Cuil: Bigger than Google, but any Better?

They claim to be Three times bigger than Google, bigger in terms of the pages they index. It's been set up by ex-Google employees, and they have a very easy to use home page (a good learning from the Google vs. Yahoo days). With $33 million dollar in investment, they seem to be on track to actually challenge Google (if that's possible).

Now I support the underdog any day, I like Firefox over IE, I'd support the Mac over Windows, I love it when the small guy takes a hit and the giant. In all such cases, the underdog must have a better product, just limited marketing budgets. But so far, the little test run i did on Cuil hasn't been very impressive. I really would like someone to take a hit at Google, make things interesting. But I dont know if Cuil will do that with their current product.

Cuil does have a an interesting recommended search menu, rather cool how images are blended in the search results, but over all, it just doesn't get the results. They have a great privacy stance, but unfortunately most people aren't as bothered by Google storing your data (or aren't aware of it). the user want the results they are looking for, in a faster better and more relevant manner. I tried searching my name, and got nothing, Google has 3 whole pages. Call me self obsessed, but if I cant find myself on Cuil, i am sticking to Google.

But anyhow, Cuil is worth a look.

Exit Gates

He easily ranks as one of the greatest innovators and contributors to the IT industry. He is also, probably, the greatest and most successful businessman ever. The above mentioned reason make him a highly admired and also a extremely easy to hate person.

He has now retired from a full time role at Microsoft, the worlds first software company. His departure got plenty of media coverage, especially on the Internet. At this point, as he heads to the Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation, what most are looking at is the legacy of Bill Gates.

I feel his legacy has been well summarized by an article in the Time Magazine entitled "Bill Gates: PC Genius, Internet Fool". The life and work of Bill Gates has been documented in a series of article and interviews all listed at Microsoft's PressPass.

What's interesting however, is if this is the end of Bill and Microsoft, a thought that the TIME story ends with:

"...Maybe we'll see Gates return, a Nobel in his pocket, ready to wrestle with the Web once again."

P.S. Another one from BBC worth reading "The hits and misses of Microsoft"