msn search beta - a poor start?
Microsoft launched a beta of the new MSN search today. Almost quivering with anticipation, I headed over to http://beta.search.msn.com to try it out.
It barfed. Repeatedly.
For the last hour (13:00 to 14:00 GMT) the site has been returning "This site is temporarily unavailable, please check back soon."
Not a great way to start. I appreciate that the launch team are probably all at home tucked up in bed after pulling some very late nights, but you've got to care about how new products are perceived outside the US, as well as inside.
The msnsearch team have also launched a blog which suggests that the service is 'now available'. This is an interpretation of 'available' which I have not come across previously.
I will be 'checking back', but probably tomorrow.
Edit: Wim is also experiencing problems, but he got further than me.