Show HN: SimpleSearch – Just a list of search bars (simplesearch.info)
I made this site for myself, SimpleSearch.info, as new default browser page. I’m not sure if it actually _saves_ time or clicks (though, for me, it saves at least one click per search), but I find the search experience more pleasant. On desktop, it’s nice to just have these search bars as the first thing that pops up in a new window or tab vs clicking bookmarks in the toolbar or elsewhere then searching. Similarly, on mobile, I like just clicking on one icon for all my searches. The vast majority of my web browsing begins with a search or LLM query.
I’m curious if this is helpful to anyone else and if there are any additional features I might add to make it more useful. Thanks!
31 comments
[ 5.6 ms ] story [ 60.4 ms ] thread# Feedback
- Maybe add a way for a user to modify/adjust layout of search bars. For example view them in a row or grid versus single column
- Delete a search bar from the list versus replacing it with another search bar. For example, I may just want to see github and google only. But can always add more from the 'more' dropdown menu. Basically adding an 'X' to the left of the search bar
Once again, smooth app
I'm going to incorporate this and some of the other feedback in the comments.
Very helpful. Appreciate the suggestions, all.
https://www.gnod.com/search
You can enter a search term and then click on the button of a search engine.
Or you can just press the first char in the name of the engine. So you can search Google for "hello world" by typing "hello world<enter>g". And then go back and just hit "c" to send the same query to ChatGPT.
Any of the expanded search options get much action?
Some of the options, for example, ReelGood, I personally use all the time, but I’m not sure how common that is for others.
I’m sure there are searches (maybe things like arxiv, Google Translate, Google Scholar, Spotify, etc.) that other people use more often. I initially opted to keep things tidy (and "'simple'") vs comprehensive, but I will add those and others if anyone wants them!
For now, if you have two engines in your list that start with the same letter and want to use the second one, you have to click on it.
I was thinking about changing it so that when you press the letter, then both engines lit up so you know you have to press another letter to select which one you want. So DeepL would be "de" and DuckDuckGo would become "du".
Not sure if it is a feature in high demand. If I get feedback from a user that they want it, I would implement it.
- First of all, search bangs actually already removed the need to click the "search" button.
- However, I wanted to support multiline input (on a mobile virtual keyboard.)
- ENTER,ENTER solves this. (Double-keypress ENTER)
- I also wanted the search box to filter the list of 10,000+ available search bangs.
- So Q,Q selects the first entry; W,W the next; and so on... (The first Q must be uppercase, but the following Q may be lowercase to support how mobile virtual keyboards work)
- (Notice Q is right under the key for 1; W under 2; and so on )
I have to tune the double-keypress UX (often I initiate a search when I just want a newline.) Perhaps I will also add triple-keypress.
So a simple return makes a newline, and two quick returns have a different meaning. I like that.
The way I support multiline is via the little triangle in the search bar. I think I'll keep it, because it is easier to discover. The double-return would need some kind of textual hint. Like when you press enter once, a little hint could pop up below the search area telling you that to leave the text entry, you can hit enter twice.
And on mobile I rarely use multiline searches I think. On the Desktop I use shift-return to create a newline.
* Whatsapp search is broken. Goes to "https://web.whatsapp.comSEARCHPHRASE/"
* Most of these only work when logged in via cookie to the service
* Amazon search inserts your affiliate tag - you might want to make this clear somewhere.
Yeah, for me, it's just a _little_ bit better of a search experience. Would not expect that the be the case for everyone. Was wondering if that would actually be the case for _most_ people. Glad to see some folks some see value in it.
So yes, I can see the value of such a tool :)
- After realizing I made the "button version" of search bangs I started: https://zz.leftium.com/
The UX for composing multiline queries is nicer in my apps (especially with AI Chat like CoPilot):
- ENTER is newline by default (SHIFT+ENTER to submit. Or double ENTER; careful not to add newlines too quickly; I have to tune the double keypress UX)
- Auto-expands to multiple lines
- Fullscreen edit mode
The different flavors of simultaneous invention shared in the thread makes me think there's some kind of underlying shared need/value in this sort of thing!