All Entries in the "Microsoft" Category
Is Microsoft Doomed For Failure?
Rea Maor seems to think so and has put together a post laying out seven reasons why Microsoft is doomed for failure. Maybe not this year or even the next but he thinks most certainly by the next decade. I am certainly no fan of Microsoft even though I am forced to use their products every day. Therefore a post such as this caught my attention. I think Rea has some very valid points.
Let the Privacy Wars Begin!
I was asked recently if Google’s dominance in search would ever change, at least anytime soon, to which I responded that I did not believe so unless they make a major mistake. And what is the most crucial area that Google needs to pay close attention to? How they handle privacy.
More and more Internet users are worried about the amount of information Google and other search engines have on them. In fact, my father recently told me that he was through with Google because he feels they have become a type of “big brother.” He does not trust their privacy policy practices.
What is Microsoft Cooking Up in Keyword Research Tools?
I came across a few nifty keyword research tools that Microsoft is experimenting with in adCenter Labs. What is adCenter Labs anyway? It appears to be a place where Microsoft beta tests tools that they might eventually make available for general use. In their About Us page, Microsoft describes adCenter Labs as a place that includes over 100 researchers, analysts and developers, all of which cultivate exciting technologies in the areas of paid search, behavior targeting, contextual advertising, social network analysis, and image/video mining.
Microsoft To Build a New Search Engine – Yawn
TechCrunch is reporting that Microsoft has gathered a team of twenty or more “rock star” developers who’ve been tasked at building their next generation search engine. Few other details are provided with the exception that the engine would be “horizontal” and will be very cool. My reaction – yawn.
Microsoft’s bCentral Directory No More?
It appears that Microsoft’s Small Business Directory, otherwise known as Microsoft bCentral, has closed. The directory is still online but they are no longer accepting any new submissions. When you actually click on the link to add your site to the directory, you are greeted with the following message…
Microsoft Banning Sites for Participating in Link Exchanges
A Search Engine Watch thread reveals that Microsoft is banning sites for participating in spammy link exchanges at MSN and Live.com. This type of reciprocal linking is usually conducted with the attempt to artificially inflate the link popularity of a site and as such, assist in improving its rankings in the organic search results. While this is not the first time a search engine has taken action against link exchange schemes, it is the first that I have seen where the engine clearly explains why the site was banned.
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Apparently Google, Microsoft and Yahoo Can!
Announced at PubCon in Las Vegas, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed to come together and accept a standard protocol for submitting web pages to their crawlers via site maps. Google was the first to develop a site maps program where one could submit a feed to the Google index and not only ensure their pages are crawled but identify any potential problems. Now MSN and Yahoo follow suit. A new site (Sitemaps.org) has been launched that will contain more information on the subject.
Add Microsoft’s Live Search To Your Site
Microsoft has just release their Live Search Box which can be added to your own web site. It allows website owners and bloggers the ability to add customized search capability to their sites. The search box enables visitors to search your site, the Web, or any other locations you define.
Microsoft’s Live Search is Now Live
Kind of a funny headline, “Live Search Now Live” but in reality, Microsoft’s new search platform dubbed Live Search has been in beta for quite a while now but as announced today is now live for all the world to see and use. Microsoft has been testing, accepting user feedback, iterating and testing more since March but now has release their new search platform both at Live.com and MSN.
Current State of Who Powers Who in Search
Before I write anything, let me preface this post by saying that this information will probably change not too long after it is written. I am referring to who powers who in the realm of search engines. There are currently four major search engines – Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask (formerly Ask Jeeves). While many other search engines and meta crawlers exist, most of them are powered by one of these “major” engines. Here is a quick rundown of who powers who.
MSN Says Goodbye To Yahoo! Sponsored Search
It’s offical! As of July 1st, Yahoo! Sponsored Search (Overture) ads will no longer appear on MSN or Windows Live. They have been slowly phasing the ads out anyway but tomorrow is the official end to the agreement between the two companies. Now if you want PPC exposure on MSN, you’ll have to us Microsoft’s AdCenter itself.
Opt Out of DMOZ Descriptions at MSN Search
Have you ever been frustrated over having a description that appears in your DMOZ (The Open Directory) listing appear in the results pages of search engines? Well MSN has done something about it. They are recognizing a new meta tag that allows you opt out of having DMOZ data show for your listing.
