Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic If you search the web in English, you most likely use Google. Search engine market share lists regularly show Google(Figure A, left )at more than 80 %market share, with Microsoft’s Bing(Figure A, right )a remote second at around 8 % market share. On mobile devices, even Apple selects Google as the default search company.
Figure A
The vast majority of individuals depend on Google search, while far fewer rely on Microsoft’s
Bing. For searches with a single particular and accurate response, your choice in between Google, Bing or another search provider might not matter. For instance, both search engines supply quick and accurate outcomes when you need to know what year the IBM PC was first manufactured (1981) or which team won the Male’s 2022 FIFA World Cup (Argentina).
Nevertheless, when your intent is to glean details from a wide variety of sources, it makes good sense to query various online search engine. For example, searching both Google and Bing for “edge computing finest practices” or “use vi and tmux” supplies slightly various sets of linked pages to examine.
The search options covered below consist of not just truly independent search sources but likewise secondary search services. These secondary search services often depend upon Bing or Google results that the service then filters and sorts differently than the source search indexes.
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Check out independent search services
Beyond Google and Bing, the most considerable independent English-language online search engine is Mojeek, displayed in Figure B, left. An October 2022 post declared that Mojeek has more than 6 billion pages indexed. As a privacy-respecting service, Mojeek also selects not to track you.
Another genuinely independent search engine is Gigablast, shown in Figure B, right, which likewise acts as the source index for searches performed at Private.sh. Nevertheless, the two sites prioritize and present results differently, with Gigablast organizing arise from significant sources and Private.sh supplying a traditional list of links.
Figure B
While the majority of search services depend on indexes and information from sources such as Google or Bing, independent search indexes do exist. Mojeek, on the left, has indexed more than 6 billion pages. Gigablast, on the right, likewise preserves its own independent index.
Look for a secondary search company
The majority of search services depend on Bing or Google as a source for some– if not all– of their results. DuckDuckGo (Figure C, left), for instance, partners with Microsoft for results from Bing, while Startpage (Figure C, right) distributes arises from Google.
Figure C
Lots of search providers rely on results from Bing and Google. DuckDuckGo, for example, partners with Microsoft Bing, while Startpage depends on Google. What distinguishes DuckDuckGo and Startpage from their search information sources, nevertheless, are their respective personal privacy policies: Both assure greater personal privacy and less tracking than Google or Bing. Qwant and Yahoo likewise source arises from Bing, while Brave Browse mixes in results from both Bing and Google. At least a couple start-up online search engine, such as Kagi and Neeva, use both complimentary and paid plans that let you prioritize, filter and customize outcomes.
Unlike the secondary search services listed above, which are all for-profit entities, MetaGer.org, displayed in Figure D, is run by a non-profit organization based in Germany. Like other secondary search services, it draws arise from other sources, consisting of Bing, Yahoo, Scopia and Infotiger. Not just may you switch any of these 4 sources on or off, MetaGer also lets you pick to omit specific domains or subdomains from results.
Figure D
MetaGer.org, run by a nonprofit organization, relies on Bing, Yahoo, Scopia and Infotiger search sources. You may toggle any of these sources on or off.
Directly search a pertinent website
Some responses may best be acquired directly from a relevant source. Responses historically found in an encyclopedia or an atlas, for instance, may be resolved with a search of Wikipedia.org or OpenStreetMap.org. A lot of major search and mapping services depend on these sources.
While once commonly questioned, the basic reliability of Wikipedia as a source, in specific, has actually been thoroughly thought about and attended to. Likewise, concerns you may ask a knowledgeable associate might be addressed with an inquiry of Stack Exchange, Stack Overflow, Quora or Wikihow. Responses from these websites might require to be assessed with appropriate caution and factor to consider.
WolframAlpha (Figure E) supplies an interesting example of a specialized research study engine. The system depends on a set of sources picked for precision. For instance, if you ask the system to offer you the human population on Mars, it returns the number no, as you would expect. WolframAlpha stands out at mathematics and science computations and questions, along with responses that may be originated from established history and truths. Both complimentary and paid editions of WolframAlpha are available.
Figure E
As a specialized research engine, WolframAlpha delivers answers drawn from a highly curated set of sources to assist make sure accuracy of outcomes.
Tor internet browser search choices
Individuals who use the Tor browser typically place a high concern on privacy that likely likewise encompasses a choice for privacy-respecting search results page. DuckDuckGo, MetaGer and Brave each offer search services that might be accessed via a Tor internet browser onion service, formerly known as a covert service. You must access the onion links in the preceding sentence only from a Tor internet browser, as they will not operate in a standard browser.
The arise from these three suppliers return conventional sites and resources. Nevertheless, considering that demands are routed over the Tor network to preserve privacy, the action times tend to be longer than a traditional search.
What’s your search experience?
Which search engines or secondary search service providers do you use frequently? Do you rely solely on Google or Bing for outcomes? How frequently do you utilize additional sources, such as DuckDuckGo, Mojeek or WolframAlpha? Reference or message me on Mastodon (@awolber) to let me know your favored search services.
