Microsoft updates search site

Microsoft on Thursday launched a beta version of its Web search technology, as it entertains ambitions of catching up to rivals Google and Yahoo.

What the software giant unveiled is a more advanced version of technology it introduced in July, with more searchable documents and personalization features. The site is accessible at Beta.search.msn.com.

As of Thursday morning, the beta site and many new features such as music clips were accessible only intermittently.

		News.Commentary MSN Search-- just good enough Microsoft has unveiled a new version of its search technology. It won't beat Google, but that's OK--it doesn't have to.

"We're looking into it," a Microsoft representative said. "Because it is a beta, it may go down from time to time, but it does appear to be improving."

MSN Search Beta has more bells and whistles than previous versions. The company, however, has not yet replaced Yahoo Search technology from powering its engine, and it won't do so until sometime in 2005.

Microsoft had been widely hyped as being ready to introduce a full-fledged search engine sometime this year. Founder and Chairman Bill Gates said earlier in 2004 that the company would have a homegrown technology by the end of the year to best the reigning search champ, Google.

Still, Justin Osmer, product manager of MSN Search, said, "While it's not final, it's a significant step to getting us back in the game."

MSN also introduced a blog focused on Web search, following similar moves by Yahoo and Google.

Despite boasts from Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer that Microsoft will build a superior Web search technology from scratch, the company is still largely a philosophical threat to No. 1 Google and No. 2 Yahoo.

The three companies are battling to win search loyalists and a greater stake in the multibillion-dollar advertising business associated with results pages. Microsoft is considered a formidable competitor by all, with plans to eventually combine desktop and Internet search, but its service has yet to fully materialize after 20 months in development (which is why it licenses technology from rival Yahoo). Meanwhile, Google and Yahoo make seemingly daily improvements to theirs.

"This is still a shot in the firing range rather than in the battle," said Danny Sullivan, an industry expert.

Among the improvements to the version introduced Thursday is the capability of letting visitors personalize search results by setting their geographical location. After performing a search, a Web surfer can hit the "near me" button to see local results. The technology is also designed to automatically identify the physical location of Web pages it indexes, and it attempts to detect the locale of a visitor to better match his or her results.

The beta service also lets people use a "dial" to reconfigure search results based on the dates pages were updated and their popularity on the Web.

MSN Music and Microsoft's encyclopedia service, Encarta, will also play a role in the new search site. When a person searches for a person or place along with an indicator--for example, an expression like "San Francisco population"--the search engine will display an answer from Encarta. Also, people can search for the name of a musician, like Madonna, to call up clips of her music from MSN.

MSN said that the service now searches 5 billion Web documents, up from 1 billion in July. Google said Wednesday that it has updated its index from roughly 4 billion documents to more than 8 billion.

The layout of the test site will include sponsored search results from MSN partner Overture Services, a subsidiary of Yahoo.

CNET News.com's Matt Hines contributed to this report.

Microsoft Search Engine

Now that's funny, take over the search market from Google. Ha! Now, granted it's in beta, but it took about 30 seconds for my search query to come back and it said the site was temporarily unavailable. I think they have a log way to go. Besides, the only thing I trust Microsloth to do well is marketing. Go and fix your OS before you play with other toys boys.

Google and MSN

Actually there is no big difference between GOOGLE and MSN search engine.

James
http://www.du888.com

Microsoft Search Engine

Now that's funny, take over the search market from Google. Ha! Now, granted it's in beta, but it took about 30 seconds for my search query to come back and it said the site was temporarily unavailable. I think they have a log way to go. Besides, the only thing I trust Microsloth to do well is marketing. Go and fix your OS before you play with other toys boys.

Google and MSN

Actually there is no big difference between GOOGLE and MSN search engine.

James
http://www.du888.com

Why the hatin'?

I feel that too many people HATE Microsoft. Everyone criticizes every move that they make - whether it be the features in Windows to their new beta search technology. I am a computer engineer, and I noticed that most other computer engineers find it cool to use some variant of Linux, and claim to hate all Microsoft products. Give me a break. When it comes down to it, for a consumer operating system - windows is by far the best. Linux is good for some applications - but as a whole, windows is just better. Now as far as the search technology goes... Why is everyone so critical of Microsoft to join this market. One of the problems in the past with software products is that there is one clear cut winner (e.g., Windows) and there was no competition. Now, in the search market, we will have 3 BIG Players. Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft. It is better for the consumer if there are more companies competing for your service. Compeition lowers prices - therefore advertisers will eventually be paying less to have their website posted on Google, or yahoo, or msn or whatever. I just think that Competition is good. Back to OS's. While is said above that Windows is the clear cut winner - I think that Linux has come a long way. They are definitely catching up - and soon will have the same quality of a product as Windows. but at this moment - windows is still easier for everyday consumer applications - DVD's, music, and just plain ease of use.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Incorrect assumptions...

In the search space Linux is the leader. Since Linux
is an evolutionary step from Unix it is built from
the ground up for networking and multitasking
server-based tasks. That is why all the current and
future supercomputers are Linux-based clusters and
why Google and others are large Linux clusters with
massive databases. Windows comes from a single user
environment and retrofitted with Unix like functions
in order to adapt to the Internet. Because of its
design flaws it will never be able to compete in
this space. The single user space is its only
strength, although, it is showing its age.

Why the hatin'?

I feel that too many people HATE Microsoft. Everyone criticizes every move that they make - whether it be the features in Windows to their new beta search technology. I am a computer engineer, and I noticed that most other computer engineers find it cool to use some variant of Linux, and claim to hate all Microsoft products. Give me a break. When it comes down to it, for a consumer operating system - windows is by far the best. Linux is good for some applications - but as a whole, windows is just better. Now as far as the search technology goes... Why is everyone so critical of Microsoft to join this market. One of the problems in the past with software products is that there is one clear cut winner (e.g., Windows) and there was no competition. Now, in the search market, we will have 3 BIG Players. Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft. It is better for the consumer if there are more companies competing for your service. Compeition lowers prices - therefore advertisers will eventually be paying less to have their website posted on Google, or yahoo, or msn or whatever. I just think that Competition is good. Back to OS's. While is said above that Windows is the clear cut winner - I think that Linux has come a long way. They are definitely catching up - and soon will have the same quality of a product as Windows. but at this moment - windows is still easier for everyday consumer applications - DVD's, music, and just plain ease of use.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Incorrect assumptions...

In the search space Linux is the leader. Since Linux
is an evolutionary step from Unix it is built from
the ground up for networking and multitasking
server-based tasks. That is why all the current and
future supercomputers are Linux-based clusters and
why Google and others are large Linux clusters with
massive databases. Windows comes from a single user
environment and retrofitted with Unix like functions
in order to adapt to the Internet. Because of its
design flaws it will never be able to compete in
this space. The single user space is its only
strength, although, it is showing its age.

[anthonycea]

Get more search now!

Get search intelligence, search software download links, search engine links.

http://www.searchenginesinternational.com

http://www.webcenter.squarespace.com

Don't wait around, get help today and new sources of search technology.

[anthonycea]

Get more search now!

Get search intelligence, search software download links, search engine links.

http://www.searchenginesinternational.com

http://www.webcenter.squarespace.com

Don't wait around, get help today and new sources of search technology.