Just caught wind of the new Google Desktop Search.

Its pretty useful because it brings new utility to a tool that I use every day - Google itself. I've tried various desktop search tools in the past, going all the way back to Altavista's shortlived desktop search, and most recently, the Copernic Desktop Search - but everything that preceded GDS required me to adopt and learn a new application whereas GDS simply says "Hey! Install this (and totally trust on the "your information isn't sent to Google" thing and we'll give you new features in your Google search."

So far it seems to work pretty well. I am suprised though at the decidedly Microsoft slant that Google took in its marketing.

Outlook / Outlook Express	Word
AOL Instant Messenger	Excel
Internet Explorer	PowerPoint
Text

After all, GDS isn't indexing Internet Explorer documents, its indexing HTML files on my local drive.

Oh wait. I get it.

Google figures that Microsoft is about to release their own desktop search and Google wanted to capture this mindshare first. Good call.

In the meantime, I do hope that GDS soon indexes Thunderbird and Eudora email in addition to allowing me to claim my weblog as "desktop space".

One can only hope ;)