Is Desktop Search Deserving?

Google, in their march to stay ahead of the pack of competition, has released Google Desktop Search. With Microsoft's MSN in the lead position and nipping at Google's heels, and Google's new shareholders to please, Google has more incentive than ever to deploy technology both better than the other guy's, and sooner. After all, the first to get loaded to the desktop is more likely to build and retain user loyalty.

Google Desktop Search allows you to search within various types of files on your computer. It's still in beta, but is available for download by anyone. It requires Windows XP or Windows 2000 with at least Service Pack 3. It runs as a memory-resident application, with a system tray icon, so that it can index new documents as they are created.

For example, if you know a certain word or phrase was in a Word document, but you don't remember which one, you can easily locate all documents on your computer that contain that word. Desktop Search can search through email, text, and HTML files, your cached web pages, and MS Office Documents (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint only).

By way of comparison, there is a competing application, also free, from Copernic, not surprisingly called Copernic Desktop Search. At the moment, it is perhaps more advanced than Google's. For example, Copernic's software scans the same type of files as does Google's, but also scans music and video files and PDF documents, while Google does not. Both products can only scan Outlook or Outlook Express email at present.

But don't count Google out. Webmasters know it's never wise to do that! After all, they're still in beta with Desktop Search, and they are as surely aware of Copernic's product as they are of MSN. Google has both the resources and motivation to not only keep but expand their market leadership.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.sitetube.com. Visit his website for the latest on planning, building, promoting and maintaining websites.

---

Selecting a Personal Digital Assistant

A Computer in Your HandCarrying around an address book and... Read More

Enhanced Web Browsing With Toolbars

As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More

Best PC Pocket GPS

Stop Getting LostOne of the greatest uses for a pocket... Read More

Your Home is in Your Hands

I would like to tell you about a magic home.... Read More

Why Get a Microsoft MCSE Certification?

In the years of the dot com boom and bust,... Read More

Why Build Your Own Gaming Computer?

The best way to get the gaming computer that you... Read More

2 PC Annoyances and How To Solve Them!

I have a love-hate relationship with my computer.In fact, often... Read More

Printing Multiple Copies of Photos

I do a holiday letter every year and send them... Read More

Anti-Skip Protection on Mp3 Players

There have been some questions on anti-skip protection on mp3... Read More

Put Order and Information into File Names

Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More

Linux Power Tools - Great Tools to Make System Administration Easy

World War II - Germany decided to attack Poland. Poland... Read More

Repairing A Corrupt .RAR/.ZIP Archive

Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More

Improve PC Performance - 6 Tips You Must Know

Are you frustrated with your PC?Is it feeling sluggish or... Read More

Virtual Memory - What is It?

I recently got an e-mail asking about virtual memory. The... Read More

A Tale of Two Regeds

Tech support tells me to type 'regedt32' as opposed to... Read More

Cisco Certification: A Survival Guide To The Cisco Cable Jungle

One of the most confusing parts of beginning your Cisco... Read More

How To Search Your PC With Google Desktop

In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More

Upgrading Your PC for Non-experts

IntroOne of the big advantages of PCs over earlier types... Read More

Computer Consulting 101 PC Troubleshooting Advice

While most small businesses really do need to find a... Read More

Digital Cameras + Photo Printers = Quality Instant Photographs

In the 1950's and 1960's Polaroid's instant cameras were all... Read More

4 Easy Ways to Speed Up A Sluggish PC

Computers are supposed to speed up our productivity?to help us... Read More

Spyware Remover

Your first step in removing dangerous infections from your computer... Read More

Basic Computer Thermodynamics

That desk in front of you and everything else around... Read More

Use Your Computer For Your Entertainment Needs

By using your computer today you can find a lot... Read More

Build Your Own Computer

I'm eighty-one years old and I bought my first computer... Read More

SOBIG.F Virus Promises Ill Be Back

On 21 August 2003 Symantec Security Response upgraded the W32.SOBIG.F... Read More

Top 9 Ways To Speed Up Your Surfing & Computing

It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More

How to Use SQLXML to Retrieve Data from SQL Server Database?

Using SQL Server 2000 and above versions you can retrieve... Read More

What Does That Error Message Really Mean?

Surf the 'Net for about 10 minutes and chances rate... Read More

How To Recognize The Telltale Signs Of Spyware

Spyware is the software that collects information about your online... Read More

What Has A Portable MP3 Player Have To Do With Your Business

Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More

Flash Your nVidia Video Cards BIOS

You will need the following:1. 1.44MB FDD (floppy)2. NVFLASH utility... Read More

Connect Your IPAQ to Linux

Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More