Default custom search engine

jbmelgoza

jbmelgoza

Hi everyone. I'm just wondering, am I able to make a custom search engine the default search engine? I can add a custom search engine just fine, but there's no "Make Default" button like there is for the bundled Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines. Just wondering if it's a bug (using Opera Next 20 on a Mac) or if Opera is limiting customization compared to Google.

I want to use Startpage as my default search engine, and I have no troubles at all doing that on Google Chrome (or Firefox). They even get suggestions from it.

Thanks.

blackbird71

blackbird71

It's presently intentional. Opera has said it's to prevent search-engine hijacking by malware, and until they can figure out a way to protect against it while allowing user-choice, they are keeping the default engine "locked down". It's also somewhat similarly-behaved in Old Opera 12.15 and 12.16.

oxbits

oxbits

Will this ever change? I will not use Opera as my default browser until I am allowed to set my own default search engine. Freedom!

blackbird71

blackbird71

Only Opera can answer that. Thus far, all they've provided is their stated reason, along with the obvious implication that if they can figure out a way, they may allow the user to again set it. I can imagine that, with all of the other "priorities" beating on their development doors right now, their priority for working out such a solution is not very high. I'm not an expert, but I suspect other browsers either don't worry about search-engine hijacking (thus allow users to set their own defaults) or they work differently enough from Opera (Old or New) that such a hijacking risk is minimized.

The alternative thinking is that one can dis-believe what Opera has said about why they've locked the search-engine default setting, or that they're only stating partial truth and concealing a secret added motive. In most cases such as this, I choose to believe people and companies and take their words at face value, until they've demonstrated that they habitually lie or deceive... then I distrust them forever after.

Deleted User

Deleted User

I remember when AltaVista and Hotbot (I think that was the engine) along with Yahoo were the only real viable search engines. Somehow we all managed to get done what needed to be done. Today it seems we demand everything be done our way and right away or we're going to withhold our money and (oh wait... it's free, isn't it...hmmm)... I DEMAND that the browser perform exactly the way I expect or I'll go to Chrome.

Funny how everyone relates how much they despise Chrome and Google and yet the vast majority threaten to abandon Opera for Chrome. Very odd. I need coffee.

oxbits

oxbits

I am able to make Duck Duck Go (anonymous search) my default search engine in FireFox, Safari, and Chrome. I believe it is a privacy and security issue. I love Opera, but I love it less when they limit our choices like this.

stng

stng

There is simple solution - downgrade to 12.14.

blackbird71

blackbird71

Originally posted by leushino:

... Funny how everyone relates how much they despise Chrome and Google and yet the vast majority threaten to abandon Opera for Chrome. Very odd. I need coffee.

Indeed. That's perhaps the greatest non sequitur I've observed throughout the entire many-months-long Opera "debate". It reminds me of some folks I knew who got mad at their Sears Roebuck "Kenmore" dishwasher and jumped to a different name-brand instead - but which was made by the same outfit that built the ones for Sears. Yep... more coffee...

Deleted User

Deleted User

LOL... the Sears analogy is perfect. "Honey, where's my coffee?"

Privacy... ah yes. We expect privacy online. LOL I mean... serioiusly? You think by using DuckDuck Whatever you're not going to be tracked? Maybe not by that engine but you'll be tracked nevertheless. You know, I honestly think we make far more of this privacy issue than is warranted. I don't care that I'm being served ads based upon my searches. So what? Of course, I don't really mind the ads as long as they're reasonably unobtrusive. Most of what is served up is ignored by me anyway but occasionally I do click on an ad just to help pay the bills. This world in which we live is anything but conducive to privacy and our demanding and expecting it is an exercise in denial. It's not going to happen. We're all out there on thousands of servers. Our words (many poorly chosen - Oh, if we could only take them back) are archived. Our social insurance numbers sit in unlocked filing cabinets and relatively insecure data bases that can and probably have been hacked. We hand over our credit cards to waiters and don't give it a second thought. And of course this is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg. BUT... we demand privacy by golly. So we can "downgrade" to v.12.14 but wait... are security updates for Presto versions eventually coming to an end? I thought the poster wanted both privacy AND security. Hmmm... probably a downgrade is not in your best interests.

Coffee! I demand coffee!

rstuff

rstuff

Maybe this has something to do with it. http://gigaom.com/2005/09/21/google-made-opera-browser-free/

oxbits

oxbits

Now it all makes sense. I thought Opera was an alternative. Resistance is futile?

Opera, if you hear this, please let me choose my default search engine, please! Until then I am using FireFox, Safari, and even Chrome, all of which allow me to set the default search engine of my choosing.