Search in IE7
Several parties have made claims about how search works in IE7. I think those claims are awfully confusing, especially for anyone who has used the product. In this post, I want to describe our overall approach to how search works in IE7 and some of the thinking behind the current behavior.
For readers who only skim and don’t want the details, here is how IE7 behaves:
- Ultimately, the user is in control with IE7. Adding to and modifying the list of search providers and choosing a default provider is easy, safe, and open.
- On upgrading from IE6 to IE7 on Windows XP, IE7 carries forward the user’s IE6 autosearch setting. On a brand new machine from an OEM (e.g. Dell), the OEM has complete control of what search providers are available and which one is the default.
- We iterated with many different partners (primarily search providers and OEMs but also e-commerce businesses and end user advocates) and balanced much contradictory feedback en route to this plan.
- We rejected requests that threatened user privacy. For example, one company wanted any arbitrary web page to be able to determine what search providers the end user had chosen and which provider was the default. We decided that sites could easily violate the user’s privacy if we provided this functionality. Would you really want anyone to know all of the types of search engines you’ve chosen and use that information without your consent?
That’s the top level. I want to provide more detail into our approach overall and how we came to the decisions outlined above. Ultimately, our key principle is that the end user must ultimately be in control of his or her machine. Period.
For example, adding, removing, or changing the default search provider is super easy. The end user can add a search provider to the search box from any web page that offers an OpenSearch link with just two clicks. (Why not fewer? We wanted to protect users from annoying websites that would try to add themselves to the list without user consent. This is similar to the ways in which web sites have tried to trick users into making their web site the default home page.) Removing a search provider or changing the default search provider takes four clicks (not counting scrolling the list if you have more than nine search providers).
Web sites that want the user to add them to the IE’s search provider list will have an easy time because IE supports an open standard pioneered by Amazon’s A9 group (rather than something proprietary). Using OpenSearch, any web page can make it easy for an end user to add any search provider to the search dropdown safely – without making the user run a program or installer. (Note to reporters: a search provider in the search box is just in a list, not somehow "embedded" in IE.)
Initially, we considered listing several search providers in IE7’s search box by default. The challenge of populating that list while respecting the user’s control of her machine grew so complicated so quickly that we abandoned the idea. For example, the leading search providers are different across the different locales of the world; which locales should we combine and how should we draw the line of inclusion? Top 5 providers? Top 10? At least 5% usage? As measured by whom? Should we allow an "adult content" engine on the list if it has high usage? Should we sort alphabetically? By usage? Should IE7’s installation behavior be different from one month to the next as search engine popularity changes? One quarter to the next? Would a user have any predictive power about how this mechanism worked? Do the items in this list have anything at all to do with how the user actually uses the web? If I never used a particular provider before, why should I see it on my list? Should OEMs (like Dell or Sony) have any say at all on this setting? We had many, many hours of meetings with many industry partners to hear their feedback.
Clearly, we had to include at least one search provider in the list for this feature to be useful. We considered asking the user. We rejected that solution for a few reasons.
First, populating a list for the user to choose from is just as complicated as populating the search dropdown. (All the issues I describe above apply... is the list alphabetical or by usage or by category, etc.)
Second, we wanted to minimize the number of questions and clicks (especially after setting up a new machine or installing IE7) a user has to go through before actually getting something done.
We thought the best way for IE7 to do what the user wants is to honor the user’s autosearch setting from IE6. This setting is well-documented and has been in use for many years. It is a good indicator of user intent. While some sources claim that this setting favors MSN, the data we saw from independent research companies like comScore indicates that almost three-quarters of the autosearch queries went to search providers like AOL, Google, and Yahoo, not MSN. Independently, representatives of Yahoo! suggested using the user’s IE6 autosearch setting. Additionally, I’ve seen a lot of pleasant surprise from users in comments on the IEBlog, Digg, and even Slashdot that the search box in IE7 actually reflects their individual search provider of choice, further validating this decision. (We do have a bug that in some scenarios MSN Search remains on the list even if MSN was not the default provider. I want to confirm that that is a bug and we will fix it for Beta 2.)
I want to point that along the way, the feedback that we received from one partner often contradicted feedback that we received from another. The guiding principle we returned to was keeping the user in control.
As part of the Beta 2 Preview for developers and tech influentials, we put up a page of samples (available from the menu for IE’s search box) with the goal of offering useful examples of OpenSearch links until more sites implement them. Aaron recently posted about the mechanics of authoring OpenSearch files to make adding search providers to IE7’s search box easy for end users. If you’ve already authored OpenSearch links on your site, please leave a comment with a link to it so that the community can check it out.
Thanks,
Dean
Comments
Anonymous
February 10, 2006
That's great and all, but what about transparent PNG support?Anonymous
February 10, 2006
CSS Jedi --
Here's a previous post you should read:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/04/26/412263.aspxAnonymous
February 10, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 10, 2006
I have to admit that the startpage entry can be a little misleading, esp. when its used in situations where it isn't used. Google for example.
I'll be adding a few "offsite" searchs to my site. IMDB, TV.Com, that sorta thing. The ability to save that sort of this is mighty useful.Anonymous
February 10, 2006
Sweet look......Missed out getting into this beta but found the preview link......Search is so much easier to use and just the way it flows!.....Here's to hoping to making Beta 2 with Vista so as to be able to enjoy more of this!Anonymous
February 10, 2006
Is there a way to add my own URL or keyword for a search site? I am a nongeek but would like to be able to add search sites such as wikipedia, etc.Anonymous
February 10, 2006
The IEBlog has a long write up about search in Internet Explorer 7.Anonymous
February 10, 2006
A method for adding one's own search engines has been posted at
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=427720&hl=
It involves simple edits in the registry and works well.Anonymous
February 10, 2006
any plans to implement "search as you type" for text within webpages?Anonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
my comments relates to basically UI.
i rarely if ever use the Search bar in IE7 proper, almost always use the Google bar.
so, i would like an option to make the
IE7 search bar disappear; it takes up useless
screen real-estate.
if you insist on displaying it,
then it should at least be re-sizable in
accordance with the address bar it shares.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
Hongson -> I use the Google toolbar tool. I have added searches to the search bar that link into my favorite site's search engines. Places I search a LOT like IMDB, TV.COM (still trying to figure out m-w.com, they use a post, so I might not be able do it it). As such, the search bar takes on a TOTALLY new role in my browser that I never had before. You might want to consider giving it a try (after all, google's toolbar ONLY searchs google!)
Here's a question. Is there any way to send the search data as a post instead of query parameters? That would help bring in more third party search engines.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
"How about a limit on the strength of CSS filters in malicious sites?
I can't count the amount of times the following code has maxed my memory and CPU usage, locked up my browser and forced me to reboot.
Shorly no-one really neads an element to have glow/wave strength of '999999999' or more!"
I second that too. Users don't see the code 'til they're experiencing it. There's no need or usefulness for code like that.
They're obviously not standard CSS, but that's another story.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
I eat cheese on Sundays.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 11, 2006
"We rejected requests that threatened user privacy. For example, one company wanted any arbitrary web page to be able to determine what search providers the end user had chosen and which provider was the default. We decided that sites could easily violate the user’s privacy if we provided this functionality. Would you really want anyone to know all of the types of search engines you’ve chosen and use that information without your consent?"
It's scary that companies even ask for that.
It's. Not. Their. Business.
These are the same guys that make CoolWebSearch I bet. Of course they probably only called themselves "developers in a wide-reaching content-search company" or something.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
Another thing: Does the Address bar, as of Beta 2 Preview, use the "safer" CURI object ( http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/08/15/452006.aspx )?Anonymous
February 11, 2006
--and one last thing: PLEASE, PLEASE correct the visual-styled button-stretch bug,
http://www.designdetector.com/bugs/ie6-stretched-button-bug.html
and please tell me more than 0 people on the team have noticed it.Anonymous
February 11, 2006
Why not look at how Firefox implements Search Buttons...? Adding new ones is a snip and only takes a few seconds...Anonymous
February 11, 2006
I've added a few here. Would love a way to add a small graphic for each, or even a way to categorize them.
http://www.prowebsites.net/Internet_Explorer_7/IE_7_Search_Providers.aspAnonymous
February 11, 2006
PingBack from http://dancmorgan.wordpress.com/2006/02/11/ieblog-search-in-ie7/Anonymous
February 12, 2006
I am really having slow responses when browsing some chinese websites, primarily forums written in asp and cgi. Slow responses mean that ie7 does not response instantly like ie6 does when I use the scroll wheel on the mouse, the page just hang and then scroll. And when you move your mouse over a link , you have to wait until it's become clickable.
another problem would be the new tools bar next to the tabs. It does not show up properly from time to time. Or maybe it would be better if we are given an option to choose not to display it and use the classic one.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
PingBack from http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/02/12/ie-7-getting-some-props-from-security-expert/Anonymous
February 12, 2006
Different locales might use different search providers, but Google is always number one. So you could have added that one by default ;-)Anonymous
February 12, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 12, 2006
BTW
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerSearchUrlmsdn]
@="http://search.msdn.microsoft.com/search/results.aspx?qu=%s"
" "="+"
"#"="%23"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"
Seems to work just fine. It's just the search string that the search toolbar uses with %s replacing "{searchTerms}" and a few escape characters. I suppose it would be easy to script this, but it would be nicer if it were built in to IE and the URL search were coupled to the search bar.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
"Different locales might use different search providers, but Google is always number one. So you could have added that one by default ;-)"
Joking aside, good luck getting default Google Search from affiliates of MSN Search...
"I cannot and will not believe that this Win95 relic, the Find dialog which pops up inconveniently on top of the page, will be the final offering."
I too hope not. Find bar on bottom of window > unwieldy modal dialogs.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
Well I think it's great that this product is forward coming. To all that opinion may, the emphesis should be allowed all twords what the end user should pick and then after, served found perfect. So as not to disallow for the functinality we have as a we, total to each one another comunicate. Make it a virtual, and safe proven step with that, to the extensions option found in the like of Mozilla.org's Firefox Extensions. A closer step to show forth what we see. Thanks alot, and happy surfing!Anonymous
February 12, 2006
Would be nice to add the option of zipping, or hiding in and out, the presented opions (like search)at will by the press of a button.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
how about a spell check facility or maybe dictionary.com lookup searchAnonymous
February 12, 2006
how about a comunity option to the browser. make it work so that all content added is created and moderated through a defined user comunity source. so as not compromise and allow forth a broader to the spectrum apointed twords comrcial as well as private on the "eye of the browser".Anonymous
February 12, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 12, 2006
Steven Fredette, yes, lets simply copy firefox, thats the idea... IE7 was bought to you by Firefox and opera, thanks for the great ideas.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
Xepol-- Do you have examples of search providers that only offer a POST interface?
Game kid-- Yes, the wide button stretch bug is well known, but I don't think it will be fixed for IE7.
Game kid-- URLs entered on the address bar are parsed and stored in a CURI before passed into the navigation code.Anonymous
February 12, 2006
project-duh: It's not really a copy to add a logo for searching (presuming this is what you meant). It is just good marketing and user friendly. Or is Burger King just copying McD's by having a sign out front?
On the other hand, yes IE is going to have to catch up to FF. Yes we are going to see some of the same features in both. So what? As long as both render coding the same way, who cares?
BTW, Opera is the worst browser made. Go ahead and validate coding you've done via the W3C. You'll see IE 7.0 B2 and FF render it perfectly (in most cases, there is still a problem with IE 7 B2 render any layer that is using position: fixed), and Opera completely get hosed by it! http://www.prowebsites.net/TestingArea/default.htm is just a simple, yet valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS page. It renders perfectly in IE 7.0 B2 and FF 1.5.0.1, but the upper right text gets hosed by Opera 8.51Anonymous
February 12, 2006
lol, great ad.
http://mediaaddict.members.winisp.net/video/IE/IE7_big.wmv
Didn't you have a budget or something to worry about?Anonymous
February 12, 2006
Does IE7 detect properly that a search provider is already in the list? What comparison method is used to compare the new item and the item already in the list?Anonymous
February 12, 2006
PingBack from http://www.podcastbrowser.com/blog/?p=36Anonymous
February 13, 2006
PingBack from http://yashnikov.ru/archive/ie7-beta-2/Anonymous
February 13, 2006
So much attention to searching for other pages yet comparatively little to searching the current page. Find-as-you-type would have been nice.Anonymous
February 13, 2006
Do you guys have any intention of passing this test? It seems pretty silly that you still don't.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~sairwas/object-test/alternative/alt5.htmlAnonymous
February 13, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 13, 2006
"So No logo for Google? [...] This just looks real petty. They are the king of search, accept it, and move on. Give them a logo."
Harold, it's not always THAT easy for companies to use trademarks of competitors. Remember, Google has been promoting Firefox ever since the K__-F_ L__* feud.
I'm sure GOOG would thus charge Microsoft big bucks to allow 'em the logo, if they even let MS use it AT ALL. Logos, as trademarks, must be protected from the competition under US law (but I'm no lawyer, so ask one instead why).
*censored by myself, not the blog. Save your MS hatemail.Anonymous
February 13, 2006
"Do you guys have any intention of passing this test? It seems pretty silly that you still don't."
Should it show a dark 100*100 square with AlternaTIFF installed? (I'll try it later to see how it handles the fallback.)Anonymous
February 13, 2006
"They are the king of search, accept it, and move on."
Indeed, that would give GOOG MORE power over who can and can't use the logo.Anonymous
February 13, 2006
Nope, fallback doesn't work on http://www.student.oulu.fi/~sairwas/object-test/alternative/alt5.html as it should, when a TIFF viewer is disabled (or uninstalled). Fix please.
That said, http://mediaaddict.members.winisp.net/video/IE/IE7_big.wmv = best, weirdest ad EVER.
"Didn't you have a budget or something to worry about?"
This is Microsoft. That and budget are almost mutually exclusive. ;)Anonymous
February 13, 2006
See the entire test suite at http://www.student.oulu.fi/~sairwas/object-test/alternative/ too.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~sairwas/object-test/alternative/alt4.html is especially troubling.Anonymous
February 13, 2006
This has to mean that the public release can't be to far off.
http://mediaaddict.members.winisp.net/video/IE/IE7_big.wmvAnonymous
February 14, 2006
I would love to have the Google logo up there. They wouldn't let us use it. Ask them.Anonymous
February 16, 2006
Thanks for all your hard work to date! If possible, a feature for right+click search would be fantastic!!! I hate having to find the pull-down OR ctrl+f to do it. ;-)Anonymous
February 16, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 20, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 20, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 20, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 23, 2006
The comment has been removedAnonymous
February 24, 2006
IE7 manages to prevent popup on www.rediff.com. But when I click on a news link, it manages to open a popup. Any ideas how to prevent this ?Anonymous
April 30, 2006
I posted previously that in IE7, the user is in control of search, and that changing the default search...Anonymous
August 30, 2006
PingBack from http://www.last-child.com/add-opensearch-to-your-web-site/Anonymous
October 06, 2006
PingBack from http://www.irishdeveloper.com/xml/add-opensearch-to-your-web-site/Anonymous
January 24, 2008
PingBack from http://websitescripts.247blogging.info/ieblog-search-in-ie7/Anonymous
July 01, 2008
PingBack from http://blog.itsolutionsla.com/index.php/2008/06/24/ie8-and-trustworthy-browsing/Anonymous
May 29, 2009
PingBack from http://paidsurveyshub.info/story.php?title=ieblog-search-in-ie7Anonymous
May 31, 2009
PingBack from http://woodtvstand.info/story.php?id=8650Anonymous
June 09, 2009
PingBack from http://insomniacuresite.info/story.php?id=3318Anonymous
June 16, 2009
PingBack from http://workfromhomecareer.info/story.php?id=25871