1. Bob Browning

    Retired at Retired

    08 July 2004 10:23am

    Bob Browning

    Once upon a time there were a dozen search engines.  Then there was one - Google.  Last year is powered something like 80-90% of all searches, either on its own site or on Yahoo or AOL.  It was obvious last year that the position was going to change.  Yahoo was integrating Inktomi into its searches (now done) and it was widely predicted that Microsoft was developing its own technology. 

    Now the Microsoft product is exposed to the world.  It couldn't be more like Google if it tried.

    http://www.search.msn.com/

    Search results are no longer lost in the ads, and the ads are clearly separated. 

    This is still using the Inktomi database.  Phase II will be its own spider, which I believe has been hard at work.  Preveiw the new search technology here

    http://techpreview.search.msn.com/

    I like this one.  Search on treasury technology and my site is numero uno. 

  2. Alex Chudnovsky

    Fndr at Majestic12.co.uk

    08 July 2004 11:19am

    Avatar-blank-50x50

    If I was Microsoft I'd just treat the search as a loss leader and remove all ads gunning for image of the most objective unbiased clean search engine out there.

    R&D, hosting required are just spare change just like costs of free IE needed to beat Netscape.

  3. Brendon Scott

    Senior SEO at Weboptimiser

    08 July 2004 12:46pm

    Brendon Scott

    >> Last year is powered
    >something like 80-90% of all searches,

    I think it topped out at about 75%, but I could be wrong

    >> I like this one. 

    So do I. Looks VERY easy to manipulate at the moment ;)

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