Bing - is this Google's Netscape Time?

We’ve been trying Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing, for the best part of the day and – almost surprised to say – it’s rather good.

The obvious comparison is “how does it rate vs Google” – we’ve been using theis compare and contrast site at BlackDog (see above picture) and throwing various terms at it.

This is no scientific test, but impression are:

1. The initial screen – colours and text – looks more up to date
2. It’s quick, a bugbear of may wannabee search engines
3. It works as well as Google as far as I can see, in terms of results. It gives slight differences (see below) but there is nothing that puts me off.

a. Google seems to have more results in the space, but not provably more relevance (have they compromised too much with Ad requirements?)
b. Google still has a larger indexed area I think, but Bing will no doubt make this up over time
c. The output display is pleasing
d. I even like the term "to bing"

And its not just us, as TechCrunch points out, most people are finding the same.

The issue for Bing is that while it is – in my view anyway – pretty close to Google in output quality, the question is why would anyone switch over to use it. Ah – it could of course be the default search engine in the IE browser of course. Also, Google is no longer as "cool" as it once was, there has been a bit too much evil leaking out the system for that, so I suspect many will try out the Bing system for a while.....and I suspect that many people - especially regulators etc - will be quote glad to promote a Google competitor.

In fact, the parallels between this and the Browser wars are quite pertinent – by attacking access to search, Microsoft is striking at the heart of Google’s revenue model – no Google search, no Ad revenue. No Ad revenue, no ability to support all these other expensive adventures. Declining revenue also impacts margins, as does competition for Adword style advertising. And Microsoft can load Bing as default on every new Windows machine sold…..

Is Google the next Netscape?

(Or even funnier - in 5 years time will we be Binging using Chrome as our browser )