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Firefox Search In Ubuntu 10.04 Changed To Google

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the we-call-that-flip-flopping dept.

kai_hiwatari writes "Sometime back Canonical decided to change the default search in Firefox that comes Ubuntu 10.04 to Yahoo! from Google. In a surprising turn-around, Canonical have decided to a ditch Yahoo! for Google. Rick Spencer from Canonical announced that Google will now be the default Firefox search in Ubuntu 10.04, not Yahoo! as was previously decided."

8 of 224 comments (clear)

  1. Good for them by iammani · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I dont think any one would want Yahoo as default search

    1. Re:Good for them by Krneki · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I dont think any one would want Yahoo as default search

      Who gives a shit about what users wants anyway?

      Look at Microsoft or Apple, they tell you what you need.

      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    2. Re:Good for them by sopssa · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Exactly. Why is this news? Canonical calculated that they get better commissions from Google than Yahoo at this point. It leads me to believe that Google increased their payout for Canonical and they switched back from Yahoo.

      /thread

  2. It probably doesn't matter by blahbooboo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you're running Linux as your desktop OS, I suspect you have the necessary knowledge & skills to change the default search engine in your web browser

    1. Re:It probably doesn't matter by Compaqt · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, Ubuntu claims to want to be "Linux for Human Beings".

      Although, on the other hand, the switch to Yahoo gives just about the same user experience as Google for the average user. You type a search query, it gives you results, in the same green and blue colors, even.

      I doubt many average users would even care to change, but if they did, the UI to change it to Google is right there out in front, and only takes a single click.

      Definitely not like the moving of the window controls, which does in fact change the user experience; average users are likely to want to change it; and average users are unlikely to know how to or to want to mess with Gconf to move them back and have them still messed up because the graphics are only meant for a single order of the buttons.

      --
      I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on the Internet. Blog
  3. A good sign? by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The switch to Yahoo was due to a revenue sharing deal. The switch back to Google was (reportedly) to stick users with a more "familiar" default.

    So it sounds like Canonical is putting users first, which strikes me as a very good policy in the long-term, if they want to grow the user base.

  4. Re:Unfortunately by Sounder40 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fortunately one Canonical employee is prepared to share what they know with us: from TFA:
      Rick Spencer, who announced the change back to Google, said that Canonical have decided to change back to Google after deciding that Google Search will be more familiar to a lot of users upgrading to Ubuntu 10.04...

    Of course, you may choose not to believe that. But Canonical are providing an explanation.

    If "familiarity" was the issue, then why move the fsck'ing window buttons to the upper left? I don't buy that as an argument.

    --
    A clever person solves a problem, A wise person avoids it. -Einstein
  5. Re:The only solution by macbuzz01 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've got em:

    google.com
    images.google.com
    video.google.com
    maps.google.com
    news.google.com
    shopping.google.com