In his look at a possible search industry future with Google and Microsoft baying like hounds at each other, longtime observer Sullivan suggested Ask.com simply won't matter in the future.

Although an Ask representative rushed to reasssure us that Ask.com will remain a search engine, albeit one with a shift in its business model, some time away from the big changes atop the site indicated to Sullivan that the future of Ask and search will be its partner, Google.

"Ask.com? The change in leadership and confused nature of its direction make it seem likely it will simply outsource everything to Google," Sullivan said in Advertising Age. "Given this, it's no longer a service I deem worth watching closely."

Ask put some effort into the development of its search-complementary services. Local service Ask City in particular came along with a host of useful tools for users of that mapping and search product.

Back in March, an Ask.com spokesperson said the site isn't turning into a "women's search engine," but wasn't able to specify the upcoming changes yet.

With that work still (likely) in progress, we hoped to hear from Ask about Sullivan's blunt assessment. Ask, however, did not reply by press time.