MSN Search Beta

MSN has a beta version of its new search engine online. Better differentiation between paid and ranked search results. Categories are from Zeal (LookSmart), paid listings are from Overture, and ranked results are from Inktomi. Two of the three pieces are owned by Yahoo. Microsoft needs to step up and buy LookSmart. They are without a CEO. At around $2 a share their market capitalization is $214. Yes, Looksmart’s properties are mostly written in Java, but there is some C++ in there as well….

NY Times : The coming search wars

Sunday’s New York Times took a look at the upcoming search war between Microsoft and Google. There is no doubt in my mind that Internet search will be built-in to Longhorn. Google will offer their deskbar, and you may even be able to choose your default search technology similar to your media player, instant message client, browser, etc. today. Google will change once it enters the public market. Employee perks will be scrutinized, and there might be some employee shuffle. Google and Yahoo! are the first names techies think of when it comes to search, and MSN Search will have…

Google gets social

Orkut Buyukkokten, a UI designer at Google, quietly put online today a social networking site named Orkut.com. According to News.com this social software was Orkut’s personal project at Google, one day a week, but remains the property of Google. Membership is currently invite only….

Eurekster searches social networks

Eurekster is a new search engine, currently in beta, that uses your defined social network to rank search results from Overture based on the search history of you and your network of friends. The social networking technology comes from RealContacts and the personalization technology is provided by SLI Systems….