Poll: Which search engine do you use primarily?

[MacRumors]

Vote: Poll: Which search engine do you use primarily? (http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=389)

[wordmunger]

Not that I use it or anything, but shouldn't Sherlock be an option? This is MacPolls, after all.

[Savage Henry]

Not that I use it or anything, but shouldn't Sherlock be an option?

Sherlock??? Sheer-Luck more like :) :) :D

[apologies to Gene Wilder]



I know it's only 17 votes down, but I'd still like it to stay at 89% Google.

[wrldwzrd89]

Sherlock??? Sheer-Luck more like :) :) :D

[apologies to Gene Wilder]



I know it's only 17 votes down, but I'd still like it to stay at 89% Google.
Right now there's been 55 votes, with 95% for Google (including my vote).
I don't use Sherlock either. I don't think it's worthwhile to use - I find it easier to just go to Google and search there.

[Photorun]

You mean there's another search engine besides Google?!? :D

[Billicus]

Looks like a runaway poll to me...:p

[pimentoLoaf]

I wish NorthernLight.com (http://www.northernlight.com) would return to a generic search mode, rather than that castrated business version.

[Stella]

Google.

Most others suck

[Sabenth]

Google all the way till somthing better comes along and at this point in time i dont see anything coming any time soon..

[michaelrjohnson]

as stated above, this will be a runaway poll

google has so many features, without extra crap that we dont' need (ads, etc)

GOGOOGLE

[PlaceofDis]

it seems as though the word "Google" has become the definition of search engines....rightly so i might add

[dukemeiser]

I used to use Yahoo, but now that I use Safari, I've switched to Google due to ease of use.

[edesignuk]

Talk about a forgone conclusion :rolleyes:

[SilvorX]

it's at 95.77% now... there's going to be some hell raised if apple dares to use yahoo for search

[SpaceMagic]

Yeh like they've all said, no contest Google is going to win by far! I really hope Google doesn't change at all. Its simplicity and excellent results is why I use it. No ads or anything on the front page - perrrfeecct.

Thumbs up to google again

[Savage Henry]

I used to use Yahoo, but now that I use Safari, I've switched to Google due to ease of use.

Ya-who?? :)

[wdlove]

I agree it is pretty overwhelming at 95.58%. It is great to have it so easily available in the upper right hand corner of Safari! :)

[mrsebastian]

tried a few others over the years, but really like google and with safari, it's so easy to use.

[macFanDave]

but I am becoming increasingly dissatisfied with it and will be looking at other ones. I think enough web designers are becoming educated in hacking PageRank that bad results are starting to bubble up to the top forcing a lot of effort to get to the good stuff. It was Google's ability to magically put the best results first that made me a regular user. That ability seems to be fading.

Mark my words, if Google goes public, it will really start to suck worse and will be a mediocre stock at best (after an initial rush.)

[bennetsaysargh]

im using google because it's convenient in safari. before safari, i used teoma. i don't like yahoo though. especially because yahoo has a lot of ads all over the place it gets annoying. i hope apple doesn't switch safari over to yahoo. if anything, let people have a few options on where they want to search.

[Doctor Q]

A better poll would have been "What search engine other than Google do you use most?"

I used to use ask.com a lot, because it found answers to specific questions such as "What is the diameter of Sedna?", but it no longer works for me as well, while Google keeps getting better.

And you can even do your math homework via Google's calculator (http://www.google.com/help/features.html#calculator)!

[wordmunger]

Talk about a forgone conclusion :rolleyes:
I think the margin of victory for Google was surprising. I would have guessed more like 80 percent. I bet Google's margin of victory would be much lower on Windows, with more AOL users and the automatic MSN homepage on Explorer.

[Snowy_River]

Right now there's been 55 votes, with 95% for Google (including my vote).
I don't use Sherlock either. I don't think it's worthwhile to use - I find it easier to just go to Google and search there.

I used to use Sherlock, back when it was v1. Since then, the internet search capabilities have just gone down-hill. Now I just use Google in Safari's bar. However, even if Apple put Yahoo in that spot, I wouldn't use it. I'd just add a 'Google' button to my bookmarks bar...

[Snowy_River]

but I am becoming increasingly dissatisfied with it and will be looking at other ones. I think enough web designers are becoming educated in hacking PageRank that bad results are starting to bubble up to the top forcing a lot of effort to get to the good stuff. It was Google's ability to magically put the best results first that made me a regular user. That ability seems to be fading.

Mark my words, if Google goes public, it will really start to suck worse and will be a mediocre stock at best (after an initial rush.)

Given the fact that Google is constantly being rewritten, I don't think it's quite as easy as hacking page rank. Also, as it is constantly being revised, it will naturally go through periods when things aren't quite as good as others. It's a process of evolution, constantly getting better (over-all)...

[MongoTheGeek]

I used to use Sherlock, back when it was v1. Since then, the internet search capabilities have just gone down-hill. Now I just use Google in Safari's bar. However, even if Apple put Yahoo in that spot, I wouldn't use it. I'd just add a 'Google' button to my bookmarks bar...

I use sherlock for the dictionary and to get weather (http://sherlock.accuweather.com)

I use google because its in the bar and its convenient. I don't care one way or the other.

[sjk]

I voted Google.

A few others I've used:

AlltheWeb (http://www.alltheweb.com/) (Overture?)
KartOO visual meta search engine (http://www.kartoo.com/)
Teoma (http://www.teoma.com/)
Turbo10 (http://turbo10.com/)

Even if only for its novelty, KartOO is worth a look if you've never seen it.

I'm interested in testing DEVONagent (http://www.devon-technologies.com/products/devonagent.php) more thoroughly; I've been a satisfied DEVONthink PE (http://www.devon-technologies.com/products/devonthink.php) user for a few months.

And now that the new Yahoo! search is public I can ask a friend who worked on that project why I might want to use it instead of Google. :)

[shanadms]

As a memeber or the mac community and a Google user I find it troubling that there is not an alternative to Google. Are not we using an alternative platform for partially the reason that it is not microsoft (yes Apple is a better platform) and as an alternative it possibly that means it is not an all controling, all powerful option - absolute power corrupts .... When will Google become the next M$?

[Savage Henry]

As a memeber or the mac community and a Google user I find it troubling that there is not an alternative to Google. Are not we using an alternative platform for partially the reason that it is not microsoft (yes Apple is a better platform) and as an alternative it possibly that means it is not an all controling, all powerful option - absolute power corrupts .... When will Google become the next M$?

If you accept that Google became large because it is the very best, then there is no comparison to Microshaft, which became large because it chose money above quality.

Big it up for them at Google, don't be ashamed.!:)

[Capt Underpants]

it seems as though the word "Google" has become the definition of search engines....rightly so i might add

Ya. It's even become a verb. Can't find something? Google it.

[johnnyjibbs]

This is a no-brainer, as people are lazy and it's oh so convenient to use the google search in the top right corner of Safari. I like google the best anyway, but they should really have a choice in the preferences for those who don't like messing around with the source code.

Of course, google has become the standard - the monopoly, the "Microsoft" of search engines....which will ultimately lead to its downfall...

[King Cobra]

If you're not sure how to use a vi text editor, use Mozilla.

Altavista is my search engine of choice, with Google, AllTheWeb, and DogPile (not a poll option?) as second choices.

Actually, in 1999, the IP 206.132.12.5 was my search engine of choice. The search engine there used to be a derivative of DirectHit, but never hit public domain. Then, in 2000 or so, ********** Teoma bought out the whole DirectHit division, including that IP...at that IP was a search engine that was better than Altavista or Google. Teoma obliterated almost all of the genius coding from the search engine at that IP, and called the remnants their own. Bah..

Yahoo: One's exclamation for watching the rate of yahoo search engine usage decrease.

[mms]

Wow, I knew Google would win but I thought Yahoo would do a bit better than 4%. Google's the best, IMO. Did everybody know that Cmd-Option-F selects the searchbar in Safari? I just figured it out a couple days ago and now I wonder how I lived without it. So much more efficient than Cmd-L then Tab.

[~Shard~]

Yah, like I didn't see this coming a mile away... ;)

Since Google is built into Safari, it's hard not to use it, and even when I'm on my PC at work, my homepage is Google.

[sjk]

Did everybody know that Cmd-Option-F selects the searchbar in Safari?Yep, 'cuz I make a habit of checking menus of every app I use looking for useful keyboard shortcuts. :)

That shortcut also works to select the search field in the Finder toolbar of the active window, but there's no menu equivalent for it. Same with iTunes. And I haven't found a Finder shortcut that cancels the search and moves focus back to the current window; clicking the 'x' is often an inconvenient mouse action in that context. You can use tab to cycle the focus in iTunes. I hope Apple eventually fixes more of those kinds of inconsistencies with its own apps.

[MrMacMan]

DogPile -- Compliation of all of the best Search (http://dogpile.com/)


so basically I use google.

;)

[IndyGopher]

As a memeber or the mac community and a Google user I find it troubling that there is not an alternative to Google. Are not we using an alternative platform for partially the reason that it is not microsoft (yes Apple is a better platform) and as an alternative it possibly that means it is not an all controling, all powerful option - absolute power corrupts .... When will Google become the next M$?
Ya know, I saw this same attitude with OS/2. People were using it only because it was the underdog. I'm not going to malign you, but I really don't understand the whole "different for the sake of being different" mentality. To answer your question, I at least am using a Mac because I have spent 10-14 hours a day for the last 20 years fixing other people's problems with PC's and Microsoft OS's, and when I get home I want a computer that just works. If Microsoft released an OS tomorrow that fit the bill, I would buy it in a minute. Somehow I don't see that happening, though.

[JohnGillilan]

At this point, I think Google has achieved the monopoly/brand status of Amazon and eBay. I think that iTunes is well on its way to joining these ranks as well. We can only hope . . .

[crazytom]

If it wasn't for Google and the web, I'd be a certifiable idiot. :D

[trainguy77]

i have used google for the past 5 years. it is not about to change. every other search engine(yes they are out there)just stinks ads, weather for other countrys, etc

[edenwaith]

Ya know, I saw this same attitude with OS/2. People were using it only because it was the underdog. I'm not going to malign you, but I really don't understand the whole "different for the sake of being different" mentality. To answer your question, I at least am using a Mac because I have spent 10-14 hours a day for the last 20 years fixing other people's problems with PC's and Microsoft OS's, and when I get home I want a computer that just works. If Microsoft released an OS tomorrow that fit the bill, I would buy it in a minute. Somehow I don't see that happening, though.

...and then you'd be out of a job!

As for the "different to be different" thing, perhaps it is a point of pride. Maybe it is for that odd comfort zone. Maybe it's rebellion. Maybe it's just being silly. An example: several years ago I went to a Megadeth concert...I almost looked normal with all of the long haired guys around...except most of them were in jeans and T-shirts, while I was attired in dress clothes. It doesn't make much sense, but I think I was just being silly.

But when it comes to Macs, I use them because that is what works best for me. I can spend more time creating and working, rather than just trying to get day to day functions to work.

[edenwaith]

If you accept that Google became large because it is the very best, then there is no comparison to Microshaft, which became large because it chose money above quality.


Wonderfully stated. Last year I had mentioned to some co-workers that one thing in the computer world which I felt was good and "right" was Google. It didn't get there by massive advertisements, or being corrupt and forcing its competition out through vile means. It is very clean and simple, and quite flexible to work with other sites, too.

I tend to jump between two search engines: Google and Yahoo!. When I want a very comprehensive search, I use Google. But if I want an instant, but slimmed down search for a major topic (let's say I'm looking for the web site of Company X), then I use Yahoo!.

[~Shard~]

Search engines are for idiots - I just go to the library and start randomly looking through magazines and books until I find what I'm looking for - either that or ask panhandlers and hobos on the street. Far more efficient that way than "typing" what you want into a "search engine"... pfffft....

Kay, there's my dose of sarcasm for the day. Thank you, I'm done, and I'm outta here... :cool:

[TheMacOS.com]

My buddy told me that yahoo is the most used... and I said "I dont think so, google is".... now I have some proof. :)

I used yahoo for years, changed to google a few yrs back.... I got tired of all the crap yahoo offers that I dont use or care about.

[ingenious]

I think the margin of victory for Google was surprising. I would have guessed more like 80 percent. I bet Google's margin of victory would be much lower on Windows, with more AOL users and the automatic MSN homepage on Explorer.


i agree- my parents thought that MSN was the ONLY search engine and to find ANYTHING, you had to use a M$ product. The even thought that the search the web bar on MSN was where you typed in webpages. I've gotten several calls from my dad telling me that the church website is down. He's SOOO amazed when I can get it to come up! Then I told him that he was typing it in the wrong bar and he wouldn't believe me. And get this: the address bar was right in front of him; he was click on the IE search button and then typing in addresses. That autosearched MSN and so of course nothing came up. If he had had it set (ya right- he couldn't send an email attachment for 2 years after he got his computer- BTW, its Win98- does that explain anything? :P) to google, then he would've found it.

[azdude]

I use Google exclusivey as my search engine simply because it is the best.

Recently, I've also fell in love with Froogle and GoogleNews. They are both superb... especially GoogleNews.

[wowser]

Google has almost become one of these words where it is interchangable with its generic definition as a search engine. That is, just as people do the 'hoovering', 'xerox' an essay, people now do a 'google' search. Although in this case, people generally use Google as a search engine anyways, where as you can use a Dyson to do the 'hoovering'. Strage how Microsoft have put a monpoly over the generic term 'PC' where by it now excludes Macs etc. This must be a rare example of where this has happened

[rolnif]

Ya-who?? :)
Exactly. I'm pretty sure a majority of us that use Google came over from Yahoo.

[bennetsaysargh]

Google has almost become one of these words where it is interchangable with its generic definition as a search engine. That is, just as people do the 'hoovering', 'xerox' an essay, people now do a 'google' search. Although in this case, people generally use Google as a search engine anyways, where as you can use a Dyson to do the 'hoovering'. Strage how Microsoft have put a monpoly over the generic term 'PC' where by it now excludes Macs etc. This must be a rare example of where this has happened

although i do say google it, i don't use hoovering, i use vacumming. and the xerox thing, i say copy it.
i dunno. maybe it's just me.

[mms]

although i do say google it, i don't use hoovering, i use vacumming. and the xerox thing, i say copy it.
i dunno. maybe it's just me.

I've heard xeroxing, although I've never used it. I've never even heard hoovering. Maybe it's different in different parts of the world or US.

[mms]

Wow. Made a new discovery. hoohlr.com is the same as google. hoohlr is what happens when you try to type google when your left hand is placed one key to the right (with your index finger on the G). I found this out by accident touchtyping. Interesting that Google would think about such a situation. Shows that either somebody in the company has too much time on their hands or they really care about making life easier for us.

[wowser]

I've heard xeroxing, although I've never used it. I've never even heard hoovering. Maybe it's different in different parts of the world or US.

maybe you are resisting these corporate terms for evrything :)

[Doctor Q]

maybe you are resisting these corporate terms for evrything :)I've never heard anyone in the U.S. call vacuuming hoovering, but my friend in Norway always called it that.

[edenwaith]

Wow. Made a new discovery. hoohlr.com is the same as google. hoohlr is what happens when you try to type google when your left hand is placed one key to the right (with your index finger on the G). I found this out by accident touchtyping. Interesting that Google would think about such a situation. Shows that either somebody in the company has too much time on their hands or they really care about making life easier for us.

I have another one. Move your left hand over one position to the right, and type: DOES. You end up getting FORD.

I also remember there was a site closely spelled to altavista.com, which was directed to a typing tutor.

[edenwaith]

I've never heard anyone in the U.S. call vacuuming hoovering, but my friend in Norway always called it that.

It appears that Google might be becoming such a common place term, that it eventually transcends a proper name. Here are a few other terms.

coke, xerox, kleenex.

I'm sure there are more, but those are the few which come to mind right away.

[Doctor Q]

coke, xerox, kleenex.band-aid, chapstick, jello, q-tip, scotch tape (never just "tape"), styrofoam, teflon, vaseline

You'd always ask for these items by their well-known-brand name, even if you didn't mind another brand of the same thing.

I wonder if it might happen to the iPod? "How much for one of those Toshiba iPods?"

[wowser]

Yeah, 'jello' is a good one

i'm sure websites exist to list all these

[wowser]

I wonder if it might happen to the iPod? "How much for one of those Toshiba iPods?"

hehe :)

No, of wourse Microsoft's Creative Media Centre will be the generic term dummy :p

[~Shard~]

Perhaps as members of the Mac community we should start using PC/Microsoft terminology in our everyday conversation? When someone is tired, lazy, etc. we could say, "You're pretty Windows today..." Or if someone is acting stupid, we could say, "Man, you're pretty Microsoft today..." Or if someone is putting on a bit of weight, becoming bloated, etc., we could comment, "Hmm, have you been upgrading your OS lately?"

:cool:

[blue&whiteman]

yahoo canada

[ant_s]

Try www.foofle.com - another Google mis-type URL. Very clever. :D

[bennetsaysargh]

Try www.foofle.com - another Google mis-type URL. Very clever. :D

celver, just don't try that with most other letters, including b :p

[wdlove]

band-aid, chapstick, jello, q-tip, scotch tape (never just "tape"), styrofoam, teflon, vaseline

You'd always ask for these items by their well-known-brand name, even if you didn't mind another brand of the same thing.

I wonder if it might happen to the iPod? "How much for one of those Toshiba iPods?"

Brand Name - Generic Name

Ace Bandage - elastic bandage

Band-Aids - plastic bandages

Chapstick - lip balm

Jell-O - gelatin dessert

Kleenex - facial tissues

Q-Tips - cotton swabs

Scotch Tape - cellophane tape

Styrofoam - plastic foam

Teflon - nonstick coating

Vaseline - petroleum jelly

Velcro - hook and loop fastener

Walkman - portable cassette player with headphones

Xerox - photocopier

http://www.cylist.com/List/400300314/Brand_Names_in_common_language.html

[bennetsaysargh]

Ace Bandage - elastic bandage-yes
Band-Aids - plastic bandages-yes
Chapstick - lip balm-yes
Jell-O - gelatin dessert-yes
Kleenex - facial tissues-i just say tissue
Q-Tips - cotton swabsi actually do say cotton swabs
Scotch Tape - cellophane tape-i say tape
Styrofoam - plastic foam-yes
Teflon - nonstick coating-never say either
Vaseline - petroleum jelly-yes
Velcro - hook and loop fastener-velcro!
Walkman - portable cassette player with headphones-i say cassette player
Xerox - photocopier-i say copying machine

http://www.cylist.com/List/400300314/Brand_Names_in_common_language.html
ah! im a corporate sellout! :eek:

;) :P

[sjk]

saran wrap -- plastic/cling film/wrap

[MacFan25]

I use google exclusively, just about every day. The search results are great, and I like how they make ads clearly separate from the actual results.

[Snowy_River]

Brand Name - Generic Name

Ace Bandage - elastic bandage

Band-Aids - plastic bandages

Chapstick - lip balm

Jell-O - gelatin dessert

Kleenex - facial tissues

Q-Tips - cotton swabs

Scotch Tape - cellophane tape

Styrofoam - plastic foam

Teflon - nonstick coating

Vaseline - petroleum jelly

Velcro - hook and loop fastener

Walkman - portable cassette player with headphones

Xerox - photocopier

http://www.cylist.com/List/400300314/Brand_Names_in_common_language.html

This is actually one of the worst things that can happen to a company. If a trademark enters into common language, then they no longer one it as a trademark. The example of Xerox is a very interesting one, as 'Xerox' is no longer used to mean 'photocopy'. The Xerox corporation went through a massive add campaign to reclaim their trademark from the public domain, and succeeded.

So, I guess we can hope that iPod won't enter into common language, as it would be bad for Apple...

[wowser]

"i'll have a coke, please"
"is pepsi ok?"
"whatever"

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§±±±±±±±±±±I§ s§§u§p§po§se §sm§§a§l§l§er§ §companies would love for it to §§happen, but it erodes at brand recognition for la§rger ones

why did that come out that way? oh - my coffee mug was caught on the keyboard!!

[shockwave13]

I like this place to search.

http://www.frynge.com/google.htm

It's the best search engineI have found. It allows me to ask questions, as well as gives me three flavors of searching. So I can quickly choose what ever search engine I want from one page. What does everyone else use? I am willing to try new ones and am looking around for the best one I can find.