Microsoft has been developing a new search engine, it has called Microsoft Live in order to stave off the competition from Google and Yahoo. Microsoft Live follows quickly after the company revamped its MSN Search as a result of falling market share in the search arena. However, MSN Search failed to be as popular as it might have been and recently actually lost market share. The new Microsoft Live service has been in beta test since March and the company has today made the search engine “official”. By the end of this week all its servers worldwide will have been converted to the new system. However, what it offers is much the same as what’s available at Google and other search engines. The jury is still out as to whether or not whether Microsoft Live will be more popular than the old MSN Search. What seems to be happening is that Microsoft is keen to capitalise on a huge search advertising market. But it appears to me that it is focusing on the competition, specifically Google, rather than focusing on the customer. Trying to beat Google may satisfy the executives at Microsoft, but it is taking their eye of the ball as far as the ultimate aim is concerned. They need to provide something far more radical in search engine technology than another micky-take of Google.