Forum Moderators: mack
Microsoft's unleashes new Internet search software [news.yahoo.com]
Microsoft officially started its new Internet search engine crafted to compete with offerings from rival online powerhouses Google and Yahoo.Microsoft announced that its "Live Search" online portal was opened in 47 markets worldwide to complement MSN and Windows Live Internet-scouring services that attract an estimated 465 million visitors monthly....
Microsoft's announcement [microsoft.com]
[edited by: Receptional at 12:06 pm (utc) on Sep. 12, 2006]
I hope it goes well MSNDude; some of us here have really high hopes for Live as a stronger competitor to Y and G.
Cygnus
Server Error in '/' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.
Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be viewable on remote machines, please create a <customErrors> tag within a "web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the current web application. This <customErrors> tag should then have its "mode" attribute set to "Off".
<!-- Web.Config Configuration File -->
<configuration>
<system.web>
<customErrors mode="Off"/>
</system.web>
</configuration>
Notes: The current error page you are seeing can be replaced by a custom error page by modifying the "defaultRedirect" attribute of the application's <customErrors> configuration tag to point to a custom error page URL.
<!-- Web.Config Configuration File -->
<configuration>
<system.web>
<customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" defaultRedirect="mycustompage.htm"/>
</system.web>
</configuration
I did, however, find a usability issue signin IN... I clicked sign in and my "handle" came up, but I looked for all the text options to click on... I had "remove myself"; "New User" and some other text options, but it took me forever to figure out that I had to click on the siloette of a person to get in.
[edited by: Receptional at 1:43 pm (utc) on Sep. 12, 2006]
Some of the URL results seem to have a space in them visibly on IE (example.com/ innerpage.htm) but they work OK when you click on them.
I wonder what happened to that WONDERFUL feature that was demonstrated at WebmasterWorld Boston? There, when the results were displayed, instead of having to "click" to page 2, 3, 4 etc, the screen updated as you scrolled down, giving a continuous scroll. I guess they couldn't make it Firefox compatible? that's a real pity - it was such a cool trick.
I agree with another poster that for my area (reasonably rural), I'm getting far more detailed photos than with Google Maps, although my house (which was converted from an old mill about 3 years ago) is shown as unconverted still, so must be reasonably old.
d
edit: lost the ability to type ;)
what is the difference between search.msn.com and live.com?
It's not a new search engine. The search engine results are the same as on msn.com.
They've got new functionality like the maps and satellite stuff, and a new look to the website.
I've got maps and satellite photos in the UK. I had to do a search on local first, then it's the tab net to Businesses underneath the search box.
Hmm. I am GETTING there... slowly. I see "Businesses" "People" and "Maps". No satellite though. I'm sure it's there - but this 40 somthing year old is having trouble learning!
There is a LOT more here than the last time I looked at this. Setting up a Blog was a breeze... But now I am back in Live I can't see how I ended up on on spaces in the forst place! Do I have to go and find "friends now? :)
I am having REAL trouble breaking it! Give me a bit of time though...
Speed is an issue - but I guess with that level of richness I'm not surprised.
I've got maps and satellite photos in the UK. I had to do a search on local first, then it's the tab net to Businesses underneath the search box.
I assume you meant the tab NEXT to Businesses?
OK, I must be particularly dense. I don't see a "businesses" tab. I don't see ANYTHING that says "businesses".
Oh, alright, I AM dense. Silly me. I have to first click on "Local", then do a search. Unlike Google, live.com doesn't offer-up the option of a map when just searching on a city name with the regular search.
I think they have taken interface minimalism to an unreasonable extreme. They've out-Googled Google to the point of lack of usability.
Oh, and not that I care, but what happened to the REST of the live.com features? The ones that were there before this new search? Do you have to log-in first? How would a new user ever know that there is anything but a search engine there?
p.s. Receptional, we posted at the same time. Here's the REAL BREAKTHROUGH - Microsoft has perfected an over-40 filter! Nobody over 40 can make heads or tails of the UI! ;)
Server Error in '/' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.
p.s. Receptional, we posted at the same time. Here's the REAL BREAKTHROUGH - Microsoft has perfected an over-40 filter! Nobody over 40 can make heads or tails of the UI! ;)
GREAT - a filter that I can try and crack :)
It's great to be talking about the UI instead of compatability issues though.
Next - where's that satellite photo? I have found one for the Empire State Building, but not Trafalgar Square. Maybe satellite images are only in certain parts of the world.
Edit: maximillianos added that as I was writing...
[edited by: Receptional at 3:40 pm (utc) on Sep. 12, 2006]
I have to click on the greyed out word "Aerial" :)
Now ... where's that white cane?
It's not a new search engine. The search engine results are the same as on msn.com.
Hover on the "flag icon" to the left of "Windows Live" at the top of the page, and you get a menu. Similar to the Windows Start button, which is at the lower-left-hand of a Windows desktop. Hover long enough, and the menu sticks. The hover action is pretty flakey, though. (Sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn't - not quite sure now just what action makes it stick.)
Why hide stuff like this? Easter Egg hunts used to be just for some cute credits. Now they are part of the primary user interface?
I've been using Windows every day for at least 10 years. I would have never thought there would be a menu hiding behind that icon, in the upper LEFT corner of a WEB PAGE.
At least the accessible version of the site (I used Lynx because I was curious) has a clearly-understandable [More Services] link.
I think that Microsoft has WAY under-estimated universal understanding by the general public of the Start-Bar "flag" icon. Seeing it there in the upper left-hand corner of a web page, I thought it was just a pretty logo used for branding.
Hover on the "flag icon" to the left of "Windows Live" at the top of the page, and you get a menu.
For me, it appears very quickly and disappears the second I move my mouse to other regions, it doesn't stick. I agree, the logo shouldn't hide a menu.
[edited by: koen at 6:58 pm (utc) on Sep. 12, 2006]
[blogs.msdn.com...]
Geolocation continues the same moronic policies as before.
Once again MSN screws up by not fixing their product before it is launched.
Oh well, same old poorly conceived junk. Nothing to see here, move along kids.
More features, bizarrely hidden, but a failure on all other counts.
"...no longer in beta..."
Yet you type in a search and go to beta.search.live.com
Doh!
MSN should have learned by now that unlike something like an operating system, coming out with a half baked product far worse than your (lame) competitors leads to loss of market share. If they ever fix this mess there may be no one left who will sample it again.
It seemed a while ago the search.msn.com search box was doing some sort of keylogging (clicked after keystroke and visable delay in characters appearing).
The new "live" (beta that's out of beta)... If smooth, fast, and has some great features.
The image gallery and "scratchpad" are neat, the visuals are very well done, and the mapping with aerial and "birs eye" views is impressive.
I am happy with the SEPRS (especially since most of my sites rank higher on "live" than they do on G or Y).
Good luck to MS! --- Not something I say often, but since they are the only ones with the pocket depth to challenge G, it can only lead to better all-around search from everyone.
Competition is the only thing that will keep the engines motivated to provide more and better search options.
