696055 - Make search engines more discoverable

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Search, defect)

Description

[David Teller [:Yoric] - still alive but not very active]

Most users are not aware that we support several search engines. This is a shame, especially with upcoming new search features.

Current scenario:
* user enters a search term;
* after an instant, auto-completion kicks in from previously searched terms and offers possible completions;
* after a longer instant, search suggestions kick in from the default search engine and offers possible completions;
* user never discovers additional search engine.


I suggest the following scenario:
* user enters a search term;
* after an instant, auto-completion kicks in and offers a selection from
  - previously searched terms;
  - the list of search engines currently installed (something like "...or search on Google", "...or search on eBay", "...or search on Wikipaedia")
* after a longer instant, search suggestions kick in from the default search engine and offers possible completions;
* user has discovered that it can use several search engines.

Comment 1

[Jennifer Morrow [:Boriss] (UX)]

Thanks very much for the bug.  We're working on an upcoming feature that I think will address this.  Discovering those search engines has been an ongoing difficulty - especially since it is difficult for new and interesting search engines to be known and used!

Comment 2

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

David, I think with the one-off buttons this is probably "works for me" now?

Comment 3

[David Teller [:Yoric] - still alive but not very active]

Agreed. I like the way we do things now.