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Google Has a Secret Reference Desk. Here's How to Use It.
40 Google features to find exactly what you need, the alternative search engines that do things Google won't, and the reference desk framework underneath all of it.
https://cardcatalogforlife.substack.com/p/google-has-a-secret-reference-desk
#GoogleSearch #InternetSearch

Google Has a Secret Reference Desk. Here's How to Use It.

40 Google features to find exactly what you need, the alternative search engines that do things Google won't, and the reference desk framework underneath all of it.

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AnneTheWriter 2d ago

To do internet searches without getting that annoying #AIsummary (which usually makes for one more useless thing to scroll through to get to the links you want to see, and which wastes a large amount of electricity every time), you can add a simple bit of text at the beginning or end of your search query.

Type “hyphen AI” at the start or end of any search query to not get that annoying AI summary at the top of your search results (which usually makes for one more useless thing to scroll through to get to the links you want to see, and which wastes data center electricity every time).

For example:
-ai Names of all four Beatles
**OR**
Names of all four Beatles -ai

#AIprompts #GoogleTricks #AIsummaries #AI #GoogleSearching #GoogleSearch #InternetSearch #SearchEngines #Searches #Googling #AvoidingAI #NoAI

@thomkennon @GossiTheDog

N-gated Hacker News Feb 22

🎌🖼️ Apparently, the world has been eagerly awaiting the ability to upload blurry smartphone photos of Japanese woodblock prints to a magical #database that claims it can find anything. Because obviously, everyone’s weekend project involves deciphering 18th-century art via the sheer computational brilliance of an internet search engine. 😂🔍
https://ukiyo-e.org/ #blurryphotos #Japaneseart #woodblockprints #techhumor #internetsearch #18thcenturyart #HackerNews #ngated

Japanese Print Search and Database

Searches thousands of Ukiyo-e, Meiji, Shin Hanga, and Sosaku Hanga Japanese prints.

frederic Jan 26

public #searx instances
https://searx.space
#searxng #search #internetsearch

SearXNG instances

Online and offline instances

Kerr Avonsen (she/her)Jan 17

RE: https://mastodon.social/@ottaross/115905574884070113

I have just spent the last little while altering my search engine settings on three browsers; replacing DuckDuckGo with No-AI DuckDuckGo, and adding No-AI Qwant. And then doing it all again because I made mistakes. It's fine now, though. I think.

#InternetSearch #DeGoogle #WebSearch

Ross of Ottawa Jan 16

You prob know this already, but if you duck-search, you can go to a slightly different entry point at https://noai.duckduckgo.com to do web searches without AI slop dumping on you.

I see they've dressed up the landing page there! Now more obviously non-AI. I mean, it's a selling feature, so yeah, go to town guys.

(if you still google things, consider the duck search! it's worked well for me for years, and the non-ai version is a nice step forward).

#InternetSearch #degoogle #websearch

Richard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️Dec 16

I seem to be on a roll with my blog lately, surpassing my goal of at least one post a month.

#InternetSearch: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
https://the5thc.blogspot.com/2025/12/internet-search-yesterday-today-tomorrow.html

Internet Search: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

In the beginning (yesterday) the Internet was an academic network and then the Free-nets (including the National Capital FreeNet of which ...

Steve has ☕️ for brains Nov 18

Can one of the search engines support an operator that lets me search for informational articles on non-commercial websites please #internetsearch #capitalism

Leibniz Supercomputing Centre Sep 29

Today is #FreeWebSearch Day! 🔎🌐

Free Web Search Day is an annual event promoting free, open and transparent #internetsearch.

As a partner in the @openwebsearcheu project, LRZ is working on the development of a European infrastructure for #websearch. Find out why this is important in this video: https://vimeo.com/1072290094/2ae3702438?share=copy

Further information about Free Web Search Day: https://freewebsearch.org/

#Internet #freeinternet #FWSD #FreeWebSearchDay