News A test version of Microsoft's new search tool is unveiled

Today seems to be a busy day for Microsoft beta releases - they look to be searching around for a simple solution that will eradicate the the loss of documents, and make finding them a great deal easier! I know how annoying this can be, I've got many many documents on my hard drive, and it's always tough trying to find the one that I want, exactly when I want it - maybe this will help me.

Microsoft has unveiled a new preliminary version of its search tool for finding documents, e-mail and other files stored on personal computer hard drives.

Microsoft's rollout, on Monday, comes as its rivals in the search arena, Google and Yahoo, are also introducing desktop search tools to attract more users to their search-related services.

"Our ambition for search is to provide the ultimate information tool that can find anything you're looking for," said Yusuf Mehdi, the corporate vice president at Microsoft's MSN Internet division.

Microsoft is deploying its new desktop search tool through a set of different toolbars that can be installed on the Windows desktop, the Internet Explorer browser and within Office Outlook, Microsoft's e-mail, contacts and scheduling program.

You can read more about this new search tool over here.

 

So basically it's just like google's desktop search utility, but merged into all of the other MS software? So if you don't want it, too ****ing bad? Just like everything else MS?

 

looks that way

I'll be the first to use some form of registry hack to get rid of it, I hate having a cluttered desktop, despite rarely ever seeing it.

 

Identical to the new search software Mac released in the summer.


Theres a surprise!



Spotlight! Knew the name would come to me!


http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/spotlight.html

 

Is it just me, or is MS falling behind everyone else? I mean Linux is leading the way in the server market. Google is leading in Search. And Mac seems to be developing more of the user-end stuff...

What does that leave for Bill?

 

Xbox... oh wait, Sony are ahead there too

 

And so I transform this thread:

Linux will take over in 5 years (unless mac does it first)

 

Amen

 

Don't count your chickens just yet, there's a lot of money for microsoft to fall back on - they could continue to buy out half of these technologies for many years to come.

 

But what if they really do ? What will happen ? If the good developers (the ones not working for MS) have balls, they will always fight against this monopolism of MS. Or if they have the money...
I mean, with the genious idea of making open source illegal MS, IBM and I-dunno-who-else nearly ****ed up the free market. MS sucks hard... but money rules the world. So they might leave the battle for users as winner, even no one wants them to win. Isn't that scary ?

 

Actually, because Microsoft is so big, they have to continuously grow, or else the whole thing will collapse. Ever wondered why MS is always trying to nose into markets that they have nothing to do with? It's because if they don't, they devour themselves... I can't remember who said it, but MS was once described as a monster like the blob that has to continue to grow to survive. Either it will devour everything and be happy, or it will die... and of course, if it devours everything it will still die.

 

I don't understand why anyone would want such a detailed search function on their desktop...

Can't find your documents? Isn't that what directories and filenames are for? I never have a problem finding my stuff on my computer. Then again, I guess I don't do things like put all my files in the root or one big honkin' directory, with names like, "money stuff.doc"

Nezuji

 

Micro$oft has always had desktop search functions. It's called indexing service. Yeah, you have to do a little scripting to make your own search page, but they give you a test applet to search the database! Check out Computer Management... Indexing service must be turned on, and it indexes files when you're not using the computer.

 

slaps you with a trout only for the mac comment

 

I'm just leaving the option available. We all know that macs are too expensive to ever gain serious ground though.

 

And Macs don't play many games.

 

Neither does linux... yet.

 

The arguement for both Mac and Linux gaming is that you can get emulators, but...well, they kill performance. The only issue is that Microsoft still co-signs tons of games, the Xbox is still huge, and Xbox 2 is supposed to be even bigger. Plus, I don't know what the exact stats are, but PocketPC is still huge, although I believe PalmOS is growing steadily yet. The ground Microsoft always has to fallback on are the 15 million pies it has its hands in...

But, when does the first mainstream desktop PC company switch to an extremely interfaced version of Linux? Wintergreen Systems and such have tried a few flavors, and Lindows, but Windows is still the *monopoly* (although I can't say that of course, because the lawsuit is over ).

Oh well, we can all wish, hope, and pray.