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How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:12 pm
by Panjack
This is been revised on 8/4/2024.

DuckDuckGo changed how its search works, and, unfortunately, DDG search doesn't work as well as before.
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DuckDuckGo is a search engine. It is found at DuckDuckgo.com. You can also make it your default search engine in your browser. DDG claims it doesn't collect data on those using its search engine. Google does collect information on any search you perform using their search engine.

Basic search for a word, such as BURMA, in DuckDuckGo:
burma site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition”

Note the quote marks around “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition.” They are needed. You also want to put the words you are searching for at the beginning of the search string.

If you want to search for information on the BURMA ROAD, you want to put quote marks around these words:
"burma road" site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition”

Sometimes you need to search by trial-and-error. For instance, if you want information on the burma road, someone might have written about "that road in burma." The latter will not be found by searching for "burma road" but "that road in burma" might be found if you search for (notice lack of quote marks):
burma road site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition”

DDG provides more information about searches here: Advanced Syntax.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:33 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Panjack

[font="Verdana"]Basic search for a word, such as BURMA, in DuckDuckGo:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +Burma

Note two things about this search. First, quote marks surround “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition.” Second, a “+” appears before the search term, Burma. You can run a search without these quote marks and without the “+,” but the results will most likely be worse. The “+” tells DDG that what follows is what you are really interested in, and results with multiple incidences of BURMA will get ranked higher. (As opposed to results with multiple incidences of the phrase, “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition.”)

Once you run one search within DDG, you can bookmark that page. Later, you can go to that bookmark and change the particular search you want to run and then rerun it. This way you won't have to enter all the parts of the search.

If you want more authoritative results for technical aspects of the game, add the word “Alfred” to your search:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +Burma Alfred

Then, once you click on a particular search result, use your browser to search for “Alfred” on the page on the screen. Multiple incidences of this name might exist on the page. You can also rerun the search by putting a “+” before Alfred, and a different set of search results might appear:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +Burma +Alfred

If you want to search for phrase, such as BURMA ROAD, then you put quote marks around the phrase:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +”Burma road”

However, this will miss posts that have the following: “how do I get supplies up the road in Burma.” If your initial search (above) doesn’t seem to get what you’re interested in, rerun the search as follows:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +Burma +road

You can remove the “+” from either of the above to get slightly different search results.

You add any combination of phrases and/or words as your search terms:
site:matrixgames.com “War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition” +"Burma road" Monsoon +Headquarters -AK

Notice the "-" above: this tells DDG to exclude results that have what appears after the "-."

Often, trial-and-error is needed to get results giving you the information you are looking for...or leading you to the conclusion that the information you are looking for does not exist.

For new players: If you just can't find the information you need after searching, ask a question on the forum. In your question, you might report the searches you have performed because some people on the forum might ask if you've done your due diligence in trying to find answers by searching the forum.

[/font]
And what is DDG - A site? An app? If the latter, where is it available?

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:35 pm
by Nomad
DuckDuckGo is a search engine.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:45 pm
by tolsdorff
There are 100's of search engines out there. Yahoo still exists. duckduckgois one. Google is just the most popular.

Many google top search results are from affiliated companies or sites that paid money to be on top.

If you like more obscure unknown search results for queries, you are better off using some of the alternative lesser known search engines. They use their own indexers and web-crawlers. These alternative results are often much more informative and interesting than the results Google provides.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:49 pm
by Panjack
DuckDuckGo.com is their website, which can be bookmarked. Alternatively, I think most browsers permit DDG to be set as the default search engine for a browser. DDG's website explains the privacy advantage is of their search engine.

But anything that DDG can do, Google can do (using slightly different techniques). However, I think the use of "+" in DDG permits slightly different search results by emphasizing terms, which is something I don't think Google does.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 12:25 am
by BBfanboy
Thanks Panjack. The website is the info I can use.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 1:03 am
by Nomad
For some reason duckduckgo.com seems to be off line right now.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 1:07 am
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Nomad

For some reason duckduckgo.com seems to be off line right now.
That was me on the site downloading the app! I had no problems and even did the DDG for my cell phone with no issues. Maybe the ducks don't like beagles?

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 1:20 am
by Nomad
I can't get to duckduckgo.com. I get an error that says the site can not be reached.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 4:47 am
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Nomad

I can't get to duckduckgo.com. I get an error that says the site can not be reached.
DuckDuckGo.com
I just copied the site name exactly as Panjack put it - capitals and all. I pasted that in place of the URL of this thread and got DDG immediately.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 5:53 am
by Maallon
ORIGINAL: Nomad

I can't get to duckduckgo.com. I get an error that says the site can not be reached.
Can you try this link:
https://duckduckgo.com/

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:33 am
by Moltrey
FYI, DuckDuckGo hangs their hat on improved security of the site/engine compared to the competition.
(Oh, and the all-important "not sharing personal info" promise).

I haven't used it much or found a review to compare it to the earlier search engines, so YMMV.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 9:10 am
by Nomad
It is working today. I have duckduckgo as my default search engine.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2021 12:41 pm
by RangerJoe
That has been my default search engine for years.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:45 pm
by CaptBeefheart
I'm not a huge fan of the 800-pound gorilla search engine. I've been using DuckDuckGo for non-skewed (as far as I know) search results for some time. The other guys are definitely skewed based on tests I've done.

Cheers,
CB

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:47 pm
by RangerJoe
On google and some other search engines, the first page or two may have paid to be put there. They may also put their own stuff at the top.

RE: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:56 pm
by Sardaukar
Yea, while Google is "standard" nowadays, it puts it's own stuff and paid content on top.

Thus, sometimes it is beneficial to use other search engines too.

Re: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 1:56 am
by Platoonist
Steferdlisa320 wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2023 5:01 pm For women seeking the best ab workouts, it's important to maintain a focused fitness routine.
Gee, thanks. Lord knows this forum gets overrun daily by female ab crunchers searching for bodybuilding tips. :roll:

Re: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 7:44 am
by RangerJoe
Platoonist wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2023 1:56 am
Steferdlisa320 wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2023 5:01 pm For women seeking the best ab workouts, it's important to maintain a focused fitness routine.
Gee, thanks. Lord knows this forum gets overrun daily by female ab crunchers searching for bodybuilding tips. :roll:
Plus they keep posting their pictures! :lol:

Re: How to Use DuckDuckGo to Search the Forum

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:17 pm
by Platoonist
RangerJoe wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2023 7:44 am
Platoonist wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2023 1:56 am
Steferdlisa320 wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2023 5:01 pm For women seeking the best ab workouts, it's important to maintain a focused fitness routine.
Gee, thanks. Lord knows this forum gets overrun daily by female ab crunchers searching for bodybuilding tips. :roll:
Plus they keep posting their pictures! :lol:

*Sigh* Somehow, I've learned to make peace with that fact.

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