When do we find out about the web pages contract?

Will they renew or won't they?

[Abrexa_UK]

Unless I have missed the announcements, we still don't know whether Yahoo is going to stick with Google as its "web pages" partner. Does anyone know when Yahoo will be announcing the results of the negotiations?

I am fairly certain that someone said that it was due this month?

I am still hoping that FAST gets the deal, so that we get some proper competition for Google. I think that it might complement Yahoo better anyway. Google favours larger and more popular sites, which Yahoo already covers, so perhaps FAST's more page-specific algorithm is better for searches where Yahoo doesn't provide the answers.

[chiyo]

i would tend to agree Abrexa. Fast's index seems as good as Googles as far as relevance goes, and I think you are right that Fast has more smaller unique sites, complementing Yahoo well. We have never paid to be listed on Yahoo and have ezine type sites which are not very commercial. In the past two weeks we have seem Y! add several sections of some of these sites, without any prompting from us. Im making a very far out assumption they are increasing the non-commercial listings so the loss of google may not come as too much of a shock to many.

Its impossible to call I think, but I would put money on long odds for Fast. As you say great for competition too.

Very exciting stuff this. Whatever the decision it has big implications for the SE industry.

[Abrexa_UK]

I am not at all sure what the alternatives to Google and Fast would be. I don't think that Inktomi is up to the job, and AltaVista has no chance given the shabby state of its index (even though they are trying to resuscitate it).

Fast did do a major crawl about the same time as Google, so let's hope that this is in preparation for incorporation into the Yahoo results.

It would make Fast a serious competitor to Google, which we need, especially given the AOL deal.

[2_much]

My bet is, they're going to keep Google and change how they display results so as not to give Google so much publicity.

Yahoo knows Google's its best bet - it provides the most qualified results.

My 2 centes.

[The Contractor]

My only problem with FAST and it's results are that so many sites (including a couple of my own) are PFI and only have the index page listed. How can the SERPS be as relevant as Googles when they are missing out on so many content pages in a site.

I have heard quite a few people state that they do so much better in the SERPS in Fast then in Google - could this be why?

[Brad]

Did anyone catch that survey Yahoo was conducting about search service preferences? They had it up up until last week.

Some of the questions led me to believe that Yahoo might even consider something like AskJeeves as secondary results. If they got enough positive responses. That would include Teoma by default.

I think on the pure logic of it FAST is the natural contender. But there may be other considerations we are not aware of that might mean Teoma, AJ or Ink are still in the hunt.

Now could they split the secondary providers and have Teoma in the US/Canada Yahoo and FAST in all the European Yahoo's?

I'm not sure they will give much weight to the survey, but the demographic profile of the average Yahoo user will come into play. Frankly, I suspect that most Yahoo users would be fairly happy with FAST or even Teoma.

[WindSun]

I cannot see them using Teoma unless they do some really serious updating in a hurry.
I am not all that impressed with Fast - on some searches it does well, but for others, especially informational/educational it seems not very good.

[Abrexa_UK]

The good thing about Fast is that it is of a comparable size and nature to Google. Yes there are some issues, but I am sure that these will be dealt with, especially if they want to keep Yahoo happy. Yahoo might even get an extra revenue stream from the Fast PFI, which could be a deciding factor.

I suppose that Google has had a lot more money to play with than Fast up til now, given the $7M pa from Yahoo alone. I bet that Fast could make all sorts of improvements with an extra $7M each year.

Can anyone remember whether Google was as good as it is now before Yahoo swapped over?

[pageoneresults]

I'll be doing InSite™ submissions all week! ;)

[chiyo]

Abrexa.. I can remember Google being an excellent index for many years. It has improved for sure but way before (even 1 to 2 years before) the Y! deal it was delivering to my mind the most relevant SERPS of all other SE's. The Y! deal only gave them the publicity. Beofre that it was virtually unknown.

[Abrexa_UK]

Sorry - what I meant was: is Fast as good as Google was when it was taken up by Yahoo?

Not that this will matter at all - it is all about the revenue. If Fast offer to do it cheaper and/or split the submission revenue, Yahoo will surely be tempted.

I suppose that as long as Fast (or any other engine) meets a certain minimum requirement list, then it will be the finances that decide.

[NFFC]

The earliest reference I can find to the original deal is June 26th 2000, 14 days, at the most, to go until the big day!

[Brad]

>is Fast as good as Google was when it was taken up by Yahoo?

Just my opinion, but I don't think they are as good as Google was. But they are fairly close.

>14 days

Thanks NFFC. I guess it's time too start my vigil for the announcement. We should have a countdown clock! ;)

[Abrexa_UK]

Just reported in the Fast forum:
[webmasterworld.com...]

Looks like Fast may indeed get the Yahoo contract :)