Bing as Default Search Engine in Opera 26
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phouseak last edited by
@theashigaru: I agree. It was a decision that alienated me as a user. I prefer Bing for a variety of reasons and I don't mind losing it as the default after an update if I can make it my default again. Losing the freedom, the option, after it has been an option frustrated me. It strikes me as a design decision that subtracted without adding.
It isn't enough to make me stop using it outright but perhaps a couple of other changes could add up and I switch. I currently deal with the inconvenience by just using Speed Dial but really, the reason we choose a browser is often which one has a design and feature set that maximizes convenience. Any steps that increase the level of work required to get what we want in the manner we want it, usually reduces a user's willingness to use it. I selected Opera over IE, Firefox, and Chrome because of those things. Now it's on par with Chrome in terms of how quickly I get work done where it was ahead before.
My two cents.
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karofsky last edited by
couldnt agree more!I want BING instead of google.
This is really insane that Opera even could not allow me to set !
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lando242 last edited by
As has been stated many, many times it was done to counter some malware that was targeting Opera. They know it isn't ideal but they have other features that take priority and this was just a quick fix until they can take on other things. The world isn't perfect, get over it already. Its a search engine not a dingo eating your baby. God forbid you have to type a B and a space before doing a search for a few months until it gets handled.
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A Former User last edited by
@wofall
While I don't care for Bing, it's ridiculous that search engines were ever locked up in this way.
I'm going with solution number 2 (out of my mentioned comment). I was reassured by Opera's devs that they really want this to happen themselves. They just didn't come up with a solution yet that prevents third-party programs from fiddling with your search engines.
Sure, as they said two years ago when they first introduced the anti-feature. The problem is that the entire idea is ill conceived. If the user installs something that hijacks their search engine, tough for them! There's simply nothing you can do to protect against this without taking it out of the users hands entirely.
AFAIK there are ways. Encrypting the search engine settings with a password set by the user for example.
I don't know how they do it but Internet Explorer has a setting to block third-parties from attempting to change the search engine settings.If a user installs malware, all bets are off. Protecting the search engine isn't even worth consideration in this scenario. No doubt Opera have their reasons, but nobody should buy their excuse.
It's worth consideration because a malicious search engine will actually generate revenue for the malware maker and it could lead to even worse infections. The other important consideration is that if the user is using one of the partner search engines and a malware hijacks it Opera Software will lose its usage numbers and that will make them lose money in the long run, since Opera is a free browser which development is paid by these partners they need to do this. I believe you either accept this "excuse" or you'd have to elaborate an argument about Opera turning into a commercial software (paid by users).
Yes they must allow user preference of the default search engine but for that they must invest in the development of the anti-hijack mechanism otherwise the browser will be wide open to search-hijacking malware like Firefox and Chrome are - it's a crap that breaks security and also cuts from their revenue and Opera doesn't have a lot of market share so they can't deal with that. When the management let the devs touch this area of code instead of other areas they're improving and fixing search engine choice will finally see the light of day, let's hope.
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imikezero last edited by
I love to play around with browsers after I get bored with my current set up. Bing is my search engine choice and I can't use it? Seriously Opera? This is happening on the Mac version as well. So the malware excuse is BS.
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lando242 last edited by
Oh, you think Macs don't get malware? If so, I've got some ocean view property in Oklahoma I'd love to sell you.
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operasocial last edited by
I would like to add my name to the list of users displeased with the removal of Bing as a default search engine from Opera. I'm a long-time Opera user, and while I have spent several years defending the use of this marvelous browser from peers who would say the same about Chrome or Firefox, I've also spent that time defending Bing from those who would say the same about Google. Why? Because I prefer them; plain and simple. To me they are better, and while working together they were best. In any case, it is my hope that if enough Bing advocates voice their concerns, perhaps Opera might then reconsider their position. Until then, I'll continue monitoring upcoming Opera updates towards that end (comment written from Firefox).
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tuulenhalkoja last edited by
Maybe Opera in now part of google. i dont like. People like choose their default search engine.
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Deleted User last edited by
@tuulenhalkoja Maybe Opera in now part of google. i dont like.
No, Opera is not part of Google.
People like choose their default search engine.
Yes, but in past Opera 12 they changed searchengines, too.
That may depend on contracts with searchengine providers which engines you can use.You all are free to patch the file defaultpartnercontent.json for your needs.
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A Former User last edited by
Maybe Opera in now part of google
Yeah that's why they added DUCKDUCKGO and still allow you to use YAHOO, YANDEX and BAIDU!
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undercovergypsy last edited by
Has this been solved? I love opera, it is fast and pleasant. But Bing is my choice of search and really, man has walked on the moon, this should not be difficult.
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lando242 last edited by
There is a workaround, yes. You have to edit a .json file. If you are asking if its been changed in the default browser setting, well, no. I don't think theres even been a release since this thread was started so it would be kind of impossible for that to have happened. That said, don't expect it anytime soon. While the devs have said its and item they intend to fix they have given no indication that its high priority.
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amthonie last edited by
Bad move. A user should be able to choose a search engine of it's own liking. Maybe I'll install Opera again in a year or so. For now; byebye. Uninstalling...
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genesishep last edited by
Completely unacceptable to take away user choice over a contract squabble (Anyone who has convinced themselves that this has to do with malware or licensing is naive). Removing the ability to set Bing as default search does absolutely nothing to protect the user. It simply produces a barrier which makes things slightly more difficult, a tactic that sadly will work on many people. Thank you for posting the workaround!
As a long, long time Opera user I'm extremely disappointed in this move. Those of us who think about this even a little bit see through the malware argument. If Bing were truly such a security threat shouldn't Opera warn users who even attempt to visit the page? If the problem were real there would be zero liability in doing so. It becomes even more suspect when you factor in articles such as this which bring into question the validity of the malware claims in the first place:
Bottom line is if Bing is truly a threat we need to protected from then Opera is doing a disservice to its users by not instituting a warning each time the page is visited or better yet, blocking it entirely. If it is no more dangerous than any other search engine, as the article I cited claims, then stop limiting your users by ending this.
On another note, I do see the irony in a company who was once taken to court for limiting its users personal browser choice being placed in the role of victim in a very similar circumstance.
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A Former User last edited by
Those of us who think about this even a little bit see through the malware argument. If Bing were truly such a security threat shouldn't Opera warn users who even attempt to visit the page?
You should think a little bit more then. The issue is letting users add Bing and set as default would open the gates for any malware to add and set a malicious search engine as default. That's why they need to implement security against this before allowing the user to select any search engine.
The solution you have in your head is white-listing but imagine the developers having to white-list every website in the web that can be added as search engine? That's not happening.
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elcanton last edited by
@candytaco thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!
bing is extremely important for me as I very often stay in mainland china. the default for chinese users is baidu - which works terribly with english and google doesnt work well for simplified chinese (and it is blocked)
Bing is the very only thing that can handle both perfectly... -
wiley264 last edited by
So let me make sure I'm understanding this.
We can't have a UI to add a search engine because malware could use that to add a malicious search engine.
Instead, we have to edit a JSON file to add a search engine... which malware TOTALLY can't use to add a malicious search engine.
Ultimately, sufficiently advanced malware is indistinguishable from the user, regardless of platform and regardless of method (simulated clicks, file edits, etc).
On Windows, the best you can probably do is put the JSON configuration in Program Files, where editing it require admin privileges. If that's the intent, though, then why are you overwriting it and making me angry all over again with every update?
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padr1n0 last edited by
Just wanted to add that candytaco's solution worked for me. Also Bing supposedly has a webpage that allows you to do this at http://www.bing.com/set/search. Hope it works and hope Opera comes around to fixing this. It's probably a money issue.
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A Former User last edited by
We can't have a UI to add a search engine because malware could use that to add a malicious search engine.
Instead, we have to edit a JSON file to add a search engine... which malware TOTALLY can't use to add a malicious search engine.Wrong, you can recover Bing via the json because the json is official from a prior Opera version, any further alterations in that json will make it invalid in their security verification and Opera won't allow you to use it.
