AskJeeves Desktop Search Is Here
I'm installing the new AskJeeves Desktop Search as I write this (click to install), and here are some of the features from the site.

• Unique features (compared to Google and Microsoft) include the preview window, buttons to select indexing speed between "Gradual" and "Fast"
• Uses a dedicated program, not a web browser window (or MSN odd IE/Windows hybrid)
• Indexes Office documents, Outlook email, images (jpg, gif, png), music (mp3, wma, wav), video (mpg, wmv) and bookmarks and web history.
• Only indexes Outlook, not Outlook Express. MSN doesn't have a toolbar for Outlook Express, but at least it indexes it. Jeeves says OE support is forthcoming.

When choosing options for initial indexing, Jeeves invites me to "choose wisely". Good advice for anyone looking into desktop search.

UPDATE: Well, this is a waste of time. AskJeeves Desktop Search crashes when I try to run it. I'll keep trying, but if it doesn't work, not only can't I review it, but that means the program has issues. I know its beta, but Google and MSN work fine for everybody, so why not Jeeves?

UPDATE 2: You can read my later post, since I found a crude work-around for the problem. Also, I would like to note that I was contacted by an employee from AskJeeves, and he was very interested in any information I had to help fix the bug. I was very impressed with the quick and professional response, and I advised them to start a blog :-)
- posted by Nathan Weinberg @ 12/15/2004 03:18:00 PM