Copernic is intuitive, easy to use, and the latest version supports common
browser, e-mail, and document formats. Can search your browser history (which
creates privacy problems), favorites, and contacts, and builds a separate
database in the background as you work, adding new files to the database as you
save them on your hard disk. This dynamic indexing feature makes retrieving
files faster. There is a preview pane so you do not have to open a file to see
if it is what you are looking for. When installed, a toolbar appears on your
desktop where you can type keywords. Its “search as you type” feature begins
searching even before you finish typing the word. A drawback is that it only
supports the “alltheweb.com” web search within the application, which is not as
popular as Google or Yahoo! It runs on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, or XP and
Internet Explorer 5.0 or later. The file is 2.7MB and its index database does
not occupy too much space. You can download the software free.
Google Desktop 2.0 Beta
Google Desktop Search presents your desktop search results in your browser
the way Google displays web search results. Speed is one of its features, and
anyone familiar with Google will find it easy to operate. It supports all
browser, e-mail, and document formats. The latest version can search Contacts,
Tasks, Calendar, Notes, and Journal, even IM chat logs. Continuous updating of
database takes place when a file is changed. A nifty desktop feature called a
Sidebar shows if you have e-mail (including G-mail, an improvement on Version
1.0), weather and financial information, personalized news and RSS/Atom feeds.
Sidebar is intuitively customized and personalized. Its new feature, Quick
Find, launches applications that help you see search results as you type
without having to open a browser. A floating search box allows you to type
while working on other applications. Desktop Search is free,
feature-packed, small (1.3MB), runs only on Windows 2000 or XP, and can be
downloaded from the website.