In a bid to determine which is my preferred search engine, I will be comparing the results fo-
WHAT?!?! You mean Google ISN’T the only search engine on the Internet?
I know, crazy right? And yet, it’s true. Despite the fact that it has been the dominant player in Search for more than a decade now, Google isn’t the only search engine available.
Hey, what about me? (Image via Mashable)
So anyway, where was I?
You were going to compare the results fo-
Oh yes, that’s right. I am going to compare the top 3 results for the topic of ‘Interactive Fiction’ on the search engines Google, DuckDuckGo and Instagrok.
Why only three?
I’m only comparing the top 3 results because I believe that an effective search engine should return the most relevant results first (plus I don’t have all day to conduct a more rigorous analysis, so three results will have to do.)
Round One: Google
In any race, Google is always going to be the clear favourite. It’s an easy browser to use and the sheer volume of data behind it makes finding even the most obscure things possible (if you know how to search effectively!)
- Interactive fiction – Wikipedia
- The Interactive Fiction Archive
- The 18th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition
The top 3 results in this case are a little disappointing. If I wanted to read about IF on Wikipedia, I’d go there directly. The IF Archive is useful, and so warrants a top 3 spot. The 2012 IF Competition is probably not so relevant for a basic search on IF, especially if you’re just after general information about the genre.
Round Two: DuckDuckGo
After reading up a little on DuckDuckGo, I like it already. Their stance on privacy is simple and awesome, for example.
- The Interactive Fiction Archive
- Interactive Fiction: Playing, Studying and Writing Text Adventure Games
- Interactive Fiction – Nick Montfort
The top 3 results for IF in DuckDuckGo are somewhat more relevant than the Google ones. They lead to websites that would be much more useful if I was writing an essay about IF (as they contain reference to lots of scholarly articles).
Round Three: Instagrok
OK, wait. I don’t even understand what this is? A mind map?
Me either, to be honest. But after spending some time playing around with Instagrok, I started to get a better idea of how it actually works. I’m not even sure that I can pin down the top 3 search results, because the site doesn’t work in a linear way.
You start with the key search term in the middle, and there are associated keywords that branch out from it. Clicking a different key word returns different search results (which are more tailored in that sense). If I had the time to sit and play around with the site, it could be a valuable search tool. The fact of the matter is, I don’t have the time; I just want quick and relevant search results like everyone else.
The Results
At the end of the day, each of the sites returned results that were a) essentially relevant to the topic (to varying degrees), and b) reasonably similar. So I’m picking my preferred search engine based on something much more important to me: Privacy. Google is a nightmare when it comes to privacy, and I’m not really sure what Instagrok’s stance is on the issue. DuckDuckGo has a clear and definitive position on privacy, making it the clear winner in this instance.
Making DuckDuckGo my default search engine
This is pretty easy. You simply go to the DuckDuckGo homepage and select “Add to browser” from the bottom right-hand corner. The option to install the browser add-on/extension for DDG will then appear. All you need to do from there is follow the installation prompts. A small icon featuring Dex the Duck should appear next to your address bar and clicking on it will bring up the search function without you even needing to visit their website!
What is your preferred search engine and why? Had you even heard of DuckDuckGo or Instagrok before today? Share your thoughts in the comments below!