Google Desktop Search

Google's Desktop Search (linked from this article's title) offers the most comprehensive search that I've ever used. If you are trying to locate an article that you know you have used or seen, don't waste your time using the silly little Windows Search. Go immediately to this tool.

In addition to searching your documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Desktop Search will also check the Web pages you have visited and even your emails and chats, providing you with a Results list that is divided into categories. I can't tell you how many times this tool has saved me, particularly when I have the .pdf article but didn't remember to record the URL for my bibliography entry or when I have a quotation but can't remember the source.

Be warned, however, the Desktop Search is powerful because it indexes everything on your computer, and it keeps indexing constantly. Because of this--and particularly if you have an older or underpowered machine--you may notice times when your computer runs slower. That's probably when the application is recording the data from your computer. Indexing will begin immediately after installation, so you may need to take a stretch break while it does its thing the first time.

If you need stop indexing temporarily, you can use the Pause Indexing feature by right-clicking the Google Desktop icon which will appear in your System Tray (lower right side of Taskbar at the bottom of your screen). By the way, I turn off all of the Gadgets and the Sidebar from the same location by clicking NONE. I just want the Desktop Search, which can be accessed from that location, too, using the Search Desktop command.

When you use Search Desktop for the first time, you will be surprised by how easy the interface it--it looks just like a regular Google Search! The results, however, come only from your computer rather than from the web.

Incredible. I'd love to hear from you after you try this for the first time!