HN user
The issue is simple..google uses all its heavy resources to rank that startup as #1. (good or bad).But bing just uses their toolbar to capture that information and rank them. They call this "cost cutting".Doesn't this sound cheap?
Very true...they might be doing this as part of their "cost cutting" exercises.Hasheem had mentioned this and I am not sure what made him to mention "cost cutting" in that panel discussion where Matt and Blekko CEO participated.
It is known to all that both use user data in whatever way possible.But what bing seem to be doing it is use it on users searching on google (through IE etc. or maybe even windows) and find the more relevant ones.Did you guys notice Harry Shum mentioning about "cost cutting" in the video where Matt, he and the blekko CEO discuss on this issue.
So, it looks like bing is indirectly using google's data by incurring lesser cost and this is how they seem do it.Spy on google searchers and build the right database. instead of spending on innovation and new ways on the algorithm. Let google do that part while we piggy back on their good ones.
This is what has really irritated google.