Microsoft recently redesigned their search engine in the image of you-know-who. The NY Times has a cool comment on that:

Once you click Search, you’re in for a pleasant surprise: Microsoft has stopped trying to trick you into clicking on its advertisers’ links, which it used to scatter among the genuine search results…

Unfortunately, Microsoft calls the separation of advertising an experiment, not a permanent change in policy. It seems to be trying on honesty in the mirror to see if people will find it attractive, rather than realizing that running a principled business is the way to win customers’ trust.

I like the image of “trying on honesty” and I must say that it fits well with my impression of how business is conducted at Microsoft and many other large corporations. It’s refreshing to see companies like Google that exhibit a true commitment to their customers and who consequently put their interests first.