Google Search
My favorite search engine is Google. It is convenient and easily accessible. I usually search using the URL search bar at the top of the page. The search page itself is clean and uncluttered with ads or articles, the generous-sized search bar placed plunk in the center of the page. My Google Chrome home page not only features Google search, but now also shows my most frequently visited sites, which is especially helpful when I'm in a hurry, or when I'm a bit distracted with 'googling' something and need to get back to the more important tasks at hand.
I use Google Search partly because I primarily use the Google Chrome web browser. My all-too-many favorite sites are saved and categorized in the Chrome favorites bar. My smart phone is synced to my laptop so it 'remembers' my last search. Sometimes I don't like how much Google remembers. Sometimes Google's search suggestions, knowledge of my searches, and use of them in targeted ads feels a little intrusive and creepy. I would say it is a bit of a love-hate relationship, and to be perfectly honest, I sometimes wish there was another search engine that I was as comfortable with and did such a great job. Because, in spite of Google making all sorts of ad money off of me and all of us, and knowing WAY too much about our individual and collective search habits, it is still, hands down, my search engine of choice that I go to again and again. Because, after all, I almost always find what I'm looking for, and quickly.
Since I realize one of the reasons I almost always use Google search is simply because I am a creature of habit and tend to take the most functional path of least resistance, it may be wise to explore alternatives. I hadn't researched it in awhile, so I took a look to see what else there was for search engines these days. I was surprised and interested to see what I discovered. Not only have some of the old ones survived or resurfaced, but there are some new ones I hadn't heard of, and some others rising in popularity and efficiency. It may be worth my time - and privacy - to try out some other search engines on a regular basis again. And guess what?! There are even some specialized ones, like the Internet Archive WayBack Machine - which is not only cool, but super helpful in doing things like finding web pages you made years ago but didn't save them, and/or forgot where you backed them up. Now I just need to save those search engine url's somewhere in my overloaded Google Chrome favorites bar so I can remember and find them again!
I use Google Search partly because I primarily use the Google Chrome web browser. My all-too-many favorite sites are saved and categorized in the Chrome favorites bar. My smart phone is synced to my laptop so it 'remembers' my last search. Sometimes I don't like how much Google remembers. Sometimes Google's search suggestions, knowledge of my searches, and use of them in targeted ads feels a little intrusive and creepy. I would say it is a bit of a love-hate relationship, and to be perfectly honest, I sometimes wish there was another search engine that I was as comfortable with and did such a great job. Because, in spite of Google making all sorts of ad money off of me and all of us, and knowing WAY too much about our individual and collective search habits, it is still, hands down, my search engine of choice that I go to again and again. Because, after all, I almost always find what I'm looking for, and quickly.
Since I realize one of the reasons I almost always use Google search is simply because I am a creature of habit and tend to take the most functional path of least resistance, it may be wise to explore alternatives. I hadn't researched it in awhile, so I took a look to see what else there was for search engines these days. I was surprised and interested to see what I discovered. Not only have some of the old ones survived or resurfaced, but there are some new ones I hadn't heard of, and some others rising in popularity and efficiency. It may be worth my time - and privacy - to try out some other search engines on a regular basis again. And guess what?! There are even some specialized ones, like the Internet Archive WayBack Machine - which is not only cool, but super helpful in doing things like finding web pages you made years ago but didn't save them, and/or forgot where you backed them up. Now I just need to save those search engine url's somewhere in my overloaded Google Chrome favorites bar so I can remember and find them again!
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