Microsoft Launches Live Book Search

Microsoft announced their Live Book Search launch this morning, saying the service will first feature books that are either in the public domain or those whose copyright is owned by the libraries who opt in. Microsoft plans to add copyrighted books to the service starting early next year, and is said to be in conversations with many publishers right now.

According to Andrey Milyan of the Search Marketing Standard Blog, the Microsoft Book Search is Much Less Controversial than Google Book Search, which has been seen by many as a blatant disregard for copyright laws. Milyan explains how the two projects differ:

...Microsoft is not following in Google's footsteps when it comes to copyright material. Instead of scanning any book they feel like and then having publishers opt-out, Microsoft is planning to scan only the noncopyright books, while publishers will have an option to opt-in if they want their books listed.

While Microsoft's version may offer a limited selection, Book Publishers are suing Google over copyright concerns. While Google's lofty ambitions to make all the world's information accessible may seem admirable, it has to be done fairly and ethically. As Milyan puts it,

...even a $150 billion dollar company should not be able to disregard the law in the name of "organiz[ing] the world's information and mak[ing] it universally accessible and useful."

Is It Too Late For Yahoo?

Yahoo is doing some restructuring and changing their focus. Is it too late?

According to Michael Liedtke AP Business Writer, Yahoo Inc. will undergo its most extensive shake-up in more than five years. The streamlining will bunch Yahoo's disparate operations into three core groups focused on its Web site's audience, advertising network and technology. As part of the reorganization, Yahoo Chief Financial Officer Susan Decker will assume an even more prominent management role and Dan Rosensweig, the company's chief operating officer, will be shown the door in March when the makeover is expected to be completed.

This should have been done several years ago. I am not sure they can get out of their slump. Even their new Sponsored Search upgrade is not impressive. It is missing tools such as ad scheduling which Google Adwords and MSN Adcenter have already implemented. The changes I see so far are purely to keep up with the other engines not to be the leader in the industry as Yahoo once was.