You can now support PortableApps.com every day just by using your browser. Just set start.portableapps.com as your homepage and you'll be supporting PortableApps.com. It's powered by Google, so you'll get the same great search results you're used to. It's a single, clean, fast-loading page, so it won't get in the way of your daily browsing. And it has quick links to image, video, news, and maps as well as a Web link right back to the standard Google.com homepage for when you need it.
If you're unfamiliar, instructions for changing your homepage in your favorite browser are linked right on the bottom of the page. They'll be hidden when you have it set as your homepage or bookmarked (or if you have referers turned off). We've got the instructions right here as well: Firefox, Chrome/Iron, Internet Explorer, or Maxthon.
Please give it a try and help support PortableApps.com by changing your homepage to start.portableapps.com. Nothing extra is installed on your PC or in your browser. Your browser's default search engine is not affected. And you can change your homepage back or to something else at anytime if you change your mind. Thanks for your support!
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Comments
why no other browsers?
Hello,
nice idea, but why only Google, I use IxQuick or Ducktogo, can I do the same with these one?
Regards
Revenue Share
Because Google provides a custom web search component that allows a publisher to get a revenue share. The two search engines you referenced do not.
DuckDuckGo does offer affiliate revenue
DuckDuckGo does offer affiliate revenue.
You can even use their search for that purpose.
Not Interested
DuckDuckGo *gets* affiliate revenue by setting up affiliate links to products on Amazon, etc. That's what that page says. For all intents and purposes, DuckDuckGo has discontinued their old affiliate program where they would share revenue in exchange for someone making them the search engine on their site or in their product. I contacted them and they were uninterested in working with us.
I agree.
I am not interested.
Gladly!
I will change my homepage to start.portableapps.com on all of my web browsers to support this wonderful community!
You'd need to have the search
You'd need to have the search field focus on load for this to be viable.
Don't underestimate the power of convenience, if you offer something involving more steps to use than the normal Google search then people won't use it.
Works for me...
the search box gets focus when it loads for me.
It Should
Google's custom search doesn't do it automatically, unfortunately, but I added a line of Javascript that should focus it automatically. If it's not working, what browser are you using so I can try and troubleshoot?
Chrome
I'm using Google Chrome. Still on v34, maybe it'll work on 35. Not able to update currently.
I just tested on Firefox though and it did focus.
Updated Chrome, same issue. Maybe It's my configuration.
Working Here
I tested it here in Chrome and it is working. Chrome does seem to have a delay on startup, though, and it affects the focus if it comes up as you open the browser.
Ghostery (browsers' addon)
Ghostery (browsers' addon) doesn't hinder this?
Nice.
Given the substantially simpler structure of the page (compared to Google's normal search--which changes randomly without any notice), it's rather more easy to "dress it up" with, for example, a background image using some custom CSS.
I made a "search plugin" for your Start.PortableApps.com page
Hi, John.
I agree with the one person. I would prefer DuckDuckGo or other search engines like IxQuick, but I understand why that doesn't help PA, especially if they aren't willing to work with PA.
That said, I don't use a home page or new tab page like most people. I have used the Firefox extension/add-on called "Speed Dial" for years and that is what loads for my home page or a new tab.
However, I have 40+ search plugins installed in my primary browser (Firefox), many of them custom plugins I created. That way, if I know I want to search a particular website or perform a customized search, I can quickly select the particular search I want to perform and enter my search term without having to go to the website, etc. I use these all the time for eBay, Amazon, etc. I even have a custom Google search I created a few years back to search Security Now! podcast transcripts, for example.
I have used http://SearchPlugins.net for years and took a minute to create a search plugin for the Start.PortableApps.com page. I didn't take time to test the plugin in IE, but it seemed to be working fine in Firefox and Chrome.
If anyone wants to have the ability to search through Start.PortableApps.com integrated into their browswer using the search plugin, all they need to do is go to SearchPlugins.net and search for the plugin I created, which is titled "Start.PortableApps.com (powered by Google)".
Please test this John and let me know if there is a problem. Also, the automatic favicon that was created was the blue Google "g", but if you want it to be the PA circular grey button with the white arrow, then let me know and I will edit the plugin and upload the PA image so that is used.
Blessings,
J0KE
Please Remove It
While I very much appreciate the sentiment and the effort, Google does not permit custom search to be bundled into search plugins. Please remove it.
Done
Even though I probably wouldn't use it much (since I don't use Google that much), that is a shame. I wasn't aware of this fact you brought to my attention, but the more I think of it, I think custom search strips out ads and I'm sure Google doesn't want that.
Thanks
Thanks for taking it down. I figured you didn't know about it. Google doesn't want other plugins competing with their own Google search plugin in the browser that they don't share as much revenue on.
is this down?
for the last couple of days start.portableapps.com hasn't been loading for me.
downforeveryoneorjustme.com does say the site is down
Rackspace Cloud Issues
Rackspace Cloud Sites has been having major issues the past 3 days. If you reload the page, it'll come up. Someone is engaged in a DDoS attack against this section of Cloud Sites, which is causing the issue. I'm working on moving it.
ok
Thanks for the quick reply and letting me know to just reload the page
For smartphone
For only PC? or Smartphone too?
Not Responsive design now.......