New MSN Search Interface (Accidentally?) Leaked
Gary Price at Search Engine Watch did some URL manipulating and discovered http://cc.msnscache.com/, which appear to be the interface for the new MSN Search. If MS takes it down, Gary has a lot of screenshots, so check that out. It doesn't allow searches yet, but that does makes sense. Microsoft has different teams working on the index and the interface, so it makes sense that they'd integrate the two later. The new features in the interface are very interesting. You now get a drop down menu called "Search Builder, that gives you the option to (pictured at left) adjust the weight of your search according to three factors: recently updated pages, popular pages, and exact or approximate matches, as well as more enter in more advanced searches, search domains, backlinks, countries of origin, and languages. Tabs at the top give access to News, Image, and most interestingly, PC Search. If this is a sign of what's to come, it's a very good one. I'm just guessing, but I'd expect to see the new MSN Search and the Desktop Search (codename: ME2) to come out together, at the end of the year.

- posted by Nathan Weinberg @ 10/26/2004 12:50:00 PM