On Chrome desktop I just see a blocker message: "To see results and get the convenience of you.com, you’ll need to add the you.com Chrome extension"

Wow, you're right. Searching works fine in Safari (desktop) but requires a plugin when you visit the same page in Chrome.

I want to like this, but this move seems like just another scummy "growth hack".

This feedback is so common in all the threads here that I can only wonder why someone would so gloriously sabotage their own product.

It's a bit needy. Maybe give people a chance to try it out on their own terms instead of forcing them to commit right off the bat?

Hey, thanks for the feedback. We dropped the requirement to install the extension. We're open on all browsers now. Happy searching or trying :)

I'm using Firefox and don't get that message. Obviously if you do get it on Chrome, that's a bad user experience and needs to be changed.

When I click the search bar at the top of the page it takes me to the plugin install page.

On mobile I'm able to search no problem. I guess that makes sense though because Chrome extensions on mobile aren't a thing.

Yea. It's not like we're tryin to block users :) We just found that without the convenience of a navbar search - you're ngmi (not gonna make it) as a search engine.

We hope we can drop all restrictions in the future.

This sort of attitude that prioritizes your own growth over the experience of your customers does not bode well for a company that is trying to sell itself as committed to user privacy.

yea. we didn't realize this extension install would make for such a terrible experience for some folks.

but we listen, so we dropped the requirement entirely.

happy open searching

I think they know there is more chances you come back to you.com if you are reminded by the extension icon.