Google has quietly released a Desktop Search system (with the obligatory beta) for Windows XP and 2000 (SP 3+) based computers.
Desktop Search is designed to search the contents of your computer. It currently searches: Outlook (Outlook Express), AOL Instant Messenger, Internet Explorer, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and text files.
Google is really rockin’!
(Found via fiftyfoureleven.com)
works like a charm too btw
that is intensely cool. Now if they can just get it to search eudora, thunderbird, aol communicator, groupwise, etc emails…
this is great. You can search, say, a method, and get back all the source code files that use it (and limit it to sourcecode if you want)… eg filetype:java ShowCustomers
Exactly. The damn thing is useless since I don’t use any of its supported programs. Open it up to more of the apps that geeks use and then you have some major viral marketing going on.
Has anyone tired this program in comparison to Copernic Desktop Search (which does search thunderbird)?
no… if you only had a mac, it would be useless. It’s only partially useful for you — it still searches all the files on your PC, including the contents. that’s something.
how does copernic search thunderbird? it doesn’t mention it on their site, and when I google copernic and thunderbird, I find alot of forums with people complaining that it doesn’t work with thunderbird.
I haven’t tried it yet (I’m away from my own computer) but surely Google’s Desktop Search WILL search Thunderbird emails since, IIRC, those emails are stored as plain text???
It doesn’t, because it looks at files by extension and IIRC thunderbird doesn’t put an extension on the filename.
but it probably will, soon.
Take this post as a trackback. There are some of my toughs about the product, privacy and security in mind:
http://radio.weblogs.com/0140770/2004/10/14.html
I think that at its current state, the Google Desktop is more interesting for its symbolic weight than its actual utility.
It still will not index any Mozilla products, along with numerous others. Additionally, there are many applications incompatible with Google Desktop. I use NOD32 antivirus software and am currently unable to use it at all.
Among the conflicting/incompatible:
Hmm, I don’t really need it, and frankly don’t really like it.
Then again, I don’t like any program that runs constantly that I practically never use.
it doesnt run constantly only…when the system is idle
nod32 is fundamental for me. i can’t use that desktop search. :(
nod32 is excellent.
If Google Desktop’s doing something weird that a great virus scanner doesn’t like, no thanks.
if you can’t use google desktop search beta or you want an alternative: Have a look at this company:
http://www.copernic.com
they do offer a free desktop search software right now that do work very well.
I recently installed Google Desktop Search, but it doesnt seem to search my thunderbird emails. How to search TB emails? Please let me know, I don’t see any options or ways to makr this work.
I figure it’s a great way for google to get their hands on more demographic info on me. Somehow, I feel like i’m being spied on though. I wonder how much info is actually saved about my computer running it.
To address the topic: It will only be a matter of time before more programs become supported. Google is depending on private developers to build plug-ins. Google will likely never build their own support for Mozilla. They will leave that up to us.
I have looked into thier SDK. It is over my head. Anyone with enough programming knowledge to create this?
hey guys, i had recently used Parvail PC Controller as an excellent alternative to Google Desktop – with plenty more features then Google Desktop – try that – you can find it at Download.com here -
http://www.download.com/3000-20-10589545.html?part=undefined&subj=dl&tag=button