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With all the recent publicity
given to Google as the Internet's number one search
service, it's hardly surprising that Microsoft has already
started work on re-vamping their MSN search service. Okay,
it's still powered by the Yahoo engine, but according to
Microsoft it has been "cleaned up" and the new
service mirrors much more the kind of
"non-commercial" results which are currently
displayed by Google.
Costing some $100 in
development costs and lost advertising revenues, MSN's
makeover offer the end-user a much more uncluttered screen
and again this aesthetic change mirrors the simple
interface of Google. Results too are served quicker than
the old system, or so Microsoft claim, although they
supply no data on how this compares to Google.
The web search market is
currently dominated by Google and Yahoo although Microsoft
are now openly stating that they will be edging their own
search engine into this market by the end of 2004.
This mega-upgrade, which is
currently undergoing full testing at Microsoft, breaks
away from the Yahoo engine and be powered by their own
software engine and algorithms which will, they claim,
enable people to search for what they want rather than be
presented with a number of paid/sponsored results. Should
this happen, the move away from paid-for results will be a
big step for Microsoft, who, in the past, have come under
universal criticism, as end-users have not had confidence
that the results served to them were unbiased.
With the search needs of
over 350 million people up for grabs, Microsoft are keen
to dissuade people from using the other engines. But with
over 80% of the current daily global Net searches being
performed on Google, Microsoft have much work to do. But
for those who fear for the future of Google with Microsoft
breathing heavily down their neck, you might take comfort
from a time, not so long ago, when Microsoft considered
itself bigger than the Internet. Does anyone remember
Microsoft Network? Thought not!
As for Google, while they
do not have the same aggressive marketing culture as
Microsoft, they are very inventive, creative and above
all, they are already internationally successful; holding
one of the most recognized brands in the world. Far from
standing still, Google has quietly expanded its range of
services and now even offers an affiliate scheme to
webmasters to host Google Adsense Ad's on their websites.
But perhaps it's a mark of the trust and confidence that
people have in Google as a corporation, that their have
the only affiliate scheme on the Net which does not
specify up front what commision it will be paying.
I suspect that when the
Seach Wars are finally concluded it will be the confidence
end-users have in the results they are served which will
win out and not necessarily the best or fastest
technology. Currently of course, Google are streets and
houses ahead of both Microsoft and Yahoo in the public
confidence stakes and it will be interesting to see if
this confidence can be maintained following Google's much
publicized floatation on the Stock Market.
Microsoft may well find
that winning public confidence in this war is harder than
the creation of any technology they wish to introduce and
in the end, just as they did with Apple, Microsoft may
well consider buying into that confidence and snap up a
major chunk of Google's stock.
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About
The Author
Robert
Palmer is CEO of deskNET Communications (www.desknet.co.uk)
- suppliers of the first affordable
alternative to opt-in email marketing and
newletter publishing.
info@desknet.co.uk |
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