Big Upset: Live Search & Ask.com Win Kentucky Derby Search
The major search engines are often quick to point out occasions when they’ve done a good job anticipating searchers’ needs and providing instant answers to search queries right in the search results; see this Live Search announcement about instant Oscar Award results as an example. But when they miss an opportunity? That’s someone else’s job. […]
The major search engines are often quick to point out occasions when they’ve done a good job anticipating searchers’ needs and providing instant answers to search queries right in the search results; see this Live Search announcement about instant Oscar Award results as an example.
But when they miss an opportunity? That’s someone else’s job. And over the weekend, Rick Duncan did just that when he compared Google, Yahoo, Live Search, and Ask.com to see how they handled the search phrase, who won the kentucky derby.
The results?
Duncan says Live Search was the winner from his Sunday morning experiment, barely edging out Ask.com. I’d say they both win because they answered the query (and because I’m not interested in Mint Julep recipes). Have a look and decide for yourself:
Google and Yahoo provided no such quick answers, but Google at least had a result halfway down the page that showed the name of the winning horse.
All of the search engines provide quick answers at sports events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics. But it’s a mystery why Google and Yahoo overlooked thoroughbred horse racing’s equivalent of those major events this weekend.
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