Google Desktop Search final

[NetRyder]

For those of you who use this...it's finally left the beta stage.
Now indexes Mozilla/Firefox/Thunderbird/Netscape as well.

http://desktop.google.com

 

[vern]

I'd switch back ... but I've gotten so used to MSN's deskbar. tsk tsk.

 

[NetRyder]

I've gotten so used to MSN's deskbar. tsk tsk.

Same here.

Besides the deskbar, I also like the fact that MSN DS displays the search results using a shell namespace extension rather than in a silly browser window (what were the folks at Google thinking?), so you get all the nice Explorer-like functionality...context-menus, drag-and-drop etc.

I really have no use for the browser cache indexing feature, and I use Outlook 2003, which is fully supported by MSN DS. For Thunderbird users, GDS is a nice option though. I think the only significant thing missing in MSN DS that I'd *love* to see is an API that developers can use to plug in the search system into their own applications. The latest version of GDS has this, and it's a great feature.

 

[Johnny]

I still don't trust this thing ... Thanx for the info though dude ..

 

[NetRyder]

Not a problem, Johnny.
What part of index-based search apps do you not trust? Just curious...

 

[gonaads]

I'm the Paraniod type. I prefer to search the old fashion way... don't look for it when ya need it, cause you'll never find it. Just wait and it will pop up when ya least expect it and when ya don't need it.

Seriously though I still frown at something that you would install on your computer to search for things on yer computer and your e-mail and the web sites you visit and so on.

...and frees you from having to manually organize your files, emails and bookmarks.

What is so wrong with that?

Being lulled into a false sense of security due to laziness.
What can I say, just freeks me out.

 

[Johnny]

Not a problem, Johnny.
What part of index-based search apps do you not trust? Just curious...

I just use the normal search. Not something that saves things when you think you deleted them ..

 

[NetRyder]

Just a quick comparative summary that I posted on my blog

So here's a follow-up to the earlier GDS post.

I'm not really going to do a full review, mainly because I'm still sticking to MSN Desktop Search which, for me personally, is still a better product overall. But let's just look at the good and the not-so-good that this final release of GDS brings.

The Not-So-Good:
- It still uses a darn browser window to display search results - what a terrible idea! I wasn't expecting this to change between the beta and the final, to be honest, but this still falls into the not-so-good (and possibly even the bad) category nonetheless. MSN DS uses a shell namespace extension (no, it's not IE, people) to display full search results. The great thing about this is that it allows you to use all the nice Explorer-like functionality such as context-menus, drag-and-drop etc which, in my opinion, is a must for an app that works with lots of files. Every other desktop search app does it...why not Google's?
- There's a deskbar now, similar to the one in MSN DS. Unfortunately, it's not quite as functional. It's just a text box that you type the query into, hit enter and get the results in the...yes, you guessed it, browser window. There's no instant find-as-you-type the way MSN DS does it...which is just really cool and very convenient.

The Good:
- The API! Remember Ballmer's words, MSN - "developers, developers, developers!" GDS now includes an API that developers can use to integrate its search functionality into their own apps. This is wonderful. MSN can definitely one-up them if they offer something similar soon, especially since MSN DS already has the advantage of having find-as-you-type. Give devs a way to integrate the deskbar into their own apps!
- Support for Thunderbird. MSN DS currently indexes mail only from Outlook and Outlook Express, and I don't see that changing anytime soon, unless a third-party IFilter comes up for it. I personally use Outlook 2003, so I'm more than happy with MSN DS, but GDS is a nice alternative for Thunderbird users, although it doesn't offer a handy "Show Conversation" feature like MSN DS does. (no context-menus, remember?).

So that's that. My verdict - MSN DS wins this round. Power-user features like aliases and application launching through the deskbar have also become indispensable to me (I don't have any shortcut icons lying around anymore). The MSN folks just need to get an API out, and they'll be all set.

If you use Thunderbird for email and you don't mind giving up features like aliases and app launching, I'd personally recommend Copernic Desktop Search rather than GDS. Copernic supports Thunderbird, has a deskbar with find-as-you-type, and brings up the context-menu when you right-click on search results.

Honestly, I was expecting GDS to offer something completely unbeatable with their final product. After all, they did it with their web search engine, didn't they?

 

[vern]

Anyone know if GDS searches your network drives?

 

[NetRyder]

Not out-of-the box, according to this page. There is a registry hack, but there's a caveat that makes it pretty pointless.

You can make it index those current documents on your mapped drives with a little registry modification. An important thing to note, however, is that once the mapped drive is indexed, the index is only updated with respect to any files you create or open. So if you index, for example, a big shared drive and someone else creates a new document, that document will not show up in your index unless you also open it.

 

[Un4gIvEn1]

According to the EULA it "indexes and stores" your information for easier searching. I'll pass on this one. There's just something that weirds me out about that. Besides, I can't remember the last time I searched for something on my computer and wasn't able to find it with the built in search. My Outlook 2003 has built in search capabilities... it's not useful to me.

 

[Goatman]

I find this funny, most of you guys are say "oh I'll pass" "I don't like the idea of this" but all the Mac folks just can't wait for a similar thing from Apple in their newest release of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4)

 

[Xie]

I find this funny, most of you guys are say "oh I'll pass" "I don't like the idea of this" but all the Mac folks just can't wait for a similar thing from Apple in their newest release of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4)

Yeah Spotlight is very similiar.

 

[Dublex]

It also appears that MSN have added their desktop search function to the new beta of MSN messenger, at least according to the version I have and the tests I am carrying out.

 

[Khayman]

What amazes me is people actually think Google (or Microsoft) are cataloguing peoples hard drives and them keeping the results. Of course it index's the HD and stores it, that's the whole point! but it does it only on your machine.

I use MDS, mostly to search email (and i have a lot of pictures) since i have about 5 years worth and every now and then i need to find an old email and Outlook search is rubbish (very slow and often unsuccessful). As a test I turned of auto update and blocked all MDS apps from accessing the net and its never even tried to

 

[Johnny]

it isn't that khayman, it's the fact that this thing saves all your info. So anyone who gets on your pc can find what you have, even if you delete it ..

 

[gonaads]

Paranoia will destroy ya



But it could keep you safe.

I myself have always been of the school of redundant paranoia with computer security. It has kept me safe for many a year.

 

[NetRyder]

What amazes me is people actually think Google (or Microsoft) are cataloguing peoples hard drives and them keeping the results. Of course it index's the HD and stores it, that's the whole point! but it does it only on your machine.

I use MDS, mostly to search email (and i have a lot of pictures) since i have about 5 years worth and every now and then i need to find an old email and Outlook search is rubbish (very slow and often unsuccessful). As a test I turned of auto update and blocked all MDS apps from accessing the net and its never even tried to

Exactly my thoughts. It's absolutely absurd and ridiculous to think your search index is being sent to someone over the internet. These are reputable companies we're talking about. They're not going to compromise their image just so that they can read some email John Doe sent to his aunt.

There's nothing wrong with the built-in search in XP or Outlook or anything else for that matter. It's just that indexed search is orders of magnitude faster and can search within documents and email (not just the filename, sender, subject etc.)

I'm personally a neatness-freak when it comes to organizing stuff on my drive. I know exactly where everything is, and I don't keep anything that's unnecessary. Even then, MSN Desktop Search was an absolute god-send for me (heck, I'm even on their Testimonials page now).

Here's a simple question. What's faster - navigating through Explorer to a file that you want, or typing the first two letters of the filename (or even the contents if you happen to forget the filename) into the deskbar and having it come up instantly? What's faster - looking through your inbox for that mail from a specific person that came with a specific attachment that you want to open, or typing the first couple of letters of the subject or content into the deskbar and having the message pop up instantly? And when you repeatedly perform such tasks multiple times a day, every day of the week, your productivity increases drastically.

Now if you don't need something like this, it's all well and good. But if it's paranoia that's preventing you from using indexed search applications which could otherwise have made your tasks simpler and faster, you're just missing out. Your loss.

 

[gonaads]

...

Now if you don't need something like this, it's all well and good. But if it's paranoia that's preventing you from using indexed search applications which could otherwise have made your tasks simpler and faster, you're just missing out. Your loss.

yeah yeah... It is quite true. But I seriously don't need it. I tend to file everything in a way where I know where everything is. Always.










And so I'm paranoid, soooooooo...

*hears sound of black helocopter in the distance*

errrrrrr, gotta go.

 

[vern]

So I just installed GDS. I miss the MDS shortcuts. ... but I'll get over it. I stopped using MDS because for some reason it just stopped indexing. When it starts up, it just stays at initializing. It didn't index network drives too well either. Hopefully Google comes up with something soon that actually does work.