Tim Wang's eLearning Blog

Ever after Lee Kaifu switched to Google, the war between Microsoft and Google is no longer behind the curtain. Started this month, Microsoft high up officials constantly make noises on the new MSN Search Engine will beat Google's Search Engine. It looks like Microsoft is no longer fooling around but is ready to take on a direct competition against Google's bread and butter service - web search. How confident is Microsoft?

What we're saying is that in six months' time we'll be more relevant in the US market place than Google. - Neil Holloway, Microsoft president for Europe, Middle East and Africa

My immediate impression was, "Man, Microsoft is gonna bundle this new service with VISTA". The answer is not...

Should we add a Google-like search engine but twice as good, hard-core into Windows? Guess what. If we did that, I don't think a company called Google would be very happy. - Neil Holloway

Then how is MSN Search planning on beating Google?

Integrating search into those other applications... makes it very seamless for people." - Neil Holloway

The applications Neil meant here I believe are MSN Messenger and Hotmail etc. I have to say the MSN Messenger has a pretty concrete IM market and Google Talk just started a little too late. Gmail gave a pretty powerful shot to start but there have been mixed feed backs on people are not feeling comfortable with how Google can "spy through" their emails to deliver accurate advertisements.

However, since we are talking about search engines here, how can Microsoft's new search engine be better? Well, this is not really a secret any more, is to go beyond finding URLs and instead focus in on the specific information sought by Internet users:

Generally these days what you get back is URLs, and based upon research, 50 per cent of the time you do a search you don't get the URL you're looking for. - Neil Holloway

This means:

potential home buyers might find a group of houses in the price range and with the precise amenities they're seeking. Or web surfers might find a restaurant with the kind of menu they want in a particular geographic area. - Neil Holloway

The new service will be launched in 6 months period first in North America and UK and then different countries (languages) after every three months. Who will win the supreme? Let's wait and see.