> I think the problem is that such sites are very difficult to find algorithmically
I don't even think it's that. The issue with older content isn't the search but the sorting. Google and to a lesser extent Bing (and thus DDG) have prioritized content claiming to be more recent relative to the time they were indexed in their display of results.
Showing more recent content is likely generally a safer bet for a search engine. More recent content is less likely to have suffered link rot and covers more recent developments in a subject.
Unfortunately Google et al don't really respect user preferences with respect to sorting. They have a financial incentive to show results they can turn into dollars (or cents).
I don't even think it's that. The issue with older content isn't the search but the sorting. Google and to a lesser extent Bing (and thus DDG) have prioritized content claiming to be more recent relative to the time they were indexed in their display of results.
Showing more recent content is likely generally a safer bet for a search engine. More recent content is less likely to have suffered link rot and covers more recent developments in a subject.
Unfortunately Google et al don't really respect user preferences with respect to sorting. They have a financial incentive to show results they can turn into dollars (or cents).