Return To Programs Page      eClub One - Archive Articles List
 

We hope you enjoy the programs at eClub One

MICRO MONITOR

By Alan Salmon

Google Launches Desktop 2

Google Inc. has release Version 2 of its software for searching PC hard drives and the Internet. The free desktop search engine gives the program a new interface and adds tools that personalize the information delivered based on the user’s Web surfing habits. V2 is Google’s latest response against Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. as all three compete to expand their exposure PC desktops.

The latest Google offering includes several new enhancements. In addition to providing search results, it monitors the user's behavior and presents relevant information in a resizable and moveable vertical window called the Sidebar.

A new module aggregates e-mail messages from a variety of mail accounts, including Google's Gmail service or the user's Internet provider. Others modules show personalized news headlines, weather reports and stock prices.

Another module pulls Really Simple Syndication feeds from Web sites that have been visited and offer that service. Unlike other feed aggregators, the user need not take any action for a feed to be added. Even for a beginner the RSS feeds are very easy to pull in. They just show up in the Sidebar. Advanced users can go in and create custom feeds to suit their particular needs.

A photo module displays pictures from your PC. Plus it will also pull pictures from Web-based galleries that have been visited.

Although most of Google V 2 works off your desktop, some of the features, including personalized news, involve sending details of its users surfing habits back to Google. However Google has announced that no personal identifying data is transmitted and users can choose to opt out of this feature.

The program has several tools for finding information buried on local and network drives as well as the Internet. The Sidebar has its own search box and it adds a new toolbar to Microsoft's Outlook e-mail program for quick access to mail messages.

Once you have downloaded the free desktop search program Google has to index the data on your drive. This process takes place when the PC is not being used and can take several hours or more depending on how much data you have on your PC. Once the initial index is created, subsequent indexing takes place in real time so you can find as soon as it has been saved to the disk.

The Sidebar's search box also finds applications, which can be launched directly from the results list that appears as words are typed in. It works the same as the built-in search engine Microsoft Windows Vista, the next Windows operating system which will be released next year.

Security is always an issue these days and Google has been criticized in the past for making private information a bit too easy to find. In the new version the caching of secure Web sites has been disabled. The user, however, can turn it on if they want. Google also recommends against using the desktop search engines on computers in Internet cafes or in situations where many people share the same operating system account.

Other new features in Google Desktop 2 include the ability to encrypt — or scramble — the index to protect it from being read by unauthorized parties.

To download Google Desktop 2 go to www.desktop.google.com . The software works on computers running Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

I’ve been a big fan of Google desktop every since if was released in the fall of 2004. The features in the new release make a great program even better.

Alan Salmon, Managing Director of Alan Salmon & Associates Inc., is a leading authority on accounting software.  He is Vice-President, Canadian Operations of K2 Enterprises, a North American consulting firm providing technology training to accountants. In addition to his work with consultants, accountants, and software companies in both Canada and the US, he is the chairperson of the Microsoft Accounting Technology for the 21^st Century seminar series.  He can be reached by e-mail at asalmon@salmon.ca or by visiting www.salmon.ca.

Please note that this article refers to beta release software. Computer users must assume the entire risk of using the software. Good data processing procedure dictates that any beta software be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it.
 

Now that you have completed this program, you have these options

To do BOTH use the Critique E-mail first, then return and click on the Make-Up Request Form

The content of programs appearing on the eClub One Make-Up website are the opinions of the authors and may or may not be shared by members of Rotary eClub One. These programs are presented by Rotary eClub One for use by site visitors, just as any program that might be presented at a Rotary meeting anywhere in the world.

© 2007 eClub One District 5450
Solution Services Inc