from Hacker News

Ask HN: How do you explore the web?

by osm3000 on 11/14/24, 5:55 PM with 3 comments

It is nearly impossible now to perform any meaningful exploration for the internet on my own these days.

Search engines are full of garbage. All these articles to promote products and optimize SEOs.

My "virtual portal" to the internet is HackerNews and Reddit, Spotify (some podcasts), and Twitter to a lesser extent (something always feel wrong about that platform). I used to have Newspapers as part of that portal, but not anymore (always depressing, always marketing).

I am curious about how you are exploring the internet? What is you typical daily journey look like? Where do you start?

  • by JoeAltmaier on 11/14/24, 6:13 PM

    I use one particular search engine which is a synthesis of several. Have to recognize, the search is the first step in a multi-step filter.

    Ignore the ads and obvious product promotions. Skim a few promising leads. Narrow it down until you have something real, authoritative (more or less) and pertinent.

    Harder to do with some topics than others I'm sure.

  • by mmphosis on 11/14/24, 6:40 PM

    Start at the end. Links, portals, alt search sites, and aggregates are helpful. Random, small web pages, inspiring sites. It is all very ethereal.

    For example, today's exploration might be: peltier diode