What do you use?
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A few weeks ago Gary, our resident tech-specialist and Commander Riker in-command at Worldstart, snuck up behind me and inquired as to why I use Yahoo as my default search engine over the vastly superior and pleasant smelling alternative, Google. After all, Google is the big daddy when it comes to Internet look-arounds, so why in God’s name would I be wasting my time searching through Yahoo, when I know I’m just going to end up at Google anyways?
…a good question -one which is easy to answer for me.
See, the Internet isn’t just about research and information treasure hunts to me; it’s a place I am so used to that, 9 times out of 10, I already know where I’m going to before I even boot up my machine. Yahoo acts as my spring-board, because unlike the blankness of Google, all the news I need is laid out right there in front of me on the main page. I know that when the name of someone famous shows up in the “Trending Now” section, that they’re either dead, in jail or got caught flashing a mini-bus full of nuns again. I can also get my stocks, headlines and sports scores, without lily-padding from site to site gathering info. In fact, 20% of my daily Internet activity is accomplished simply by setting Yahoo as my default home page, and clicking back every now and again to see if I’m missing something. It’s like my constantly refreshing outside line to the rest of the world.
The searching on it sucks, though, which is why Gary prefers it –and he’s right to.
See, this poor dude gets asked a laundry list of questions each day -some of which, on a very rare occasion, even he doesn’t know the answers to. Through Google, he can start his quest for answers with a silver bullet and get the best results without all that other hodge-podge mucking up the screen. It’s a tool to him, not a news-and-views media outlet like it is to me.
And that’s just fine.
But I guess it ultimately depends on what your needs are out of a search engine. Do you like the sterile search box and a white screen, or would you prefer a busier kind of site to browse around on? Do you Yahoo? Does Google Rule? Or are you using something else?
I’m curious! Fill me in!
~Andrew
70 Responses to “What do you use?”
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I use AOL so everything is google..my husband uses BING and he likes it..To me they all seem the same.
Well…..Shirley….if you live in a place where you have to pay long distance to have AOL you would realize the difference between them. Nothing wrong with AOL as they have the same security as MSN….God bless them but if there isn’t an AOL company any where around you have to pay long distance to use your computer as AOL is long distance. I like to know that my Home Page and Search is as secure from viruses and hackers as my Anti-virus program and Yahoo or Google does not have that security.
I am with you. Yahoo all the way. I do sometime use another search for something but then go back to my yahoo to get the latest news.
I stay with Yahoo for the very same reasons! It was my beginning on the computer & Im comfortable with it most times tho its a pain sometimes. Yes I use google to search also.
I threaten sometimes to go google but get over it & stay with Yahoo because it’s there & I even have my gmail imported to Yahoo.
I USE AOL I CAN GET NEWS AND SPORTS JUST LIKE I USE TO ON YAHOO!
My blank mind and a blankscreen do not add up to much, so yes I use Yahoo.
LOL, Shirley……
I use AOL as my home page and Google as my search engine. Sometimes I use Bing, but Google and I seem to find whatever I need.
For general purposes I use Yahoo search. Anything computer and Microsoft related I use Bing because I get better results.
Gary, why on earth would you use Google search, run by the biggest Internet spy company on the planet, that saves every search result
forever, and being in third party hands, is beyond your control to not disseminate to some government snoop? I suppose you use Gmail
too, again stored perhaps in perpetuity on their servers, ready to be accessed in violation of your privacy anytime without your knowledge
nor permission. ANYONE who uses Google is just waiting for the government to decide to ‘look into you’ one day, and for Google to sell all
your information to another party like marketers. This also invites abuse by malicious parties for the dissemination of malware. Once your
information has been sold, no legal contract in the world can stop some hacker from using it to steal your identity, create marketing pro-
files and personal dossiers, and invite you to obtain or download malware somehow.
PLAY IT SAFE LIKE ME. USE YAHOO AND BING< GET RID OF EVERYTHING GOOGLE YOU USE AND DO ON THE INTERNET OR PAY ONE DAY
SOMEHOW FOR YOUR FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY LATER ON.
My thoughts exactely, Radioman!! After Google’s virus scare, if I had been using them I would have gotten out right then.
I use Internet Explorer/Bing and yahoo both. I tried Google and a dozen others and settled where I am at now. Been there ten years and have no complants.Prior to the ten years I tried every thing that came along. I guess it;s what you want. I like the news reviews and speed with the two I have.
Yahoo is my email and my home page. I have set as my default search engine and Yahoo next. I rarely use Yahoo.
Andrew, Looks like I’m the odd-ball here, but most of the time I use MSN for searches. Now that I have Bing, I use it a lot, too. I don’t Google at all, although I do have a Gmail address. I guess I just got used to using MSN, so its my first choice now.
I have “My Yahoo” page set up so I don’t have to search that much. If I do have to do a search I use both Google & Bing to get the best results.
Yahoo has been my home page since 1998. I also have a My Yahoo that is extremely informational. I don’t do Google or Facebook.
i only use yahoo and then if i must go to bing
but never will i use google because of all the
troubles they’ve had with hackers and such
You meant you didn’t use Google because of the trouble they have had with hackers and (the such) is with viruses. MSN now owns Yahoo so like I stated in my Post….if it aint broke don’t fix it.
My home page is My Yahoo. but for searches, I use google for that, because they return the best searches…
Don’t forget that if you have a google login (I use gmail) you can customize google.com to also include your news (even local), weather, stocks, etc. Then you can have it all – up to date news and the best search engine out there.
I have MSN, and use Bing. It’s great and right there on my page. I do not like Google, do not want Google. Also why would anyone want to stay with AOL, it is so top heavy and slow loading…Also Yahoo? one word EWWWW. Just giving ya a hard time, to each his or her own.
Yep Google is trouble!
Andrew use the one you like, and tell Gary… Thank You Very Much…But No thanks!
Yahoo it is for me !! I’ve used it for a long time and much prefer their format.
I personally have been using Exite as my home page for years, like Yahoo it offers the latest headlines and other customizable options.
As for searching I use Google as my default on Firefox, I just hit control T type my query into the address bar and voila!
Never really liked Yahoo!
I’ve used Yahoo for years, not only as my home page but search engine too.
For some reason, I never had any use for Google.
Like you, Donna, I haven’t seen anything great about Google either.
I like Bing and have used it ever since it became available. I don’t trust Google one bit.
I use Yahoo search despite Bing trying to hijack my search engine all the time I simply prefer it I detest the fact that Bing tries to take over and Google? no way
I always use Google, I have better luck finding what I need to know.
Where does Radioman get all his info about Google?
Radioman is right on, Phyllis. It has been in all the Computer books and on National TV News.
Making it short and clear—Yahoo all the way.
I like clean look of Google but remove history after use on Firefox. I also started using http://www.startpage.com/eng/ Check it out. If want to be safer use something like c cleaner at end of day.There is enough out there to help keep safer, ask Gary.
So Google is for searching, and Yahoo is for news. Personally, I use Google exclusively for searching, and my own page of links on my own website for anything else. As for this paranoia about Google spying and lettting in hackers, so what? Somebody might steal my identity and take all my money? I haven’t got any money. Google will learn all my secrets? I haven’t got any secrets. I shoul worry.
I use Firefox as my home page and google to search.
I have heard a lot about Firefox and I have been going to look in on it just to see what is going on. I think you are the first I have seen that uses it as a Home Page. More people that use Firefox should say more about it and give info on how it works. Good for you, Russ, as I have heard through the grapevine that it is pretty good and secure. Security should be the first priority of anyone using the net anyway.
I use both. My isp is sbcyahoo, or I guess it’s now attyahoo. Since I’m already signed in to yahoo at bootup, I get news and mail from yahoo sites, but when searching I use google.
I use MSN because I am use to all they offer. I do not have trouble with MSN SEARCH as if MSN doesn’t have what I am looking for they send me to Google or Yahop. which ever one will take me to where I need to go and I don’t have to bother with going into their Sites. I have an account in Yahoo and Google and Hotmail but only go in them to empty out whatever messages have come into their e-mail. Outlook Express gives me everything I love about
e-mailing. Adding special stationary, gifs and fonts. Besides….I have always figured if it aint broke….don’t fix it and MSN hasn’t broke for me yet.
I use firefox as my home page and comcast, yahoo, and google for searching
It’s Yahoo for me. What a good summation you gave on all the reasons why!
I usually use Google because I need to find things for my College schoolwork, & it has a more refined search helper called Google Scholar. It also uses “Boolean”as well. Once in awhile, I’ll use Bing. But I hate yahoo! Sorry! lol
I use Google. Never had any problems with it and it always helps me get where I want to go. But have not doubts, I have used other search engines in the rare instance Google can’t get me there.
I us google,but now I am having second thoughts after reading some of these answers.
So I will check out yahoo.
I’m definitely a Googler. It’s what I’m used to and it’s always worked for me. Guess you just can’t teach this dog new tricks.
Ann Krummel says:
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June 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I’m definitely a Googler. It’s what I’m used to and it’s always worked for me. Guess you just can’t teach this dog new tricks.
Reply
Have used Yahoo for years. It is the best.
I’m a big AOL user so I have all I need right there and Goggle is their search engine lol.
Even on high speed interent I reloaded my AOL account I prefer my email that way in the little blue box and hate the other way when you log in fron Internet Explorer or somewhere else
. For no I’ll stay with AOL I have no problems with it.
egads typos all over the place that shoudl be from* and now*
Yahoo!! for Yahoo!
I’m a yahoo man myself. I’m not sure if it’s the reason given,but that part IS nice, I guess. Maybe because, when I first started using this computer,Google wasn’t around.I’d heard of Yahoo.That COULD BE the reason.Anyway,I like Yahoo.I use Google or something else if I want something “different.” Otherwise,why change? Except to see “Street View.” lol.
I have used Firefox for several years, and use google as my search. I do not use Internet Explorer at all anymore
I use either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox…If one starts acting up, I will go to the other one. Seems to do fine with me. Also, my home page is AOL where I have all the headline news and so forth.
Yahoo is the best all the way, dude! That is all I have to say except that I am sad to see that yahoo groups are not as active as they used to be.
On my Homepage from my server is a google search space sometimes I use it but I also have a Yahoo e-mail for crafts and fun things and actually catch up on some news. Google and Bing are fine for work and my Yahoo account is my escape to the “real” world. If its medical info, I use WebMD and they are useful but it just depends on what works for you. I have used Bing but it wasn’t any better than the Yahoo search engine. So I don’t see why it matters what you use I think it is great to have all these resources.
When Att and Yahoo merged, they made my life miserable, I dont like the new format at all even though I reverted to the classic. I find that in some cases it is very redundant and I end up waisting a lot of time. I have to use yahoo but prefer google. Thanks Andrew it’s good to vent, lol.
I definitely agree, Yahoo have everything there for you and the homepage is not that busy with adds jumping out at you. Don’t get me wrong I think Google is the best search engine because I use it all the time but I say again, Yahoo have everything there for you.
I have started to use MSN as my home page and have seen a big improvement in Hotmail of which I am converting all my emails to. I like Bing as my search engine. No problems so far.
In all fairness, I’ll try anything. But I always end up back at Google.
I like the stark page of Google. When I want to read news, I know where to go.
I use Google and have for years. I have tried other search engins to compare the results with Google and they don’t offten come close. I found it to be very rare that I would fine the same results with each search engine. If Google can’t find it, it’s not out there. I have never had any problems with My PC from using Google. When I want to know, What It Is, Where It Is, How To Get There and What It Looks Like, Google has the answer. OH, by the way, information is being gathered all the time about what you do on the Internet, no mater what you use.