The first program I open every day is Firefox, and most days the first Web site I visit is Google. That's why I'm glad so many Firefox add-on developers have created tools that give me a new perspective on my Google search results. Here are three of my favorites.
Sharpen your searches with GoogleEnhancer
The primary reason I click Google's Advanced Search option is to limit the results to a specific date range. With NettiCat's GoogleEnhancer add-on I can narrow my searches by date as well as by file type and a handful of languages via drop-down menus that are placed to the right of the search box.
The GoogleEnhancer add-on for Firefox puts drop-down menus next to the text box that let you narrow your results by time, language, and file type.
(Credit: NettiCat)As nice as the search enhancements are, one of my favorite GoogleEnhancer features is the addition of icons to the left of the results for each link's site. The add-on also numbers the results, though these don't really add much to the results, in my opinion.
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Everything puts your entire Windows file system (NTFS) at your fingertips.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Let's be honest. There's a lot to like about Microsoft Windows, and there's a lot that doesn't measure up. Local search can be filed in the latter category.
Too long have we been forced to endure slow and painful Windows Explorer searches or install a resource hog like Google Desktop to make up for what Windows lacks. A simple program called Everything, from small software publisher voidtools, aims to change all that.
With a simple interface and blazing speed, Everything does mostly one thing, and it does it extremely well. It creates a near-instant index of your files and directory names, then provides near-real-time results for any search term. The installer weighs just 300K, and RAM usage is minimal.
It's important to note, however, that Everything only works on NTFS file systems, and resource usage will go up quite a bit with large (1 million+) numbers of files.
Everything is one of those little, free applications that simply make using a Windows PC easier. It reminds me (just a little) of Tiny Watcher, another free tool that monitors your PC for any file changes since your last restart.
What itty bitty Windows programs do you depend on? Tell me about it in the comments.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Just about everyone gets around the Web using one search engine or another, with most using Google or Yahoo as their preferred search sites. We've come a long way from when sites would display information and we would obediently follow their recommendations on the Web (think AOL). Now we'll think of something (a vacation destination, a person, a product, etc.) and enter it into a search engine to find out more. There have always been search sites, but I really think the concept of the term "Google it" is what transformed our Internet use into what it is today. With most people using a search engine as their home page these days, it's no wonder Google and other search engines are doing so well now.
Several browsers capitalized on search-engine use by adding a search box to the browser's interface. I use the search box in Safari all the time, but today I found a little application that makes Safari's search box even more convenient. ... Read more
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