LookSmart on AOL?

[Advisor]

Did you see the post on the Yahoo Finance board regarding LookSmart possibly being on AOL? Can anyone tell if the AOL results are showing LOOK? It looks like Doug's description when typing "search engine optimization" is indeed the same as his looksmart description, but could that be coming from DMOZ?

Just think of all the stinkin' clicks we'll all wrack up with this...blech...

J

[MsSearch]

AOL does show Inktomi listings in which some Inktomi listings display their LS descriptions...

just an FYI....

[ihelpyou]

Yes. That result in AOL is my Inktomi listing only. If a listing in Looksmart is also in Inktomi, Ink will show the LS title and description many times.

It use to be that you pay to get into Looksmart, and you are automatically in the BOW database of Inktomi with the LS title and description. Of course now, who knows what will happen.

[Advisor]

Oh yeah, duh. It is rather convoluted at AOL. Especially when they were using the DMOZ directory for results. So you could have dmoz descriptions and looksmart descriptions, plus your regular inktomi descriptions!

But someone did say on that finance board to watch AOL...so keep your eyes peeled. Let's hope they were just blowing smoke.

J

[MsSearch]

We can watch AOL but isn't that board mostly made up of investors, who know little, if anything, about SEO?...They may just not realize the tangled web of SEO...

and besides...AOL already displays Overture results ahead of their regular results (if they were to start using LS, then AOL = MSN)

[Advisor]

Some of them do seem to have some inside info as they probably work for LS, so that's why I was even giving it any credence whatsoever. I don't think the poster there saw any LS results on AOL, they just said something about looking out for them. We'll see...I'm sure there will be a huge press release if something like that actually happens.

You're right though, AOL would equal MSN. Since those two always seem to be in competition, it actually wouldn't surprise me in the least. Or perhaps MSN will be dropping LS, and AOL picking it up. MSN would be the big winner in that case!

Jill

[ihelpyou]

Or perhaps MSN will be dropping LS, and AOL picking it up. MSN would be the big winner in that case!
Ain't it the truth!!

[tlacaelel]

I very seriously doubt that AOL (AOL Time Warner), owner of Netscape, would drop Open Directory "DMOZ" (Directory Mozilla) which Netscape created (initiated) several years ago and Netscape still sponsors to this day (systems, engineering resources, etc).

Similarly, I doubt that MSN (Microsoft) would ever adopt Open Directory (DMOZ) since it is the spawn of their compound archrival AOL-Netscape. No way Jose, it ain't gonna happen.

Finally, I think AOL Netscape will remain commited to an independent directory, since DMOZ is only one of three substantial directories in existence, the other two being Yahoo (not licensed or syndicated to anyone) and LookSmart (quite possibly doomed to fail).

LookSmart may well do themselves in with the latest blunder. If MSN were to wise up, and swallow their pride, and adopt DMOZ, then LookSmart would dry up and blow away, having lost their major traffic partner.

Here's an idea: MSN can drop LookSmart and start using DMOZ. Then 12 months later when LookSmart files Chapter 11, MSN can buy them for 20 cents a share ($19 million) instead of the current market cap of $363 million (at $3.87/share). Then MSN would have their own directory to use however they want. Then they can syndicate the "Microsoft Directory" along with a decent new CPC service "Microsoft Adbucks", and make more piles of money for Bill. Now there's an idea. :D

*** new site ActDumb.com ***

LookSmart is going to teeter on the brink here, since I am 97% certain that this CPC product launch ("Small Business Listings") is going to be a colossal failure for LookSmart. I will explain my entire analysis of this on my new site www.actdumb.com. :)

There's a few links up on the site now, and my treatise "LookSmart CPC Launch Doomed to Fail" will be up there later this weekend.

Enjoy.

[ihelpyou]

LOL. Nice site!!

[LookDummy]

tlacaelel,
www.actdumb.com is way Cool!!!
Please don't forget,

http://scumware.com/hall1.html

:cheers:

Ps. and the investors uninformed point of view

http://messages.yahoo.com/?action=q&board=LOOK