Bing Enters The Search Scene

Apparently, Steve Ballmer and the folks at Microsoft had a Plan B after their clumsy attempt to acquire Yahoo! It’s Bing, of course, which Ballmer describes as a “decision engine” dedicated to consumer purchases, travel, health, and business/local  listings.

“Today, search engines do a decent job of helping people navigate the Web and find information, but they don’t do a very good job of enabling people to use the information they find,” Ballmer said. “When we set out to build Bing, we grounded ourselves in a deep understanding of how people really want to use the Web. Bing is an important first step forward in our long-term effort to deliver innovations in search that enable people to find information quickly and use the information they’ve found to accomplish tasks and make smart decisions.”

Not exactly “meta-search,” I suppose, but perhaps close enough. In a Google-dominated world where Microsoft’s traditional revenue streams are vulnerable like never before, it’s clear that Bing is designed as an alternative to traditional search. It’s too soon, of course, to make any judgments about efficiacy, but public agencies such as libraries seem to be early adopters of Microsoft’s new venture.

Curious? Explore Bing and decide for yourself if Microsoft is breaking new ground or merely cementing their longstanding reputation as a “Johnny come lately” company…