Ask Tests New Search Interface

Ask Tests New Search Interface

Slimy on 21 December 2006 - 21:34 · 12 comments & 4196 views

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Deciding that 5.9% search share isn’t enough, InterActiveCorp (owner of Ask.com) has launched a publically available search site with a new three-paned interface. The left pane of the search results provides a control panel that allows changing or modifying the original search query. The middle pane provides the search results while the right pane pulls data from other IAC sites and the Internet. The links in this last pane offer links to events, shopping, videos, blogs, Wikipedia entries, the list goes on. Since many users are too scared to click a link, Ask has decided to offer a thumbnail preview of the search results. As of October, according to comScore Networks, Ask’s search share is just over an eighth’s of Google’s (45.4%).

View: AskX

News source: BetaNews

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(2 replies) #1 IAIHMB on 21 Dec 2006 - 21:36

No Opera, no thanks.

#1.1 Coolme on 22 Dec 2006 - 00:42

Exactly, why would you force people to use specific browsers to search for stuff? That just drives people away.

#1.2 IAIHMB on 22 Dec 2006 - 15:50

From a developer's point of view Opera is definitely in the minority. From a developer's point of view the developers of AskX are lazy.

#2 hotdog963al on 21 Dec 2006 - 21:40

Cool, but it needs to look alot better.

#3 embj on 21 Dec 2006 - 21:54

How about bring back the butler? "The butler is unprofessional." Pssh...you take away the icon that identifies your business, and what are you left with? You're left with those dumb commercials that don't make sense.

(2 replies) #4 jhatcher16 on 21 Dec 2006 - 22:09

Looks a little Live Search-ish to me...Especially the magnifying glass search icon.

#4.1 Powervortex on 21 Dec 2006 - 22:11

haha. that was the first thing i thought when i saw the site.

#4.2 Stealth-X on 22 Dec 2006 - 01:19

haha yea

#5 Jugalator on 22 Dec 2006 - 01:49

I think they need better search engine accuracy and more search innovations more than a new UI working more like a meta-search engine though. But it's a step up in the UI and accessibility department, I'll give them that. I also have to give them bonus points for featuring some of the Wikipedia articles I started on the front page, like Flagship Studios, etc.

#6 ghos on 22 Dec 2006 - 03:20

I like the setup. I admit I haven't really tried Windows Live, but I like how this works. Nice to have some images right there and can access the search bar without having to scroll (not that it matters much with it built into my Firefox.

(1 reply) #7 IamZed on 22 Dec 2006 - 03:53

In IE7 and Firefox2 it asked me to change my browser. In IE7 + Maxthon it did not. Thing cant make it's mind up.

#7.1 Jugalator on 22 Dec 2006 - 08:36

Hmm, you sure it was the browser and not your cookie / Javascript settings in some?

It asked me too about Fx 2.0, but once I set NoScript to allow its Javascript and allowed its cookies, everything was fine.

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