So, here I go adventuring into the world of blogging — into a place I'm not really sure I belong. I have since long thought about what I would write in my first post… what I could possibly offer to the world that hasn't already been covered off in umpteen-billion other blogs or forums — truth is I'm not sure that there is anything. I'm not sure if that's the point.
Either way, for better or worse, I have finally decided to go ahead and impose myself on the world. And for this first post I might as well bite off more than I can chew…
Google… (sigh)
I loved using Google. I loved getting millions of results every time I went looking for Vespas, iPods, and le Parkour. I loved being able to search for local businesses and services, and zooming in on my house using Google Maps. And then along came gmail… Ahhh, sweet gmail.
A suite of services that were so easy to use, with such great results and attention to (functional) detail that it was easy to not think about what might be going on behind the scenes. I was enjoying this relationship so much that I didn't really think about what Google might be doing "behind my back".
Funnily enough, it was while checking in on a bit of Google News that I first learned about what would eventually lead to me no longer using their services. I learned that a number of people were boycotting all things Google. I learned that Google was offering a censored version of their searching platform to China, custom tailored to the Chinese Government's specifications, where anytime someone does a search of a "questionable nature", or for "sensitive topics" (democracy, Tibet, the Dalai Lama, etc.) they are automatically redirected to a page dishing out Communist propaganda.
(If you want to learn more about this visit the Student's for a Free Tibet (SFT) web-site or their spinoff site noluv4google.com — they're much better at explaining the specifics)
Now I'm usually not one to hop on any kind of "bandwagon", and I wasn't entirely sure if I would actually join in boycotting the big Google either. However, as the days went on, this thing really started to get to me… I really wasn't informed enough at the time to make a proper decision, so I had to start researching it for myself. The more I find out, the less the whole thing sits well with me.
A lot of people are upset with Google but most of these people haven't bothered to research things enough (I'm still not sure if I have or not). I have tried all of the search engines listed in noluv4google's "Google Alternatives" list (and I appreciate the research) but what I am now left wondering is… is this it? Are these the only "acceptable" alternatives? Are all other parties involved in questionable politics? What are these other (not listed) alternatives that are NOT acceptable replacements and why? I have been trying to find the best "anti-Google" search engines available but other than this site indicating which companies are seen as friendlier alternatives I am finding it very difficult to find which ones are not.
For example, I found a few bloggers hopping on the anti-Google campaign but stating that they will use Alltheweb.com for all of their searches from now on — obviously completely oblivious to fact that it is now owned by Yahoo (even more problematic than Google [SFT, InfoWorld]). Another site lists the following after their boycott-of-Google statement: GigaBlast, MozDex, Fybersearch, AltaVista, HotBot, Excite, AllTheWeb, Search.com, Ask Jeeves (now Ask.com), and Teoma.
I have been trying my best to find the best substitutes for Google but I am finding it difficult to weed out the ones that are owned by the "Baddies". I know that Alltheweb.com is owned by Yahoo and I've found a couple of sources that mentioned HotBot.com works closely with Google.
If a Search Engine uses information from Google but is not owned by Google how is it seen? I stumbled across this link that seems to sum up the relationship between many of the big players: bruceclay.com/searchenginechart.pdf
I have been using Ask.com as my main search engine platform, supplementing its short-fallings with IceRocket.com and Clusty.com, hoping that these are all viable options. Ask.com/MyStuff.ask.com has a number of great features, but I'm not sure how it sits if uses "Paid results" from Google (whatever "Paid results" are). IceRocket.com is listed with SFT but it has a Google button on the right-hand side of their results column that places the IceRocket.com results on your Google.com homepage… (shrug)
As I said, the whole thing is just not sitting well with me and I just want to make the right decision and a well informed decision. Any insight anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. In mean time I'll continue using Ask.com/MyStuff.ask.com, IceRocket.com and Clusty.com — they all seem to generate consistent results, in number of results and relevance.
So long, Google. It was fun… but now we're done.
Cheers.
—
steelie
[UPDATE]
After further scrutinizing all three Search Engines recommended above, I have dropped Ask.com as one of my primary search platforms in exchange for IceRocket.com. I've been getting many more results with IceRocket.com. Plus, they provide the option to view a thumbnail of the sites listed in your search results — which you can turn off if you have a slower internet connection.
Clusty.com now occupies second place. Both Ask.com and Clusty.com have been returning a similar number of results, however, Clusty.com provides the option to further narrow your search by "clustering" (thus the name) common sub-themes.
I am now only using Ask.com if I cannot find what I'm looking for with the other two.
—
steelie
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