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Google Launches Desktop Search Tool

Posted by michael on from the finding-it-with-both-hands-and-a-flashlight dept.

hanky writes "Google brings search to your very desktop with Google Desktop, a mini Google index of your own. Search your filesystem, Outlook or Outlook Express inbox, AIM instant message transcripts, and Internet Explorer cache. There's a full introduction to the Google Desktop over at the O'Reilly Network. It's Windows-only, but still cool enough for this Mac guy to find it intriguing."

11 of 715 comments (clear)

  1. The horns of a dilemma... by Control+Group · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Oh, the indecision!

    Being able to google my machine would be the best thing this side of perpetual motion.

    Having to start doing everything with AIM, IE, Outlook and MS-Office would be the worst thing this side of the universal solvent.

    Why, oh why, did they have to specifically aim this at all the apps I don't use?

    --

    Reality has a conservative bias: it conserves mass, energy, momentum...
    1. Re:The horns of a dilemma... by DigitumDei · · Score: 5, Interesting

      You know, now 90% of my mail is done through GMail. All my searching on the internet is done through Google. Now all my searching my PC will be done by Google.

      They might as well just write a bloody all-in-one operating system and get it over with. :P

      Seriously, I'd love to see them make a linux distro. Maybe it'd suck, but with their track record I'm betting it wouldn't.

      --
      East Coast Brewers
    2. Re:The horns of a dilemma... by Thomas+Miconi · · Score: 4, Interesting

      They might as well just write a bloody all-in-one operating system and get it over with. :P

      Man, with what they have now, if they just set up some kind of browser-based productivity /office tools (based on e.g. Echo or summat) then for all practical purposes they will have made the first true multi-platform OS ever !

      The underlying OS (win, linux, whatever) will just act as a kind of bloated BIOS. The browser being somewhat equivalent to the windowing system.

      Where do I sign up ?

      Thomas-

    3. Re:The horns of a dilemma... by bogie · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "we may consider adding increased Firefox support in a future version of Desktop Search."

      Lame. That's not reassuring at all. I would be a lot happier if they said we WILL be adding increased Firefox support in the future. Yes I understand the econmics of it and that marketshare had a lot to do with it. But considering that its the advanced users who pimped Google and helped really spread the word about it they could have thrown us a bone.

      --
      If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
    4. Re:The horns of a dilemma... by tanguyr · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Overall, i'd have to give it a 9 out of a possible 10, and i'm in much the same case as you are (all the good stuff not on C:\, incompatible browser software, etc.). The reason i'm giving it such a high score is that this software targets the "average" user and does a completely brilliant job of it. A 400k download followed by (this is the kicker) a question-free installation and it "just works". Software a son could love, but a mother could install.

      The inmates have been evicted, someone else is running this asylum.

      --
      #!/usr/bin/english
  2. Testing. by loconet · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So far in my testing, it has performed better than MS's own indexing service which comes with Windows.

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    [alk]
    1. Re:Testing. by loconet · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sure, I am simply able to find the relevant files faster. Not only is it faster (probably because it searches less files) but I'm able to quickly spot the file I want by looking at the text previews - something which Window's search tool does not have.

      --
      [alk]
  3. Google operating system - the next MS ?? by Alwin+Henseler · · Score: 5, Interesting
    First Google was cool and independent. Now with e-mail account, "G" searchbox included in your favourite browser, maybe a browser of their own, instant messaging, shareholders onboard, and... a desktop?

    What's next? The Google operating system? Are we looking at the beginnings of a next-generation Microsoft-like empire?

  4. One more step toward the future by Wylfing · · Score: 4, Interesting
    It's been my belief for a while that Google is going to be the storage medium of the future. Eventually we'll all share one big searchable "disk" called Google. Gmail and this local search tool are stepping stones toward that end.

    --
    Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
  5. Microsoft's Lookout by __aaitqo8496 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For those of you that don't know, take a look: http://lookoutsoft.com/Lookout/

    Microsoft bought this company which beat Google to the punch on desktop searching. Kinda funny that the letters on the main logo look very Googlish...

  6. Re:From the TOS: by bluekanoodle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is true, but kudos to google for making the opt out during install very clear and easy to use. All you have to do is clear one clearly visible checkbox during the install.