One feature that would allow me to eventually move to DDG would be a "toggle" of sorts within my browser that would allow me to switch to DDG results (from Google).
Deciding before my query to use DDG is a hard habit/practice to employ. However, when shown results from Google, if DDG results were just a click away (maybe already rendered in another "tab") it would make A/B testing easier and seemless - which would be essential to eventually moving away and changing my "default" search engine.
It sure would, but you'd also lose quite some time doing A/B testing. I know because I tried, and eventually decided it's not worth spending any time on. So I just put DDG as default, and now - when the results aren't satisfactory - google is just one !g away. That is imo a much better and easier way of getting to know DDG.
A/B testing is just a bridge or crutch to help convince me I'm not "missing something" by ditching Google. How does !g work? I use Firefox+auto complete for most queries. Changing the search engine takes an additional step that doesn't fit into my learned workflow.
I see why you want A/B testing but look at it this way: if you find the answer to your question on the first results page you didn't miss anything. Hence: no explicit A/B needed :] If you do not find the result than !g might be a way out. Not sure how it works exactly, you just prepend or append it to the search. As other comments point out: in FF I usually do Ctrl-K (focus search), End (to unselect text), type !g, Enter
Deciding before my query to use DDG is a hard habit/practice to employ. However, when shown results from Google, if DDG results were just a click away (maybe already rendered in another "tab") it would make A/B testing easier and seemless - which would be essential to eventually moving away and changing my "default" search engine.
Just my $0.02