Bing and Google search review

I noticed Microsoft were advertising Bing, saying it gave specific answers. I thought I would do an informal search engine comparison

Here is my first real-life test. I am trying on skins with a friend and notice that the eyebrows look huge. I want to say "That skin has Breshnev eyebrows", but can't remember the name. Using the search term "Russian General with huge eyebrows" gives no sensible results on Bing or Google although I do get a lot of raised eyebrows. So I try for "Russian Generals" and both show lists but no mention of shaggy eyebrows. Switching to images and Google shows Breshnev in the 11th picture. Bing may have it on the first page, but the page is infinitely long and its a long way down, which is cheating. Bing made wrong assumptions about what I was looking for such as Roman Generals or Russian Leaders but it didn't spot that I was looking for eyebrows. Plus that reference to Roman Generals is way off the mark since Romans were big on being clean shaven.

Second test. I knew Romans were clean shaven, but wanted to check it. Searching for "ancient romans shaved" Google got it second answer and several answers below that. Bing was a very naughty search engine, decided that since the ancient Egyptians shaved off all facial hair including eyebrows that it would ignore the first word of my query,"Roman" and that "shaved" was the key word and tell me about Egyptian shaving practices. Hey, if I had wanted 'shaved' it would be the first word, but I put 'Roman' so pay attention Bing!

Google just answers what you asked, making no interpretation. Bing is like an over clever friend who upon being asked what the weather is tells you about pressure differences between land and sea, how clouds are formed, types of precipitation, etc. Bing assumes what you want to know and can make the wrong assumptions.

Tale of the ancient resident

The Second Life update was aborted yesterday as problems were identified at a late stage on the Beta Grid. When I logged on, the main grid was suffering from the old problems; failed teleporting, grey shapes, invisible friends, missing hair. I needed to vent my frustration so here is Second Life in the style of Samuel Taylor Colleridge.

It is an ancient resident,
And he stoppeth one n00bie.
`By thy flex hair and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me ?


Down dropped the frames, the speed dropt down,
'Twas sad as sad could be:
And we did chat only to break
The stillness we could see!

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a screenshot
On a Second Life promotion.

Green dots, green dots all around,
Yet no avatars I see,
A prisoner trapped in a crowd,
Bald, naked, shorn of finery.

A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist !
And still it neared and neared :
A name tag! my friend I see you now,
As past they plunged and veered.


He went like one that hath been stunned,
And is of sense forlorn :
A sadder and a wiser man,
He rose the morrow morn.

Apologies to Samuel Taylor Colleridge and The Tale of the Ancient Mariner

Men have two emotions: hungry and horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.