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Linux Mint has put Google custom search into the distribution in order to raise revenue. It's in firefox both from the address bar, the search box, and in the q

Linux Mint has put Google custom search into the distribution in order to raise revenue. It's in firefox both from the address bar, the search box, and in the quick search from the 'start' menu. It's very annoying, and it isn't just a matter of opting out. Mint doesn't support an easy way to remove it from all three locations without getting technical. I used mint for a couple of months, the custom search engine came back every time I updated a browser, and it was very annoying to reset settings. It was a deal breaker for me.

SlipperySlope 15y ago
What about if Google Chrome is one's preferred browser and Google search is one's preferred search engine. Would Mint's custom search still be as annoying?
- Alterlife 15y ago
  Google chrome starts with Mint's custom search engine as well. And every time you update Chrome, the search engine gets defaulted to google custom search. The problem isn't so much Google. I like Google, but the custom search is not as good as vanilla Google. Currency conversion doesn't work, the calculator doesn't work, google maps doesn't return it's places on top of the results... non of Google's enhanced features are functional. There's a quick search from the start menu which uses custom search as well, and this seems impossible to change.
wx77 15y ago
This was my main dealbreaker as well and it was so annoying, especially considering how bad the google results look with the custom search.
deleted 15y ago
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dchest 15y ago
Also, this is absolutely unacceptable: Our goal is to give users a good search experience while funding ourselves by receiving a share of this income. Search engines who do not share the income generated by our users, are removed from Linux Mint and might get their ads blocked. http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1851 http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1851
- Alterlife 15y ago
  > Search engines who do not share the income generated by our users, are removed from Linux Mint and might get their ads blocked. Wow, that is insane... With that sort of mentality, the next logical step is to gain market monopoly, pre-install a version of adblock with custom filters, and start charging the entire Internet to show ads.
  - cma 15y ago
    If Google blocked Mint Linux from its results in response, it wouldn't be much of a threat.
    - Alterlife 15y ago
      I'm not saying they'd succeed, but based on what they're doing already I'm sure they'd be willing to try.
- sixtofour 15y ago
  "In Linux Mint 12 and upcoming releases we’re hoping to provide users with the following commercial search engines: Ask.com, Google, Amazon, eBay, and the non-commercial Wikipedia." And I was all set to install Mint tonight. I don't begrudge them the right to manage their distro how they want, but I really hate a distro messing with my browser and search like that. So no, I guess. Damn.
- Indyan 15y ago
  Why is this so unacceptable? Browsers like Opera and Firefox also have deals with Google, Bing etc. for revenue sharing.
  - gcp 15y ago
    If you switch the default search engine in Opera or Firefox, they won't try to to fuck the alternative provider over by blocking his ads. One is called choice, the other is called blackmail.
nassosdim 15y ago
I tested the Mint 12 yesterday and I think that they use duckduckgo for default search engine in firefox, which surprised me.

SlipperySlope 15y ago

What about if Google Chrome is one's preferred browser and Google search is one's preferred search engine. Would Mint's custom search still be as annoying?

Alterlife 15y ago
Google chrome starts with Mint's custom search engine as well. And every time you update Chrome, the search engine gets defaulted to google custom search. The problem isn't so much Google. I like Google, but the custom search is not as good as vanilla Google. Currency conversion doesn't work, the calculator doesn't work, google maps doesn't return it's places on top of the results... non of Google's enhanced features are functional. There's a quick search from the start menu which uses custom search as well, and this seems impossible to change.

wx77 15y ago

This was my main dealbreaker as well and it was so annoying, especially considering how bad the google results look with the custom search.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

dchest 15y ago

Also, this is absolutely unacceptable: Our goal is to give users a good search experience while funding ourselves by receiving a share of this income. Search engines who do not share the income generated by our users, are removed from Linux Mint and might get their ads blocked. http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1851 http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1851

Alterlife 15y ago
> Search engines who do not share the income generated by our users, are removed from Linux Mint and might get their ads blocked. Wow, that is insane... With that sort of mentality, the next logical step is to gain market monopoly, pre-install a version of adblock with custom filters, and start charging the entire Internet to show ads.
- cma 15y ago
  If Google blocked Mint Linux from its results in response, it wouldn't be much of a threat.
  - Alterlife 15y ago
    I'm not saying they'd succeed, but based on what they're doing already I'm sure they'd be willing to try.
sixtofour 15y ago
"In Linux Mint 12 and upcoming releases we’re hoping to provide users with the following commercial search engines: Ask.com, Google, Amazon, eBay, and the non-commercial Wikipedia." And I was all set to install Mint tonight. I don't begrudge them the right to manage their distro how they want, but I really hate a distro messing with my browser and search like that. So no, I guess. Damn.
Indyan 15y ago
Why is this so unacceptable? Browsers like Opera and Firefox also have deals with Google, Bing etc. for revenue sharing.
- gcp 15y ago
  If you switch the default search engine in Opera or Firefox, they won't try to to fuck the alternative provider over by blocking his ads. One is called choice, the other is called blackmail.

nassosdim 15y ago

I tested the Mint 12 yesterday and I think that they use duckduckgo for default search engine in firefox, which surprised me.