Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft and Yahoo Discussing Search Partnership

Posted by Soulskill on from the here-we-go-again dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Guardian reports that Microsoft and Yahoo are talking about a search engine partnership as they desperately try to come up with something, anything, to take on Google. 'Although there is no suggestion that Microsoft's failed bid will be resurrected, the two companies are believed to be discussing ways they can link up to combat the growing power of their chief rival, Google. Quoting sources close to the discussions, the authoritative Dow Jones All Things Digital blog said that "the talks between the pair are preliminary and wide-ranging."'"

2 of 115 comments (clear)

  1. Why MS cant compete effectively by Froze · · Score: 5, Insightful

    MS motive: Make money by throwing large amounts of MS branded crap (with some useful stuff) at you and hope your willing to pay to have it cleaned up so you can keep the bits you like.

    Google motive: Make money by throwing large amounts of information at you with some of revenue targeted information you may be interested in.

    Until MS turns it model around and starts giving people what they want first and then cashing in on that association, they won't beat the trend that Google has going, unless Google turns around and start sending you crap first.

    --
    -- The morphemes of your disquisition are ascertainable, but they have eschewed an ambit of transpicuous exposition.
  2. Re:I doubt it will work by bit01 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That really depends on what one happens to be searching for. In a lot of cases, yes, it means "I need to try another search engine".

    Every now and then I try other search engines just to make sure I'm not missing anything. They always fail because they:

    1. are too slow.
    2. are overloaded with advertising drivel.
    3. don't find what I'm looking for.
    4. find too many things I'm not looking for.
    5. cover a uselessly small domain.
    6. don't allow expressive search expressions.
    7. make elementary interface errors.
    8. confuse trendiness with usefulness.

    Sometimes all eight. And lets not forget all the internal search engines such as slashdot's. I've yet to come across even a single one that wasn't designed by people with the IQ's of gerbils.

    ---

    Any large public or private organisation paying recurring, per-seat licensing for software is being economically stupid.