Seeks - ParabolaWiki

# Seeks

Seeks is a decentralized P2P search engine that can even run on desktops and laptops.

## Installing Seeks

Seeks is in Parabola’s Social:Repositories. Unless you have already added that repository, simply follow those instructions and then use Pacman with sudo or as root to install the package:

    pacman -Syy seeks

### Using Seeks in Your Browser(s)

To use the local search engine in your browser(s), you can simply enable Seeks’ HTTP server or use your own HTTP server in case you already have one installed. To use Seeks’ featherweight server, simply open /etc/seeks/config and uncomment the line that contains httpserv. Then, you can start Seeks with its rc.d script by invoking the following with sudo or as the root user:

    rc.d start seeks

Afterward, go to localhost:8080 to do a search. If you don’t leave your computer running 24/7 and want to automatically start Seeks the next time you start your computer, you can configure your desktop environment, window manager or Parabola itself (i.e., DAEMONS in /etc/rc.conf) to do this for you.

## Peer to Peer

The P2P aspect of Seeks works by sharing web browsing, but its features are still in development. To share your web browsing, you can set a system-wide proxy for HTTP and HTTPS to go through localhost port 8250. The Seeks website answers questions and concerns about privacy and sharing web browsing. After setting a system-wide proxy, configure your browser(s) to use this system-wide proxy.

## Database

Seeks creates a single-file database on the computer where it runs, and one thing this database does is keep track of issued queries. Also, when the prominent, green search result links are clicked, they are stored in the database for personalization of subsequent search results. However, the regular blue links at the end of each search result paragraph are normal links that do not store results in the database. This database file goes into the user’s home directory by default, but the Seeks website has instructions on how to customize its location as well as many other Seeks settings.

Categories:

- Social
- Request:Correction