Google vs. Google CSE vs. Maxthon Multi Search

I think the CSE option is more just an affiliate link, so they get paid something when a user does a search. Otherwise just a plain Google search AFAIK.

MxMS is supposed to search multiple search engines and either amalgamate the results to the most relevant from each, or show the top few of each engine. I can't get working, so can't say much more than that. In theory it should be the best seeing as it's using more than one search engine. Whether it's faster, I doubt it as it would need to collate the data from multiple sources. As far as settings, from what I can tell the only options are what other search engines you can select for a particular type of search.

Otherwise stick to Google if that's what you're used to and are happy with the results.

3 hours ago, 7twenty said:

 

MxMS is supposed to search multiple search engines and either amalgamate the results to the most relevant from each, or show the top few of each engine. I can't get working, so can't say much more than that. In theory it should be the best seeing as it's using more than one search engine. Whether it's faster, I doubt it as it would need to collate the data from multiple sources. As far as settings, from what I can tell the only options are what other search engines you can select for a particular type of search.

Otherwise stick to Google if that's what you're used to and are happy with the results.

Multi search is working fine as it always has, it searches first your default engine while offering your other selected engines from a list. It doesn't amalgamate anything, never has. It's a fast efficient way to search across multiple engines

Edited June 27, 2016 by joemax

 

9 hours ago, joemax said:

Multi search is working fine as it always has, it searches first your default engine while offering your other selected engines from a list.

OK then, that makes more sense.

Managed to get it working. Was trying to set it up with an Alias which it seems you can't do. Works fine when set to default.

Hmmm ... I'm still not sure I get it clearly.  It's certainly not crystal clear.

Okay, for example: I just finished searching for "Maxthon Multi Search" WITH Maxthon Multi Search.  On the 1st page there are 10 hits.  So, out of that 1st page of 10 hits, what is the hits allotment layout?  Is it a case of like the first 3 hits being from Google, then the next 3 by Bing and the next 3 by Yahoo, Etc.?  Or is that not at all what the multi search is like?

For sure it doesn't specify in the hits which ones were provided by which search engine.

1 hour ago, Chim said:

Hmmm ... I'm still not sure I get it clearly.  It's certainly not crystal clear.

Okay, for example: I just finished searching for "Maxthon Multi Search" WITH Maxthon Multi Search.  On the 1st page there are 10 hits.  So, out of that 1st page of 10 hits, what is the hits allotment layout?  Is it a case of like the first 3 hits being from Google, then the next 3 by Bing and the next 3 by Yahoo, Etc.?  Or is that not at all what the multi search is like?

For sure it doesn't specify in the hits which ones were provided by which search engine.

Please read my post for clarification.

I did read your post, but IMO it doesn't exactly clarify things.  It says that it "searches first your default engine."  But, then it isn't clear as to what then happens depending on what it finds with your default engine.  To me it is not clear what significance --- "while offering your other selected engines from a list" has in the Multi Search equation.

For example:  In that 1st quote in Blue, you specify that it searches "first" your default engine.  At first it sounds like you mean that at some point, the Multi Search concept is going to switch over to then searching with the other search engines.  But, then that quote in Red seems to contradict that because it sounds like the other search engines are never actively allowed to be part of the search process, but rather just "offered" as presumably other search options in case I choose to select them instead of Google.

If I had to take a guess, it looks like really only Google is doing all the searching work and providing all the hits results ... while the other search engines part of the so-called Multi Search powerhouse are doing nothing, but being available on a list.  IF that is the case, and of course I could still be wrong about how this works, the Multi Search concept would have absolutely no advantage over selecting Google alone as my search engine.  We already have "a list" from which to choose in the regular non-Multi Search concept.

Oh well.  It's not clear to me, but more than likely there's really no speed avantage by any of the options.  I'll just choose one and go with it.  Thanks for trying to explain. 

See the below image. Bing was my default search engine (marked in red), so when using MMS, Bing results are shown by default. If I want to check Google/Yahoo/Amazon (marked in green) using the same search term I can just click one of those and it does a search using them.

Basically what it does is saves you from going to a search site and entering the term each time... instead just click a button.

 

Ahhh, now THAT makes sense.  THAT I understand. 

However, a confusing issue has come to light in the process.  Okay, that particular GUI LOOK that is there in the image, I can only see that in my PortableApps.com Maxthon Cloud 4.4.8.2000.  So your explanation worked great there.  However, on my Desktop installed 4.9.3.1000 version, I definitely do not see that GUI LOOK.  Instead, I see the GUI LOOK that is in the attached image.  What the flipping blazes is going on?

Is that normal on version 4.9.3.1000?  Or am I supposed to set some setting to get the other GUI to display?  Did you get that GUI with version 4.4.8.2000 or with 4.9.3.1000, 7twenty?

Edited June 28, 2016 by Chim

Select Multisearch from the search bar drop down, you're using M2 multisearch.

Edited June 28, 2016 by joemax

Awesome!  That worked, Joe!  That was the ticket.

Strangely enough though, there appears to be a little difference in functionality between the 4.4.8.2000 version and the 4.9.3.1000 version.  When I tried out the 4.4.8.2000 version, that one worked / displayed that correct Sidebar GUI look while I had the combo Address Bar / Search Bar and the little Search Bar at the upper right of the page both set at Google.  Only the big Search Bar at the middle of the Speed Dial page was set to Maxthon Multi Search and things still worked correctly.

On the other hand, as is now evident, on my 4.9.3.1000 installed version I apparently had to also set the combo Address Bar / Search Bar and the little Search Bar at the upper right of the page to Maxthon Multi Search in order for things to work correctly.  How odd.

Anyway ... thanks a bunch for y'all's help, JoeMax ... 7twenty!   I already tweaked the order of the search engines in the settings and am good to go.  It took a little bit of smacking me on my head like a piñata, but I finally got on the right page.   I guess we can consider this one Solved.