Microsoft + Yahoo! = Ugly babies

[originalpckelly]

Good GOD! Hide the thing, don't let it out of the fucking attic until it's past puberty!

MSN.com, is by far the clunkiest/junkiest homepage I've ever seen in my life. It's possible to customize it, but many users don't take advantage of that. It looks like someone jumped MSN.com and nearly beat it to death with the ugly stick.



Can you say BLYUCK!?!?


At least Yahoo! looks better, but it's still very cluttered:


Google's homepage has definitely become more cluttered, from the once simple Google logo and search bar, to iGoogle, they have taken the wrong path too. BUT, they still have the best search and it is still possible to get to a somewhat similar version of Google.

Call me a Google fanboy, but they're better. We shall see what ugly babies Yahoo! and Microsoft curse us with as they merge, if Yahoo! accepts Microsoft's offer, and it is approved by the various regulatory authorities involved.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

1. I last used Yahoo around, oh, 1998.

and I have NEVER used MSN. Seems to me like they're made for each other. Two useless also-rans.

[originalpckelly]

2. I've used both, before I learned about web design.

I was a captive on one service, and the other, well I didn't know. It's like those pea green shag carpets, no one knew they were ugly until they weren't popular.

[mudesi]

3. Google has declined in quality

I don't know about any of you, but I have found that Google has not returned the same kind of results that it used to. The first page of hits tend to be paid advertisements now, no matter what.

[originalpckelly]

4. The only paid ads are on the right hand column or that little insert at the top of the results.

One of the still good things about Google is the lack of eyesore ads in many areas.

[themaguffin]

7. No, they're in the results below the top 3 as well

[originalpckelly]

13. So you mean I can buy search results?

http://www.google.com/intl/en/ads/

[themaguffin]

15. yes

[mudesi]

10. Sorry, but you've been duped

They hide ads in their regular results as well.

[cprompt]

12. incorrect

i sell advertising on internet search engines, the main body of results is majorily paid for advertising on google. 3rd party vendors are allowed to write directly to main body results once they are google adword certified, they can skip the editor submission process. imho yahoo provides much more relevant results based off what you type in.

[TomInTib]

5. That's why I use dogpile.com

From where did you expect all of that google money was gonna come?

[originalpckelly]

6. Winner: most aptly named website in history.

:P

Metasearch engines are pretty much useless anymore.

[Bucky]

9. here's an interesting link

http://www.google.com/search?q=Google

Why would the first hit on a search for Google be Google.com? Like that's a URL so hard to remember that I have to do a Google search for it?

BTW, I tell my students that if they ever use "Ask Jeeves" they'll lose their computer access privileges during library visits.

[Maven]

8. Seriously, it's like the two big dorks at the party decided to be BFFs

Meanwhile Apple and Google stand on the other side of the gym and pick up all the hotties.

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. Yahoo got Chinese dissidents tortured and arrested

And Microsoft...

"Forget about monitoring your computers with spyware, now they're going to monitor the users as well! 'Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely monitoring a worker's productivity, physical wellbeing and competence. The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees' performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer's assessment of their physiological state.'"

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3193480.ece

[high density]

14. I like Yahoo's finance page. Their mail is pretty good too.

I think the rest of the site is crap. They're trying to do much and exceeding at little (or perhaps nothing.) They bought broadcast.com for a huge chunk of money and then literally trashed it. They also brought in eGroups years ago and they've done absolutely nothing to improve it. I really would like to know exactly what it is they think they're doing.