I recently downloaded and installed the free Google Desktop Search
software to try it out and it has saved my life on more than one
occasion. While I am still figuring out all the nuances, my favorite
feature is the system-wide search which allows you to locate keywords
in virtually every nook and cranny of your computer, including e-mails,
document content, chat transcripts, etc.
For example, if I type “Austin” (my favorite city), Google Desktop Search yields a list of every instance of Austin on my computer. Great for the chronically unorganized like myself!
Download Desktop Search and it will automatically be set to start each time you boot your computer. To launch, simply hit Ctrl twice and a pop-up window will launch, asking for the keyword or phrase to search. Similarly, every time you search on www.google.com,
above the WWW results, you will first receive a notice of how many
instances that keyword/phrase was found on your local machine.
While this is my favorite feature, Lifehacker
explains that there are other capabilities and functionalities that I
have yet to explore. Let me know if you’ve used it and what other
features I should check out!