HotBot is very compact and has unique features. It is a toolbar-based
desktop search tool and displays the search output in the browser’s left pane,
which displays the Favorite and History links. There is also a deskbar version,
but it is confusing since it is inconsistent with the toolbar. Besides,
configuration is text file based, takes time to learn and memorize, and is
therefore not user-friendly. Search results are automatically saved as HTML
files, resulting in security concerns. Works with Windows 95 and up. You can
download HotBot free.
MSN Toolbar Suite 2.0
Beta
MSN Toolbar Suite is similar to Google Desktop in look and feel and works well
with all Microsoft products. User-friendly, but quite limited; to search PDF
files, you need to download iFilter, a free add-in tool. Fast and efficient,
includes a PopUp Blocker, Auto Form Fill, and Highlighter that colors relevant
keywords in searched documents. Performs well in search accuracy; a Shortcut
keyword feature lets users associate a keyword with specific files. Works only
with Windows XP, Server 2003, or 2000 and needs Microsoft Internet Explorer
5.01 or later. Available free.
X-friend Beta 0.2.1
X-friend is a Java-based tool that functions as a desktop search engine. It
can search twenty different file types only, and is quite limited. Main feature
is its peer-to-peer (P2P) capability that allows computers with x-friend
installed to share data over the Internet, which means you can search and
download several files from other computers after logging on with a password.
The look and feel is user-friendly and very similar to Google and Yahoo! The
software file size varies from 6.9MB for computers with Windows to 9.2MB for
the generic version that runs on all Java supported systems like OS2 Warp,
Linux, Sun, and Mac. The beta version is downloadable at http://x-friend.de and
is free.
Yahoo! Desktop Search 1.1 Beta
This desktop search program combines many features found in the others. It
can search 300-plus file formats, including media files, and even obscure ones
like compressed files, database formats, and MS DOS. It has a preview pane and
can search zip files and display file contents in a tree structure. Intuitive
and guesses what you are looking for as you type. Searches can be saved,
similar to the Smartfolder feature of Spotlight and Blinkx. Indexing Yahoo!
Instant Messaging logs, address books, and e-mail is a cinch. It does not display
results in web browser format and has its own user interface. It cannot index
network drives and there is no dynamic indexing or web history search. Another
drawback is that it displays too much information. The software runs on Windows
2000 Service Pack 3+ or XP and can be downloaded free.