Bing

bsolah · Jun 1, 2009

Thoughts on Microsoft's new search engine, Bing - http://www.bing.com - and whether or not it can beat Google?

Personally, Microsoft reeks of desperation here and Bing doesn't offer me anything new. It just looks like another search engine and there's no reason I'd switch from Google.

Matera the Mad · Jun 2, 2009

Looks like a Googleclone without the features that make me like Google. The image search is useless unless you have unlimited speed and resources -- I had to cut it short. So much for that. Sorry, M$! lol

groovyville · Jul 13, 2009

I tried Bing a few times, but hated it.

It didn't even give me what I was looking for (but when I googled the same things, I got exactly what I was looking for).

Also my main email addresses are gmail and I have google groups, so I don't see a reason to switch to Bing when google gives me everything I need and use.

Google all the way!

BenPanced · Jul 13, 2009

I refuse to use it. The TV ads creep me out to no end.

bsolah · Jul 13, 2009

I haven't seen the TV ads. I'll have to check them out.

And I'm with groovyville, my web life is so integrated into Google Apps already that it'd hard to change.

SFNative · Jul 13, 2009

Check this out. It's a review of Bing where the author talks about how great he thinks it is. As an example he shows the results of his search for the band Def Leppard from both Google and Bing.

If you'll notice, the search results from Bing are missing one entry that is featured prominently in Google's. What is it? Def Leppard's official site. That's right, Bing's "decision engine" decided that when searching for a band, that band's site wasn't as important as two Wikipedia entries and a couple of different places where you could spend money.

As if that isn't bad enough, take a look at this. I think it's self-explanatory.

A decision engine is exactly what it is and the goal is to not let you make your own decisions.

bsolah · Jul 13, 2009

SFNative, it sounds like Bing is designed to have you spend money. There's lots of emphasis on the travel section too.

SFNative · Jul 13, 2009

bsolah said:
SFNative, it sounds like Bing is designed to have you spend money. There's lots of emphasis on the travel section too.

Yep. And I think it's a safe bet that Microsoft isn't just being kind to the sites being featured in Bing's results.

benbradley · Jul 13, 2009

bsolah said:
I haven't seen the TV ads. I'll have to check them out.

Oh ... my ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSkaTcjDIMk
Nothing about Bing at all other than it's some "alternative" to all this other stuff - I get the impresion it's making fun of Google Ads...

ETA: Here's a longer one (one minute), the same thing, lotsa people playing keyword games, with Bing finally being being touted as The Answer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIxfk3hS0uU

Sounds like a "perfectly reasonable" ad campaign, don't tell anyone about your product, just make fun of and denigrate everything else.

Fille · Jul 13, 2009

I just got my new laptop and it comes with a bing toolbar where my google toolbar used to be. Everytime I use it I just bing google and search from there, it'll never beat google in my book.

archerjoe · Jul 14, 2009

SFNative said:
Check this out. It's a review of Bing where the author talks about how great he thinks it is. As an example he shows the results of his search for the band Def Leppard from both Google and Bing.

If you'll notice, the search results from Bing are missing one entry that is featured prominently in Google's. What is it? Def Leppard's official site. That's right, Bing's "decision engine" decided that when searching for a band, that band's site wasn't as important as two Wikipedia entries and a couple of different places where you could spend money.

As if that isn't bad enough, take a look at this. I think it's self-explanatory.

A decision engine is exactly what it is and the goal is to not let you make your own decisions.

I had to try this and see for myself. Google has Def Leppard's official site first. Bing has it 4th in the list. I noticed the review in the link claimed it was a beta release of Bing. Comparing the same search in Google is interesting, especially when something shows up on one and not the other.

groovyville · Jul 15, 2009

I just have one comment:

But
It's
Not
Google

(and it never will be)
lol

Shadow_Ferret · Jul 15, 2009

I like Bing. I just did a search for "Milwaukee History" using Bing, Google, Yahoo, and Ask. My examiner articles came up on page 2 of Bing.

I didnt' appear on Google until page 5. Yahoo was page 9. I gave up after page 11 on Ask.

SFNative said:
If you'll notice, the search results from Bing are missing one entry that is featured prominently in Google's. What is it? Def Leppard's official site. That's right, Bing's "decision engine" decided that when searching for a band, that band's site wasn't as important as two Wikipedia entries and a couple of different places where you could spend money.

Interestingly enough, I searched for other rock bands and their websites almost always came up at the top. Maybe Bing just doesn't like Def Leppard, which shows it has GOOD TASTE.

Bing

bsolah

AW's Resident Commie

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

groovyville

Jesus Only! <3

BenPanced

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

bsolah

AW's Resident Commie

SFNative

I'll have the saltimbocca

bsolah

AW's Resident Commie

SFNative

I'll have the saltimbocca

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

Fille

Hungry

archerjoe

groovyville

Jesus Only! <3

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester