The Big Bing?

[v9designbuild]

An interesting conversation took place on Twitter between Matt Cutts and Betsy of the Bing account.

See Google's Matt Cutts Has Some Words with Bing | WebProNews

I can only see the Beta version from Thailand, so no comment. Still, we're at #1 rather than #2 for our main search term, so I'm not complaining.

Something I noticed early on was the familiarity of Bing: it looked like it is the same as Live.com. See Bing Opens Up. Is It Good? It's Too Early To Tell. for analysis.

 

[djbaxter]

That's a rather childish display from Cutts, IMO. It also suggests that perhaps Google feels threatened by Bing?

I, for one, would like to see some real comeition again in the search arena. Google has had it their way for far too long. They have become arrogant.

 

[v9designbuild]

Matt Cutts was indeed displaying his churlishness in what he said. However, from the comments on this and other posts, the general consensus seems to be mixed between those who regard God's Own Search engine as, well, God, and the Microsoft crowd.

On arrogance, it's a moot point as who would wear the crown. Microsoft has not, in essence, improved its operating system since it first came to market over 25 years ago, Windows is still full of holes and the list could go on and on.

But how MSN thinks it can salvage market share with Bing is yet to be seen, but if it's just a rehash of live.com, which initially it seems to be, I can't see much chance of anyone moving away from Google, even given Mr Cutts' adolescent outbursts.

I still can't see the full version but there will be some SEO mileage in preparing some space for Bing, primarily because my site is accessed more by the MSNBot than the Googlebot.

 

[djbaxter]

On arrogance, it's a moot point as who would wear the crown. Microsoft has not, in essence, improved its operating system since it first came to market over 25 years ago, Windows is still full of holes and the list could go on and on.

{off topic}

I would have to take issue with that. As someone who has used a multitude of DOS versions followed by every Windows version since 3.0 (with the exception of ME which I studiously avoided), I have seen huge improvements in the OS. As to it's being "full of holes", first, it's far more secure today than even a few years ago, and, second, despite silly claims to the contrary every OS and every piece of software has expolitable vulnerabilities. The question is how quickly will they be fixed? On the record, I would far rather put my mkoney with Microsoft in that department than Apple or Adobe, as starters, and the only reason the vulnerabilities haven't yet been exploited in Linux is because to do so wouldn't inconvenience enough users.

 

[hamncheese]

Thanks for the post. My site has pretty much the same ranking when comparing google to bing for all my major keywords.

What is the main difference between the search algorithm? What value does bing give to onsite stuff like title and meta tags? What value does it give to links (onsite and offsite)?

Thanks,

HP

 

[djbaxter]

I don't think anyone yet knows the answer to your questions, HP. Bing is too new.

 

[v9designbuild]

PC vs Mac: to each his own

{again, off topic}

As someone who was working in a software house when the System/23 was laid to rest with the onset of the PC, I too remember the remarkable clone of CP/M, MS-DOS.

Before I came to Thailand, I used a Mac in both publishing and in a web design agency for many many years. The Mac uses a much faster chip and its operating system is open source, meaning every tech in the world can have a voice. It is also modular, meaning if one program trips the system the whole thing doesn't crash. Again, far superior in my opinion.

Anyway, a programmer friend of mine in Oz would totally agree with you, even though he has never used a Mac. So, pretty much each to his own here. But personally, I loath using PCs. I am forced to because the world and its mother uses it and I need to see how their browsers render web pages.

I have always thought, unkindly I know, that the PC was designed for the American housewife.

 

[v9designbuild]

Bing results: a small test

Even though Matt Cutts was somewhat catty in his twit, he did point out that when searching his own name (and who wouldn't?), entry 5, if I remember correctly, was said to be "a bit spammy".

Looking at my own keywords today (Web Design Bangkok and set at "show all"), I see what he means. #1/2 are fine and the same as Google's. But #3 is Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, presumably because it has "This web design for resolution screen 1024 x 768 pixel web design" is at the foot of its home page - everything else is in Thai. Worse, at #10, is Luxor Bangkok the Egyptian Design Hotel, which has "Discovery the Egypt Grand Architecture only one of Thailand" as its main text.

And these guys have rolled out their new "Decision Engine" to try and compete with Google? Back to the drawing board lads, methinks.