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Then they have to start by building a better product. Any suggestions for alternative services that outperform Google’s?

xwdv 6y ago
Alternatives? No. Fuck little startups, most of them hawk bullshit and don't get interesting until they grow into big companies. A startup won't compete well with Google for very long and using one instead of Google feels too much like pandering to a novelty.
- JadeNB 6y ago
  > Fuck little startups, most of them hawk bullshit and don't get interesting until they grow into big companies. Surely you don't mean that it's the act of growing into a big company that makes them interesting, but rather that only the interesting ones make it to big companies. (I don't think I necessarily agree with that—I'd think amount of capital is a far bigger determinant—and I would notice that the converse is far from true.) Well, there's nothing wrong with sitting back and letting the market make the decision—but if someone's not there trying the little companies before they get big, then that's a market decision in its own right. > A startup won't compete well with Google for very long and using one instead of Google feels too much like pandering to a novelty. Or, perhaps, taking a stance on a matter of principle, about privacy, or about Google's monopoly powers, or, well, pick your poison.
boogies 6y ago
> Any suggestions for alternative services that outperform Google’s? Yes. Which one? This page seems full of people recommending DeepL, which is one I can personally recommend for Spanish, and others can swear by for any of the languages it supports. OpenStreetMap is great for more detailed and more frequently updated map data. The article shows how pathetic multiple competitors make Google Flights look https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-search-results-prioritize-google-products-over-competitors#competing-with-advertisers https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-sea... (and it seems the industry rate 10+ other services above it https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848046-the-10-best-and-worst-airfare-search-sites https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848046-the-10-best-and-w...). DuckDuckGo's search results are as good for me (not everyone), and it invented the instant answer (IIRC), has 2 click dark mode, bangs and other features, and is a good place to find more alternatives.

xwdv 6y ago

Alternatives? No. Fuck little startups, most of them hawk bullshit and don't get interesting until they grow into big companies. A startup won't compete well with Google for very long and using one instead of Google feels too much like pandering to a novelty.

JadeNB 6y ago
> Fuck little startups, most of them hawk bullshit and don't get interesting until they grow into big companies. Surely you don't mean that it's the act of growing into a big company that makes them interesting, but rather that only the interesting ones make it to big companies. (I don't think I necessarily agree with that—I'd think amount of capital is a far bigger determinant—and I would notice that the converse is far from true.) Well, there's nothing wrong with sitting back and letting the market make the decision—but if someone's not there trying the little companies before they get big, then that's a market decision in its own right. > A startup won't compete well with Google for very long and using one instead of Google feels too much like pandering to a novelty. Or, perhaps, taking a stance on a matter of principle, about privacy, or about Google's monopoly powers, or, well, pick your poison.

boogies 6y ago

> Any suggestions for alternative services that outperform Google’s? Yes. Which one? This page seems full of people recommending DeepL, which is one I can personally recommend for Spanish, and others can swear by for any of the languages it supports. OpenStreetMap is great for more detailed and more frequently updated map data. The article shows how pathetic multiple competitors make Google Flights look https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-search-results-prioritize-google-products-over-competitors#competing-with-advertisers https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-sea... (and it seems the industry rate 10+ other services above it https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848046-the-10-best-and-worst-airfare-search-sites https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848046-the-10-best-and-w...). DuckDuckGo's search results are as good for me (not everyone), and it invented the instant answer (IIRC), has 2 click dark mode, bangs and other features, and is a good place to find more alternatives.