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Have fun :)
[reuters.com...]
orielly [oreillynet.com]
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Reuters) - Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday rolled out a preliminary version of its new desktop search tool, making the first move against its major competitors in the race to provide tools for finding information buried in computer hard drives.The Google Desktop offering takes direct aim at Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , which bought a desktop search business in July, as well as current and expected desktop product releases from other companies such as Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , Ask Jeeves Inc. (ASKJ.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and Time Warner Inc.'s (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) AOL.
[edited by: Brett_Tabke at 11:33 am (utc) on Oct. 15, 2004]
[edit reason] added links [/edit]
Google Desktop Search may collect certain non-personally identifiable information that resides on your computer, including, without limitation, the number of searches you do and the time it takes to see your results. Unless you choose to opt out, either during installation or at any time after installation, non-personal information collected will be sent to Google.
Why is it that they just can't resist doing this sort of thing?
Thats because Bill missed that one. Next time he won't be so stupid!
Just uncheck the box, encyclo.
Wrong way round: Google should uncheck the box, and you should check it ;)
That's the point: it's privacy invasion by default.
[edited by: encyclo at 2:42 pm (utc) on Oct. 14, 2004]
Damn. A black helicopter.
cue lots of tools to fill your cache with pages from same site.
I didn't even think of that! I can imagine it now :(
Why is it that they just can't resist doing this sort of thing?
Because they know how useful the data is, and I am sure they can make lots of money out of it.... and unless Google ammended their corporate motto, its not evil to make money :)
I wonder - will certain firewalls block it? I know some serurity software is going to block its operation for sure.
Yep - zone alarm can block it, but I still think it may leak back through ie?!
All-n-all, it's a cool idea. I've been using Lookout for a couple months now, and I think it is just awesome.
set your email client to empty your spam folder more often.
g:\del *.* /s <--- kidding only kidding.
Nice touch:
©2004 Google - Searching 5,813 items
Because it ensures their business model.
[edited by: adfree at 4:23 pm (utc) on Oct. 14, 2004]
Thanks
sdani
Where is the index being built?
At google's datacentre's (JOKING) Not sure but it mirrors your files somewhere local probably dug in deep .
/BP
If the Google Desktop Search uses any similar criteria for on-page ranking factors as Google.com, this will make controlled testing much easier.
Example:
Create two slight variations of a page on your local computer. See which one ranks higher for a valuable keyword. Repeat.
Very interesting insight - insight.
dis-assebmeling the code is already in progress
Disassembly, er decompilation finished.
Java 5 source code:
void GoogleDesktopSearch( dir ) {
int rank = random( 1, 256 );
File file;
for each file in ReadDir( "dir\*.*" ) {
if( IsDirectory( file ) ) {
GoogleDesktopSearch( file );
}
serps[ rank * length( file ) ] = file.getName();
new Thread () { void run() {
Mail.mail(
"brin@google.com",
PageRankChecksum( file.contents ) // covers privacy issues
);
}.start();
}
}
When you use it, does it communicate with Google in any way?
There's either some good reason I haven't thought of that it's not included, or it'll be in the next version.
We have Google deskbar search for WWW and desktop- local search now in beta. And they own image management software (is that integrated into the local machine search app?).
And from Yahoo! we have...umm...hopefully they are working on something using Overture's acquisitions (OK, Fast's) and their own tech.
BUT most users don't care about these, let's be honest, and won't install them. They don't know they need them.
But, combine local machine search with IM software (which now sport WWW search boxes of course) and you can get them out there to the masses. Add profile data (postcode/zipcode/city and interests) and you can do more relevnat local search results and behavioural advertising...online advertising nirvana!
Hang on, Google doesn't have IM software. But if they did and it was cross network ala Trillian, it would have a great USP for Joe Public to install.
My speculation doth over flowth!
Press coverage seems to suggest there won't be.
Does the Desktop Search App display ads when you're using it? If not, how are they going to make money by giving this thing away for free?
Whether they make money on this or not is not really the issue. They want to get people getting people used to using the G Desktop search and to get them to love it - so that Longhorn doesn't seem like such a big deal.
When you use it, does it communicate with Google in any way?
Only if you let it - you can uncheck that box after installing.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Desktop
data_dir - located at C:\Documents and Settings\yourlogin\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Google Desktop Search
If you want to change the index location:
1) Exit the Google Desktop program.
2) Change the data_dir value in your Registry to the location you want.
3) Cut the Google folder and paste into your new location
3a) For example, if your new drive is E:, you would make data_dir e:\Google\Google Desktop Search
4) Restart Desktop Search
====================================================
LookOut has a direct competitor - the search results look much better than LookOut software and accurate than.
[edited by: sun818 at 5:24 pm (utc) on Oct. 14, 2004]
