Microsoft kicks off search effort (Microsoft throws down gauntlet to Google)

CNET ^ | 2/1/2005 | Stefanie Olsen

[KwasiOwusu]

Microsoft on Monday replaced Yahoo's search technology with its own homespun software and will kick off a huge advertising campaign to supplant Google in consumers' hearts.

As expected, MSN, a unit of the software giant, has taken its Web search technology out of the laboratory, and placed it on MSN's newly redesigned home page in 25 countries. Two and a half years in the making, MSN Search will now be the focal point of the updated, lighter-weight site; and it is the subject of Microsoft's newest ad campaign, which includes television, print, Internet and outdoor promotions.

MSN Search Vice President Christopher Payne would not disclose ad spending, but he estimated that 90 percent of Americans, as well as U.K. and Japanese residents, will encounter the campaign. television ads, for example, will run during the Super Bowl, the Oscars and the Grammys. "Oh, you're going to notice it," he said.
....................................
Google is still at the top of the heap, but its lead is shrinking. In December 2004, Google served about 34.7 percent of the market, down 0.3 percent from the previous period in 2003, according to ComScore Networks. During the same period, Yahoo jumped from serving 27 percent of the market to 31.9 percent. And MSN added a point to its position, going from 15.4 percent to 16.3 percent from December to December.

Key to MSN's strategy to win over the Web population is providing "answers" to queries, rather than millions of links, Payne said. While Yahoo, Ask Jeeves, Google and smaller sites like Answers.com have sought to fill in search requests with answers to questions on the weather, entertainment and package tracking, MSN believes it can do one better with its encyclopedia software Encarta.

[KwasiOwusu]

Let the battle with Google commence.
This should be great fun.

[dfwgator]

I hope Microsoft's search site will be like Google used to be like...simple, without all the extra crap they've added on.

[Musket]

IMHO, they should get the local "All files and folders" search up to speed before they go dickin' around. But they won't 'cause they're MS.

[SengirV]

yawn. M$ is like the Democratic party - It simply turns off too many people that are required to pull off something like this.

[Space Wrangler]

I wonder why MS didn't just buy another search technology, then f*** it up like they do everything else? They must have wanted an especially crappy and unneccesarily invasive search engine bad enough that they are willing to build it from the ground up.

[montag813]

Microsoft is so last century

[Smedley]

What I hate about Google is that on some days EVERY SEARCH has a link to some sales site, e.g., ebay, in the top 5 hits.

[KwasiOwusu]

"yawn. M$ is like the Democratic party - It simply turns off too many people that are required to pull off something like this."

It "turns you off" that Microsoft has developed a great search engine and is ready to start taking on Google?

EXCELLENT!! :)

[KwasiOwusu]

"Microsoft is so last century"

Microsoft is MORE dominant THIS century. :)

[KwasiOwusu]

"IMHO, they should get the local "All files and folders" search up to speed before they go dickin' around. But they won't 'cause they're MS"

They won't because its a brain dead statement from an individual with no clue and an ax to grind.
How about that? :)

[KwasiOwusu]

"and when it does I'm shedding MSN dial up like a dirty shirt."

Good bye and good riddance.
Personally I think Microsoft should get out of the ISP business and they probably will sooner or later.
Its not strategically important to Microsoft.

[HamiltonJay]

Microsoft has thrown down its guantlet for Search about 10 times now... and they always land with a unimpressive thud.

[Musket]

I point out that the local search is a joke and I'm brain dead? Right. Whatever dude.

[KwasiOwusu]

"Microsoft has thrown down its guantlet for Search about 10 times now... and they always land with a unimpressive thud"


Heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh.
Sorry.I just had to laugh at that one.
Practically every time Microsoft has thrown down the gauntlet, they have ended up winning.
There is along list of them....WordPerfect, Lotus, Netscape, Real Networks , even Palm (Microsoft has just overtaken Palm in PDA's), etc etc.

Dream on dude.

[KwasiOwusu]

"I point out that the local search is a joke and I'm brain dead?"

Local search works fine for me on my Dell Windows XP machine.

[beckysueb]

I have a Dell Windows XP. Great little machines! I'm on my second one. I gave my first one to my son. Dells are so user friendly. I love mine!

[An.American.Expatriate]

Hey Kwasi, what does this mean??

OS, Web Server and Hosting History for beta.search.msn.com
http://beta.search.msn.com was running AkamaiGHost on Linux when last queried at 28-Jan-2005 09:18:37 GMT - refresh now Site Report
Try out the Netcraft Toolbar! FAQ
OS Server Last changed IP address Netblock Owner
Linux AkamaiGHost 27-Jan-2005 212.23.32.21 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 26-Jan-2005 193.45.1.118 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 25-Jan-2005 192.91.244.230 CERN- European Organization for Nuclear Research
Linux AkamaiGHost 24-Jan-2005 213.248.112.109 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 23-Jan-2005 212.23.32.21 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 22-Jan-2005 212.23.32.13 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 21-Jan-2005 192.91.244.229 CERN- European Organization for Nuclear Research
Linux AkamaiGHost 20-Jan-2005 212.23.37.8 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 19-Jan-2005 212.23.32.21 Akamai
Linux AkamaiGHost 18-Jan-2005 212.187.244.56 Akamai

No uptime is currently available for beta.search.msn.com.

[Constantine XIII]

That'll fly...like an anvil.

[Musket]

I didn't say it doesn't work. It's slower than sh*t in January. Compared to Mac and Linux it is a joke.