Tried to be google-less for the last to weeks ... failed :-(

[Luminatic]

Hm ... RSS reader? I must admit I've never been into RSS readers, so I don't miss google reader, of course.

 

[Tahiti Bob]

If you browse the net a lot it, readers make your life much easier, Google or not

 

[BIGPADDY]

I've been using bing for a while and I think it better than google but I tend to switch between the two no point being limit and YOUTUBE MY GOD (either with those annoying adverts :angry

I have all my website I go on in my favorite so it one simple click away :wink:

 

[gsquared]

Nothing wrong with using Google for search. I still use it most of the time. Until Bing can offer some consistent filtering options I will continue to use Google. I do try to use Bing when at home to get reward points.

 

[a5cent]

Yet another person from Switzerland reporting, and I share your sentiments.

Unfortunately, Bing is only part of this mess. The whole WP8 experience is also very incomplete for those of us living in Switzerland... no audio search, no local scout, no bing cards, no podcasts in the marketplace, no Zune video rentals... it goes on and on. That WP updates aren't distributed simultaneously world wide is another related problem.

I wish someone would finally explain to Microsoft's executive staff, that we live in a globalized world now, this forum is more than enough proof of that. I understand that Microsoft must consider differences in national legal frameworks, yet Microsoft is far worse than their competition at giving all consumers everywhere a similar experience. Replicating national boarders in cyberspace is an outdated concept that Microsoft can't ignore all the time, but Microsoft must resist that approach far more often and with far more rigor!

What I don't understand is: MS is a global company, selling their products globally. Why don't they do their best to give all their customers the same good experience?

Steven Elop once said, that Nokia is truly a global company, whereas Microsoft is merely a U.S. company that happens to do business overseas. That might be an academic difference, but I think it explains Microsoft's mind-set rather well.

So far I'm sticking with Microsoft, but this behaviour isn't improving my view of them. I know many who think similarly, particularly since other U.S. companies (including Apple and Google) seem to get it.

I tried an internet live without google for the last two weeks or so.

Although I understand the desire to be "google free", I suspect the sentiment is driven more by ideology than anything else. I don't think it is either practical or necessary. I think we can avoid most of Google's profiling prowess with a few simple steps:

• Don't install any software from Google on your PC (No Chrome, No Google Earth, No Google browser bars in IE, nothing... all of them have the potential to sift through all the data on your computer and you don't want that)
• Don't send or receive any e-mail through gmail, also don't forward e-mail to or from gmail
• Make sure you are never logged in to Google when using search!
• Avoid logging in to any of Google's other services whenever possible.
• Never use Google+. Erase everything from it.
• Don't subscribe to Youtube channels or RSS sites through Google reader.

With those simple steps you are thwarting 90% of Google's profiling capabilities. Most of that should be simple for everyone. If you can rid yourself of Google's other services, then by all means do, but I don't think we need to be religious about it, or at least not yet.

What I guess I'm trying to say is... don't be frustrated ;-)

 

[spaulagain]

I'm not sure who is saying never use Google products. I for one use Google search all the time on PC (Bing on phone). I also use Chrome Browser on PC and of course YouTube.

Its products like their Gmail, Google Docs, Google+ and the worst, Android that I've completely avoided now.

Outlook.com is SOOOOO much better than Gmail.

Google is a search company. Using them for search is perfectly logical. That's what they are best at.

 

[Tahiti Bob]

Google boycott is just silly, they have great products. Some have Microsoft equivalent, some don't. I use whichever software is better, I'm the one missing out otherwise. I can live with Outlook, Skydrive, Bing maps and Office365 but to me Search, Chrome, Google Reader, Google Earth and Youtube are just irreplaceable or just better than similar Microsoft products. That doesn't mean I would enjoy Android better, I absolutely love Windows Phone even though it's far from perfect.

 

[manunitedfan5]

I just want to find something like google discussions but I really can't, I wish Bing had that

 

[a5cent]

I'm not sure who is saying never use Google products. <snipped>
Google is a search company. Using them for search is perfectly logical. That's what they are best at.

Wrong. Google is an advertising company. Search is only a means of collecting the data they sell or use in add targeting. Since you aren't paying Google for their services, you aren't the customer.

Have you ever "gmailed" your mother about an illness... Google knows about it. Have you ever "gmailed" a friend about marriage problems... Google knows about it. Have you ever searched for the morning-after-pill on the internet while logged in... Google knows about it. People might find this far fetched, but it's really barely the basics. I've worked on these kinds of systems and they can literally deduce information about you that not even you yourself know. Google collects incredible amounts of data on each of their users. The creepy thing is, that you have no idea who has access to it.

If you are fine with that, great, no problem. That is your choice to make. Although I have nothing to hide, I still don't want people jumping to conclusions about me, based solely on Google's profiling algorithms.

Chrome too is primarily a means of collecting data. Surely they aren't giving it to you for free, out of the goodness of their hearts. The tricky thing about Chrome is that it has access to your entire computer and every file on it. I view Chrome as spyware and would never install it on any system I use, ever.

Google boycott is just silly, they have great products. Some have Microsoft equivalent, some don't. I use whichever software is better, I'm the one missing out otherwise.

I completely disagree. Google boycott isn't silly. It's just that some people care more about privacy than others. If you don't care about your privacy that is fine, but other's aren't crazy because they do. What I dislike is that many consumers are completely ignorant in regard to how Google makes their money. Many consumers don't realize to what extent they are sacrificing their privacy in exchange for Google's "free" services. I would prefer if consumers could at least make more informed decisions on the matter.

I do agree that we can go overboard though... at some point protecting your privacy boarders on paranoia.

 

[Tahiti Bob]

I understand... and don't care. Let them collect whatever they want, I don't have much to hide. Outside the US, Bing search is nowhere as good as Google so using Bing (or whatever else) just on principle is silly. I'm not a primary Gmail user so I'm pretty much never logged on when I browse the net, I think I only log on to check my youtube subscriptions. Really I'm fine using whatever Google has to offer unless someone else does it before.

 

[TonyDedrick]

I don't know if a search engine's success is a product of what region you are in. But I know here in Western Massachusetts, Google is far superior than Bing, point blank.

 

[Flagz]

I am forced to use google as I have alot of people on YouTube who want to see me post videos ON YOUTUBE. other than YouTube, I am now FULL BING!

 

[dalydose]

I don't know if a search engine's success is a product of what region you are in. But I know here in Western Massachusetts, Google is far superior than Bing, point blank.

point blank? What makes them so dramatically different to the point of one being "point blank" superior?

 

[dalydose]

I'm weening off. I already use Bing 100% as my search engine. I started my Outlook.com addresses to replace Gmail as email. Next up is to move my private domain, which I'm a little worried about doing it right.

I will only be on YouTube within the month.

 

[TonyDedrick]

point blank? What makes them so dramatically different to the point of one being "point blank" superior?

As I said in my post, I don't know if its regional thing or what. Some say Bing is better and I've tried to use the search engine. I just get better results with Google

 

[a5cent]

I don't know if a search engine's success is a product of what region you are in. But I know here in Western Massachusetts, Google is far superior than Bing, point blank.

I think the types of things you typically search for are also very important. It appears that searches for scientific or technical information are far better with Google. People who predominantly search for recipes or sales prices tend to prefer Bing... or so some Americans have told me. Where I live, Google is better for everything... no competition.

 

[TonyDedrick]

I think the types of things you typically search for are also very important. It appears that searches for scientific or technical information are far better with Google. People who predominantly search for recipes or sales prices tend to prefer Bing... or so some Americans have told me. Where I live, Google is better for everything... no competition.

I can guarantee you my search isn't for anything scientific or technical. I am that guy searching for recipes or for random cartoons I barely remember from my childhood. Google, 99% of the time, finds what I'm looking for

 

[rtotheich]

Luminatic,

As someone who hopes to go into the localization business myself in the near future, I'm sorry to hear that bing has not yet been well implemented in Switzerland. I can't blame you for using Google search in that case, but there is a google search app for WP, and the google site works fine in the browser yes? That being said, you should be able to use google search to your heart's content. I don't understand why it would be a big issue. Even syncing Gmail isn't an issue. It's calendar, drive, voice and other services that will NOT work since they are proprietary software.

As for other device services, it's too bad that local scout and other features don't function well there either. I don't know what impression you have about iPhone there, but iPhone users in the UK and France were extremely angry about issues with Siri (not sure if they were ever resolved) since saying "I'm hungry" (or <<j'ai faim>>) wouldn't return anything simply because there were almost no restaurants listed in an online database. Also, simple changes in accent were unrecognizable. I think that Local Scout is in a similar situation now. And it SHOULD work, but I honestly don't believe the problem is from lack of trying :winktongue: localization is an extremely difficult feat because it requires software engineers who are also proficient in multiple languages and oftentimes there are none of these in a particular language OR they don't want to work for Microsoft. Let's only hope that this will change with the continued sales of WP8

As for me, I think I'll apply to be a French localization specialist in Switzerland after I get my masters :grin:

Cheers!

 

[snowmutt]

@rtoheich: Good luck and best wishes!! I WISH I could Master something... anything.... :evil:

I find this thread kind of fun. Outside of YouTube, MS tries to offer something to compete with both Google and Apple. They have really nailed Bing were it is working. I have gotten to the point I use it and prefer it, and that was truly before I started becoming a WP user. But I do live in the US, and I think we have concluded that MS is a long way from Bing being a worldwide option.

Otherwise, I am enjoying my developing ecosystem. I think it is okay to work within what is best for you. Not that everyone agrees or would even be open minded to you doing it, even if did not hurt them. Roll over to Android Central and start this thread there. There would be much rage and nashing of teeth as the Troll Hunters would grab their pitchforks and light their torches.... :grin:

 

[TonyDedrick]

I will say I'm rooting for Bing to be a real competitive, don't get me wrong.