from 10, 15 years ago?
Google has certainly introduced vast censorship over the years, as attested to by many whistleblowers.
You may get better results with these:
https://gibiru.com/
https://www.yippy.com/
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:27 am
by LU344928
Redacted wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:05 pm
or duck duck go.
Duck duck doesn't seem to be living up to its promises (or Startpage, for that matter):
'Oh, and just to be sure… everyone knows that DuckDuckGo (DDG) is also surveillance (and false marketing of privacy). Right? Everyone is aware, we hope. We covered this several times more than half a decade ago.
'For the time being we can recommend SearX (when its pertinent instances are online, e.g.
https://srx.sx/ which works at the moment but had uptime issues in recent weeks). It’s Free software as well, not just better at privacy'
http://techrights.org/2019/10/16/startp ... veillance/
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:16 am
by Mauser
LU344928 wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 5:24 am
Redacted wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:05 pm
have they changed that much from 10, 15 years ago?
Google has certainly introduced vast censorship over the years, as attested to by many whistleblowers.
You may get better results with these:
https://gibiru.com/
https://www.yippy.com/
Thank you for posting those search engines. They might come in handy if Duck Duck Go fails to find what I am searching for. I agree with you on Google's censorship. That's why I duck it instead of Googling it. By the way, Duck Duck Go has been getting better with it's searches. It seems all these companies are nosy.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:33 am
by JmaCWQ
Gibiru appears to be a sort of proxy that uses google's results, blocking google as I do it won't work until google dot com is unblocked...not sure I'd call that private...
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:06 am
by Redacted
Mauser wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:16 am
It seems all these companies are nosy.
This is the whole problem in a nutshell.
I always have and always will care about privacy.
But the nature of the internet is now data gathering. (Just look at what was revealed about Avast). It's not something I like, but it's not something I can stop.
I have to decide whether I need or want the services enough to put up with it. I personally avoid the obvious things like facebook and other social media outlets, because I have no interest.
I do, however, understand those who use them. I wish they would think more about the privacy implications, but that's their concern. I cannot change their mind, nor do I particularly want to. In big cities across America, people leave their curtains and blinds open. When I was growing up, they were kept closed. It's a different world, and I have to adjust.
So with web searches, I just have to choose the one that gives me the best results.
I wanted to write more, but my handle was chosen because I can't seem to keep things short and sweet. I'm always redacting, lol.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:31 am
by wulf
Private.sh < addon for Mozilla based browsers is worth a look.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:09 am
by Mauser
Redacted wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:06 am
Mauser wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:16 am
It seems all these companies are nosy.
This is the whole problem in a nutshell.
I always have and always will care about privacy.
But the nature of the internet is now data gathering. (Just look at what was revealed about Avast). It's not something I like, but it's not something I can stop.
I have to decide whether I need or want the services enough to put up with it. I personally avoid the obvious things like facebook and other social media outlets, because I have no interest.
I do, however, understand those who use them. I wish they would think more about the privacy implications, but that's their concern. I cannot change their mind, nor do I particularly want to. In big cities across America, people leave their curtains and blinds open. When I was growing up, they were kept closed. It's a different world, and I have to adjust.
So with web searches, I just have to choose the one that gives me the best results.
I wanted to write more, but my handle was chosen because I can't seem to keep things short and sweet. I'm always redacting, lol.
I know what you mean. There are things we can do on our computers to be more private but you can not remain 100% private when you go online. I would explain my thoughts further on this but I don't want to overstep the boundaries of the rules of this forum because what I would type out scoots the edge of politics that I think it's best I don't discuss it here if you know what I mean.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:11 am
by Mauser
wulf wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:31 am
Privacy.sh < addon for Mozilla based browsers is worth a look.
Thanks. I use these settings with a VPN instead.
https://restoreprivacy.com/firefox-privacy/ and
https://gist.github.com/0XDE57/fbd302cef7693e62c769
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:00 pm
by handy
I've complained in threads from time over many years now about the ever so slowly creaping censorship of the search engines.
I can't see any way to change the situation. Duck often won't give me a result where Startpage.com will. Startpage uses G**gle's engine but doesn't track you. Though there was some talk of a change in ownership, have to see how that pan's out.
I don't know what the Waterfox search engine is like (is it really Bing?) I don't trust it.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:20 am
by LU344928
handy wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:00 pm
I don't know what the Waterfox search engine is like (is it really Bing?) I don't trust it.
Yes, the default engine is Bing but that's easily fixed.
Still, I prefer Waterfox to Pale Moon, which I stopped using a couple of years ago for a few reasons but mainly because it complained about my adblocker when I visited its site. Never used it since.
Re: What's going on with my web searches?
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:32 pm
by handy
LU344928 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:20 am
handy wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:00 pm
I don't know what the Waterfox search engine is like (is it really Bing?) I don't trust it.
Yes, the default engine is Bing but that's easily fixed.
Still, I prefer Waterfox to Pale Moon, which I stopped using a couple of years ago for a few reasons but mainly because it complained about my adblocker when I visited its site. Never used it since.
I immediately change any browser that I use to Duck & Startpage.
I thought Bing was "his" new search engine.
I prefer Waterfox to Pale Moon as well. Mainly due to the lag I get with Pale Moon that I don't get with Waterfox. It may possibly be due to one of the add-ons that I use with Pale Moon? Either way, I consider the add-ons essential so...