|
(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
|
|
|
