Comments on: Why I can’t use Microsoft Live Search for real work

By: Ceri Edwards

Ceri Edwards — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:11:52 +0000

I give up !

I just typed a question ‘ why cant live search find my web site’ – seems a simple question.

the third highest ranking result was ‘ why cant I get an erection during sexual intercourse’

Well done MSN, you are either psychic or useless.

By: Julian Funteyn

Julian Funteyn — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:57:30 +0000

Live Search is still around? …

By: tim

tim — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:22:13 +0000

@dions30

Are you in the USA? I’m getting the impression the search works better there.

Tim

By: dions30

dions30 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:37:36 +0000

I use live search as my primary search engine I actually like it. This one example can not be your defining reason. PS: I tried the exact same search 4 minutes after u posted this and I got the correct link, FYI.

By: gene

gene — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:20:26 +0000

My first guess would be that the difference in search results is due primarily to Live Search’s reliance on *paid* placement in it’s search results. The reason the third party sites are there first is because they paid to be there.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:26:58 +0000

I like how Live Search is a total rip off of Google in terms of interface.

By: tim

tim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:47:19 +0000

I suspect those of you gettting good results are in the USA. Maybe some algorithm is considering microsoft.com as a US site and therefore uninteresting to a UK user. Though that doesn’t explain another US site, softwarepatch.com, comes top when I search from here.

Tim

By: stephen

stephen — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:06:36 +0000

@Tim, the one you were looking for was at 11(in page 2).. i think MS guys saw your post, so they just rolled out a new patch just before @Michael did his search..
somth like:

…
results = search(q);
if(q == “windows xp sp3 download”){results[0] = results[10];}
…

lol!:)

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:12:47 +0000

Tried it, worked fine. First two hits were the same as Google.

Not that I’m a fan of Live (I’m not).

Move along sheeple, there’s nothing to see here.

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:37:43 +0000

I wonder if Microsoft saw this posted on reddit because now it’s the first link!