It would appear to be true (and Bing doesn’t deny it):
Google has run a sting operation that it says proves Bing has been watching what people search for on Google, the sites they select from Google’s results, then uses that information to improve Bing’s own search listings. Bing doesn’t deny this.As a result of the apparent monitoring, Bing’s relevancy is potentially improving (or getting worse) on the back of Google’s own work. Google likens it to the digital equivalent of Bing leaning over during an exam and copying off of Google’s test.
Yikes! Do you feel burned? Or should you even care (or have an opinion)?
To be honest I don’t have an issue with Bing creating software to learn how other systems operate. I feel that this play happens all the time and hopefully the end result is that people get what they need faster and more effectively.
I do wish that Bing would just be a better search engine. Ah, it must burn to work for Microsoft.
Ben says
That made me LOL.
I think this has been the strategy of any successfull startup or improvement. Do what works and scrap what doesn’t. But, they will never beat Google until they actually create their own way of doing search. I don’t think Google is scared.
austinklee says
Funny how Microsoft would probably sue the pants off of any of us that did this to one of their products.
BenJPickett says
This is a very common practice, it has happened to Microsoft in the past and it’s been done to Google by others for various services, people like to take what works best and try to improve on it and this is simply the first step. I am quite honestly fine with this practice as it does help the consumer, it forces everyone to improve and differentiate their services more. Bing will never catch Google (with anything short of Google caught selling all of their customers info) and I don’t think that is Microsoft’s plan anyways. Microsoft knows that they can’t catch up at this point, for search and mobile, MS is simply trying to build a base of integration for those that choose their services.
In the past few weeks I’ve found myself using Bing more, maybe it’s that I’ve been doing more shopping (and I’ve been much happier with how the results are displayed on Bing in this area) or maybe part me of has noticed how comparable the results are. I do like the Bing landing page much more than Google’s, those pictures are amazing.
Joanna says
My question is why is anyone actually using bing and internet explorer?