A couple days ago I started using a browser called "Start Page" that supplies a LOT more security than others. I like it!

I was wondering if anyone else is using this search engine, and if not WHY! I guess it is a Pros vs Cons question.

I have been using Startpage as my default search engine for several years, because it promised to respect my privacy. I forget where I learned of it.

Whatever browser I use, if it allows installing a search enginge, I install Startpage in it and make it my default search engine. Very rarely, perhaps once every three or four months, I might get a message that the "servers are overloaded, please check back later"; then I'll use something else until the issue is resolved.

I have been quite satisfied with search results from Startpage (ixquick in the UK).

2 members found this post helpful.

been using startpage for a long time,

Like Frankbell I immediately add it as the default search engine, including Firefox for android
You have to disable all the other search engines via the addons menu in FF for android for it to work ( search start page in the other add ons )

I use ixquick to, it is like startpage , but instead of exclusive google results 'it uses lots' of search engines

the view by ixquick proxy , link works well,, one of the best web proxies I have used.

1 members found this post helpful.

Thanks Guys, I was just a little worried that it was to good to be true.

What features of the program do you use, how about the incription feature?

Than which others, and specifically which security flaws? Certainly, there are search engines that require you to trade off your privacy (not quite the same thing, although it may have security implications) in order to get what they do for you for 'free'.

In any case, my current favourites are

1. DuckDuckGo
2. Dogpile
3. Izito

(with Izito being my current first choice, on a day-to-day basis). DDG, which is much liked in some quarters, has an output format that I don't like that much, but which I'd easily learn to put up with if it wasn't for the fact that I like Dogpile or Izito's output formats better.

I quite like Izito's advanced options, and that's probably the reason for taking it above Dogpile.

I have briefly used startpage (in its Ixquick form); forget why I abandoned it, so I probably should give it another go.

2 members found this post helpful.

StartPage is my primary search engine and DuckDuckGo is second. The only drawback I have seen with both is when searching for images. At least for me, few results are shown. But for normal searching, both are very good.

2 members found this post helpful.

Just having a look at it before I go to work it says it is enhanced by Google. Reading the "more information" or whatever the link was says they search google for the user so the user does not feed google with any information. I'll give it a go and see what I think.

2 members found this post helpful.

Guys you are great. I really don't know, but I really want you to know I appreciate your input.
If there is a better program/similar I'm all ears. The program Start Page is the only one of it's kind that I came across (by accident) so I have no knowledge of the other programs you speak of.

Randicus Draco Albus, I don't know what searching for "images" means, can you explain ?

The options of searching "Internet, Images, Videos."

1 members found this post helpful.

Startpage is the one I always use to replace whatever the default search engine is in either Firefox or Chromium. Also been using it for a few years. I tried DuckDuckGo, but didn't like its output format, as salasi said.

1 members found this post helpful.

Been using it for a few years. I switch between Start page and ixquick, which is who runs Start page. The ixquick page doesn't have the "enhanced by Google" on it.
I like either of their image search as well as GIS. With either you can also set your privacy to different levels either by cookie or by bookmarking a custom page.

seeing as this has come up a few times, and there seems to be some confusion

startpage uses hits only from google, think of it as a google search via proxy

ixquick is a meta search, it pulls together hits from multiple search engines.

I've been using it, and comparing it to Google, for the last couple of days. It does get the same results but it doesn't seem to put them in any order of relevance. Somethings I find on page 10 that Google has on page 1 and I, personally, find this frustrating. I don't know how they can fix this but to me it is something they do need to fix. I'll keep using it and hope that usage will help them prioritise the results more efficiently.

@k3lt01 , you don't seem to understand..
startpage will never work that way

what is happening with your 'real google search' is google providing you with results it thinks you want based on the data it has collected about you.

Personally, it is actually why I like startpage, I first started using it, not just for privacy reasons, but for the fact that search results were getting 'stale' for me, always having some kind of bias towards Linux, my IP location and so on.

And yes, I know you have my posts on ignore, not my loss :P
Hopefully someone will quote this for you, then you can pretend you didn't hit the view anyway link

Quoted... now we can all be happy

I agree with Firerat, I find it very frustrating that Google thinks it knows what I am looking for on any given day - it does make the results turn stale to the point that they stink!

I much prefer to simply get a list of what is out there, and I'll optimize it by my search terms, by myself. I avoid Google for most purposes.

1 members found this post helpful.