Does anyone know why, when you click (actually click, not just mouse-over) the binoculars preview icon that now accompanies Ask Jeeves results, it redirects your browser to microsoft.com ? In the original SEW article about the preview feature (http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3370751) it says the technology is patented by Ask Jeeves so why link to microsoft? Or am I missing something?

This might be a very short thread if there's already discussions/info out there but I can't find any and would appreciate any pointers to such information.

:confused:
Maurice

I just tried it and it took me to the search result I was looking at.

Can you show me the exact example and steps you took to see MSFT?

It doesn't just happen for a particular search, i'm seeing this behaviour for all results that have the binoculars icon. I've just tried attaching a screen shot of this happening but i got an 'exceeds forum quota by 24.8kb' error in the upload window.

The exact sequence of steps i perform to see this happen are:
1. execute a search on ask jeeves
2. for some result with a binoculars icon, put the mouse over the icon and the preview will pop up
3. with the mouse still over the icon, click the left button (pc mouse)

Result: www.microsoft.com loads

i'm using mozilla firefox 1.0.3 and i can't see anything in either the settings page for ask.com or my browser configuration to explain why i'd be able to see this and you wouldn't. mysterious indeed.

I just tested this on MSIE 6.0.x and it didn't happen. i got the same result as you rusty, i was directed to the result page in question. i'm sure i haven't set any parameters in my browser (like, 100%) that would cause this, unless one of my firefox extensions has some funny bug/feature attached of which i'm unaware.

of course this would render this thread off-topic for these forums, for which i apologise.

I'll direct Ask Jeeves attention to this bug, its relevant if a search feature at Ask Jeeves has a bug.

Thanks for reporting it.