Without going into why I'm dropping DDG right now as I am much to aggravated to think clearly but DDG after many years of using it seems to be going off in the wrong direction for me ....
I am using Brave but not to keen on their browser ..... so what else is available and what do you use or suggest ..... Thanks
I mostly use Qwant, DDG and Brave. Like browsers and profiles, I tend to separate concerns as to what type of searches I run in each of them.
I don't think that a right Answer exists in this Case (similar to Browsers). I use DuckDuckGo now. I ealier Days I used StartPage. I've heard a While ago from something called Tempest (they have a Browser, too) but I never tried them.
For Alternatives, You could take a Look at alternativeto:
Well as I have calmed down now and both of you folks use DDG I guess I better explain why I'm looking for a new search engine ....
It all started after an update about a week ago ... I use the DDG stand alone app and paste the website on my Brave quick link selection on their opening screen pined there along with 11 other sites I use the most .... after the update when choosing my web search topic a screen opens as normal with the following changes .....
AI takes over my selection ..... I managed to remove it ....
Customizing the way I prefer to set up DDG from the hamburger menu from the top right hand side and save it to their cloud ..... but every other day or so it reverts back to their choices including the AI ....
Other things like a thumb nail picture of the person who wrote an article would appear at the end of the search results .....
The final straw came yesterday when doing a search for a diagram of a motor part the site would open and if you moved the mouse to scroll down a box appeared showing a small version of the diagram and said Open .... clicking open took you to AliExpress a Chinese platform like Amazon ....
It didn't matter which other site I chose for the diagram it still went to AliExpress .... just to mention AliExpress doesn't have diagrams and you can't pass the Open box as the screen appears to be locked ... you can only click open or X to close which takes you back to the original website where if you try to scroll down to read starts the same process all over again ....
There are others but I can't recall right now ....
If you are confused reading this just imagine how I felt trying to deal with this .... LOL
Trying out Startpage Search Engine right now .....
This AI infused culture is going to ruin us all. I absolutely hate that every company and site has to use this AI garbage. We didn't ask for it, we don't want it, and the only reason companies are doing it, is to easily spy on our data.
All this technically started, when companies no longer wanted to deal with their customers over the phone, they invented automated call center machines with multiple choice, which often didn't have the choice you needed.
Now look where we are at, you can't even put a search into Google, without AI popping up! We are absolutely doomed as a species. Eventually these LVM's, will become real AI, then say hello to Terminator.
And when You simply use DDG in the Browser? I use it in my Browser (Firefox) as Standard Search Engine. So, when I search something, I type it in the Adress Bar and I have the Entry Search with DuckDuckGo. I click on it and then it opens with the Search Results.
Be mindful that the app is actually a web browser, not just the search engine. I only use the search engine over a website. The experience is probably a lot different.
Hummmm .... never thought of that but that would make sense ...... anyway I am trying Startpage and so far I like it ..... no problems and my search choices seems to be a lot better and broader .... found the diagram I had been looking for with in the first 3 search suggestions ..... thanks to the both of you ....
Metasearch engines that fetch multiples at once.
Still using Startpage and just to be sure I downloaded it as a stand alone apt and yup it behaved the same way as DDG did with all the garbage I don't want ..... strange that DDG started acting this way as I have been using it from my favorite apt selection on Brave for more than 5 years ....
But anyway I needed a change and Startpage so far fits the bill ..... it is strange having to get use to typing it in my Address Bar instead of clicking on the icon and typing it in DDG's Search Bar ..... LOL
I guess DDG is "trying to keep up with the times"...
You can probably set this up to run a search in a widget, so it's a bit faster. Depending on the launcher you're using (the "desktop" equivalent in Android devices), you can also use gestures to search the web faster.
I have Lynx launcher installed and I can swipe upwards to start a search for contacts, apps, settings, and if none of the is found it defaults to launching the default browser and running a search.
Went to the Lynx Launcher but it is for android .... found something in the Cinnamon DE called Internet Search Box ( website below) but so far having trouble getting the applet to show up anywhere .... left a message for the developer so we'll see .... he did explain to someone how to insert Startpage so it must work ..... just me sometimes I don't work .... LOL ..... I'll keep searching for an answer ....
Thanks
Well I figured it out however it is almost worthless as shown in the photo below .... one of the reasons I don't like the Address Bar is because it is so small but the one in the Task Bar is even smaller with no way to enlarge it .... 
Oh well I'll just keep looking or get used to the Address Bar ... LOL .....
Well I figured it out however it is almost worthless as show in the photo below .... one of the reasons I don't like the Address Bar is because it is so small but the one in the Task Bar is even smaller with no way to enlarge it ....
Oh well I'll just keep looking ... LOL
Oh, I thought you were talking about Android. My brain immediately made the connection between DDG browser and smartphone app 
If you're using Brave, you can configure the new tab page to have a search bar that you can use, instead. On the lower right you have the configure button, which you can use to toggle off all the noise, and also control the search engine that you want to use. It supports a few, including Startpage:
Remember that you can also create a shortcut and place it in your desktop, to launch the search engine, and browser, of your choosing:
Vivaldi has this nice feature where you can press Ctrl+E and it will bring up an actions menu, where you can start typing right away to do something. If your query doesn't match one of the pre-defined actions, it will default to use that search for that in your default search engine:
Well that gives me a lot of choices and should keep me busy for a few days .... thank you sir ..... 
I used one of your suggestions .... configuring a new tab in Brave ..... and it works ... had to increase the size of the whole screen but I'm the only one that sees it so who cares it works .... LOL
You do have to hit enter instead of the Mag Glass Icon to inact the search .....
Well, you have to type something here anyway so your hands are already at the keyboard 
DDG was caught saving user information that they promised they'd never save. For that reason alone, I don't trust them.
