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So far I've resisted installing a Bing Bar. Does Bing have any significant advantages over Google? Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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I've been using BING rather exclusively for over a year now. I like to think that it is both less security intrusive as well as being less likely to be selling the first returns to the highest bidders like Google seems to be doing.
Try it.
It is not a permanent thing and easily reversible if you decide you don't like it for whatever reason.
--Mac
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Try https://duckduckgo.com/ they say they do not use any tracking software. Later,
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I began using Bing regularly on Easter after Google decided to honor a union leader instead of a well-known religious figure. I use it primarily in my work as a medical transcriptionist. I love the fuzzy searches and suggestions and believe that it returns more relevant information more quickly than Google. They also have some very beautiful photographs which change daily, one of which (the Milky Way over Crater Lake in winter) I have selected for the desktop wallpaper on my work PC.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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Other than it being Microsoft making one more step to take over the computer world, Bing is insignificant.
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I like Bing on my Linux computer.
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I still use Google out of habit, but if you do the bing challenge at: http://www.bingiton.com/you'll probably choose bing over google.
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Just switched from bing to duckduckgo...
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yep, still using Google. I like the simple, clean interface. no interest whatsoever in Bing's photos. just want my search engine to...search!
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Eh, use what you like. But installing a bar? Nah
As for Bing being another MS effort to 'take over the computer world' I suggest you Google (or Bing) 'Android' and 'Chrome'.
Google has moved into OS and software just as fast as MS has moved into search.
From the other end, if I see Googlebot show up in our logs, I see Bingbot right there just as much. Both seem well behaved.
As for tracking; if you sign out of G-whatever (gmail, googledocs, etc.) then Google respects your cookies from my experience. Too many people remain logged in to a Google service (including youtube) and don't realize they are initiating the tracking thang. Many users have one Google thing or another they forget to log out of. Then wonder why search results are skewed, or don't realize they are.
Do a familiar search while logged in to Google or Bing.
Do another while logged out. You'll likely see a difference in the return results.
I deal with this stuff daily, so if I just bored you; sorry.
Last edited by rharv; 07/17/13 04:24 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Does Bing have any significant advantages over Google? Microsoft envisions that Bing is going to be so fully integrated with their office suite of programs and that the way you use programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. is going to change significantly. MS did a music related demo where a power query was done within MS Excel. The query was simply "top rock classics". Excel sent the query to Bing's database and then built a spreadsheet of songs, cross indexed on how many weeks each song was on the Billboard charts. You can highlight words for expanded results. The presenter highlighted a song and got back a list of albums with the similar characteristics that could also be opened and explored. Office documents are going to be much more "live" in that information in a document has the ability to update based on changes in Bing's data base. Things like your spell check and dictionary will update themselves via Bing. So far though, there have not been a lot of apps developed to work with the various components of office. The promise is there, but the delivery hasn't been very swift.
Keith
2026 Audiophile Windows 11 RYZEN THREADRIPPER 3960X 4.5GHZ 128 GB RAM 2 Nvidia RTX 3090s, Vegas,Acid,SoundForge,Izotope Production,Melodyne Studio,SONAR,3 Raven Mtis
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Think it'll affect your search results? Ya know, like remember which albums you clicked on in your example .. that sort of thing?
Can you sign out of it, or is it part of the license agreement for those features? Interesting
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Microsoft envisions that Bing is going to be so fully integrated with their office suite of programs and that the way you use programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. is going to change significantly. they envisioned something similar for how Internet Explorer would be so tightly integrated within Windows OS that everyone would be using it. check the stats on Chrome and Firefox to see how that worked out! 
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Joined: Jan 2010
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I use different search engines to receive different results, often parallel (one after the other).
Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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Have you actually checked the ... stats?
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Me too.
I hope current trends continue, either that or they fix IE. This 'compatibility' and 'quirks' mode stuff is ridiculous.
However I also think Chrome's pre-rendering isn't the best thing ever either. I don't want traces of sites in my system that I never actually visited.
If FF would get back to keeping up with new features I'd recommend it, but as it is none of them are perfect.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Me too.
I hope current trends continue, either that or they fix IE. This 'compatibility' and 'quirks' mode stuff is ridiculous.
However I also think Chrome's pre-rendering isn't the best thing ever either. I don't want traces of sites in my system that I never actually visited.
If FF would get back to keeping up with new features I'd recommend it, but as it is none of them are perfect.
dunno how long you've been working with this stuff but when I started Netscape had just come out and soon became all the rage. after several years Microsoft finally caught up, Netscape died and IE was pretty much a useful standard until Firefox presented something better. then Firefox got weird and Chrome came along. IE continues to go in and out of usefulness. as a developer I have always had a strong love/hate relationship with Microsoft. they have created (or bought and enhanced) some amazing products like Visual Basic back in the day and more recently C# (with Anders Hejlsberg of Turbo Pascal and Delphi fame) yet they have released some true pigs like FrontPage. IE has, at various times, for me, been both amazing and a pig!
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I do like Visual Studio, and we use it a lot. But even when developing in MS environment like VS, the results can be unpredictable in IE. As of late FF seems to have a noticeable amount of issues too. IE has, at various times, for me, been both amazing and a pig! It's been a long time since IE 'amazed' me. I had high hopes for IE 10, but so far not so impressed. Yes, I remember Netscape..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
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