lizardx - 1:43 am on Jan 7, 2005 (gmt 0)

<< Lets face it, if the users havent abandoned MSN search already, they are certainly not holding on for quality reasons, they are specifically using MSN because (A) it is good enough, (B) they know no alternatives, or (C) they are lacking the computer proficieny which is prerequisite to changing the homepage. >>

Nalin, nicely put. However, I don't think MSN is just going to go live, I think you'll see a major ad campaign to push it heavily, maybe after a preliminary live testing period using the existing user base you mention. But I don't actually agree, I think yahoo results are totally useable, in fact during more than one google algo tweak I was forced to use yahoo to find what I needed. Nice going google, that's really smart... maybe google's bought themselves one too many comp sci phds and ex microsoft guys, and need to pick up a few people with functioning common sense now.

But after that, MS people aren't going to be going for 8-15% market share, to grow they will have to be at least as good as Yahoo. I like parts of beta too, I think their search page is very well crafted, it's maybe the best one out there currently on a technical coding level.

And they have the capacity to easily compete with Google on the freshness level, Yahoo simply isn't upto that part of the challenge currently, I'm seeing upto 10 days or more delay to get new content in.

Which leaves the quality of the serps. In some areas I think they are very good. In other areas I see distinct weaknesses, some too serious to let this product out yet, it fails. Google fails too, but they're established, and can coast on their name while they fix their failures. MSN won't have that option, although I completely agree that they will have a very good testing platform with their current users. But yahoo/msn are really actually completely fine for most searches, it's just the freshness issue that I see holding yahoo back from seriously competing, the quality of the serps is usually fine.

I would love to see MSN go live right now by the way, a lot of stuff I track is doing very well on it, but to be honest, I have tried on a weekly basis to use msn beta and haven't lasted yet past about 2 searches, let alone a full day.