Microsoft Offers Incentives to Businesses to Use Live Search

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It’s no secret that Microsoft has failed again and again to put a dent in Google’s domination in web search. If anything, Google and runner-up Yahoo have gained market share recently. Microsoft seems to have taken a different approach. The software giant is giving financial incentives to large enterprise customers whose employees use Microsoft's Live Search engine. In exchange for their employees' Live Search usage, Microsoft is providing "service or training credits" to these enterprise customers, the company said. The program also allows the vendor to gather feedback from these users regarding Web search use in an enterprise, Microsoft said. Microsoft has also noted that computer maker Lenovo Group will pre-load Windows Live services on its ThinkPad notebooks, ThinkCentre desktops and Lenovo-branded PCs.

"As search evolves into more of a productivity tool, and revenue sharing becomes more commonplace across the industry, we are engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships such as this and our recently announced deal with Lenovo to more easily enable customers to choose Live Search," a statement from Microsoft said.

News source: PC World

(4 replies) #1 Gary_Player on 16 Mar 2007 - 02:09

They really are shameless arn't they? Providing incentives is a sure sign that they can't make a REAL competitor.

#1.1 clonk on 16 Mar 2007 - 05:45

How is this different that Google paying dell 1 billion dollars to have google be the homepage on those computers and install google desktop? It seems to be the exact same thing to me.

#1.2 Cole on 16 Mar 2007 - 11:07

Quote - (clonk said @ #1.1)

Very different. That was buying advertising, this is trying to buy market share.

#1.3 RootWind on 16 Mar 2007 - 12:56

Quote - (Cole said @ #1.2)

If you think about the average user, that is more buying marketshare than advertising. Advertising would be putting a google bookmark in your favorites.

#1.4 hapbt on 16 Mar 2007 - 13:16

Heh, debating the moral dimensions of spending money on advertising versus market share is truly some fine hair-splitting. They are both legitimate ways to promote a product. But yeah, Live Search does suck compared to Google, it's really not even a competitor in my opinion, so this could be taken as a sign of desperation, especially after all the hype they surrounded Live Search with when it was in beta.

#2 thenay on 16 Mar 2007 - 02:34

I gotta agree Gary_Player, it's sad how MS has to take this route to gain some market share.

#3 mikill on 16 Mar 2007 - 03:05

while it's ok to want to gain some reputation and market share, this type of approach is typical for many companies. one does it and the rest are following suit.

#4 Lare2 on 16 Mar 2007 - 04:24

Can they get any lower than this .....

....

#5 Xalies on 16 Mar 2007 - 05:27

it's bad enough that live serch is integrated into Vista, Windows Messenger and IE7 aside from the exrta Live stuff that'll be added to the ThinkPad notebooks, ThinkCentre desktops and Lenovo-branded PCs but now they are even paying (more or less) "large enterprise customers" to use it...

Quote -

easily enable customers to choose Live Search

no i'd say they they are just cramming more of their crap down the throats of computer users ... very uncompetitive

#6 kaptain chump on 16 Mar 2007 - 09:43

If their search engine actually returned useful results, I might actually use it.

(1 reply) #7 azz0r_wugg on 16 Mar 2007 - 10:25

lol I love the bias comments.

Google wouldn't get these comments from you. Hypocrites.

#7.1 spacer on 16 Mar 2007 - 12:13

They are not biased comments. If Live search were actually as accurate and reliable as Google then yes, people dismissing Live search because it is a MS product would be biased. However, the fact of the matter is is that Live Search pales in comparison to Google in every way possible.

In addition, even if it were Google in Live Search's place right now, it would STILL be sad/pathetic about how they are trying to achieve market share.

#8 digitalsoft on 16 Mar 2007 - 10:28

live search is good... obviously a google user myself but if live search were to change the layout of the results im sure i'd use it...

#9 +Octol on 16 Mar 2007 - 12:19

I'm amazed that Microsoft just doesn't get it: they can no more compete with Google in the search arena than anyone else can compete with Microsoft in the desktop OS market.

But then again, I guess Microsoft has to have something to spend its money on besides defending itself against corporate lawsuits and government blackmail!

#10 Diman on 16 Mar 2007 - 14:30

Microsoft getting close but not quit there yet. Google still has more search servers, processing power, better networks and with multi-million Project 02 on the way soon we might experience next generation technology at hand.

#11 XeonBuilder on 16 Mar 2007 - 15:05

Apparently from some of the posters you guys are either too young to be working or know nothing about business and how to make money. Bill Gates is a business man and a very good one at that. And like someone already stated, how is this any different from what other vender's like Dell do? Everytime i purchase a Dell i spend a good few hours getting rid of all the junk they preload.

I dont see the big deal in what they are doing.

(1 reply) #12 lbmouse on 16 Mar 2007 - 15:13

Apparently MS needs more than Ballmer's FUD campaigns and boohooing tantrums to compete with Google. I wish they would turn their attention to the quality of their products to compete. That is what would best for the consumer and the industry.

#12.1 Croquant on 16 Mar 2007 - 18:13

Quote - (lbmouse said @ #12)

Dare to dream, my friend. Dare to dream.

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