Comments on: First screenshot of Microsoft's Kumo

CNET News has a look at the new search engine, which will be available to testers inside Microsoft later this week

[sundance808]

its boring

[Nissj]

I literally hate Live.com. I have used their Image search several times while doing research on different projects. I found the results to some of my searches not only appalling, but in some cases horrific.

When I enter a search parameter, I wish to see results relating only to those parameters. I have found Live.com Image search sexist and racist to say the least.

On one occasion, last year, I was searching for photos of Women of Color. The results I received required that I write a scathing letter to Microsoft. This year I have noticed some of the most offensive content has been removed. Although, for the life of me, besides the photos of men, I also can not understand what horses has to do with Women of color!

On another occasion, we searched for photos for Aids Day, again Live.com's content was unacceptable.

I certainly hope the changes Microsoft are making are much more than cosmetics.

[sammydolla]

I actually have no problem with how it looks. It looks better than Live Search. I don't think renaming it Kumo will make it more popular. Microsoft should keep "Live", change the UI (maybe get rid of some of the white space) and then enhance its search results.

as for the people who are saying its ugly...it is significantly better looking than google. Google is a white page with black text. Atleast yahoo, ask and live give us something to look at.

[zcollvee]

its very um.... everywhereish.
hope it tidies up its act. i hope they keep live.com i love the homepage backgrounds they hav everyday :)

[Seaspray0]

Google became popular because of 1 thing. The results of the search. They were relevant. Google also takes steps to stop people from atificially inflating their sites in the results.

Other than appearance, nobody has said anything about what results were returned. That is the most important function of a search engine. So, how about all you people who were only posted about the appearance come back and say something about the results? Has anyone done a side by side comparison with what google returns? Which one does a better job of finding what you're looking for?

[monkeyfun14]

I love how everyone says this looks like google when they're completely different.

This one is much more prettier to look at offers more features.

I'm sorry they put their search results in a listing?

[grimmstone71]

Microsoft has some fascination with Japanese names, even though Japan gives Microsoft no love outside the Windows OSes.

First "Origami" and now "Kumo" (Japanese for Spider....web crawler....hardy har.)

[paulopmx]

The design looks boring. I'm not saying Google's design is a work of art, but its lively colors help make it more attractive. Kumo is paler in comparison.

[t8]

Why not call it Sumo, coz MS is synonymous with bloat.

[Hugmup]

Long ago, there was a computer called the TRS-80. The first manufacturing run had a lot of problems, because they got many more orders than they anticipated. The result: The TRS-80 became known as the Trash 80, and the manufacturer never recovered from that corporate image.

Microsoft is having its TRS-80 moment with Vista and the Zune. They are in a PR hole and digging deeper: Their CEO projects the very essence of a used-car salesman, and their recent advertising campaign deliberately portrays them as cheap and uncool.

I don't think it matters at this point how good Windows 7 or Kumo will turn out to be. Microsoft has already lost a significant number of potential customers for good.

[light87]

So OfficeLive.com will be renamed as OfficeKumo.com ???? But I visit OfficeKumo.com and it is already hosted, does microsoft own the OfficeKumo.com?

[light87]

So they will rename the OfficeLive into OfficeKumo then? Does Microsoft own the OfficeKumo.com domain?????

[congthanhgiong]

actually, i believe what MS has been doing is from Powerset, which is a search engine company that was acquired by MS in 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerSet

Powerset has technology, MS has means to help them reach their goal. can't wait to see how it works.

btw, Kumo is just a project code name, nothing special though i reckon MS should change its live.com to other name that sounds more appealing to public taste instead of using a very popular word in english like that, very confusing.

sorry for my english :D

[Cyberpundit]

I have everything I need between clusty and google. NYT's review of clusty is here - http://snipr.com/clusty - but all of these novelties are not going to beat the simplicity and effectiveness of Google.