Google Desktop 5.8 improves the memory usage during startup, has a faster shutdown and detects the gadgets that slow down your computer. "To reduce memory usage, increase stability and reduce memory fragmentation, we reduced the number of different processes that Google Desktop runs, and we now recycle some of our processes frequently."
The blog post doesn't mention the biggest performance improvement: Google Desktop's main feature, indexing the files from your computer, is no longer enabled by default. In Windows Vista, Google uses the index created by Microsoft's desktop search service. If you want to enable Google Desktop's index, you need to select "Enable Enhanced Content Indexing" when you install the software or in the options page.
Enable additional features by using Google Desktop's index:
* Backup and view previous versions of your documents
* Search your web history, Gmail, and more
* View thumbnail previews of your images, videos, and web history
Google Desktop's wording makes you think that the "enhanced content indexing" is an advanced feature, when it should be the main feature of the software.
If you do enable desktop search, the initial indexing is much faster and the overall performance has been improved.
This might not be the best place to ask this question, but does Google Desktop's indexing service work even if I have the Vista index service turned off? Does Google Desktop's indexing service build on the Vista service or can it replace it?
ReplyDeleteIf so, does anyone know whether Google Desktop's indexing service is faster/more efficient than the Vista indexing service?
googles doesnt replace vista. it simple gets set as default search engine.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping the next Google Desktop release would tie iGoogle and Google Desktop closer together to make it useful again.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing, feels like dying software.
I want x64 version!
ReplyDeleteI would like to have the possibility to index Outlook Attachments. Now I have to save them to my local files so they can be indexed.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Desktop searches the file names of all email attachments. The contents of an attachment will only be indexed if you save it to your computer.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been better if google desktop might look like my iGoogle homepage(Or atleast an option to make so). That would combine unlimited features to Google desktop. And why are some of the gadgets only trial...While google is promoting cloud computing?
ReplyDelete64-bit support by end of 2008, please.
ReplyDeleteWe want x64 support. We want CHANGE.
ReplyDeleteI am having slow startup performance with Google Desktop 5.8 installed.
ReplyDeleteI am also having startup performance with Google Desktop 5.8
ReplyDeleteYes I want X64 support as well. Did anyone try the "GoogleDesktopSetup.exe /force" option yet? Google says "there are some limitations". I'm just curious to hear what these limitations are.
ReplyDeleteI've tried the "/force" option in x64 Vista...
ReplyDeleteThe limitation is the sidebar doesn't work 99.9% of the time.
In fact, I only had it work once.
The search still works though.. and that is awesome :)
My first try at Google Desktop - VERY disappointing. Yes, it's superfast on my desktop. But it also slows down inter net search, by 10 or 20 seconds! This is ridiculous, and makes the whole setup stupid. And yes, disabled show desktop results in internet search. It doesn't SHOW them, but it obviously searches my whole computer before it shows internet results! Retarded.
ReplyDeleteAll i wanted to do was find an email that was deleted a few months back. The index process is flawed.I put in the comand to only index email and re-indexed. Nada. I'm going to try a uninstall reinstall since nothing else seems to be working...
ReplyDeleteTesting Google Desktop - VERY disappointing, the settings are basic, very poor settings, the same as their elemental browser chrome.
ReplyDeleteI'am unable to get results, i want to index a few of folders but the software doesn't work as expected for me.
You obviously don't know how to configure it. it's an amazing tool. I use it to search in 1000's of technical pdf's for keywords and have fast results. When I search the net it doesnt use my google desktop at all, so don't know what you're talking about.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous", posting above on October 19, 2010 4:50 AM, is "obviously" "an amazing tool".
ReplyDeleteIf the Google Desktop works well for some people on some machines, that doesn't mean that other users reporting problems should be insulted.
The matter that you provide is worth our time and energy. mk802 iii review
ReplyDelete