Google Desktop Search: Still a Synonym for Desktop Searches

Under the name “Google Desktop,” Google Inc. released its world-famous web-based search program on October 14, 2004. The ability to quickly search one’s own computer via an intuitive interface identical to web search was intended to be a resounding success. However, over the years, Google’s interest in the search solution seemed to wane until Google Desktop Search was completely discontinued on September 14, 2011. Yet not only have the facts about Google Desktop Search stood the test of time. The term “Google Desktop Search” remains a synonym for desktop file search to this day.

Google Desktop Search: Still a Synonym for Desktop Searches

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Google Desktop Search in Times of Digitalization

Higher demands are naturally placed on today’s desktop search programs. The way data is handled has fundamentally changed. During the era of Google Desktop Search, the transition to digital media was in full swing, reaching its previous peak with the digitization of films. Accordingly, storage media with several terabytes of data volume are now quite affordable. This means that developers hardly have to make any compromises regarding the size of programs and files anymore. Extremely fast internet with high upload and download speeds has contributed to ever-growing data volumes. What is already difficult for private users to manage becomes a huge challenge for companies dealing with multiples of that data.

Additionally, many companies are increasingly relying on Virtual Desktop Infrastructures, or VDI. This not only saves hardware costs, but product updates can also be deployed simultaneously to all devices by system administrators. As a result, workflows are no longer disrupted to the extent they would have been a few years ago. The complete outsourcing of files to the cloud, i.e., storing and retrieving data on external servers, is also gaining popularity among companies as well as private users. In this regard, saving on hardware plays a major role, as it must be modernized or maintained at expensive regular intervals.

The Cloud and Security: A Double-Edged Sword

The aspect of security is considered one of the biggest obstacles as to why companies still frequently store their data locally. This justified fear of hacking attacks and industrial espionage causes many companies to hesitate. The Google Desktop Search was also rather risky in this regard. After all, all search queries were first transmitted globally before the user received their result. A quite risky process that is also implemented in Windows with Windows 10 and the search assistant Cortana. Considering that cybercrime has practically exploded in recent years, this poses serious decisions for many companies.

Today’s Desktop Search

Especially when a user places great importance on security, professional search solutions like Lookeen offer much safer applications, because with Lookeen your data stays with you. Both the index and your files remain stored locally on your computer. This means that your files are neither sent to Lookeen nor to any other external servers. Nevertheless, you enjoy all the advantages of a classic desktop search, and furthermore, the Lookeen desktop search has been expanded with features that define a modern search solution.