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Is the Windows start menu dead?
Darwin:
Just to clarify - I was writing about Dennis Nazarenko's Vista Start Menu, rather than the new start menu built into Vista!
Josh:
Farr with locate32 is nice, however, I've found that the need to have two separate programs doesnt really justify resource usage
-Josh (September 23, 2007, 06:21 PM)
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Actually, those aren't 2 separate programs, i don't use locate, only its database updater, when i need to update the DB, and that's something that probably vista start menu also does (if it includes indexing).
-jgpaiva (September 23, 2007, 06:24 PM)
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Vista's start menu DOES have an indexer. Hence why you have "SearchIndexer.exe, SearchProtocolHost.exe, and SearchFilterHost.exe" running. These three applications make up the instant search capability that is possible in any explorer window, not just the Vista start menu. And as far as locate and farr goes, wouldnt farr need to launch locate32 in order for it to run? Wouldnt this slow things down for the sheer fact that it has to launch a program as opposed to using one which is already running? A better idea would be to tap into the Windows Search protocol and utilize databases that are already being indexed anyway. If locate could do what the Windows search indexer does, then I would use it. Right now, however, it only indexes on demand (via a scheduled update, or user-forced update) and does not integrate into explorer without having to first launch the application.
And yes, Vista's start menu is totally independent of WDS.
Armando:
Josh, when you say that Vista's start menu is totally independen of WDS, do you mean that it has its own indexer? (Sorry, I don't use vista...) [edit : removed the first useless part of the sentence)
BTW, i've never found XP's indexer reliable (Vista is obviously a different beast with its tight integration of Windows Desktop Search). So, in XP, at least, I find the Locate32-farr combination (+X1/Archivarius for deeper search) a pretty handy thing to have.
A year agp I’ve also tested Windows Desktop Search against X1, Copernic, YDS and Archivarius and it was definitely less accurate, slower and offered less features. It might have improved though (especially in Vista)! It’S been a year… Have you extensively compared Vista’s search capabilities (in terms of accuracy, speed, features…) to other solutions?
Josh:
Thats just it, you have to install WDS separately, it is not used by the Vista search feature. Vista expanded upon the already existent indexing service and provided a way for users to see direct results of what it can do. When I visited mouser, I suggested he tap into the API for the indexing service as it provides a large database of many attributes of files chosen to be indexed by the end user.
Armando:
Thanks for the clarifications, Josh!
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