Microsoft Search Interface
June 21, 2009
Softpedia ran a story that caught my eye. “Bing Has Its Own Ribbon UI” reported that the Bing interface (shown below) has a ribbon. The story quoted Martin Stoddart, a Bing manager, as saying:
“The Explore Pane is one of the ways we are bringing more order to the page. It allows us to provide a set of helpful tools in a consistent location across the Bing experience that enable you to more easily navigate various categories of results relevant to your query, including web, video, image, news, local, shopping, and more… We conducted extensive research in planning Bing. One of the things people told us was that search results pages could be organized more effectively. We found that 66% of people are using search more frequently to help them make decisions. However, they are spending much more time on those decision-oriented sessions – averaging around 9 minutes per session. With that insight, we realized improving page organization to help get users to what they are looking for faster could have a big impact.
The Bing interface consists of several parts. Do you see the ribbon? A “ribbon” to me is:
a woven strip or band of fine material, as silk or rayon, varying in width and finished off at the edges, used for ornament, tying, etc. 2. material in such strips.
Here’s the Bing interface:
The “ribbon” in Office 2007 appears in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. I don’t recall seeing the ribbon in Outlook 2007 or Visio 2007. I also recall the ribbon in the Office applications as changing (sometimes unexpectedly) depending upon the operation I am trying to perform.
The ribbon in the Bing interface looks different from the ribbon in the Office 2007 applications that have a “ribbon”.
Softpedia said:
Stoddart claims that the Explore Pane is always present in the left hand pane on the page. But this is not true. Or it is true, but only if the user is located in the US, or if the search engine has been set to the US, and not to another part of the world (the UK also gets the Explore Pane). By default, Bing will deliver a localized experience and results to end users based on their location. “The contents of the Explore Pane are highly dynamic. The presence or content of Quick Tabs and Related Searches vary for every different query that you type, while the Search History tool is unique to you as a user,” Stoddart stated.
Here’s my take. Microsoft has different interfaces in Office 2007. The emphasis on user experience or what Microsoft called UX in the presentation I heard on June 4, 2009, is interface design. The goal is to make certain functions and actions obvious. Several comments:
- The notion of a ribbon is okay I suppose, but if you are going to use a “ribbon”, make them consistent. Right now, there is little consistency within and across Microsoft products.
- A ribbon can run across or down. The problem is that when something runs down, I see it as a list of hot links. The use of the term “ribbon” doesn’t make much sense to me. When the icons run horizontally across the top of the screen, I see these as icons or to use the Apple word, “dock”. Ribbon is not resonating with my understanding of the word.
- Microsoft is trying to differentiate its search system using visual techniques. That’s good, but the problem is that the options get in the way of finding answers. Presenting me with a mix of visual elements, different file types, text, and other access features takes me time to figure out what’s what. For me, it is easier to read a list of titles and scan snippets.
In short, marketing says one thing and the Microsoft implementation is inconsistent. That’s a problem for an addled goose like me who wants consistency. Google is not perfect, but at this time, the company’s interfaces are more consistent and, hence, more predictable for me. Design for its own sake and inconsistently applied gets in the way sort of like my Web feet.
Stephen Arnold, June 21, 2009
Google Enterprise Revenue
June 7, 2009
Dave Girpuard is a smart man. He is president of the Google’s enterprise unit. I read Larry Dignan’s article “Enterprise Business Profitable; Says Email Migration ‘Proof Points’ Building” here and was puzzled. The re3venue figure in the article was reported as “a few 100 million dollars”. What is included? Google has enterprise deals in education. It has revenue from the Google Search Appliance, enterprise partners who pay to play, it has the Postini business, and several others. Do some estimating, and the GOOG has a booming business that my estimates suggest with revenue way north of $100 million.
Stephen Arnold, June 7, 2009
Bing Kumo: The New Search Super Star
May 21, 2009
I awakened after an enjoyable midnight flight on UScare (I mean USAir) to find an RSS reader brimming with news of Microsoft’s new search engine. The name seems to be fluid, but I like Bing Kumo, which has an international ring to it. I picture Mr. Kumo, whom I shall call Bing, as a teen idol, androgynous in order to appeal to one and all.
You can get quite different views of Bing from the search engine optimization side of the world here and the inside Silicon Valley crowd here.
A quick run down of the speculation includes:
- A Google killer. Enough said.
- The skeptics. Larry Dignan asks, “Will it matter?” here.
- The critical wizards at Lockergnome here who said, “Seriously, it’s not going to work, no one will care, end of discussion.”
- The real Silicon Valley Insider here who said, “If Microsoft ends up doing a search deal with Yahoo (YHOO), this could all be for nothing. But either way, Microsoft needs help if it ever wants to be competitive in search. It represented 8.2% of the search market last month, down from 8.3% a year ago, according to comScore.”
The addled goose’s view of Bing Kumo, superstar, is more optimistic. Here’s why?
Bing Kumo, the new search rock star will be coming to a browser near you soon.
Most people fire up their computer with Windows 7 this fall and use whatever default Microsoft provides. I think Bing will get traction because Windows 7 will be a big success for Microsoft. The weird cursor behavior that makes it tough to navigate away from the default Microsoft splash page will discourage some users. The oddities of explaining that something other than Internet Explorer is the default browser will keep some of the Windows faithful using Bing. It’s easier.
The Google has been struggling of late. It’s not just the legal hassles, the copyright squabbles, and the YAGGs (yet another Google glitch). It’s the trust issue. I know it is hard to believe but Google has managed to achieve distrust in a remarkably short period of time. In a recent meeting, one really rich and really beef jerky tough executive asked me, “Do you trust Google with your information?” I did not answer, and he thankfully turned his cowboy features on another soft and pliant computer person.
Finally, Microsoft has been working overtime to get deals in the enterprise. These range from headway in the US government in some pretty big and well funded agencies to tough tactics to force SharePoint licensees to drink the Fast ESP Jonestown beverages. Certified Microsoft professionals in these organizations know that no mere mortal can find a file in the wild and wacky world of SharePoint. The complexity of the system and the sheer craziness of the file system’s naming conventions mean “A Job Forever.” Google is not able to deal with this combination of bundling and Certified Microsoft Professional resistance. Jobs, not technology, are operative here.
Now enter Bing Kumo. Lights, please.
Whether it works or not, Microsoft’s try-and-try-again approach to Web search is going to have an impact. I wonder if Bing Kumo will make an appearance on Oprah?
Stephen Arnold, May 20, 2001
Making Search Harder: Hiding Information at Work
April 19, 2009
I found it interesting that CNet published “How to Hide Your Tracks at Work”. The write up is in the spirt of the book Big Secrets, published in the 1980s. You can still get a copy of William Poundstone’s original from Amazon here. Write ups that provide tricks and insights are popular and deservedly so. However, if you have been involved in a legal matter, the task of finding informatoin is tough without having to deal with the many different ways to hide or obscure information. Forensic analysis makes short work of hidden files, folders, and partitions. Even encryption can be handled. But there are a number of new methods available to the clever or possibly the criminal individual.
To get some insight into these interesting methods, you will find Don Reisinger’s article fun reading. He touches upon with links if you want to try out these methods hiding access to Web services, stealth tips, and panic switches.
Most of these methods are not rocket science. In my opinion, work systems should be swept of stealth, cloaking, and related technologies. Even thought I am a marginalized, addled goose, I have to fight my instinct to make computers plain vanilla. I want every machine to have the same software and the same security features. That means no scampering dogs, no unauthorized third party programs, and no USB, wireless netbooks, and other digital sidekicks. Security breaks down with a single individual.
You can tell that I am not much fun. True. Mr. Reisinger’s tips, if implemented in my office, would be swept from the machine. The person responsible would be asked to pick up trash on the muddy bank of the mine drainage pond which is my home.
Stephen Arnold, April 19, 2009
Googler to Dust AOL with Enchanted Sparkles
April 8, 2009
Quite a day for happy honking from this addled goose. What a gem was “Tim Armstrong Starts at AOL–His Entire 100-Day-Countdown-To-Magic Memo!” by Kara Swisher here. You must read this article. For me the compelling passage was:
According to Armstrong, he is poised to “bring back the magic of AOL.”
To my recollection, AOL’s magic was direct mail carpet bombing, hot chat rooms, and Byzantine cancellation hoops for AOL users who wanted to quit. In my opinion, the best part of AOL is its Relegence.com based information service. The other parts are not too helpful. With regards to magic, I recalled
“The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.” Source here.
This goose thinks that goose is cooked.
Stephen Arnold, April 8, 2009
KXEN: Data Mining Automation
April 5, 2009
A reader sent me an email asking about real time data flows and making sense of them. Good question. At the goose pond, we use our own Overflight services to figure out what’s useful and what’s not useful in content feeds. We also use some commercial systems; for example, the goslings like Googzilla’s tools. One useful one is the Google App Engine. We don’t think the person writing us wanted to venture when the ArnoldIT.com tech geese wander, so I wanted to pass along a short comment about KXEN, a robust data mining automation vendor.
You may want to take a look at the company’s predictive business intelligence software. With that component you can:
- With Predictive BI from KXEN you can:
Discover leading indicators that actually predict performance
Plan with forecasts that are financially sound and reliable
Explore less and act more on indicators that really impact your business.
KXEN’s approach eliminates some of the manual tasks required to crunch data with such tools as SAS or SPSS. Combining KXEN with a robust data management platform like Aster Data, you can acquire and process real time data flows. There will be some latency but the delay will be measured in seconds or minutes, not days or weeks. You can watch a walk through of the model building tool available from KXEN here.
Stephen Arnold, April 5, 2009
Time Warner, AOL, and Online News
April 4, 2009
I don’t think too much about Time Warner, AOL, and news. Renay San Miguel’s “Battle for News Eyeballs: AOL Scrapes the Bottom of the Barrel” here caught my attention. I use www.aol.fr for certain types of queries. I am accustomed to this type of splash page:
Mr. San Miguel’s article suggested to me that AOL has become a tabloid news service. Interesting idea. He wrote:
It should be as clear as a paparazzi’s lens that AOL really wants your eyeballs, and tosses together a heady mix of grabby headlines (“New Conficker Virus Strikes” — uh, actually, no), links to its celebrity-trolling corporate siblings like TMZ and Pop Eater, and an overall sense of desperation in order to capture them. It’s been going on for a while now, as parent company Time Warner made it clear early last year that it wants to make its stand against Yahoo, MSNBC/MSN and Google in the War of the Portals.
i suggest you read this article. Because I don’t pay much attention to real journalism, I was surprised at this view. The word “desperation” may be an apt one when talking about traditional media and the digital Gutenberg.
Stephen Arnold, April 4, 2009
More Agitprop for Twitter Phobes
March 22, 2009
An interesting write up suggests that Twitter is the future of search. You can read “6 Reasons Why Twitter is the Future of Search – Google Beware” here. I liked reason three: Real time content. Hit nail on the head.
Stephen Arnold, March 22, 2009
Google and Newspapers: The Saga Continues
January 9, 2009
A pretty good Web log I follow is PaidContent.org. The story “Google Won’t buy Ailing Newspapers, Could Merge without Merging” popped up in the Washington Post here. I found this interesting.
The core of this story is that newspapers wanted Google to “save” them. If the US government can “save” investment banks, newspaper wizards figured it was worth a shot to solicit the country of Google to save newspapers. Google’s top dog told another dead tree outfit (Fortune Magazine), “No way.” Google, however, wants to help, a fuzzy concept in my mind. I picture Google as the video monster Godzilla wearing a Google T shirt. I guess the fuzzy notion works for the newspaper industry.
My thoughts on this weird acknowledgment that the Web does a better job of reporting “news” than dead tree publications are:
- For most dead tree outfits, it is too late. Costs and customers have moved on.
- The Web is a news generation and distribution system that operates without the intermediating steps so essential to the ego and business paradigm of dead tree outfits. Game over.
- The consumers don’t want to fiddle with dead tree stuff. Newspapers are becoming like pale imitations of komikku , filled with soft features and pablum.
I am willing to listen to a counter argument. I enjoy hearing from professional publishers who are de facto monopolies. For most professional publishers, the days of increasing subscriptions is almost over. I also like the brilliant arguments advanced by book, magazine, and newspaper owners who tell me to look at their outstanding Web sites. Folks, building traffic asking me to look at your Web sites won’t do much today. I am also fascinated by the scientific-technical-medical crowd who relentlessly assert that their information is high value. Keep in mind that I am an addled goose happy if I can find an edible crust of bread in the coal mine runoff, I am happy. Stakeholders in the dead tree outfits want more than stale crusts of bread. Stakeholders want payoff, not promises in my opinion.
Stephen Arnold, January 9, 2009
Ballmer Criticized by Motley Fool
January 1, 2009
Tim Beyers, writing in The Motley Fool here, inked an open letter to Steve Ballmer. The idea of an open letter is that the recipient does not respond to private letters. So, the author writes a personal letter and makes it available to the public. I like open letters; it is similar to the thrill of finding a sheet of writing in a library book. Those documents are exciting and somewhat mysterious. “An Open Letter to Steve Ballmer” was not too exciting or mysterious. The message is one that is widely discussed; namely, “Google is the elephant in your Redmond, Wash. boardroom.” For years–a decade to be precise–Google has been waving the Web search flag and spraying advertising at anyone who would fall for the pitch. Google for years avoided any hint of competing with Microsoft. But after a decade, the mask is off. Google is the new Microsoft. Microsoft is now the IBM that was bedeviled by the “old” Microsoft. IBM has morphed into a weird consulting and services outfit, a path that Microsoft may be forced to follow. The shadow of Googzilla has been replaced by the dude himself.
Mr. Beyers’ made this point:
Drastic measures are all that’s left. You have to do something Google hasn’t tried but everyone wants. You’ve got to master social search, and then embed it with every platform you own.
Yep, I agree. Leapfrog is the game that must be played. Microsoft has a penchant for buying abandoned animals. My wife and I rescued a boxer. She loves us and is more grateful than my former show dog. He’s entitled in his doggy mind. Tess is thrilled not be kicked and ignored. She gets better health care than most people. But Tess is a lot of work and it is 100 percent impossible to turn her into a show dog. Microsoft’s acquisition of Fast Search & Transfer is a corollary. Powerset is another stray. Yahoo, yet another lost dog it is. None of these creatures can do battle with the Google in my opinion and win.
The problem is Googzilla and that greedy creature requires action built on reaction and stray technologies.
I don’t agree with Mr. Beyers that social search is one way to hip hop over Google. Social search is useful, but it will not do the job on the GOOG. Think 90 pound weakling against the Incredible Hulk. Life does not imitate anime.
Will Mr. Ballmer read and heed Mr. Beyers’ open letter. Nope. Will the Google continue to disrupt Microsoft’s business model. Yep. Is there a company able to stop the GOOG in 2009? Nope.
Stephen Arnold, January 1, 2009
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