The obfuscation of default search engine is predatory is more of what I'm getting at

Also no, setting page is not for advanced users, about:config is

That doesn't make sense? How would you have the "add from search bar" feature in the settings screen?

It's a context specific method of adding a search engine - you add it when you're at the site. Meanwhile the setting screen is global for the browser.

Maybe. But even if that was the case, the way it is now isn't obfuscated. It's not difficult. It's not hard to find out how to do it. You made a big long post to complain about an "obfuscated" feature that I found in under a minute.

Next time, either do a search or ask for help, instead of whinging like a n00b. Or worse, some kind of Google FUD-spreading parasite.

FFS, Jesus Wept. I finally understand those blokes over at FreeBSD telling me to RTFM twenty years ago.

Edit: Apparently, the synonym for complain I used before was offensive. It was not the "B" word, which I only use in reference to female dogs. Just wanted that to be clear.

TL;DR: Don't lay this one on me, buddy. You walked in here looking for a fight.

I didn't much care for the direction you started in. If you wanted an actual discussion, then opening with hostility and claims that could be refuted if you'd bothered with less than a minute of research is the wrong way to go.

If you want a civilized discussion, you have to start with a civilized post. My responses have been no more hostile than your opening salvo.

As it happens, Google's influence over Mozilla is of massive concern to me. And I agree that the change was not needed. But it's not obscure, it's not hard to find out how to do what you wanted to do, and your hostility to responses suggesting DuckDuckGo only confirmed my suspicion that you didn't want an answer, you wanted a fight.

So I gave you one.

Here's the deal. If you walk into a place with guns blazing, you don't get to act all surprised and indignant when someone fires back.

Yes. It is. And so was doing a big complainy rant without doing any research.

Again: if you want polite discourse, you have to open with that, not rant and get mad about it later. You set the standard, I just went along with it.

I don't believe you'd read the body of my post. As I'd never said default search engine couldn't be changed

So point is that while your saying I didnt do research what gave you that impression. My dispute is with obfuscation

It's not obfuscated if it takes less than a minute to find the answer, dude.

I liked it better the old way, but the feature isn't hidden.

ETA: My point is you don't get to complain when people reflect back the energy you put out.

The dictionary definition of obfuscation means to purposely obscure , make harder, and there is no mention of a time frame. So with the add by URL gone from settings and a limited amount of defaults search engine thats are all shit and no clear reasoning for the removal of that setting then how does that not fit the definition of obfuscation.

ETA: My point is you don't get to complain when people reflect back the energy you put out.

I definitly can complain as can you and anyone else. I am admittedly stoborn (not for stobornness sake or pride) but I have not resorted to name calling

You know, I had a big long thing about my local grocery store obfuscating the peanut butter, but I deleted it. I think I'm just gonna let this one go.

Look, dude, I think we probably caught each other at a bad time or something. I'm not generally this confrontational, and I kinda doubt you are either. I'm sorry I dragged it out so far, and I'm sorry I responded the way I did to your expression of frustration.

I'll try to be better. Have a great day, yeah?

Right there where it says Find More Search Engines:.

Or the other way, go to on any site, click the search bar and the option to add it as a search appears at the bottom of the search bar: https://i.imgur.com/c3bFc7g.png

I went to the Quant website, and then it offered for me to add it as a search, hence the + symbol. Or click the settings button to "Find more search engines".

I will admit that having to browse through Firefox extensions is not as easy, but the ability to add an engine at any time, without even using settings, simply by visiting the web page is pretty simple.

Edit: I didnt find it hard at all, using the keyword search in the settings menu. But they also have a guide: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-or-remove-search-engine-firefox#w_add-search-engines

Perhaps it is easier for them to have search engines offer their services through that avenue?

But it doesnt matter, if you go to any site that has search, all you have to do is click the + "add search engine" right in the address bar. Doesnt get much easier.

Even sites like Shodan work.

One thing that is difficult to do though is adding a custom search engine query that is not already offered in the OpenSearch XML format. For example, how would you go about making https://lemmy.world/search?type=All&listingType=All&page=1&sort=TopAll&q=%s the default search engine pattern?

When I tried to do something similar I ended up creating and serving the XML from my own web server. Would love to know if there is an easier way. It used to be trivial to do via preferences.

Edit, sorry, Lemmy insists on turning ampersands into & for some reason, here it is the example URL pattern as a link

Also, this support post has some discussion on the issue.

Never kick an underdog even if the underdog is directly funded by google, I should imagine google had a large part to play in these changes. But anyway thanks for the link

I've also come off and confrontational with my stance, its hard not to be when a large portion of replys have been dancing around the stated issue of senseless removal of a key setting