

Wow, Microsoft And Google Are Punching Each Other In The Face In Front Of Us - thankuz
http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/01/bing-google-fight/

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ck2
If copying is going to stop, I'd like Google to stop copying Bing's look and
feel, it's getting really annoying.

ps. I want my old image search back and my old map controls back

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danilocampos
Right on. 2010's changes to Google Image Search left it an enormous pile of
ass. Just give me simple, paginated results, please.

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ck2
I forgot to bookmark it but once I followed a link from reddit to google
images and it somehow defaulted back to the old method. So something on the
URL can toggle it, I just have no clue what it was and feel stupid for not
researching it right there and then.

Just recently they are tinkering with maps and the new controls are so
sluggish and non-intuitive, I have to dig two or three levels constantly.
Every so often it reverts to the old interface but the new one looks like it's
here to stay. Very fustrating.

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eneveu
Add "&sout=1" to the URL.

Or click "Switch to basic version" in the page footer :)

More information:
[http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Web%20Search/thread?ti...](http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Web%20Search/thread?tid=5c4cc2fede82d16c)

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iamelgringo
I hate to say it, but Microsoft has a _lot_ more experience in bare knuckle
fighting than Google does. And, I'm betting that Microsoft is very interested
in getting into a brawl over this one.

I really don't think that Google wants to get into a fight over who sucks up
users click streams to advance their business...

Those who live in glass houses really flick boogers.

~~~
RickHull
> _I really don't think that Google wants to get into a fight over who sucks
> up users click streams to advance their business..._

Presenting your competitor's clickstream as your own takes it to a new level.

> _Those who live in glass houses really flick boogers._

And bloggers!

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random42
> Presenting your competitor's clickstream as your own takes it to a new
> level.

Clickstream is still of bing toolbar users.

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extension
Point is, they have a script thingy that goes "when our user searches Google
for some word and then clicks on a result, make that Bing's result for the
same word (plus 999 other things)". I would say most of the intelligence there
is being extracted from Google doing the search, not from the user choosing
the result.

I'm not saying Bing should go to jail or anything. The rules of the search
game are still being written. But let's give credit for search engineering
where credit is due.

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redthrowaway
This exchange serves to further highlight the perverse appeal of Twitter: we
get to watch powerful people act childish. I love it.

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alexqgb
Profound issues of right and wrong are rarely this entertaining. Conclusion:
this isn't serious. But holy smoke is it fun to watch.

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msbarnett
I guess Eric Schmidt was wrong; it sure _looks_ like adult supervision is
still needed.

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alexqgb
If he's available, Microsoft is in the market.

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eitally
This is worth an upvote in spite of MG's authorship just because of the
inclusion of relevant Tweets.

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sjs382
What are they using to embed tweets like that? Is it publicly available
software?

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wippler
yes.. twitter released it a few months ago, Blackbird Pie.
<http://media.twitter.com/blackbird-pie/>

edit: actually they use the Blackbird Pie wordpress plugin
[http://themergency.com/twitter-blackbird-pie-wordpress-
plugi...](http://themergency.com/twitter-blackbird-pie-wordpress-plugin/)

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Aaronontheweb
What the hell does Dave Winer do these days other than insert himself into
everything? Is he involved with something important that I'm overlooking?

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michael_dorfman
Was it ever otherwise?

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fossuser
Microsoft's behavior comes across as sleazy to me, which no doubt is Google's
intention. I respect mathematical advancements and clever algorithmic
solutions to search which Google has always been impressive with. The method
Microsoft is using with their toolbar just comes across as lame and
uninteresting.

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bitwize
Is it one of those one-shall-stand, one-shall-fall simultaneous face punches
like I saw on UFC?

Because that would be sweet...

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ddemchuk
Who the hell is in charge of the PR for these two companies to allow them to
late night bitch at each other over Twitter??? These companies rake in
billions per quarter and are acting like they're gonna be on TMZ tonight.

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digitalinfinity
MG's post quotes <http://twitter.com/#!/fxshaw>. This should answer your
question- <http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/shaw/>

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shareme
as opposed to TC and Engadget punching each other?

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SoftwareMaven
Remember, in any corporate fist-fight, it is the media that is going to
benefit the most, so if there isn't a fight occurring in the wild, it makes
sense to stage one.

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moonpolysoft
Dingus.

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dustingetz
those twitter zingers are absolutely hilarious!

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j_baker
The thing I find most interesting about Microsoft's tweets here is that at no
point does Frank ever actually deny copying Google's search results. Well,
except to tell a bald-faced lie that obviously isn't true. I mean, if
Microsoft _really_ had evidence that Google had its employees report the sites
to MS customer feedback, I have a feeling they'd be making it known some place
other that Frank Shaw's twitter account.

