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

  • DannyBoy@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    I do not think so in my experience. I’m a software developer and a lot of my job is searching solutions to problems. Every year or two I’ll try DDG because I love the concept but it never works as well for me. Putting the same search query into Google yeilds actual results for me more often than DDG does.

  • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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    3 days ago

    ive been using it consistently for the past few years. it works well for me, but sometimes ill go to other engines just to see what they come up with, or when results are lacking. sometimes they are better, sometimes they are worse.

    meaning ddg is probably good enough nowadays, at least for me.

    • irelephant [he/him]🍭@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      You probably already know this, but you can use search “bangs” to search other websites from ddg.

      For example, to search google, you would put !g or !google at the start of your search.

      • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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        3 days ago

        i do! it transformed my address bar, i sometimes use other engines through ddg now. its the main reason its my search provider.

  • Padook@feddit.nl
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    2 days ago

    I feel like its better than google. I switched to DDG a couple years ago. 6 months ago I did a trial run with a self hosted search that only used google as a back end, the results felt like garbage

  • HouseWolf@lemm.ee
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    3 days 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.

    • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml
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      3 days 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.

  • Wrongdoer1@lemm.ee
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    2 days ago

    I use QWANT but I have the same feeling tbh. Or maybe Google search has been worsening I’m not too sure…

  • BaumGeist@lemmy.ml
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    3 days ago

    Yes, I switched back in 2023 and noticed it was already better than google.

    All major search engines feel like they’re either filled with AI slop results, or just only returning major corporations’ sites anymore, though. DDG just falls into the latter, while Google is mostly the former.

  • azalty@jlai.lu
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    2 days ago

    Compared to a few years ago, it’s better. Some websites still aren’t indexed, and even by entering their name exactly, they don’t show. Google doesn’t have this problem.

    Brave search is also pretty good

    • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      DAE is a fairly common acronym on online forums, often used in titles such as these. You could have used Google (or DuckDuckGo) to learn its meaning 😊

      It’s simply “does anyone else.”

    • MrMeatballGuy@feddit.dk
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      3 days ago

      Never saw that abbreviation before, but my assumption is it’s “does anyone else” since I can’t think of anything else that’d make sense in this context

      • easily3667@lemmus.org
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        1 day ago

        Yes, that’s accurate. My point is that typing that out isn’t hard and opens the post up to all who know English.

      • Retropunk64@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        I don’t believe you. DAE has been an extremely common abbreviation for well over a decade at least.

          • Retropunk64@lemm.ee
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            2 days ago

            I didn’t say you lied, just saying that there’s no way you’ve been on the internet for 30 years and have never seen DAE anywhere before now.

            • easily3667@lemmus.org
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              1 day ago

              Well now you have two people you are calling liars.

              Maybe, and hear me out: you’re wrong.

              You seem like a young man so that’s not something anyone has told you before, so what I would recommend is reaching out and finding a stable position to hold on to for 30-60 seconds. once you’ve recovered, your brain will automatically go to work trying to find out why you’re actually right, actually, like for real. Suppress that feeling for a moment and accept that yes, your life experience is different from others. And then find a nice therapist because let’s be honest after that shock to your system you’ll need one.

              • Retropunk64@lemm.ee
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                1 day ago

                You people are so intent on projecting the idea that I’m calling you liars despite the fact that I never once said nor implied you were liars, that yeah, I’m going to just go ahead and say youre fucking liars now. Have a good day.

                • easily3667@lemmus.org
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                  15 hours ago

                  I didn’t say you lied, just saying that there’s no way you’ve been on the internet for 30 years and have never seen DAE anywhere before now.

                  “I’m not saying you lied, I’m just saying the thing you stayed as fact is clearly a falsehood aka lie”

                  This is the second “you’re wrong” in a day, I hope your evidently fragile ego can handle it.

      • AvailableFill74@lemmy.ml
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        3 days ago

        If you wish to be understood, choose your words more carefully. If you wish to be treated with kindness, drop the defensiveness, learn to process feedback objectively, and take communication seriously. No one is being unkind or unreasonable here, except you.

          • AvailableFill74@lemmy.ml
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            3 days ago

            “No one knows what the heck dae means you lazy bum. We invented words for a reason, try using them. If you’re illiterate then maybe try a YouTube video essay. “

            If someone said that, sure… but no one did. Perhaps the Original Poster needs to take communication more seriously and less personally.

            • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              I think you’re making a significant deal out of something that is quite minor, personally. It’s okay, though. It’s minor, so we can agree to disagree. Cheers!

                • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  Chill out, man. This isn’t parliament. Everything doesn’t have to be communicated as if we’re drafting laws.

                  Communication styles vary greatly, and tone is dependent on setting. What OP posted was completely fine. No need to throw around clown emoji 😝

                • ScoreDivision@programming.dev
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                  3 days ago

                  It’s an abbreviation on the internet. Do you act this way any time you see TIL, wtf, eli5 or other. Or are you just sour you don’t know this one

  • tfm@europe.pub
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    3 days ago

    I like DDG a lot more, especially because of the bang shortcuts. But I transitioned recently to Qwant. It also has bang shortcuts and is hosted in Europe.

  • venotic@kbin.melroy.org
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    4 days 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
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          4 days 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.ca
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          4 days 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 Quuuuuill@slrpnk.net
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            3 days 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
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              3 days ago

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

              • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.net
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                3 days 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