Microsoft Back To Trying To Bribe People To Use Bing
from the if,-at-first,-you-don't-succeed... dept
We've discussed in the past how Microsoft's attempt to bribe users to use its search engine -- based on a Bill Gates brainstorm from back in 2005 -- turned out to be a dismal failure, and pointed out how recent research shows how little some companies understand incentives. However, Microsoft is apparently back at it again, creating a somewhat different loyalty rewards program for Bing users. While I'm sure it will appeal to some folks, something about this just makes me think even less of Bing. It makes me wonder: if they need to pay me to use it, is it because they know the experience just isn't as good as the competition?![Hide This Hide this](https://ii.techdirt.com/s/t/i/topclose.png)
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Bing is a great site and I don't think you know how to use it correctly. You don't look for incentives and payola, you look for results, and we give you the best results.
What's so hard to understand about that?
___________________
Sent from my Windows 7 ZunePhone Live (PR Release Edition build 302881)
Raspberry Scented
WIN A FREE ZunePhone! Visit this link!
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"Sent from my Windows 7 ZunePhone Live (PR Release Edition build 302881) Raspberry Scented"
"WIN A FREE ZunePhone! Visit this link!"
Too many red flags (sent to spam folder).
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Sure
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IE Only
Hah... no. I considered checking it out to see what the program was, but if I can't use it on the platform I desire (within limitations, I understand they can't make it work with *everything*), then I'm not going to even try it.
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Re: IE Only
Sounds like a plan to get Bing users to switch to IE and Windows.
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News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
Microsoft has found a way to offer a great service to their advertisers and customers, bringing value to both. This service is much more involving and interactive than the standard banner ad, and appears to have been successful enough in their initial trial period that they want to keep working at making it a success. I fail to see how this is a bad idea. It seems that they're simply following TechDirt's advice and innovating with new ways to connect with their customers and provide value.
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
Bing (to me) has no true incentives to use it when Google already does everything I need.
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
You seem to be confusing "doing something" with "doing something well." The failures of Microsoft to bribe people to use Bing in the past suggest that this strategy is not, in fact, a good one.
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Re: Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
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Pretty damn well considering its intended purpose.
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
You also failed to see that Microsoft didn't find anything or else they would be trumpeting the success of the 2 last attempts, so I don't think you are the most qualified person to see anything.
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
Dude, seriously, toolbars are NOT "innovative." Good God where have you been for....the ENTIRE EXISTENCE OF THE INTERNET? Sheesh!
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
My studio uses Bing regularly, but with Microsoft choosing to provide incentives only for Windows/IE users (not to mention forcing a toolbar), they won't have to suffer the burden of our search traffic any longer.
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Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
"Make sure that your basic product doesn't suck...."
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Re: Re: News flash: Microsoft monetizes "free", Mike complains
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Remember a few weeks ago, that "funeral for the iPhone?" Complete with "Thriller" dance troupe?
WTF? They don't need to just hire new "idea men," they need to FIRE the guy who HIRED them in the first place and thought they had good ideas...
Time for a clean sweep of the entire MS publicity/stunt dept.
It's just sad - and a little scary - to watch one epic fail after the next...
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Not surprising
The fact that Verizon would agree to screw over their own customers in exchange for a cash payout shows you how much choice we have in the wireless market.
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Most Recent Microsoft innovation
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I think we are at the embrace stage ....
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Microsoft can innovate!
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Bing vs Google
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Re: Bing vs Google
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Google is better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n4-oVOKoLY
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I use SSL Scroogle anyway
https://ssl.scroogle.org/
I have implemented SSL Scroogle in to IE8 and IE9 serachbox to all my Windows 7 installations - that way my users have it by default even on non-domain connected PC's.
Martin
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Just to test, I'm up to 326 credits each on 4 different virtual machines on the same computer with different windows live accounts set up. If I can manage even 36 points a day from offers and the 16 from automated searches, then I'll have enough to get a free 8gb microsd card, a digital camera, an mp3 player, a set of pc speakers, and a wireless keyboard/mouse set after about a hundred days.
It appears the credits are valued at approximately $.01 each, so I've got over $13 worth already.
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Shh! It's not supposed to be working. ;)
Oh, I get it!
So the grand plan is to incentivize people to farm for points with virtual computer emulations. That sure seems like the best way to corner the search market!
why, i bet that the virtual-machine Anon up there is Certain to start using bing for all his searching needs once this money-losing bride system is over..
he would never just stay on Google, that would be crazy. Crazy like a Fox(running Windows7 Small Mammal Edition)
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Shh! It's not supposed to be working. ;)
Oh, I get it!
So the grand plan is to incentivize people to farm for points with virtual computer emulations. That sure seems like the best way to corner the search market!
why, i bet that the virtual-machine Anon up there is Certain to start using bing for all his searching needs once this money-losing bride system is over..
he would never just stay on Google, that would be crazy. Crazy like a Fox(running Windows7 Small Mammal Edition)
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Heh. Someone gaming the system to get free stuff is the very definition of it not working.
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Example Video
See this:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ry6H0HcZVlA
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For more details, go here:
www.vanwensveen.nl/rants/microsoft/IhateMS.html
Another user posted this link in a story here a while back, so I thought I'd repost it.
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(Jellyfish found a way to allow people to search for the best deals on items and then after the purchases, would split the referral fee with the user 50/50. At one time, if you referred someone to Jellyfish, the company would split their 50% with the referrer, which was awesome.)
So I used Bing for shopping and saved up a bit. Now they've discontinued the Cashback program. Now if I use Bing to search for deals, I might get a great deal, but no rebate. Yeah, I no longer use Bing for those searches especially now that I know how much they're making off of me.
Did Techdirt report on those developments? Seriously, I'm curious because I'm pretty new to the site (via orbusmax.com)
That aside, what's wrong with loyalty programs? I don't see myself using it, but what's wrong with it?
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Dear Microsoft
My name is Gopesh Kapoor, and I own a small computer repair and sales business in Manhattan.
My concern is that each month, business in my sector continuallly diminishes. The amount of piracy in NYC has grown to astonishing levels. For example, the following ads were placed on craigslist in a PERIOD OF 20 MINUTES:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/2231759358.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que /sys/2231754078.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/sys/2231756448.html
http://newyork.craigsli st.org/que/sys/2231752132.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/sys/2231747774.html
http://newyor k.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/2231702152.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/2231642511.html
htt p://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/sys/2231606691.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/sys/2231532652 .html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/2231531684.html
Every single day, more and more "software" vendors turn up, and more disturbingly, an even larger number of people turn up to buy from them. For those of us who run legitimate businesses, this is becoming an increasing concern.
According to a recent NY Times article, Microsoft has spent a ton of money setting up an anti-piracy operation with staff members that include former government intelligence officers, former district attorneys, etc.
This anti-piracy operation IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB. If they were, the levels of piracy would be DECREASING, not INCREASING on a daily basis.
The costs of this anti-piracy operation is probably built into the price of legitimate MICROSOFT products.
RECOMMENDATION:
FIRE this group of incompetents (they are taking your money and not doing the work you're paying them to do), and LOWER the price of your products.
Or, please feel free and continue to ignore my suggestions. In order to stay afloat, I'll start to consider turning to piracy MYSELF.
If you continue to employ the idiots in your anti-piracy division, chances are that I'd be able to make tons of money through piracy of your products and never get caught.
Sincerely,
Gopesh Kapoor, CCNA, CISSP
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