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{{Infobox_Software
| name = Google Desktop
| logo = [[File:Google Desktop logo.png|Google Desktop's logo]]
| screenshot = [[File:GoogleSidebar Vista.png|The GDS Sidebar sits on the user's desktop and displays relevant information.]]
| caption = The GDS Sidebar sits on the user's desktop and displays relevant information. (Google Desktop on Microsoft Windows Vista)
| developer = [[Google]]
| latest_release_version = 5.9.1005.12335
| latest_release_date =
| operating_system = [[Cross-platform]]
| genre = [[Desktop search]]
| license = Proprietary
| website = [http://desktop.google.com desktop.google.com]
}}
'''Google Desktop''' is [[desktop search]] software made by [[Google]] for [[Mac OS X]], [[Linux]], and [[Microsoft Windows]]. The program allows text searches of a user's e-mails, computer files, music, photos, chats, Web pages viewed, and other "Google Gadgets".

==Features==
As of January 2008, Google Desktop features the following functionality:

===File indexing===
After initially installing Google Desktop, the software completes an indexing of all the files in the computer. After the initial indexing is completed, the software continues to index files as needed. Users can start searching for files immediately after installing the program. After performing searches, results can also be returned in an [[web browser|Internet browser]] on the Google Desktop Home Page much like the results for Google Web searches.

Google Desktop can index several different types of data, including [[Google Desktop#Email indexing|email]], web browsing history from [[Internet Explorer]] and [[Mozilla Firefox]], office documents in the [[OpenDocument]] and [[Microsoft Office]] formats, [[Instant messaging|instant messenger]] transcripts from [[AOL Instant Messenger|AOL]], [[Google Talk|Google]], [[MSN Instant Messenger|MSN]], [[Skype]], [[Tencent QQ]], and several multimedia file types. Additional file types can be indexed through the use of plug-ins.<ref name="officialsite">{{Cite web |title=All Indexing Plugins |accessdate=2007-10-22 |url=http://desktop.google.com/plugins/c/index/all.html?hl=en}}</ref> Google Desktop allows the user to control which types of data are indexed by the program.

Google Desktop only indexes 100,000 files per drive during the initial indexing period. If users have more than 100,000 files in a particular drive, Google Desktop won't index all of them during this initial period. However, Google Desktop adds files to the index during real-time indexing when users move or open them.<ref>[http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=13754 I can't find : Files – Desktop for Windows Help] – Google</ref>

===Sidebar===
[[File:Google-Gadgets-Screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Screenshot of gadgets]]
A prominent feature of Google Desktop is the [[Sidebar (computing)|Sidebar]], which holds several common Gadgets and resides off to one side of the desktop. The Sidebar is available with the Microsoft Windows and Linux versions of Google Desktop. The Sidebar comes pre-installed with the following gadgets:
* '''Email''' – a panel which lets one view one's [[Gmail]] messages.
* '''Scratch Pad''' – here one can store [[Notetaking|notes]]; they are saved automatically
* '''Photos''' – displays a slideshow of [[Photograph|photos]] from the "My Pictures" folder (address can be changed)
* '''News''' – shows the latest headlines from [[Google News]], and how long ago they were written. The News panel is personalized depending on the type of news you read.
* '''Weather''' – shows the current weather for a location specified by the user.
* '''Web Clips''' – shows updated content from [[RSS]] and [[Atom (standard)|Atom]] web feeds.
* '''Google Talk''' – If [[Google Talk]] is installed, double clicking the window title will dock it to one's sidebar.

Like the Windows Taskbar, the Google Desktop sidebar can be set to Auto-Hide mode, where it will only appear once the user moves the mouse cursor towards the side where it resides. If not on auto-hide, by default the sidebar will always take up about 1/6 – 1/9 of the screen (depending on the screen resolution), and other windows are forced to resize. However, the sidebar can be resized to take less space, and users can disable the "always on top" feature in the options. With the auto-hide feature on, the sidebar temporarily overlaps maximized [[Window (computing)|windows]].

Another feature that comes with the Sidebar is alerts. When the Sidebar is minimized, new e-mail and news can be displayed on a pop-up window above the Windows Taskbar.

===Quick Find===
[[File:Googledesktopquickfindbox200906.png|thumb|right|200px|Quick find box]]
When searching in the sidebar, deskbar or floating deskbar, Google Desktop displays a "Quick Find" [[Window (computing)|window]]. This window is filled with 6 (by default) of the most relevant results from the user's computer. These results update as the user types, and allows use without having to open another browser window.

===Deskbars===
Deskbars are boxes which enable searching directly from the [[desktop metaphor|desktop]]. Web results will open in a browser window, and selected computer results will be displayed in the "Quick Find" box (see above). A Deskbar can either be a fixed deskbar, which sits in the Windows Taskbar, or a Floating Deskbar, which may be positioned anywhere on the desktop.

===Email indexing===
Google Desktop includes plugins that allow indexing and searching the contents of local [[Microsoft Outlook]], [[IBM Lotus Notes]], and [[Mozilla Thunderbird]] email databases, outside of the client applications' built-in search functions. For Lotus Notes, only local databases are indexed for searching. Google Desktop's email indexing feature is also integrated with Google's web-based email service, [[Gmail]]; it can index and search the email messages in Gmail accounts.

===Gadgets & plug-ins===
{{main|Google Gadgets}}

Desktop gadgets are interactive mini-applications that can be placed anywhere on the user's desktop – or docked in the Sidebar – to show new email, weather, photos, and personalized news. Google offers a gallery of pre-built gadgets for download on the official website. For developers, Google offers an [[Software development kit|SDK]] and an official blog for anyone who wants to write gadgets or plug-ins for Google Desktop. An automated system creates a developer hierarchy called the "Google Desktop Hall of Fame", where programmers can advance based on their gadgets' number and popularity.

The SDK also allows third-party applications to make use of the search facilities provided by Google Desktop Search. For example, the file manager [[Directory Opus]] offers integrated Google Desktop Search support.

===Results List: Title Meta-Data===
Even though other desktop search programs can search files meta data, Google Desktop (for Windows, not Linux) is the only one that uses the "title" tag for its results lists. Other programs use the file names for their results lists.
The use of the "title" tag gives a significantly better user experience, since metadata titles (when present) are written in ordinary language, while file names are less communicative.
When the title meta data is missing from a file, Google Desktop reverts back to use its filename.

== Release history ==
== Release history ==
[[File:Desktop scrshotmac.jpg|150px|thumb|Google Desktop running on [[Mac OS X]].]]
[[File:Desktop scrshotmac.jpg|150px|thumb|Google Desktop running on [[Mac OS X]].]]
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*Google Desktop 5 Beta was released on March 6, 2007.
*Google Desktop 5 Beta was released on March 6, 2007.
* Google Desktop v5.1 (the first post-Desktop 5 Beta release) is made available for download on 27 April 2007.<ref name="GD_relnotes">{{Cite web |title=Latest Updates for Google Desktop |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=58591&ctx=sibling}}</ref>
* Google Desktop v 5.1 (the first post-Desktop 5 Beta release) is made available for download on April 27, 2007.<ref name="GD_relnotes">{{Cite web |title=Latest Updates for Google Desktop |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=58591&ctx=sibling}}</ref>
* Google released Desktop v5.5 on 2 October 2007.<ref name="GD_relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.5 was released on October 2, 2007.<ref name="GD_relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.7 as of 22 August 2008 <ref name="GD relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.7 as of August 22, 2008.<ref name="GD relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.8.0809.23506 as of 30 January 2009 <ref name="GD relnotes" />.
* Google Desktop v 5.8.0809.23506 as of January 30, 2009.<ref name="GD relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0906.04286 as of 8 July 2009 <ref name="GD relnotes" />.
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0906.04286 as of July 8, 2009.<ref name="GD relnotes" />
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0909.02235 added support for the Private Browsing features of Firefox 3 and Internet Explorer 8.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?&answer=147833 |title=Indexing issues: Private Browsing Mode in IE8 or Firefox 3.5 Beta |accessdate={{date|2010-07-30}} |publisher=Google}}</ref>
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0909.30391 has been released but not documented on the Google site yet.
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0909.30391 has been released but not documented on the Google site yet.
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0911.03589 has been released
* Google Desktop v 5.9.0911.03589 has been released.
* Google Desktop v 5.9.1005.12335 released on May 26th, 2010
* Google Desktop v 5.9.1005.12335 released on May 26th, 2010.


;Mac
;Mac
*On [[April 2007]], Google released Desktop 1.0 for Mac OS X, which can function alongside the [[Spotlight (software)|Spotlight]] search tool in [[Mac OS X v10.4]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-04-04 |url=http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2007/04/google-desktop-for-mac_04.html |title=Google Desktop for Mac |author=[[Mike Pinkerton]] |work=Official Google Mac Blog |accessdate=2007-04-19}}</ref>
*On [[April 2007]], Google released Desktop 1.0 for Mac OS X, which can function alongside the [[Spotlight (software)|Spotlight]] search tool in [[Mac OS X v10.4]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-04-04 |url=http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2007/04/google-desktop-for-mac_04.html |title=Google Desktop for Mac |author=[[Mike Pinkerton]] |work=Official Google Mac Blog |accessdate=2007-04-19}}</ref>
*On November 29, 2007, Google released Desktop v1.4.0.826 beta for Mac OS X<ref>{{cite web |date=November 28, 2007 |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/mac/bin/answer.py?answer=64429&topic=11286#current |title= "Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes?" – "Current Version" |author=[[Google]] |work=Desktop for Mac Help Center |accessdate=2007-11-29}}</ref>, which plugs into [[Dashboard (software)|Dashboard]] for Gadgets support.
*On November 29, 2007, Google released Desktop v1.4.0.826 beta for Mac OS X,<ref>{{cite web |date=November 28, 2007 |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/mac/bin/answer.py?answer=64429&topic=11286#current |title= "Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes?" – "Current Version" |author=[[Google]] |work=Desktop for Mac Help Center |accessdate=2007-11-29}}</ref> which plugs into [[Dashboard (software)|Dashboard]] for Gadgets support.
*Version 1.6 of the Mac version of Google Desktop does not function under Snow Leopard. As of May 27, 2010, Google is yet to release an update for Snow Leopard support.
*Version 1.6 of the Mac version of Google Desktop does not function under Snow Leopard. As of May 27, 2010, Google is yet to release an update for Snow Leopard support.


;Linux
;Linux
*Google released Desktop 1.0 for Linux on June 27, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google Desktop for Linux |url=http://desktop.google.com/linux/download.html |author=[[Google]] |date=2007-06-27 |work=Google Desktop for Linux |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> It currently features the basic functionality of the Windows version but not the sidebar functionality.
*Google released Desktop 1.0 for Linux on June 27, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google Desktop for Linux |url=http://desktop.google.com/linux/download.html |author=[[Google]] |date=2007-06-27 |work=Google Desktop for Linux |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> It currently features the basic functionality of the Windows version but not the sidebar functionality.
*Google added [[64-bit]] support to the Google Desktop for Linux with version 1.1.1.0075, which was made available for download on 18 December 2007.<ref name="GD_LinuxRelnotes">{{Cite web |title=Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes? |publisher=Google Inc. |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/linux/bin/answer.py?answer=72747&topic=11377}}</ref>
*Google added [[64-bit]] support to the Google Desktop for Linux with version 1.1.1.0075, which was made available for download on December 18, 2007.<ref name="GD_LinuxRelnotes">{{Cite web |title=Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes? |publisher=Google Inc. |url=http://desktop.google.com/support/linux/bin/answer.py?answer=72747&topic=11377}}</ref>
*Google Desktop for Linux version 1.2.0.0088 was released on April 11, 2008.<ref name="GD_LinuxRelnotes" />

==Criticisms==
=== Feedback ===
On March 29, 2010 Google closed the Google group Google Desktop for Windows Help for "low activity" and directed users to a routine "Help Center".<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/google-desktop_how-do-i/browse_thread/thread/6a67c9532fe250b2]</ref>
=== Security ===
In February 2007, Yair Amit, of [[Watchfire]], found a series of vulnerabilities<ref>[http://www.owasp.org/images/a/a1/OWASP_IL_7_Overtaking_Google_Desktop.pdf Overtaking Google Desktop (alternative link)]</ref> in Google Desktop that could allow a malicious individual to achieve not only remote, persistent access to sensitive data, but in some cases full system control as well. The significant impact and the ease of exploitation forced Google to change some of Google Desktop's logic in Google Desktop version 5.

=== Privacy ===
{{seealso|Criticism of Google#Privacy}}
Many [[privacy]] and [[civil liberties]] groups such as the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] (EFF) have concerns that personal information on people's computers could readily be copied from users' [[hard drive]]s.<ref name=EFF/>

Google Desktop version 3 contains certain features that raise serious security and privacy concerns. Specifically, the ''share across computers'' feature that introduces the ability to search content from desktop to desktop greatly increases the risk to users' privacy. If Google Desktop V.3 is set to allow ''Search Across Computers'', files on an indexed computer are copied to Google's servers. The potential for information stored on their computers to be accessed by others if they enable this feature of Google Desktop v. 3 on their computers should be seriously considered. The EFF advises against using this feature.<ref name=EFF>[http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2006/02/09 Press Releases: February, 2006 | Electronic Frontier Foundation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Also, those who have confidential data on their work or home computers should not enable this feature. There are privacy laws and company policies that could be violated through the installation of this feature, specifically, [[SB 1386]], [[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act|HIPAA]], [[FERPA]], [[GLBA]] and [[Sarbanes-Oxley]].<ref>[http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044246,39311126,00.htm More worries about Google Desktop 3 – Internet – News – ZDNet Asia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Other more far reaching concerns arise around the packaging and end user license agreement – specifically the level of intrusion on the local machine and the disclaimers that users implicitly agree to future changes in the license agreement without actually being able to see them immediately.<ref>http://rixstep.com/2/20070621,00.shtml Google Desktop Tracked: Terms of Service (Welcome to Google)</ref><ref>http://rixstep.com/2/20070621,05.shtml Google Desktop Tracked: The Aftermath</ref>

=== Private navigation indexing ===
In 2009, Internet Explorer and Firefox both introduced private browsing; however, this feature is not yet supported by Google Desktop, which results in indexing pages visited in the browser's private mode.<ref>http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=147833</ref>

=== Resource use ===
Although there have been known problems with the GoogleDesktopCrawl.exe process,<ref>[http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=12661&topic=215 Google Desktop is using up 100% of my CPU. What can I do?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> lately the presence of smart indexing has improved the use of resources so this is less of a problem now.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}} As a default setting, after the user installs the application, files, emails and other data will be indexed at once, in a one-time process. It occurs only when the user's computer is idle for more than 30 seconds and it will usually be complete in several hours. After the one-time indexing, the index is kept up-to-date based on user actions and preferences.

=== Internationalization/Keyboard ===
Besides the key combination advertised on the preferences page (hitting Ctrl twice) Google Desktop's Quick Search Box can be launched with a [[shortcut]] ''Alt Gr + g'', [[Alt Gr]], however, is the [[dead key|standard key]] to input [[diacritic]]ized letters on a [[QWERTY keyboard]], e.g. [[Ģ|Ģ/ģ]] in the [[Latvian language]]. Even though it can't be disabled on the preferences page, it can be done through editing the [[Windows Registry]].<ref>[http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=37219 What shortcut keys are available with Google Desktop?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

=== Outlook indexing ===
There had been some issues with [[Microsoft Outlook]] indexing.<ref>[http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=11602 Outlook Index and Search<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Deleted email listings were not removed and required re-installing Google Desktop for any new archived mail to be listed. Several versions have been released to patch the Outlook indexing.<ref>[http://desktop.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=known_issues.cs Latest Known Issues for Google Desktop]</ref>
During the first half of 2009, a large number of Google Desktop users reported that the product stopped indexing suddenly, when the index file reached approximately 4GB in size. A full uninstall (including manually deleting the indexes) and then reinstall would fix the problem temporarily, but the problem would recur when the index file reached 4GB again. The problem has been resolved as of Google Desktop Search version 5.9.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Desktop_Something-Broken/t/806074cca88094f6?hl=en Google Desktop support thread]</ref> Currently, Google Desktop does not index email or contacts in Outlook 2010 Beta. <ref>[http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/outlookacct/thread/0c71ea0b-a5e2-484e-b3c9-c279ab589353]</ref>

==See also==
{{wikinews|Google creates new desktop software}}
*[[Desktop search]]
*[[List of search engines#Desktop search engines|List of desktop search engines]]
*[[List of Google services and tools]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://desktop.google.com/ Google Desktop]

{{Google Inc.}}
{{Widget engine}}

{{Navigationbox Desktopsearch}}

[[Category:Desktop search engines]]
[[Category:Google services|Desktop]]
[[Category:Mac OS X software]]
[[Category:Windows software]]
[[Category:Freeware]]

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Revision as of 19:17, 30 July 2010

Release history

Google Desktop running on Mac OS X.
Google Desktop running on Red Hat Linux.

Google Desktop was originally developed to bring Google search technology to the desktop. Google Desktop received much attention because it may allow reverse engineering of Google's proprietary search algorithm.

A centrally administered version[1], which integrates the user experience with the vendor's appliance, exists too.

Microsoft Windows
  • The first release of Google Desktop Search was released as a beta version on October 14, 2004.[2]
  • Version 2 was released as a beta version on August 22, 2005. The new feature that distinguishes Desktop 2 from Desktop is the addition of Sidebar, a panel that displays personalized information, which can be placed on either side of the Windows desktop and can display real-time news, e-mail, photos, stocks, and weather, among others. Sidebar includes a search box that can search just the PC or Google's other search types (like Web, Images, News, Groups.) Google Desktop 2 graduated from beta on November 3, 2005. New features include a sidebar plug-in for Google Maps and more plug-in developer support.[3]
  • Google Desktop 3 Beta was released on February 9, 2006. It includes support for searching multiple computers on a network.[4] Google Desktop 3 graduated from beta on March 14, 2006. Notable in this version is the quick search box, which appears anywhere on your desktop after pressing "control" twice.[5]
  • Google Desktop 4 Beta was released on May 10, 2006. It features Google Gadgets, modules that can deliver an array of information. It also introduces option to automatically remove deleted files from search results.[6] Google Desktop 4 graduated from beta on June 27, 2006.
  • Google Desktop v4.5 was released on November 14, 2006, adding a transparency aesthetic to the sidebar and "floating" gadgets. The graphic interface of the sidebar was also enhanced with more stylized icons for news, stocks, weather, photos, etc. Release 4.5 also added support for Windows Vista.
  • Google Desktop 5 Beta was released on March 6, 2007.
  • Google Desktop v 5.1 (the first post-Desktop 5 Beta release) is made available for download on April 27, 2007.[7]
  • Google Desktop v 5.5 was released on October 2, 2007.[7]
  • Google Desktop v 5.7 as of August 22, 2008.[8]
  • Google Desktop v 5.8.0809.23506 as of January 30, 2009.[8]
  • Google Desktop v 5.9.0906.04286 as of July 8, 2009.[8]
  • Google Desktop v 5.9.0909.02235 added support for the Private Browsing features of Firefox 3 and Internet Explorer 8.[9]
  • Google Desktop v 5.9.0909.30391 has been released but not documented on the Google site yet.
  • Google Desktop v 5.9.0911.03589 has been released.
  • Google Desktop v 5.9.1005.12335 released on May 26th, 2010.
Mac
  • On April 2007, Google released Desktop 1.0 for Mac OS X, which can function alongside the Spotlight search tool in Mac OS X v10.4.[10]
  • On November 29, 2007, Google released Desktop v1.4.0.826 beta for Mac OS X,[11] which plugs into Dashboard for Gadgets support.
  • Version 1.6 of the Mac version of Google Desktop does not function under Snow Leopard. As of May 27, 2010, Google is yet to release an update for Snow Leopard support.
Linux
  • Google released Desktop 1.0 for Linux on June 27, 2007.[12] It currently features the basic functionality of the Windows version but not the sidebar functionality.
  • Google added 64-bit support to the Google Desktop for Linux with version 1.1.1.0075, which was made available for download on December 18, 2007.[13]
  • Google Desktop for Linux version 1.2.0.0088 was released on April 11, 2008.[13]
  1. ^ Enterprise Edition Features
  2. ^ Google Press Center: Press Release
  3. ^ Official Google Blog: Desktop grows up
  4. ^ Official Google Blog: New on your Desktop
  5. ^ Official Google Blog: Stay in Ctrl Ctrl
  6. ^ Official Google Blog: Yes, we are still all about search
  7. ^ a b "Latest Updates for Google Desktop".
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference GD relnotes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Indexing issues: Private Browsing Mode in IE8 or Firefox 3.5 Beta". Google. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  10. ^ Mike Pinkerton (2007-04-04). "Google Desktop for Mac". Official Google Mac Blog. Retrieved 2007-04-19.
  11. ^ Google (November 28, 2007). ""Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes?" – "Current Version"". Desktop for Mac Help Center. Retrieved 2007-11-29. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ Google (2007-06-27). "Google Desktop for Linux". Google Desktop for Linux. Retrieved 2007-07-27. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ a b "Where can I obtain a list of known issues or release notes?". Google Inc.
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