MSN Search Beta: standards compliant

The new MSN Search Beta is designed by using web standards. Microsoft uses web standards! CSS and XHTML!

Let’s have a look on the page source:

• XHTML Strict
• lang and xml:lang attributes
• style sheet imported via @import
• divs, lists and so on
• use of CSS hacks! (to make it possible to be viewed by their own browser)

I really like the puristic design. There’re fewer elements than on the Google home page. Maybe they want to go further than Google. Google has become popular because of its minimalistic design and because they don’t put everything on their home page. The masses drifted to Google because it was simple. I think (not really, it’s obvious) MSN wants to do the same. Attract customers by simplicity. And they follow the rule: More simplicity (than Google), more users.

The colors are nice, too. Especially the gradient background. And I have to admit: The result pages look better than Google’s. Compared directly, I miss some color over at Google. It looks pale. But have a look at the images: They both look nearly equal. The first one is from MSN, second one Google.