News

Ballmer Boasts of Search Engine Progress

• By The Associated Press
• May 08, 2006

Ballmer pointed out that Microsoft has, in a relatively short time, advanced in two key areas by creating its own search engine and online advertising platform.

But the software maker still has plenty of work to do -- and Ballmer admits that he'd have preferred to have gotten started sooner.

"It would've been nice, there's no question," Ballmer said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press.

Still, Ballmer defended the company's progress so far.

"I like to tell our people, 'I like the years when we make at least a year's progress in a year,'" Ballmer said. "I think we've made more than two years' progress in the last two years, so I'm excited about that. And yet, we have a whole lot more innovation that we want to bring to these areas."

Ballmer spoke at the same online advertising conference where two years ago, he described his company's search error as "the thing I feel worst about over the last few years."

Redmond-based Microsoft only recently began using its own technology for delivering search results, and it remains substantially less popular than Google and Yahoo. Nielsen/Net Ratings reported that Google had 49 percent of the U.S. search market share in March, while Yahoo had 22.5 percent and MSN Search had 11 percent.

Microsoft executives have repeatedly argued that the industry is just beginning to understand the potential of Internet search and that Microsoft is in it for the long term.

"I think we'll look back on this as the DOS era of search," said Christopher Payne, a corporate vice president in charge of Windows Live Search, referencing the very early days of the computer operating system.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, speaking at the same conference Wednesday, conceded that Google has done "a great job" on building a search engine and advertising platform.

But he insisted Microsoft's effort is strong.

"I think this is one of the rare cases where we're being underestimated," Gates said.

On Thursday, Ballmer reiterated the company's dedication to improving its search position.

"We are hardcore about having the best search offering ourselves, with our partners," Ballmer said. "We'll just keep at it and at it and at it, and I have confidence in our ability to build a loyal user base."

Getting more people to use its search engine -- and potentially see advertising on it -- will be one way that Microsoft can succeed with its online advertising platform, adCenter.

But Ballmer said the company's success also depends on other elements of its online strategy, such as drawing loyal users to its MSN portal, e-mail and instant-messaging offerings.

The ambitious adCenter seeks to eventually let companies advertise across many of Microsoft's efforts, such as television and online video games.