Personally, my impression is that since at least ~1-4 years, the google searches return less exact matches especially when I search for an exact match of an error message, or multiple exact matches involving the same error message (when I start to become desperate I usually tend to split the error into 2 parts...).
On the other hand the non-exact hits that it returns push me from time to time in the right direction.
Having said this, I don't know of course if A) I'm too old (40) and the mindset of the younger search-people has now changed and/or B) Google just doesn't index tech forums as much as it used to and/or C) there are just fewer forum-posts and/or D) my problems became more complex (don't think so) and/or etc... .
I tried (and still try from time to time) to use DDG and Bing but without success.
Hello fellow 40 year old. I run DDG as my daily, but similarly have a hard time finding exact matches for error messages. I am suspicious, however, that I've learned how to use Google's search controls (", +, etc.) and I'm not sure they work the same on DDG. I also can't find a reference on DDG for how to control advanced searches.
So ... although I feel like we might be having the same issue, I'm not sure I'm using DDG correctly enough to say it's a problem.
On the other hand the non-exact hits that it returns push me from time to time in the right direction.
Having said this, I don't know of course if A) I'm too old (40) and the mindset of the younger search-people has now changed and/or B) Google just doesn't index tech forums as much as it used to and/or C) there are just fewer forum-posts and/or D) my problems became more complex (don't think so) and/or etc... .
I tried (and still try from time to time) to use DDG and Bing but without success.
Does anybody else have the same impression?