Because I abhor Google, I have tried to abjure the word "googling" to generically describe using a search engine. I have a feeling others have already thought of this--it was obvious enough--but my wandering mind produced an alternative word: duckducking. Obviously it comes from my using Duckduckgo; and "duckduckgoing" was too hopelessly awkward.

Too goofy-sounding, you say? Perhaps, but did you think it wasn't goofy to call your search engine use "googling"?

I just use the term "web search."

I don't search ducks. I roast them (evil grin).

I startpage.

Ehh, I usually do miss the obvious. What does it mean to "startpage"? Never mind, I just duckducked it.

Oh, that ixquick thing--one of their products. I think I had ixquick in my Firefox search engine list, long ago, then lost it and forgot about it.

I know I'm sort of begging to hear someone say "goose," but I don't mind.

I often use “your favorite search engine” or “DDG”

If I just want to "generically" tell someone to search the interwebs without mentioning the green eyed Google monster (not that I think Google is evil, or at least the only evil), I'd probably say something like "search for xxxx", or "do a web search for xxxx".

...or if the OP doesn't want to put in even just one ounce of effort into doing any research about their own problem, then I may not even bother trying to help them. But that said, it might be that they simply don't understand the results of the searches they have done - so that's not the same as refusing to put any effort into solving their own problem - in which case, I'd likely still try and help them with it.

"STFW"

Suck the French waffle ???

Same here.

I'm reasonably sure cynwulf means something similar to "RTFM", so in this case "Search The F****** Web".

Joking aside - I've always called it "searching"... I remember search engines which were around long before google though, such as lycos, altavista, infoseek, etc, so that may be why...

I use "searched the web" and the like but I, myself, tend to google (use that search engine) and will type if when I do.

The problem with Google is that the word is so easy to pronounce and remember that it has literally become a synonym to the word "search".

"Search online" is a little smoother than "Search the web" though sometimes you can't help genericising trademarks.

It's Band-aid and Hoovering regardless of brand, and Googling for most people. DuckDuckGo is something people Google with. Of course we can try to use generic terms. I've tried, I find myself saying "Google" to less tech-involved friends and associates.

Same. Saying you're "Googling" something just gives the company to much mental space.