LiveSearch: Desperate for Attention?

Microsoft’s latest strategy gives web searchers points when they use LiveSearch, which can be redeemed for prizes. Users who sign-up before the December 31 deadline, must agree to download a small program that tracks their usage. Once installed, the users will get one “ticket” per day for every LiveSearch query.

In my opinion, this plan fails in two key areas:

1) Microsoft is capping the daily number of eligible searches at 25

Between now and April of 2009 that means you could only rack up 5,200 tickets. Hardly worth the effort, I think.

2) Surfers must use Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher in order to participate

Too bad. I like Firefox. Suddenly, everyone wants to be an expert at EVERYTHING. Whatever happened to specialization? When I think about computers, I think Microsoft (sorry Mac users, I haven’t crossed the line yet). When I think about music, I think Apple. When I think about web browsers, I think Firefox or Opera. When I think about search engines, I think about Google. When I think about news, e-mail, and entertainment, I think about Yahoo...

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