Ecosia and Qwant, two European search engines prioritizing privacy and sustainability, are collaborating to build a new, independent European search index called the European Open Web Search (EOWS). This joint effort aims to reduce reliance on non-European indexes, promote digital sovereignty, and offer a more ethical and transparent alternative. The project is open-source and seeks community involvement to enrich the index and ensure its inclusivity, providing European users with a robust and relevant search experience powered by European values.
Marginalia is a search engine designed to surface non-commercial content, prioritizing personal websites, blogs, and other independently published works often overshadowed by commercial results in mainstream search. It aims to rediscover the original spirit of the web by focusing on unique, human-generated content and fostering a richer, more diverse online experience. The search engine utilizes a custom index built by crawling sites linked from curated sources, filtering out commercial and spammy domains. Marginalia emphasizes quality over quantity, presenting a smaller, more carefully selected set of results to help users find hidden gems and explore lesser-known corners of the internet.
Hacker News users generally praised Marginalia's concept of prioritizing non-commercial content, viewing it as a refreshing alternative to mainstream search engines saturated with ads and SEO-driven results. Several commenters expressed enthusiasm for the focus on personal websites, blogs, and academic resources. Some questioned the long-term viability of relying solely on donations, while others suggested potential improvements like user accounts, saved searches, and more granular control over source filtering. There was also discussion around the definition of "non-commercial," with some users highlighting the inherent difficulty in objectively classifying content. A few commenters shared their initial search experiences, noting both successes in finding unique content and instances where the results were too niche or limited. Overall, the sentiment leaned towards cautious optimism, with many expressing hope that Marginalia could carve out a valuable space in the search landscape.
Summary of Comments ( 147 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43311573
Several Hacker News commenters express skepticism about Ecosia and Qwant's ability to compete with Google, citing Google's massive data advantage and network effects. Some doubt the feasibility of building a truly independent index and question whether the joint effort will be significantly different from using Bing. Others raise concerns about potential bias and censorship, given the European focus. A few commenters, however, offer cautious optimism, hoping the project can provide a viable privacy-respecting alternative and contribute to a more decentralized internet. Some also express interest in the technical challenges involved in building such an index.
The Hacker News post titled "Ecosia is teaming up with Qwant to build a European search index" generated several comments discussing the partnership and its potential implications.
Several commenters expressed skepticism about the viability of a "European" search index, questioning what that truly entailed and whether it offered significant advantages over existing options. One commenter pointed out the difficulties of determining what constitutes "European" content and questioned the feasibility of filtering the index based on such criteria. Another commenter highlighted the dominance of American companies in search technology, suggesting that building a truly competitive European alternative would be a challenging endeavor. The practicality and cost-effectiveness of crawling and indexing the web independently were also questioned, with some suggesting that relying on established players might be a more realistic approach.
There was discussion regarding the existing infrastructure and resources of both Ecosia and Qwant. Commenters noted that Qwant's previous struggles and reliance on Bing's index raise concerns about the new venture's potential for success. The commenters questioned the technical expertise and resources available to the partnership, highlighting the massive infrastructure and continuous development required to compete with established search giants.
Some commenters expressed concerns about potential biases in a "European" search index. They questioned how the index would handle controversial topics and whether it would prioritize European perspectives, potentially leading to a skewed or incomplete view of information.
Several users discussed the importance of competition in the search market and expressed hope that this partnership could offer a viable alternative to the dominant players. However, there was also a degree of cynicism, with some commenters suggesting that the partnership was more about marketing and branding than about genuine technological innovation.
Finally, some commenters focused on the technical aspects of search engine development. They discussed the challenges of natural language processing, information retrieval, and the development of effective ranking algorithms. These comments highlighted the complex technical hurdles involved in creating a competitive search engine. Overall, the sentiment in the comments was a mixture of cautious optimism, skepticism, and pragmatic concerns about the technical and logistical challenges faced by the partnership.