Microsoft Replaces MSN with Windows Live

Microsoft is replacing MSN Search with a new search interface, Windows Live.

Currently in beta, Microsoft hopes the new look and functionality will help it gain traction against rivals Google and Yahoo in the highly competitive search market.

Microsoft has a lot of ground to make up. The latest statistics from Nielsen NetRatings show MSN with only 11% of the search user market with Yahoo seeing 22% and Google seeing 48%.

The new interface is remarkably different from the more traditional face shown at MSN Search. Christopher Payne, Microsoft corporate vice president for MSN Search, said, “We believe that it’s still very early in search, and that there’s still significant room for differentiation. Prior to this, I don’t think we’ve really gotten enough differentiation in order to win people back.”

If looking different was the goal, Windows Live has achieved it. Doing away with Top10 lists, Windows Live uses a scrolling bar to make the Top30 available on one page. A slide-bar near the top of the screen allows the user to make the descriptions shown under the listings longer or shorter, thus adding or subtracting from the total number of results displayed.

The beta version at Windows Live is only a preliminary version and there are obviously still a few bugs to work out. It is currently available at the Microsoft Live site, Live.com.

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