32 points

https://help.kagi.com/orion/faq/faq.html#oss

We’re working on it! We’ve started with some of our components and intend to open more in the future.

The idea that “open-source = trustworthy” only goes so far. For example, the same tech company that offers a popular open-source browser also has the largest ad/tracking network in history, with that browser playing a significant role in it. Another company with a closed-source browser (using WebKit like Orion) is on the forefront of privacy awareness and technologies in its products.

So, does anyone here remember when all chromium browsers had a secret api that sent extra data to google? Brave, Opera, and Edge got hit by this one, but I think Vivaldi dodged it. They all removed this after they found out, but still…

When it comes to things like browsers, due to the sheer complexity and difficulty to truly audit chromium, I don’t really consider chromium to be “open source” in the same sense as many other apps. Legally, you can see and edit the code. But in practice, it’s impossible to audit all of it, and the development is controlled by a single corporation who puts secrets in it, or removes features that harm their interests (manifest v3). Personally, I consider Minecraft Java to be closer to open source than chromium is.

To say that:

The idea that “open-source = trustworthy” only goes so far

is really just a cop-out and excuse for not being transparent with their code and what they are doing.

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9 points

100% agree.

If its not open source 1) you can’t fully trust/audit. and 2) you’ll be left in the dust should the company cease to exist as nobody can continue development.

If Firefox is not private enough use Librewolf. If you’re interested in something new and exciting give Zen Browser or Floorp (both based on Firefox) a spin.

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8 points
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You know they’re scamming when they think saying ‘open source’ enough will make us forget it fails to include a libre software licence text file.

some of our components

Blatant scam. That’s not an app. The app is anti-libre software.

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10 points

I know it’s a privacy focused browser, and I’ve used it on my iPad. It’s a decent enough browser. The best feature is that on iOS it actually supports plugins like ublock.

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7 points
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Anti-libre software, we do NOT control it. It fails to include a libre software licence text file, like GPL.

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7 points

All I know is that Kagi triggered my scam alarms from the start, and moving into the browser market just made them ring even louder.

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2 points

What is it that you don’t like about it? I had a look and I’ve been trying it out, and it seems pretty good and not a scam at all

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4 points

The whole thing is weird and the CEO especially so, and not weird in a good way: https://d-shoot.net/kagi.html

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3 points

Thanks! That was quite a read. Had a laugh when I got to this “months later this post is still being shared with people when they ask about Kagi.”

Don’t think its a scam still, just another shitty tech bro start up with no future other than making the founders rich. I guess that’s the scam though isn’t it…?

I think the search is decent, and haven’t used any of the “AI” cos fuck “AI”. Still, with the info in there about privacy and PII, I am going to abandon this experiment and I guess go back to Searx for now?

Thanks again for the info.

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5 points

Never heard of it.

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