New MSNBOT

MSN Search has used ads from Overture, first results from LookSmart, and Inktomi for secondary results for years. Microsoft now is preparing a new database built by its own crawler. The new MSNBOT is actively crawling the Web, but it is only a prototype. None of its retrieved records are directly feeding the current MSN Search database. However, the FAQ does state that “Although we have not set a date, it is our intention to eventually integrate the crawled contents into MSN Search results.” So look for a new MSN Search sometime in the future that may (or may not) replace Overture, Looksmart, and/or Inktomi.