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Microsoft To Pay People To Search

Posted by samzenpus on from the have-some-of-our-extra-money dept.

kolicha writes "After the failed Yahoo bid, Microsoft is going to try a new approach to gain market share on their rivals Google. Sponsored links will be pay per purchase rather than pay per click, and search users will be offered 'cash back' on their purchases."

22 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. Re:DO IT! DO IT! Do It 'til You're SATISFIED... by Uncle+Focker · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes. Steve Ballmer. He also throw a chair at me.

  2. I want to be paid for posting this by Freshly+Exhumed · · Score: 5, Funny

    How can I get Microsoft to give me cash back to not say bad things about them in online forums?

    --
    I deny that I have not avoided attaining the opposite of that which I do not want.
    1. Re:I want to be paid for posting this by ejecta · · Score: 3, Funny

      I believe you need to send your C.V. to their Public Propa... Relations Department.

      --
      Two Parts Swash, One Part Buckle
    2. Re:I want to be paid for posting this by AuMatar · · Score: 5, Funny

      Marketing in general has standards


      An industry who's sole purpose is to trick people into buying things they don't need or want has standards? You're funny.
      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
  3. Great by panaceaa · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now there's actually an incentive for Live search to return worthless results! 'Cause if they found anything worthwhile, it costs Microsoft money. Genius!

    --
    my blog
  4. How much MSFT cash will I get for... by bobdotorg · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... buying Yahoo stock?

    A linux distribution / service contract?

    A copy of OSX on a shiny new MacBookAir?

    A throwproof chair?

    --
    __ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
  5. Re:Things are different than this by Dripdry · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Microsoft" and "trust"? I thought it was "Microsoft" and "anti-trust".

    --
    -
  6. Re:Things are different than this by Eco-Mono · · Score: 4, Funny

    Which vowel of poverty? There are two (three if you count the 'y'.)

    --
    (rot13) rpbzbab@tznvy.pbz
  7. It's worked so well in the past by randmcnatt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe iwon.com and search.msn.com can battle it out for 2,174th place.

  8. Let me take a stab at this.... by zappepcs · · Score: 2, Funny

    The marketingdroids will call this the ... wait

    MicroSoft PayYou! Search Service?

    --
    Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
  9. You can't trust this.... by MLease · · Score: 4, Funny

    How do they expect me to buy into this, when I've yet to get paid for all those emails I forwarded for Microsoft's testing!

    -Mike

    --
    I'm sorry; I don't know what I was thinking!
  10. Re:DO IT! DO IT! Do It 'til You're SATISFIED... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 2, Funny

    Be honest... are you stoned right now?

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  11. Man..... by IHC+Navistar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Desperation is a stinky cologne.

    --
    Knowing Google's lust for data collection, the Soviet Union is still alive and well inside the psyche of Sergey Brin....
  12. Re:Nope, sorry. by jcr · · Score: 5, Funny

    The only way to do that is to make the better search engine.

    That is apparently not among their options. Remember who we're talking about here.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  13. microsoft's real solution to its search blues: by circletimessquare · · Score: 1, Funny

    allow google to buy THEM

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  14. Re:Following a trend by NMerriam · · Score: 5, Funny

    So that's how MS competes with free


    Yeah, a few years ago this was only a joke.

    "Open Source software doesn't cost anything -- how can you beat that price?"
    "Well, we could pay people to use it."
    "But then how do you make any money?"
    "We make it up in volume!"
    --
    Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
  15. Re:why not make a good product and sell it? by LordLucless · · Score: 5, Funny

    Stick with what you're good at.

    There's not much money in chair-throwing these days.

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  16. Firefox plugin on the way... by whereiswaldo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder, how long till someone writes a Firefox plugin that alters Google search results to make clicks appear as if they are from Microsoft's search - that way users can use the better search engine and still cash in.

  17. Re:why not make a good product and sell it? by Tangamandapiano · · Score: 3, Funny

    Stick with what you're good at. What?
  18. Re:I'm reminded of something Amazon did... by zienth · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yes, if you used Alexa or something, you got a half-pi discount. You got a 1.5707963267949... discount?
  19. Re:DO IT! DO IT! Do It 'til You're SATISFIED... by junner518 · · Score: 5, Funny

    don't worry, there are people throwing stuff at ballmer too... he got egged

  20. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "It will only be open to people living in the US."

    This means that I can't hire someone in the Soviet Union to _actually_ do the work for me, making purchases for which I'd fleece M$ for the cashback, only to return the goods a few days later at the original price.

    Damn, damn, damn