Live offering prizes for searching

Microsoft is getting a little desperate here I think - they're trying to encourage users by offering gifts. If you sign up for their system SearchPerks! (Internet Explorer only here, we're talking cut-throat tactics) and download the search counter you can start earning tickets for searches. 1 search=1 ticket and you can earn up to 25 per day. You can win airmiles, first aid kits, music downloads, games (Windows or XBox) or you can give the points to a charity.

Oh yes, and you have to be American as well. Which really makes sense doesn't it! I cannot begin to indicate the level of my contempt for this tatty little idea. It really is scraping the bottom of the barrel and I can just imagine this idea was thought up by a committee sitting around a table all looking at board with 'How do we compete with Google?' written on it.

Here's an idea - you've got a search engine that's not bad. How about just improving it, adding in more functionality, listen to users and *do search better*?