Google Desktop Download (http://desktop.google.com/mac/)

I thought that's what Spotlight was for...

I'll pass on the Google version of Apple's Spotlight.

When I do service calls for PC's, the first thing I look for is this and uninstall it. "Wow, my computer is so much faster now".
You are welcome.

Spotlight can be hog as well, so who knows what this does?

Anything has to be better than Spotlight - I'll let you know. Indexing just now.

Anything has to be better than Spotlight - I'll let you know. Indexing just now.

How come you're not a fan?

It's just an awkward interface - lots of others online feel the same.

When you look at a simple interface like ...EasyFind in comparison you'll see.

It is good for indexed test and certainly for mail at times but I and others have never been thrilled - feels half assed.

Apparently Quicksilver is pretty good too.

Some love Spotlight - others not happy -me - yech not my cuppa.

This is a pretty good summation..of pros and cons. Matches my experiences.

Macworld: News: Opinion: A dim view of Spotlight (http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/11/15/spotlightanlaysis/index.php)

Missing Spotlight Icon.
I removed the Spotlight Icon from my Menu Bar on my eMac some time back because I couldn't stand the way it worked.

'nother one like me. ;)

Anything has to be better than Spotlight - I'll let you know. Indexing just now.

I'm still using "Inquisitor", Makes for a nice quick spellcheck too.

Dave :)

I find the PC version to be very frustrating. I find the search results to be inconsistent and it sometimes bogs down my machine. It doesn't do well with moved files, but it integrates really well with Outlook 2003.

But that's just the search. The other Google desktop components are useless to me. At least they're easily disabled.

I haven't used spotlight enough to experience the same kinds of issues and limitations as others. But if the Mac version of Google Desktop Search is anything like the PC version, I'll stick to Spotlight. Hopefully OSX 10.5 will bring some solid improvements.

A lot depends on how you work.

I have tried Quicksilver and Launchbar, and both are really well put together, and clearly they work well. but for me they do not help at all.

I feel Spotlight could do with more work, and I suspect we will see developments in Leopard.

In the meantime, I find it very effective. I use it to find Mail, Addresses and individual files. I find it especially useful for searching my thousands of reference files, past contracts etc., for particular pieces of info: I remember a phrase or sentence, or even a word, and Spotlight finds it very, very quickly.

I also use it to launch less used apps, such as SuperDuper, and action items such as Chronosync files - though I also use the Finder toolbar for those.

The link MacDoc provided leads to an article which I read when it was published, and it includes the phrase "And I also realize that a number of things on my list probably aren’t issues for many users. " I suspect I fit into this 'many', and so do a lot of people I know. still, I agree with the writer's belief that Spotlight is great technology and with development will be an even better tool.

I agree - it will be superb - needs work.

GoogleDesktop is "interesting - very quick - ( still indexing ) I wish I could not have it search emails. :(

Just what I need... yet another 3rd party (cr)app attempting to re-invent the wheel...

No thanks... I'd get rid of Spotlight if someone would tell me how (hint, hint MacDoc).. it has never done anything useful for me, YMMV

Spotlight - just uncheck all the boxes.
Your downside is you lose your mail search as well :rolleyes:

I just leave mail checked.

Spotlight - just uncheck all the boxes.
Your downside is you lose your mail search as well :rolleyes:

I just leave mail checked.
Damned icon is still there... Maybe just a measure of the lameness of my life, but I have never used it.. I seem to remember where I put stuff - maybe just there isn't a whole lot of 'stuff'.. :D

All that changes when I uncheck the boxes is Spotlight doesn't find anything.

I've edited the spotlight prefs to make it very quick. Deselecting the search fields that I don't need really speeds up the search. I use Spotlight as a launcher a lot of times when the program isn't in my dock.

Google Desktop is pretty nice. It's really fast once your files have been indexed. I find with Spotlight tweaked, it's about the same speed.. so, I'm sticking with Spotlight.. but, I'm sure others will find Google Desktop a nice change.

Damned icon is still there... Maybe just a measure of the lameness of my life, but I have never used it.. I seem to remember where I put stuff - maybe just there isn't a whole lot of 'stuff'.. :D

Most of us do. But, Spotlight is for getting at that information faster. It has to be something that fits into your workflow. Many people won't use Spotlight to its potential.

For instance.. if I'm looking for a particular Mp3 file, I know where it is on my HD, but, it takes me a LOAD of clicks to get there.

How about preference files? Navigate to ~/Library/Preferences/ and then hunt for the preferences for iTunes.

Command + Option + Spacebar - Enter a few characters on the keyboard.. and I'm there.

As an App launcher for things not in your dock - Command + Spacebar and a few letters from the App.

I know where things are on my hard drive, but as Vexel said, sometimes going through Spotlight is a lot faster than clicking seventeen times to get to the same place...

I just wish Finder properties were available from within Spotlight; having to right click "Reveal in Finder" seems an unnecessary step.

Still, I love Spotlight.

I'll have to give Google Desktop a shot. My PC at work has utilized it for years, and it has worked very well for me - Extremely fast and accurate results.

When Tiger was released, I had hoped Spotlight was as good or better than Google Desktop, but I've had limited success using it. Spotlight also seems to lag to retrieve results, much like the Microsoft Desktop Search that shipped with Office 2007.