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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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5

Try a Search Engine Blind Taste Test

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(Newser) – So much of our search engine experience is based on branding, but who would come out on top without all the window dressing? Blind Search may help you figure it out. Designed by a Microsoft employee, it spits out unadorned results from Google, Bing, and Yahoo, only telling you which is which after you’ve voted on a favorite. Ryan Sager of True/Slant, an avowed Google-phile, took it for a spin.

Over five tests, Google took two rounds, Yahoo took two rounds, and Bing won one. Among all users, Google has won 41% of searches. But for Sager, choosing between the results involved a lot of hair-splitting. “No one is laughable; no one is head-and-shoulders above anyone else.” So if you have a fierce loyalty to a particular brand or interface, this probably won’t convert you.

In this image provided by Microsoft Corp., a screen shot of the Bing search engine is shown.
In this image provided by Microsoft Corp., a screen shot of the Bing search engine is shown.   (AP Photo/Microsoft Corp.)
Vendor Patrick Porter works on a laptop marked with the logo for Bing, Microsoft's recently upgraded search engine, in a cafeteria at Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., Wednesday, July 29, 2009.
Vendor Patrick Porter works on a laptop marked with the logo for Bing, Microsoft's recently upgraded search engine, in a cafeteria at Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., Wednesday, July 29, 2009.   (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
In this April 27, 2009 file photo, Yahoo headquarters is shown in Sunnyvale, Calif.
In this April 27, 2009 file photo, Yahoo headquarters is shown in Sunnyvale, Calif.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
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mainlander
Aug 27, 09 10:12 AM CDT
If it was written by a Microsoft employee I really doubt that it's unbiased. Reply
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pwnage
Aug 27, 09 10:16 AM CDT
Indeed. Kind of like IE. I rarely use it, but when I do, Bang! There it appears on my most frequently used list on the start menu, shoving a truly more frequently used item off.
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+2
spacematic
Aug 27, 09 11:51 AM CDT
I've tried Bing. It sure is pretty. And where it might be good for a "new" search engine, it can't beat Google's results on relevance, particularly when it comes to scanning government agency websites. Take ccr.gov, for instance. I typed that into my URL bar in M$IE 8, and it redirects me to a Bing page trying to tell me about Credence. Now, I like some Credence, but I don't want my browser throwing it up at me when I'm trying to edit my profile at the Central Contractor Registration website. Credence rules, while Bing, on the other hand, kinda fails. For depth and relevance in business matters, I'm gonna stick with the big G. Later, who knows? Wouldn't hold out much hope for the tape deck... or the Credence. Reply
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+1
Jojo
Aug 27, 09 11:52 AM CDT
Poor Bing, they are putting millions into getting their search engine as big as Google. I'm sure they expected the results of this to favor them, but when it didn't, they used it any way and thought the honesty angle would work. Like I said before, for millions of regular users, there was/is nothing wrong with Google. You are not only reinventing the wheel but you are trying to fix something that is not broken by launching Bing. I wish the big industry giants would work together on projects more instead of copying each other and just giving us another unnecessary thing. MS is going to have to just pull the plug on advertising and pushing Bing soon before they are in the hole for more than they can ever recover. Google will probably buy the Bing technology from MS in 2 years and merge it with Google. Reply
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+2
mikech
Aug 28, 09 4:28 PM CDT
I am noticing that the annoying embedded roll-over links in web pages (the ones with double underlines) now bring up Bing-branded suggestions. Reason enough for me to avoid using it. Don't know what MS is thinking by associating themselves with this practice. Reply
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