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Desktop Search Engine Indexing Capabilities

(Last update: February 2, 2005)

The following table highlights the search capabilities claimed by some major players in desktop search engines (DSE). It is not a complete list of vendors nor an exhaustive list of their product capabilities. It is provided simply to illustrate the many types of desktop information that could potentially be exposed to unauthorized users if preventive steps have not been taken by a device "owner".

DSE:
Ask Jeeves
Desktop Search
Coveo
Desktop Search*
Google
Desktop Search
MSN
Desktop Search
My Yahoo! Search
( X1 Search)
Status
In Beta
Production Release
In Beta
Production Release
X1 Released; Yahoo beta now
Search Capabilities
-
-
-
-
-
Microsoft Office Files

> Word

content
content
content
content
content
> Excel
content
content
content
content
content
> Powerpoint
content
content
content
content
content
Text Files          

> Plain Text

content
content
content
content
content
> Rich Text
content
content
content
content
content
Email Files
> Outlook
messages only
messages, other?
messages only
Messages, attachments, contacts, tasks, appointments
Messages, attachments, contacts
> Outlook Express
No
?
messages only
Messages, Attachments
?
> Others
No
?
?
No
?
Other File Types          
> Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
Titles & meta data only
?
?
Titles & Content
?
> Applications
?
?
?
?
?
> Zipped Files
No
No
No
No
*
> Custom app files
?
?
?
?
?
Digital Media Files
> Audio
Title
Title
?
Title
Title
> Picture
Title
Title
?
Title
Title
> Video
Title
Title
?
Title
Title
Internet Chat
> AOL Messenger
?
?
content or title?
?
?
> Microsoft Messenger files (XML)
?
?
?
?
?
> Yahoo! Messenger
?
?
No
?
?
Browser
> Bookmarks
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
> History files
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
> Web pages
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
More Info About DSE
*
 
* Coveo sells corporate versions of the Copernic desktop search engine