I know this is still under review, but I just wanted to come back and share a few more thoughts I've accumulated.
Now that I've been using Kagi for about 3 months, 2500+ searches later, I can more firmly say that search history is indeed sorely missing. While it's certainly liberating being able to search anything without fear of it showing up later at an awkward time in your autocomplete. I think that's about the only benefit, and it's fringe at that. I think the more resounding security around being able to search anything comes from the fact that my search info isn't being sold and used to haunt me while using other services like instagram or tiktok, a structure of security that shouldn't budge by enabling history.
I've found myself several times now searching something up briefly on my phone only to be distracted by something and having to put it down, and then when I return to my search I find, of course, nothing to remind me of what I was after! Other times I'd be commuting on my way home, going down a rabbit hole, and then once I arrived home and got on my computer, I didn't have any easy way to retrace my steps.
From most perspectives, more logs are better in a research tool. Being able to retrace steps, take different branches, and overall have a safety net of knowing where you've been is an incredible tool when used properly. The alternative can be compared to traversing a dense jungle and instead of seeing a cut out path when you turn around, you just see more pristine jungle. A path that closes in on itself. Terrifying. In this context, a browser history would be a several thousand page tome containing your precise coordinates and movements over the past 3 months. For anecdotal data, my browser history accumulates at an absurdly bloated 400-800 lines per day! For comparison, my search history would be a much more concise 40-80 lines.
I understand the privacy concerns regarding this, but I really do feel that it is entirely possible to build this feature with privacy front and center. Again, just like billing details and account info, this is just another piece of PII that should be protected in the same ways and accessible in the same ways, to the customer and customer only.
From an otherwise very pleased customer,
Agustin
