Bing as Default Search Engine in Opera 26
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Deleted User last edited by
I'd like to see an official statement from any admin on this forum about this bing issue, please, I've used it as my default search engine for a long time now and I'd like to know the official reason for which they removed Bing, after reading that, I'll start to look for alternative browsers, even if that means using internet explorer, or even better, does anyone here know how to properly customize firefox? thanks
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Deleted User last edited by
Seriously? You want us to help you customize FF? Go over to the Mozilla forums and ask there. Sheesh!
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blackbird71 last edited byI'd like to see an official statement from any admin on this forum about this bing issue, please, I've used it as my default search engine for a long time now and I'd like to know the official reason for which they removed Bing, after reading that, I'll start to look for alternative browsers ...
Let's see if I've understood you correctly: if you can get an "admin's" official statement about the "bing issue", after reading it, you'll start to look for alternative browsers? Why on earth should any "admin" bother to respond under that condition? By the way, I do know how to "customize" Firefox - but this certainly isn't the venue to discuss that.
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christoph142 last edited by
I'd like to see an official statement from any admin
You wouldn't have to ask if you read my previous post on this...
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linuxmint7 last edited by
You wouldn't have to ask if you read my previous post on this...
The thing is Christoph, a lot of people don't bother reading (which can be very useful and quite enlightening), they much prefer to spout uninformed nonsense and illogical threats.
I just wish common sense would prevail, but 'it' sadly seems to be becoming a lost and forgotten trait.
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commonrail last edited by
I used the trick with altering the defaultpartnercontent.json file to get bing back, but today bing got thrown out and replaced by DuckDuckGo again, so I had to overwrite the .json file again...
It's working again and for now it's ok, but if this keeps going like that and Opera won't let me decide what search engine I want to use, I have to change the browser. This would be a sad thing because I've been using Opera for a very long time so far, always trying out the others and Opera always was the one which suited me the most, but the fact that it just changes my settings without asking is absolutely unacceptable.
Not the way to go Opera developers...
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Deleted User last edited by
@commonrail Not the way to go Opera developers...
Which searchengine has to be implemented may be the decision of other parts of Opera ASA company, marketing, HQ, not Developer's section. Opera's monetary decision, which contracts are signed. You know, that some searchengine providers pay for integration.
Change the defaultpartnercontent.json file by hand. Or pay much money for reintegration.
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polaromonas last edited by
@commonrail I just noticed this too. Seriously Opera, DON'T mess with my setup. This is really disrespectful of my choice.
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Deleted User last edited by
What is the problem? Really? If you want Bing, navigate to that site, bookmark it and drag it onto your bookmarks bar. The only difference now is that you are required to make one whole extra click which I realize is a very, very difficult thing to do but heck... even I can do that.
And if you don't like the bookmarks bar, put Bing into your Speed dial. Same difference.
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iron84 last edited by
I've been using Opera since, I dunno, 7.13 maybe (or whatever version was out around september 2003).
After windows 8 came out I switched to Chrome for around a year, since opera couldn't even be set as the default browser, plus various other annoyances, which, to me, was the start of the "one step forward, ten steps behind" mentality at Opera HQ.
Then I switched back to the new opera with version 17 I think, when tab pinning was added (or, rather, restored), as like many others I was lamenting missing most of the features, but at least most websites now worked correctly (except anything that uses flash, switching tabs makes flash lose focus, which is pathetic), but hey, at least it's not Chrome, right?.
And now...now...this **** happens.
For now I will use the workaround posted in this thread (many thanks to the tipster), but I'm getting pissed off badly.
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A Former User last edited by
I read somewhere in the Opera Blogs that they added DuckDuckGo because many Opera users had been requesting it and they wont allow custom default search engines for security reasons (or something like that). Why Bing was removed remains a mystery. I use Bing as an alternative to Google and I find DuckDuckGo a bit limited in its search results. One thing though, typing b before a search is annoying but after reading some of the slightly over-the-top, negative comments here, I'm not going to get worked up about it. It would be nice if Opera brought it back as a default though.
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theashigaru last edited by
@leushino I think the problem is that, to the user, removing Bing as a default search seems capricious. One day it's default and the next day Bing has been replaced by DuckDuckGo. I do believe that Opera had their reasons, but they certainly ought to know how their userbase feels about it. And let me say that I like the addition of DuckDuckGo, but having DDG with Bing and Google is certainly better.
Yes, there will always be those melodramatics who deliver time-sensitive ultimatums to switch browsers as if they hold some kind of bartering chip, but I think the majority of users who take issue with this are willing to give it time to work itself out. If nothing changes within a few months time, we might start to consider other browser options that better suit our internet usage habits.
Opera doesn't need me as an individual user, but Opera does need rapport with their userbase as a whole. That's how a successful business usually works.
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Deleted User last edited by
I agree... it would be nice if Opera made it available (our son works for MS so we're pretty much addicted to Bing! LOL). I suppose all we can do is make our requests known in the Suggestion Box forum and hope for the best.
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turboskanker last edited by
hey all, i'm on an older mac running OS X lion and i cannot find the defaultpartnercontent file mentioned ANYWHERE including the path already mentioned in this thread. driving me crazy. ):
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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.
