Posted on 02/01/2005 6:38:41 AM PST by 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.
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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.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
Hey clown, read tonight's news. BuWahahahahahahhahah!
Google stock is up almost 10% tonight!!
No wonder Microsoft is so desperately stealing Google's formula.
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Reuters
Google Ads Send Profit Up, Shares Soar
Tuesday February 1, 8:07 pm ET
By Lisa Baertlein
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc. (NasdaqNM:GOOG - News) posted quarterly earnings on Tuesday that blew past expectations on strong Web search advertising, driving its share price up almost 10 percent to a record high.
The earnings were seven times higher than a year earlier on revenue that doubled to more than $1 billion.
"Our international businesses are essentially on fire," said Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt, who added that Britain led growth, but that Ireland and Scandinavia were also big contributors.
Advertising revenues also expanded in the United States but they grew even faster offshore.
Google reported net income of $204.1 million, or 71 cents per share, in the fourth quarter, compared with $27.3 million, or 10 cents per share, a year earlier.
Revenue soared to $1.03 billion from $512.2 million, beating analysts' average estimate of $962.4 million, according to Reuters Estimates.
On average, analysts had forecast net income of 57 cents a share. Excluding items, such as stock-based compensation, analysts expected 77 cents per share versus the 88 cents delivered by Google on that basis."
I look at the My MSN page and realize that perhaps they haven't gotten around to changing the header. If you click on "search" on the top right you'll get to the new interface.
This is the direct link, and maybe every now and then I'll give it a hit, but I just don't care that much for MS, and it'll never be my home page, so solly.
I got paid my Microsoft (about $45 total) to install software that asked me questions after I did searches on Yahoo or Google or anywhere.
It was for some reasearch into this effort. But all it did was ask if the search was a good one with "No", "Yes" and "Maybe" as answers.
Anyone else do this?
And Kwasi, I hope you know what I mean.
Wasn't asking about uptime. I wanted to get Kwasi's comments on the fact that MS Search (both beta & live) are running on Linux.
Hey Kwasi,
I really AM interested in an explanation for the fact that MS Search is running on linux - do you know the reason why??
Thanks for another wonderful contribution to civil discourse on this forum. It will make a good tagline.
Exactly my point... you don't need to hype a better search on the internet... if its publicly avaiable (even in beta) it draws traffic on its own. MS Search like AOL's search has is and always will be a joke. Every few years they announce "OUR NEW SEARCH ROCKS"... people try it out.. and then go right back to the better products they had already been using.
Kwasi's just ignorant of search technology and the internet in general. Having actually worked 1st hand in search companies, I've watched the trending and industry since 1994. MS Search is just another tired reverse engineer that won't meet the original....
I will admit Google's been resting on its laurels lately in terms of its basic search, (the death knell for every search before them).. but copying what they already have won't take them out... a better search with better relevancy that is light years ahead of them is what will take them out... and MS Search isn't it.
No one has argued competition is bad... I have argued that when it comes to internet strategy and in particular search MS is basically a "me too" and always will be.
Hello again.
Maybe you distrust my motives, but I am genuinely interested in your opinion / knowledge of why MS Search is using Linux. I would greatly appreciate a reply, as, you do seem to have a bit of knoweldge of what MS does & why.
I have a good idea of who hurled out abuse in the first place. The civility in the tech forums was somewhat better until recently. The debates about the issues were spirited, but there were only occasional violations of the FR posting rules in these discussions.
Since then, the tech discussions have descended into gutter trash talk, daily personal attacks and repeated abuse of the forum.
As a volunteer for an organization that helps mentally retarded individuals, I find comments like "you still have the mind of a retarded 5 year old" (#158) highly offensive and inappropriate for this forum.
"Your remarks on "civil discourse " are of course saved only for those who oppose your fellow open source travelers, right?"
I urge everyone to quit posting personal attacks and get back to the issues - and start using the "Report Abuse" link when necessary.
And for the record, I'm not an open source fanatic. I advocate open, well-documented file formats - especially when taxpayer money is involved - and an appropriate mix of open source and proprietary technology for most computer users.
I see no need to start abusing the "report abuse" button.
When Quasi and Bush2000 and the like rear their heads, take them to task yourself with logic and reasoning. Let them speak for themselves and build their own reputations.
Besides that, yanking their chains can be great fun. Nobody truly gets hurt, unless you're super sensitive.
Why don't you jackasses grow up.
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