John Quiggin

I hate being told to "shop around". What I want is for the default option to be a good one.

On this point, Cory Doctorow @pluralistic spells out why Google is so awful and why even DuckDuckGo isn't a real alternative.

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/05/the-map-is-not-the-territory/

Pluralistic: You can’t shop your way out of a monopoly (05 Mar 2024) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

Mar 11, 2024 at 12:06amWeb
Show threadMichael RyanMar 11, 2024
@johnquiggin try https://kagi.com. it costs money, but is good.
Kagi Search - A Premium Search Engine

Better search results with no ads. Welcome to Kagi (pronounced kah-gee), a paid search engine that gives power back to the user.

Show threadJohn QuigginMar 11, 2024
@rymican I'll take a look
Show threadKevinOnEarthMar 11, 2024
@johnquiggin @pluralistic
Tried them all & I still use StartPage.
Show threadOggieMar 11, 2024

@johnquiggin @pluralistic

No idea why, but your post somehow reminded me of Miracle on 34th street with the 'He recommended other stores?' bit, and how that was such a lovely thing for customers they were happy to be loyal.

Feels like somehow we need to have that moment again. Just like we do regularly.

Show threadIanMar 11, 2024
@johnquiggin @pluralistic What you want is exactly what google and friends are exploiting. Until google can exploit "shop around", you should probably shop around.
Show threadJohn QuigginMar 11, 2024

@soviut @pluralistic

Of course, I'm stuck with it or else paying over the odds. Doesn't stop me hating people who give this advice as if it's a good thing.

Show threadJuan-Ignacio Gil-GomezMar 11, 2024
@johnquiggin @pluralistic For a web searcher, the best alternative I know is, by far, Kagi. Not free, but doesn’t spy on you and doesn’t rely on any third party for its results
Show threadTyler SmithMar 11, 2024

@johnquiggin @pluralistic

I wouldn't mind shopping around if there were any good options. That was the part of Cory's article that was most disheartening - we've dug ourselves into a hole where the only options available are abusive monopolists.

Show threadAlanMar 11, 2024
@plantarum @johnquiggin @pluralistic I sometimes have daydreams of creating a directory of products from businesses which have positive qualities like pay living wages, are significantly sustainable, are worker cooperatives, are union represented