Microsoft Planning Own Search Engine?

Microsoft Planning Own Search Engine?

From The Search Engine Report
Aug. 5, 1997

You read it here first, back in April. Microsoft is planning to launch its own search engine. The only difference is when I wrote that in April, it was an April Fool's joke. This time, it looks to be for real.

Time Magazine is reporting that Microsoft may launch its own search engine by early next year, with a fall beta opening. The project is code named Yukon. That about all the details Time had; News.com has followed with some analyst quotes.

This looks to be a completely homegrown project. None of the major search engines seem to be involved.

It will be interesting to see how the plan progresses. Microsoft's Find It Fast page seems eternally plagued with slow-load times, and that page is simply a collection of links to offsite resources. Serving search requests will be much more demanding. In contrast, the Netscape Net Search page shows little trouble keeping up with demand.

Furthermore, it seems likely that Microsoft would try to load its search engine with Active X enhancements and other changes that make so many of its other sites difficult to visit. Will it happen? We'll all watch and see.

Microsoft: Yukon Ho?
News.com, Aug. 4, 1997
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,13055,00.html

Search And Ye Shall Find, The Microsoft Way
Time, Aug. 11, 1997
--URL too long to list--