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Live for answers

June 07, 2006, 08:39 PM by Betsy | 9 Comments

We’re getting a ton of great feedback on Windows Live Search.  One of the most common requests is to build the instant answers already available on MSN Search.  We hear you and are working hard to get them all in.  In fact, we just recently launched our first batch - instant answers for news and local!

 

The news instant answer will appear on searches for topical news stories.  Keywords are identified algorithmically, updated every few minutes.  It’s impossible to predict which ones will work when you read this, but iraq and george bush are pretty safe bets.

 

We can also show the top local listings right on our web results page.  This is great when you are looking for a phone number or address of a local business.  You just need to type a category or business name along with a location (city, city/state or zip).  Try our instant answers to find an edison, nj dentist or seattle pizza places.

 

Looking for other kinds of instant answers?  Found a problem with one we already have?  Please send us your feedback.  We’re listening.

 

 

----Jamie Buckley

PM, Instant Answer Team

 

Betsynote: Thanks to a comment on our Spaces blog, Jamie gave me a new URL for the above Instant Answers link that loads  better. Try it and let us know what you think.

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Comments

Darren Straight

Posted On June 08, 2006, 06:19 AM
That's great but the URL for the word "instant answers" in your post dosent work! ;)

Phil Bradley

Posted On June 08, 2006, 11:36 AM
I'm not seeing *any* instant answers at all. I've tried your news examples - absolutely nothing. I've tried some of my own - who is the leader of france, what is the name of the british prime minister? George Bush, Iraq, Iran, Iraq - not a thing, just straight results.

I'm so unimpressed you wouldn't believe it. Furthermore, as previously commented on the 'instant answers' link doesn't work, and your 'This Blog - About' is pretty much blank as well.

Any chance of looking at this and seeing if there's a problem? I've tried it with both IE and Firefox - nothing at all. I'm also in the UK.

I look forward to your reply.

Phil.

Betsy

Posted On June 09, 2006, 11:16 AM
Hey Darren,

I changed the URL before I realized you posted here too. Thanks for the catch. Jamie thanks you as well!

Hey Phil, I'm not sure if you are referring only to the URL (which is now fixed, try that out)  but I can ask Jamie to reply to your comment.

The About this Blog feature is new to Community Server since the last guy owned this Search blog, and I have not gotten around to writing anything in it, mostly because I'm usually running around the team getting stuff to post. I'll try to think of something witty for next week. It's hard to do when you are new to the team...I STILL don't know everyone in this org.

Thanks for your patience and feedback!

Betsy

darrenstraight

Posted On June 09, 2006, 11:55 AM
No problem at all Betsy and thanks for giving me thanks on the livesearch spaces blog too! :)

Munish

Posted On June 09, 2006, 04:31 PM
'seattle pizza' shows the local listings all right.

But why is the address not a link to a "Live Local Map", so that you can get quick directions to that place as well? :)

Tom Stephenson

Posted On June 15, 2006, 08:27 PM
You folks spend a lot of time tweaking the search capabiities of Windows Live Search when the biggest problem is the speed of any user search.  On my 6mb line, Windows Live Search takes upward of 30 seconds to complete any search before the user can actually choose a link.  That is riciculous!  MSN Search, Yahoo Search and Google all take less than 1 second. for what its worth, this occurs on a fully patched XP system running IE7 (Worked the same on IE6).  Windows Live Search is kind of like having a Corvette with a lawn mower engine.  Looks good is otherwise useless.

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Posted On June 20, 2006, 04:53 PM
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