mattwallaert

17 ms·

1.
by mattwallaert 13y ago
Actually, Microsoft has very easy feedback systems by which you can tell us what you think about basically every single product we have. So you can freely say what you don't like - you can even do it here and probably even get a few e
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Sorry, I'm a little confused as to how you think Microsoft has historically made products that are "irrelevant to the end user", when Microsoft powers the majority of computing activity worldwide and has for more 20 years. Wh
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
There is a difference between saying "chairs wouldn't exist without Microsoft" and "Microsoft had a hand in making possible the chair you currently sit in". To be clear, I'm making the second argument - that t
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
I honestly don't know how to reply to that kind of argument, in that it feels like the evidence both overwhelming and widely available that Microsoft has, in fact, provided innovation. Look at the sheer number of patents the company h
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Sorry, perhaps I made the point badly: you're nodding at exactly what I was trying to say. The reason to get angry about the things people produce is for their actual social ramifications (like slavery), not for the fact that they mov
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
First, nobody at Microsoft posted an article. I answered a question on Quora, before the Yale incident even occurred. Quora reached out and asked if they could publish on Forbes, which I said was fine. I updated to add the Yale example,
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
This was an honest answer on Quora to a question that I think is interesting. It is how I actually feel. Quora reached out to ask me if they could publish it on Forbes, and I said it was fine, because it was already public and out there.
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Let's take altruism as "devotion to the welfare of others". It is pretty hard to argue that Bing for Schools is anything but that - we looked at what we could create that would be good for kids and then we fought our way uph
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Well, as the guy behind Bing for Schools, let me suggest an alternate world. Let's pretend Microsoft simply blinked out of existence. Can you name any software package as well integrated, as powerful, and as empowering for students a
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
I actually don't think we should draw the line: it takes many, many people working together to create the world we live in. My point was that we should operate on a basic level of respect for those people, rather than simply taking po
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
You are absolutely right that the janitor has a role, as does the barista, and I afford both of those people immense amounts of respect in my daily life. I don't look at the things they do and say "simply because you are a barist
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
I'm not asking for a magic privilege. I'm asking people to step back and evaluate what Microsoft is actually doing. Take Bing, for example; you strip the brand off and people actually prefer our results. Take an honest look at
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Actually, I just wrote this as an honest Quora answer. Quora then reached out and asked if they could publish to Forbes.
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Well noted! I actually wrote about this very psych effect on the Bing blog; if Google doesn't give you a good result, its your fault. If Bing doesn't, its Bing's fault. This is common in situations where we go in with a bi
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Are you within the US? Unfortunately, Bing It On is only available in the US and China at the moment. (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
I went to a liberal arts college (Swarthmore) and I have to say: there is no way my friends are representative of the average American. grins Only one in four adult Americans has a college degree. Average income: 30K. Building search t
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Are your friends people like you? Which engine do you like? Is it possible that maybe your friends aren't a representative sample of the average searcher? (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Actually, Bing is working better outside the US than it has previously and we continue to make heavy investments in other markets. But you're correct, Bing It On only exists in the US and China at the moment. (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
And this is precisely why a 3rd party does our testing: so that these sort of manipulations don't creep in. (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
It is getting increasingly hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison (social sidebar, snapshot, etc.). The best we can do is try to narrow down to just the web results, for the moment. (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
This is why we don't track the Bing It On challenge itself and instead do lab studies; on the website, it is fairly easy to game if you're trying to. Though every once in awhile, having seen it a million times, I'm still wro
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
That's a remarkably clear-headed analysis; thanks for that. We at Bing don't always get the courtesy of people actually thinking deeply about what we do. =] (Note: I work for Bing.)
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
Except they split the sample into three, thereby reducing the sample size (and power) in thirds. What matters is that there are still large enough to run significance tests on, both in the original claim studies and Ayers' study. (Not
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by mattwallaert 13y ago
You're correct, Bing It On is US only (although I believe there is also a Chinese version). As for Uruguay, we're always working to improve our international coverage - check back soon! (Note: I work for Bing.)