Live.com gets improved search experience

You know, Robert, what's amazing to me is how much work is being done with the Live.com/Start.com site, as well as all of the other 'cool'/'it'/'now' sites like Google IG, Netvibes, Eskobo, Pageflakes, favoor, Protopage, Zoozio, Goowy, Gritwire, Bob's Really Cool and Interactive Ajax Page, etc.

Yet, after logging into My MSN the other day, I think the site represents near perfection in mixing old-school Web 1.0 portals (MSN, Yahoo, Netscape, etc.) with Web 2.0 interactivity and personalization.

Browser compatibility blows, but I actually prefer the site over Live.com/Start.com. Once I add my own RSS feeds and remove all of the other extraneous content, the site is terrific. Resizable columns, multiple column layouts (2/3/4+), multiple pages, themes, access to content from multiple paths. What's not to like (other than the utter lack of cross-platform support!)

Sure a site like Protopage allows you to go crazy with sizing individual widgets and some personalization features not available on Microsoft's sites. But, My MSN actually allows a tremendous amount of customization without totally confusing the majority of web users. It's a shame My MSN is so well hidden from users (as is Google IG, My Yahoo, etc.).

I hope developers don't drop My MSN, and continue developing in parallel with Live.com. Bringing in the Widget API would be terrific for My MSN, too. Throw the two sites in front of usability groups and let them duke it out.

Well, I am recently starting to use some of the features at Live and let me just say that Microsoft got it right this time. I am particularly excited by Windows OneCare. Goodbye Symantec! Hello Microsoft! I will even pay when you guys want to charge.