Microsoft and Google reach desktop search agreement

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Google, Microsoft

Microsoft and Google reach desktop search agreement

by Brad Linder Jun 20th 2007

The New York Times is reporting that Microsoft has agreed to make some changes to the desktop search feature included in Windows Vista.

Google had filed a complaint against Microsoft, claiming that Windows Vista's search feature was designed so that it wouldn't play nice with Google Desktop search. In a nutshell, Google was making a familiar complaint about Microsoft software: that it was anti-competitive.

At issue is the fact that users who run Google Desktop on Windows Vista might notice their computer behave slowly. This is because the two desktop search programs are both frequently scanning your computer for new and changed files to store in an index.

At this point, it's not clear exactly what changes Microsoft has agreed to make, but there will be changes. Oh yes, there will. We think.

Update: Winxperts reports that some of the changes will include:

Microsoft will create an option for users and PC makers to choose a default desktop search program.
The default desktop search program will be accessible form the Vist start menu and windows explorer boxes.
Microsoft will inform computer makers that its desktop search will run in the background, giving preference to all third party applications, including third party desktop search programs.
Microsoft will release information enabling other desktop search companies to optimize their programs to run on Windows Vista without degrading performance.

Tags: desktop search, DesktopSearch, google desktop, GoogleDesktop, search, vista, windows vista, WindowsVista

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Richard said 10:09AM on 6-20-2007

Well thanks Google, im not going to use your shitty desktop search, but thanks anyway, for your bitching.

Peter said 10:36AM on 6-20-2007

I generally like Google products but their Desktop search pales in comparison to Windows Desktop Search.

When I first saw GDS I thought it was fantastic, because I had no comparison. Then I tried WDS on XP, mostly just to search my email, and it is much, much better.

The interface is cleaner and the results are easier to understand. With Google, the difference between a desktop search and a web search is too subtle and it's easy to search the wrong area. Also GDS has a habit of returning emails that no longer exist in search results. That's not very helpful. WDS somehow seems faster too, but that might be my imagination, it's hard to do a direct comparison of that.

James said 11:26AM on 6-20-2007

Jesus, it's like 3 clicks to disable the Vista disk indexer entirely, but people feel like it's easy to pile on MS's "monopolistic" tendency to include components with the operating system that people might (gasp!) actually use.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- it's like Sony suing Ford for including a sound system in their Explorers, because that makes people less likely to buy a Sony sound system. And don't tell me that it's different because MS has such a big market share -- the car market is much more competitive but pretty much everybody includes at least a tape deck in all their vehicles. Likewise, most operating systems including some sort of search function; that doesn't mean that somebody else can't come along and do it better.

I expected better from Google, honestly.

Mark said 9:37PM on 6-20-2007

I sincerely hope that somebody goes after google for monopolizing internet search or something. This is complete bullshit. Thanks google - but I'll stick to windows built-in search. I really expected better than that.

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