• Pandia Search News , Friday, June 6, 2008 2:31 PM

Microsoft has scrapped new development on its Live Search Books and Live Search Academic projects. So while the book and academic search data will still be included in core search results, there will be no new indexation or digitization of books and academic research.

While the move may benefit Microsoft's bottom line (as the giant will no longer be devoting resources to search verticals that don't show a "high commercial intent"), the Pandia Search team argues that it actually weakens Live Search's future potential.

"The scholars and experts belong to the main opinion makers on the Web, and they were the ones that made Google a success by promoting it for free in their circles," the team says. "Moreover, they have a lot of purchasing power and there are bound to be more of them as the educational levels are raising all over the world."

The shift, which the Pandia team says is likely driven by Microsoft's number-crunchers, is also indicative of why Yahoo fought so hard to resist the acquisition. "Microsoft, of all companies, has the money needed to be daring in this field. Instead they seem backward looking and timid," the Pandia team says. "This may partly explain Yahoo's resistance to becoming part of the Microsoft empire. In spite of all its cash, Microsoft may actually end up suffocating what's left of Yahoo's innovative spirit."

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