SearchMax

Desktop Search Vendors should be aware that Microsoft is intending to control the desktop search market by integrating Desktop Search with the Windows Vista operating system. The Microsoft desktop search in Vista can not be deleted or uninstalled. 

While this might not be bad for some home or casual users but enterprises that are standardizing on one of Microsoft’s competitors will have to manually stop the indexing on each desktop that is using VISTA and live with the integration that is in outlook and on the desktop by the start button.

At a recent trade show the Microsoft representative wondered why “any enterprise user would want to use anything but Microsoft Desktop Search” and that a great percentage of Microsoft’s support tickets are caused by 3rd party desktop search tools.

My fear is that once all of the desktop search vendors are not in the desktop search business anymore then Microsoft will stop upgrading their desktop search tool…just like the browser market a few years ago.

So if Windows Media player is unbundled in Europe why not unbundle the Microsoft Desktop Search tool or at least let it be uninstalled on Windows VISTA.

I am happy that Microsoft is finally serious about desktop search and search in general, but what took them so long and why not give customers a choice and let the market decide…. btw most desktop search products are free so what does Microsoft really have to lose….more on that later….can you say Google.