Freeware September 21, 2005 posted by Red

Google Desktop Beta.

googledesktopbeta Google Desktop Beta.

Google Desktop Beta. Just installed this. Hate to sound like Google fan-boy, but it’s good.

Integration – 9/10 (disappears into the desktop interface nicely)
Usefulness – 7/10 (still trying to work out if it’s *that* useful)
Speed – 7/10 (indexing kind of sluggish, no impact on day to day working though)
Compatibility – 6/1 (breaks some stuff – see below – but seems OK)
Community – 8/10 (plug-ins good)

Comments: Breaks TruImage, needs more upfront explanation of the various desktop panel options, but the integrated desktop and web search is very very cool. Also neat is the growing plug-in community, providing lots of additional functionality like the SoonR mobile phone integration. My copy of Copernic is now under real threat unless I find something nasty in this Beta. Will keep you updated.

About the Author:

Red – who has written 10163 posts on The Red Ferret Journal.

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http://pctweaks.blogspot.com abhijit

Have you tried Blinkx? I find it to be the best desktop search ever. It searches all types of files (including PDFs), and has something really snazzy called ‘SmartFolders’, besides being able to do something called ‘Conceptual Searching’!! No, I’m serious, you should check it out!
http://www.techforthetimid.com Peter

It amazes me that tools like this are so popular. If people simply took the time to practice good records management (filing things where they can be found), you wouldn’t need to search for them, now would you? :)
Red

Heh yes Peter, but I think this kind of tech is really only for people like me. I have a very very well organised email system, with dozens of descriptive folders, categories et al, but nonetheless I’m trying to manage in excess of 30 thousand email messages.

Now you may say that’s excessive (and yes I do cull ever 12 to 18 months) but it means that I simply cannot remember where everything is when I need it. Something like Copernic or Google Desktop takes away that problem instantly. It’s an absolute life saver when I’m trying to locate an email message from several months back.
Red

Abhijit, yes the Ferret looked at Blinkx a while ago but it didn’t work that well. We may look at it again, now you’ve mentioned it. :-)
http://www.techforthetimid.com Peter

I got curious and checked, I have slightly over 35,000 email messages as well, and i know where mine are :) but I do use my email’s search feature to quickly find them if need be. I also have a good system for documents & files on my hard drives. This may be a good idea for an article…! cheers
Red

Mmmm…. :-)