Faith + Reason = Truth

After reading a press release on Microsoft's huge marketing deal with Sun, granting the option to tens of millions of downloaders of Java to include an MSN toolbar in their download, the immediate thought was "why would anyone do this?  I thought MSN's search was still a cluttered mess, in stark contrast to Google's simple elegance and focus."  After a quick visit to msn.com, I confirmed my suspicion, but then dug deeper by clicking directly on the search link at MSN (see live.com screenshot, followed by msn.com screenshot):

In stark contrast to msn.com, the Live site is a study in cool simplicity.  Just like Google was and still pretty much is.  I've always wondered why someone hasn't tried to out-Google Google, and I believe www.live.com has accomplished that feat.  They've even got a shorter url to type in!
Now if all of us were aware of exactly what www.live.com was, then MS might one day be relevant again in the everyday internet citizen world.  Can its p.r. effort get out of the way of itself and somehow allow that to happen?  I hope so, because although the screenshot doesn't show it, the site actually has some gee whiz techiness to it that is earning it a bookmark in my browser bar as soon as this post is finished!