10.14.2004

armchair quarterback :: google desktop search

i hate to say this, but i'm a bit terminally unimpressed by google desktop search. maybe it's because i use firefox, thunderbird, openoffice and gaim on the pc in my office [none of which the new utility plays nicely with]. then again, i'm not the average user. i don't think any of the really hardcore geek webloggers offering criticism necessarily are either.

j. average user however will probably go absolutley batshit over desktop search. it can be a useful tool for people who run inside a default install of windows xp. you know, the ones whose machines get owned because they don't keep up on patches and service packs. the people so riddled with malware they want to toss their machine out the window. i'd say "like my relatives" but i've migrated so many of them to firefox/thunderbird/openoffice/gaim that desktop search would mean fuck all to them. if mainstream media makes a fuss out of this utility i almost worry that some will switch back to outlook/explorer because "that stuff you installed doesn't work with that cool new program google put out".

so do i think it was shortsighted for google to not support the mozilla products right out of the gate? i do. hell, it feels like all this talk of a mozilla based google browser is just wishful thinking. why would they make a branded browser from open source code if they don't even have support for it in their newest program? i want so badly for the rumors to be right - but it seems as if they're married the idea of putting things out for the windows platform based on stuff that's already there. at this point i'm predicting that google will release a rebranded version of internet explorer 3-6 months down the road. i just hope they prove me wrong.

the right side of my brain would like to point out the new google logo that shows up on the desktop search pages. i like it. i like it a lot. are we going to be seeing a logo change in the future, or is this just for the desktop search utility? inquiring minds want to know.

[disclaimer: i'm one of those wacky mac users who thinks spotlight looks much nicer. so maybe i'm a bit biased.]

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