MSFT vs GOOG, chapter 17



"Microsoft has opened up a beta version of its long awaited MSN search engine. However, don't expect anything radical just yet as it still appears to be based on the existing d Inktomi results of its current MSN search.



The MSN search beta is not in a state to challenge Google at the moment. It seems quite slow and the majority of results are still coming from Inktomi. Although rumoured to exist, in some simple searches we applied we could see no sign of any results from MSNBot.



The system seems to be in some sort of flux at the moment with some sections - such as directory listings or sponsored links down the side appearing and disappearing with each search - even for the same search term. However, some parts at least seem to be consistent..."'

                            BadBlue Rank

Search phrase             On GOOG On MSFT



Easy file sharing            3       1

Free file sharing            5       9

Excel sharing                1       1

free personal web server     5       2 *

* #1 is Microsoft's PWS, which isn't in Google's top 20...



MSFT betas its long-awaited search engine



Spyware double agents



"Web surfers battling 'spyware' face a new problem: so-called spyware-killing programs that install the same kind of unwanted advertising software they promise to erase."



Spyware cures may cause more harm than good



The Forgotten Infiniti



Route 128 in 1992. A black M30 zoomed by my underpowered Miata. "Whoa", I thought, "nice looking ride." The M30 has disappeared into the fog of history, but its memory lives on.



"Complementing the new Q45 "flagship" sedan from Nissan's luxury division was the entry-level M30 coupe, also introduced for 1990. Essentially an Americanized version of the Nissan Leopard, sold in the Japanese market, the M30 was intended as a temporary stopgap, until a brand-new model could be developed...



..."Sonar Suspension II," also borrowed from the Maxima, used an ultrasonic sensor mounted beneath the radiator to "read" the road surfaces and adjust shock absorber damping accordingly. A cockpit switch let the driver choose soft, medium, or firm damping mode...



...Despite suffering from "cowl shake," a typical bane of convertibles that have been transformed from coupes, the open-air version of the M30 has its own charms. The automatic convertible top is quick and easy to use, but fitting the rubber molding of the tonneau cover is laborious and time consuming."



The Infiniti M30