By the looks of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1, the next version of IE is going to bring to the table a consistent evolution in comparison to IE7. One aspect of the browser that can and does do with a tad of tweaking is the search engine provider in the field nailed in the upper right-hand side corner. The search box was introduced with Internet Explorer 7 back in October 2006, and it's not going to go anywhere, as you can see from the screenshot of IE8 Beta 1 integrated toward the bottom of this article. But of course, the question is what search engine to choose?

Generally speaking, choosing is a matter of making up your mind over one of the three main search providers worldwide: Microsoft, Google and Yahoo. According to the latest statistics from Internet metrics companies such as comScore and Nielsen, Google owns the lion's share of the search engine market, and this is why the default search provider in IE7 and IE8 is bound to be the Mountain View-based company. Still, there are additional providers, and Live Search and Yahoo can hold their own against Google.

"I know you use that non-evil search engine," stated Microsoft's Ashutosh Galande. "Yes the one with multicolor logo. You think that's the best search engine out there don't you? You are so addicted to it, you even made it your your homepage. Like a lost wanderer, every time you have to find directions to any place on the www, you go to that omniscient oracle of yours and blindly follow wherever it takes you assuming that the best the world has to offer. Now listen. I've got a news for you. Your search engine is lame! Sorry to bring this disappointing news to you but my search engine is better than your's. 3 times better! Now c'mon don't feel bad. You too can use it if you like."

The search engine Galande is referring to is MySearchOff. Instead of offering a new approach to the search engine model, MySearchOff simply combines results from Live Search, Google and Yahoo in a three-panel window. A single query is automatically performed in Live Search, Google and Yahoo, and all three search engines display the results concomitantly. In order to make MySearchOff the default search provider of IE8 or IE7 navigate to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/searchguide/en-en/default.mspx, and enter http://mysearchoff.com/?q=TEST in the field of the "Create your own" box, naming it how you see fit.

Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Beta 1 is available for download here.