4 ms·

While this is a thing I'd very much like to try I make a point out of not using Chrome && badgering everyone who tries to force me to use it. Had to use it the

While this is a thing I'd very much like to try I make a point out of not using Chrome && badgering everyone who tries to force me to use it. Had to use it the other day to verify if a particular bug at a customer system was Firefox-specific (as usual it wasn't) but it meant a four months streak or so was wasted :-/ So no, while this is really interesting it still has to be even more interesting for me to allow that piece of modern spyware to run on my machine. (Some might think I'm to harsh here but my understanding is Chrome is almost as much spyware as much as the famous Bonzibuddy that we struggled with earlier this millenium, only somewhat less buggy ;-)

ManBlanket 5y ago
At least Bonzai Buddy was cute. Also I thought I was the only weirdo who sorta kept track of my not-using-chrome streak. If we met for lunch I'm sure everyone else at the table would find themselves staring off into space as our conversation became increasingly difficult to relate to.
- eitland 5y ago
  If anyone else here has a not-using-chrome streak and work in Oslo, Norway feel free to message me to get a free lunch so we can try :-) (Offer valid for the first three to answer ;-)
richardsocher 5y ago
Hey there, Yea... You'd actually get rid of the biggest spyware - Google ;) Our extension is 33kB and has not other function than changing your default (and checking if the extension itself is installed). You actually can try it out in incognito mode and any other browser. But we found that without the convenience of a navbar search, most people won't give it a proper try either way. I hope we can drop this requirement even in Chrome when we become one of the default options. We will implement an a/b test and see if we can get rid of the requirement even earlier. If you set your search engine default to https://you.com https://you.com manually in Chrome with "https://you.com/search?q=%s https://you.com/search?q=%s" you will not need the extension... but for most people convenience wins and well... It's tough to go up against a monopoly that controls the browser too? You can find more details for every browser setup here: https://youdotcom.notion.site/Make-You-com-your-default-search-f87c10bbfe7e4e34ae89aeba7e77f474 https://youdotcom.notion.site/Make-You-com-your-default-sear...
- skinkestek 5y ago
  > You'd actually get rid of the biggest spyware - Google ;) Good point now that I realize that it works in other browsers. My initial impression was that 1) it only worked in Chrome and 2) it required an extension to work even there. I wish you luck and also think this is a good time to launch: I feel I was an early adopter of Google and I have now more or less left Google behind (it is now DuckDuckGo.com by default, and even some search.marginalia.nu). A few years ago Google was so amazing it was impossible to compete with them but these days they are making it easy for DDG which is kind of OK and search.marginalia.nu is coming up as the small but delightful alternative :-)
- BillSaysThis 5y ago
  I hear what you've posted about competing with a $2t competitor but I'm not installing an extension and changing default search engine just to try your service out. Even going incognito or using another browser is more effort than reasonable to play around. Put a banner at the top requesting the change but blocking users? That's just unfriendly and puts me off from the start.
swethmandava 5y ago
You should be able to use you.com on other browsers - let us know if you have issues! :)
- skinkestek 5y ago
  Yes, it just confused me. The big blue "install Chrome extension" got all my attention and it also didn't help that the placeholder text in the search field came off as decoration, but in the end I admit I didn't read carefully.

ManBlanket 5y ago

At least Bonzai Buddy was cute. Also I thought I was the only weirdo who sorta kept track of my not-using-chrome streak. If we met for lunch I'm sure everyone else at the table would find themselves staring off into space as our conversation became increasingly difficult to relate to.

eitland 5y ago
If anyone else here has a not-using-chrome streak and work in Oslo, Norway feel free to message me to get a free lunch so we can try :-) (Offer valid for the first three to answer ;-)

richardsocher 5y ago

Hey there, Yea... You'd actually get rid of the biggest spyware - Google ;) Our extension is 33kB and has not other function than changing your default (and checking if the extension itself is installed). You actually can try it out in incognito mode and any other browser. But we found that without the convenience of a navbar search, most people won't give it a proper try either way. I hope we can drop this requirement even in Chrome when we become one of the default options. We will implement an a/b test and see if we can get rid of the requirement even earlier. If you set your search engine default to https://you.com https://you.com manually in Chrome with "https://you.com/search?q=%s https://you.com/search?q=%s" you will not need the extension... but for most people convenience wins and well... It's tough to go up against a monopoly that controls the browser too? You can find more details for every browser setup here: https://youdotcom.notion.site/Make-You-com-your-default-search-f87c10bbfe7e4e34ae89aeba7e77f474 https://youdotcom.notion.site/Make-You-com-your-default-sear...

skinkestek 5y ago
> You'd actually get rid of the biggest spyware - Google ;) Good point now that I realize that it works in other browsers. My initial impression was that 1) it only worked in Chrome and 2) it required an extension to work even there. I wish you luck and also think this is a good time to launch: I feel I was an early adopter of Google and I have now more or less left Google behind (it is now DuckDuckGo.com by default, and even some search.marginalia.nu). A few years ago Google was so amazing it was impossible to compete with them but these days they are making it easy for DDG which is kind of OK and search.marginalia.nu is coming up as the small but delightful alternative :-)
BillSaysThis 5y ago
I hear what you've posted about competing with a $2t competitor but I'm not installing an extension and changing default search engine just to try your service out. Even going incognito or using another browser is more effort than reasonable to play around. Put a banner at the top requesting the change but blocking users? That's just unfriendly and puts me off from the start.

swethmandava 5y ago

You should be able to use you.com on other browsers - let us know if you have issues! :)

skinkestek 5y ago
Yes, it just confused me. The big blue "install Chrome extension" got all my attention and it also didn't help that the placeholder text in the search field came off as decoration, but in the end I admit I didn't read carefully.