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Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

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Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#61

Post by heavyset_go »

This is what happens if you use Edge on Windows to search for "Firefox" with Bing[1]:

> I recently spun up a Windows VM and used Edge to search Bing for "Firefox" and this is result I got: https://i.imgur.com/blHGMgX.png

> It's a giant banner that says, "You're already browsing in Microsoft Edge. Keep using to get world class performance with more privacy, more productivity, and more value."

> That banner is followed by another giant banner image telling me to get "Get Robux using Microsoft Edge. Join Microsoft Rewards and use Microsoft Edge. Get a 100 Robux eGift Card on us when you search with Microsoft Bing on Microsoft Edge for 5 days after you join."

> I had to scroll to even see the relevant search results for my search term. I'm assuming most non-power users won't scroll because they were just assured that they were "already browsing in Microsoft Edge", which is apparently more private, productive and valuable than what they intended to search for.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28517187

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#62

Post by behnamoh »

amanzi wrote: post #43

It's the first result for me on the web: https://www.microsoft.com/en-NZ/search/shop?q=firefox And using the Store app on Windows 11, Firefox is prominently featured as the number 1 result when searching: https://imgur.com/a/vyoWQZd Edit: Seems like Firefox has only been available in the store for a day or two, so I guess this was just the search algorithm catching up and re-ranking. https://blog.mozilla.org/en/produ…

Could it be that MS engineers read HN and fixed the issue?

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#63

Post by owlninja »

amanzi wrote: post #43

It's the first result for me on the web: https://www.microsoft.com/en-NZ/search/shop?q=firefox And using the Store app on Windows 11, Firefox is prominently featured as the number 1 result when searching: https://imgur.com/a/vyoWQZd Edit: Seems like Firefox has only been available in the store for a day or two, so I guess this was just the search algorithm catching up and re-ranking. https://blog.mozilla.org/en/produ…

I typed "fi" in the store search and Firefox was the first preview result.

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#64

Post by heavyset_go »

qwerty456127 wrote: post #32
saurik wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, though I might even go further? My controversial take (as someone who ran a very popular software market for a decade myself, which notably didn't do what I am saying, though was effectively handicapped in its search for other reasons): they simply shouldn't have search or discovery of their own, as it is going to be some opportunity for the moral equivalent of a TOCTUO "parser differential" security issue t…

Sounds reasonable. But why would anybody even need a store then?

> But why would anybody even need a store then?

How else would Apple and Google tax the entire mobile software market? Getting a cut of all sales in the mobile market is a dream come true.

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#65

Post by megablast »

m0ngr31 wrote: post #33
wlesieutre wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not just bragging about it, Microsoft was paying people to submit software to pump that number up: > In a new US marketing effort, Microsoft is offering developers $100 per app for newly published applications submitted to the Windows Phone Store or the Windows Store by June 30th. Developers can net $2,000 in total by submitting up to 10 apps to each store. https://www.theverge.com/2013/3/19/4124548/microsoft-paying-…

Back in the Windows Phone days, they'd send you a phone for developing an app. I wrote a crappy calculator app during a CS class and got a free phone out of it. I spent more time doing the app submission than I did writing the app. They didn't care what it was. Similarly Blackberry had a similar program a little while later where I just ported the same app and got a Playbook tablet. It was fun as a poor college kid,…

It was the same on ios in the early days. My first app was a sound board. People paid money for it.

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#66

Post by kyriakos »

behnamoh wrote: post #62
amanzi wrote: post #43

It's the first result for me on the web: https://www.microsoft.com/en-NZ/search/shop?q=firefox And using the Store app on Windows 11, Firefox is prominently featured as the number 1 result when searching: https://imgur.com/a/vyoWQZd Edit: Seems like Firefox has only been available in the store for a day or two, so I guess this was just the search algorithm catching up and re-ranking. https://blog.mozilla.org/en/produ…

Could it be that MS engineers read HN and fixed the issue?

It's possible but the fact that the app was just added to the store is also a very likely reason it wasn't ranking higher

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#67

Post by delif »

It's an organic result that will change as soon as firefox has more users/reviews than the products that where way earlier on the store. I don't get it you all scream fowl on other stores for manipulating results and now you are screaming fowl because Microsoft doesn't?

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#68

Post by jamesgeck0 »

GekkePrutser wrote: post #49
olyjohn wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's fucking sad. This is exactly how the MS Store looked 10 years ago when Windows 8 came out. How has it not changed at all? These assholes don't seem to have a clue why nobody wants to use their store. Maybe someone at Microsoft should actually try using their products. The poor employees have buggy shit dogfooded to them all the time, while I bet all the C-levels and other execs have Apple shit for work and home.

It's kinda good too. It makes the store unviable and thus makes local installations still a very legit requirement. Which leads to less Microsoft control over what you do with your PC, and more user freedom. It also means using your computer without a Microsoft account is still a thing. If it had really taken off they could be free to block installers like iOS does. Or at least make it difficult to do so like macOS.

It’s bad in that the app confusion happens on malicious websites that try to game search results. The consequences of installing a sketchy sandboxed app from the Windows Store can be significantly less severe than the consequences of installing a sketchy traditional app.

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#69

Post by someonewhocar3s »

steelframe wrote: post #55
bko wrote: post #38

That's weird, it comes up fine for me https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/shop?q=firefox

Reddit post made over a day ago. Microsoft employees read HN. Thus, specific problem highlighted on HN now fixed.

When you search for Firefox and it gives you Magic Mouse, a remote cursor app. Because its control panel works on Firefox.

The results are not great, is what I meant. Especially in an app store you might want Firefox alternatives, skins, maybe a virus scanner, adblocker, or even an external download manager. Bring your own FTP client, too, bah!

I think for most large companies now it'd be rewarding to try handwritten search results.

Re: Firefox is the 45th result when searching for “Firefox” on Windows Store

#70

Post by qwerty456127 »

heavyset_go wrote: post #64
qwerty456127 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds reasonable. But why would anybody even need a store then?

> But why would anybody even need a store then? How else would Apple and Google tax the entire mobile software market? Getting a cut of all sales in the mobile market is a dream come true.

Nevertheless, besides these (discovery and taxation), what is any value app stores are supposed to add?
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