RSSMSN Launches Desktop Search Beta
By Ed Oswald | Published December 13, 2004, 1:53 PM
Microsoft has released a beta of MSN Toolbar Suite, which includes the company's long-awaited Desktop Search. According to Microsoft, the search functionality within the toolbar suite will help users search through documents, media files or e-mail messages on their PC.
The suite includes three toolbars, one for Microsoft Outlook, a toolbar for Windows and Internet Explorer, and the MSN Deskbar for the Windows taskbar. Deskbar includes the MSN Desktop Search, which indexes files on a computer during periods of inactivity.
With the recent announcement that Yahoo! would be joining the desktop search fray and last month's release of Google Desktop Search Beta, the pressure was on Microsoft to see how the company would respond. However, Microsoft was not going to rush a product to market, Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president for MSN Information Services, told reporters. MSN was intent on making sure that its contribution would set it apart from competing services.
To do that, the company has integrated the search functionality for the Toolbar Suite within current popular Microsoft programs, rather than utilize a Web interface like Google's Desktop Search. "By delivering fast, precise answers with familiar technology, Microsoft is taking desktop information discovery to a new level," Mehdi said. If need be, however, switching between Web and desktop searching is "just a click" away, according to Microsoft.
Despite Redmond's jubilation with MSN Toolbar Suite, Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox questioned whether the beta release met expectations.
"The new MSN desktop search utility feels like Microsoft cobbled together three disparate technologies, sort of a Swiss Army Knife, that don't function as smoothly as they could - or should," Wilcox said.
"I found that the three motifs really don't work well together. Microsoft has created too many unnecessary entry points to searching the desktop - and without fixing the search capabilities already existent in Windows XP and Outlook. My question: Why tack on something else, add more overhead to the system, when fixing the underlying structure would make more sense?"
MSN Toolbar Suite Beta can be downloaded via FileForum.
When Yusuf Mehdi said Microsoft was "not going to rush a product to market", it meant Microsoft was rushing to get a product to market. Before Google beat them to it they had announced they were planning to release a desktop search beta in 2005 or 2006 !
It is always about the money with those people.
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|what file types does this tool support ?
Amit
http://labnol.blogspot.com
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|I use Firefox and the website says that it is not supported. So that's one big disadvantage of Firefox :(
Anyway, Will Microsoft ever release a standalone version of the desktop search product ?
Amit @ Desktop Search Blog
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|Fire fox all the way!!
Microsoft who are they?? a bunch of money grabbing con men that can't even get there existing programs up to date. Blue screen of death keeps on coming to mind, not that i've had it ALOT!!
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|Joe Wilcox really should do some more homework before he asks why MSN isn't "fixing the underlying structure". What he is suggesting is a fundamental change to the Shell/Internet Explorer and to Outlook. MSN didn't make those changes because they are like almost any other ISV.
Yes, they work at the same company, but (and especially) thanks to judicial discisions, large parts of Microsoft operate independently of others. This also has the direct benefit of giving MSN much shorter product cycles when compared to Office or Windows.
MSN is a plug-in to Outlook for the same reasons that Lookout was a plug-in. The IE toolbar is a plug-in for the same reasons that Google and Yahoo are plug-ins. Lastly the shell integration is a deskband for the same reasons that Windows Media Player is a deskband.
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|I realy wish Microsoft, would focus on the operating system.
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|This suite is rediculous why add it to the programs
definete rush job
why didnt it get added to the file search/find dialogue instead? hmmm
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|Windows Xp already has a desktop search option on the tool bar.Just right click on the tool bar and you get several options.I think adding another search bar is pointless.
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