Search-suggestion Bingo

Okay, since yesterday I had a go at Google’s auto-complete algorithm, I thought it only fair to do likewise with Bing. Interesting differences.

For What, Google first gave a techie suggestion—“what is my IP”. Bing cuts directly to the bottom line.

Evidently a lot of people on both search sites are feeling a little peaky, and for Why Bing must feel it’s especially important to suggest a search for those who are really too tired to complete their thought.

It’s interesting to me that When brings a whole thing about Father’s Day on both search engines. Are people seriously so vague about when this holiday hits (even though it’s the same third Sunday in June every year) that they’re asking this question year round?

I’m also a little concerned for those who are asking about Father’s Day 2014. Still.

How brings some of the most varied suggestions—perhaps because by the time you get around to asking about methodologies, you’re all set to go. I could spend a lot of time fleshing out the stories for the How queries. Madonna? Belly fat? Ebola? Dunno about Howard’s Appliances, though.

Where gets us to a more existential place, as you might expect. I wonder a little about Bing giving pride of place to not only suggesting a tax-related query, but straight out coughing up the URL to the IRS refund page. Lotta stories there, I’m betting.

I expect the confederate flag query is fairly recent. I’m afraid to seek out wheresgeorge.com in case it turns out to be a porn site. And I have no idea who the host of The Amazing Race is, so I don’t care where he was born.

I’m very disappointed that Bing doesn’t seem to care about who let the dogs out. But I can see how knowing who invented the toilet would be high on the let-us-help-with-your-query list.

P.S. The tallest trees in the world are just up the road from me, in Redwood National and State Parks. You’re welcome.