This will definitely be an interesting year for search.  Our favorite evangelist, Gary Price, has left Ask.com and Stephen Abram has speculated that by the end of 2008 there will be two major search engines.  And here’s an interesing article about Microsoft opening the doors to it’s research labs and showcasing new search technology, specifically SearchTogether, SearchBar and CoSearch.

“… A prototype operating system for the computer science research environment, was made available … free of charge for non-commercial and academic use. The program is geared toward improving software dependability and specifications. Rick Rashid, senior vice-president of Microsoft Research, said, “It fosters innovative ideas on operating system structure and interconnection, and makes more guarantees on behaviour, and predictive and reliable systems.”

Yes, an intersting year, especially with search engine watcher, Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land, moving back to California where much of what happens in search engine land is visible.  I hope Danny will come back to Internet Librarian, (October 20-22, Monterey CA) and once again give his briefing of what’s to come in “Search Engine Land”.