On Tuesday, Microsoft officially entered the search engine industry with their official launch of MSN Search.
Like most products that come out of Redwood, the launch of MSN Search was greeted with much fanfare. Also consistent with most Microsoft launches was the media and public reaction, which ran the barometer from impressed to disappointed. What follows is a cross section of these reactions:
PC Magazine Awards MSN Search 4 Out Of 5
PC Magazine was quick to do a review of MSN’s newest product, and judging from the score, MSN Search didn’t disappoint.
Of course, all these special features [MSN Search Options] are worthless unless the engine successfully handles basic queries-which MSN Search certainly does. It ranks search results from its five billion pages on over 100 criteria, among them the number of inbound links and the page quality (as determined by Microsoft’s algorithms). The new MSN Search includes many features requested by users, among them links to cached pages, consolidation of results from the same domain, a Google-like Settings page, and automatic suggestion of alternate search terms or spellings
Clearly Microsoft intends the new MSN Search to be a significant challenger to Google. The company has modified it based on user requests and enhanced the search experience with elements that only Microsoft can supply Though Google still reigns supreme, Microsoft’s effort is clearly catching up. It’s definitely worth a try.
Forbes Asks Which Engine Is Best
Forbes.com took a different approach from praising or bashing MSN Search. They offered a poll to gauge user response. Currently Google is leading by a whooping 68%, or 6084 votes. Keeping with recent search engine tradition, Yahoo is second with 14% and MSN Search is third with 4%.
Take the Forbes poll.
Does MSN Search Fall Flat?
A short write-up in BoostMarketing looks at whether or not MSN Search meets expectations:
It’s early days yet, but for some web searchers the new MSN search engine is not as good as it could be. Some report there are less quality choices and more spam results with this engine compared to its rivals. There was “nothing” extra to take people away from their existing Google and Yahoo websites many felt.
Will Google Root Out The Weeds?
Larry Magid from CBS News looks at the challenge MSN Search poses to Google:
I tried the new MSN search and, while it is an improvement, it’s nothing revolutionary. Google needs to keep innovating to stay on top but, in the short run, they have little to worry about from Microsoft. The long run is a different story. Microsoft is patient and tenacious and now that it’s committed to search it will spend millions improving it and, of course, promoting it.
This is just a sampling of the 500 plus articles that have appeared about the launch of MSN Search.
In search, name recognition is crucial (see Google) and because the industry reacts when Microsoft does something, MSN is well on its way to ensuring people know they have a viable search presence.
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for murdok. Visit murdok for the latest search news.
