While Google says that Internet Explorer is required to use the new Google Desktop Search, intrepid developers have
released the Firefox Toolbar that extends the Desktop Search to the
Firefox browser on Windows and the Google Toolbar to Firefox on the Mac. This new toolbar allows one-click access to
Gmail and the ability to search your Gmail account.
Adding Google Desktop Search to the toolbar in Windows requires an easy
"hack" but it is one Google
themselves provide to add Google Desktop Search to their own Deskbar. I've hacked my Google Deskbar and it works
fine.
The Firefox Toolbar works with Firefox 0.9 and the PR1 release.
NOTE: This post has been updated. I originally indicated (incorrectly) that this toolbar enabled
Google Desktop Search on the Mac. As a reader pointed out in the comments to this post, Google Desktop Search requires
an .exe file that is currently only available for Windows 2000 and XP. Sorry for the error.
Google Desktop in Firefox
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. You may have hacked your Deskbar, but what is it, that actualy indexes the documents on the Mac? AFAIK, Google Desktop comes with a client which indexes your disk when the machine is idle. Now you say this works on a Mac? I am confused.
Stefan
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Stefan Seiz
3. Stefan: Sorry for the confusion. I incorrectly stated that this toolbar allowed Firefox on the Mac to use the new Desktop Search. The post has been corrected.
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant
4. If your default browser is firefox, Google Desktop Search works from Firefox anyways.
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Oz
7. I think the value in this toolbar is that It puts the ability to search allof your Google stores (Desktop, Web, Gmail) in one place. While you can do some or most of what this toolbar accomplishes without adding anything (as Brad points out above - even in Netscape), it's a welcome aggregation of functionality in a single bar
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant
8. Both Oz and Brad say above that Google Desktop search works. However, neither say whether it works on a Mac or not. I'm running the toolbar on a Mac and it does _not_ work. So, which is it, fellows?
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike
9. First of all, thank you Marc for telling people about the bar. Secondly the feedback here has been very helpful..please keep it coming.
Lastly, we just created an AdSense toolbar, and incorporated the Google Desktop search.
The left menu gives you links to your adsense account (reports, settings,...)
The engines include all of the Google engines.
http://www.firefoxtoolbar.com/adsense
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Pat
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Pat McDonald
10. I tired this, but I don't see how it's going to work on a mac since there's a windows executable that must run in the background for desktop search to be active. How did you manage this?
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Joshua Dickens
11. You may have hacked your Deskbar, but what is it, that actualy indexes the documents on the Mac? AFAIK, Google Desktop comes with a client which indexes your disk when the machine is idle. Now you say this works on a Mac? I am confused.
Stefan
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Stefan Seiz
12. Stefan: Sorry for the confusion. I incorrectly stated that this toolbar allowed Firefox on the Mac to use the new Desktop Search. The post has been corrected.
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant
13. If your default browser is firefox, Google Desktop Search works from Firefox anyways.
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Oz
16. I think the value in this toolbar is that It puts the ability to search allof your Google stores (Desktop, Web, Gmail) in one place. While you can do some or most of what this toolbar accomplishes without adding anything (as Brad points out above - even in Netscape), it's a welcome aggregation of functionality in a single bar
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant
17. Both Oz and Brad say above that Google Desktop search works. However, neither say whether it works on a Mac or not. I'm running the toolbar on a Mac and it does _not_ work. So, which is it, fellows?
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike
18. First of all, thank you Marc for telling people about the bar. Secondly the feedback here has been very helpful..please keep it coming.
Lastly, we just created an AdSense toolbar, and incorporated the Google Desktop search.
The left menu gives you links to your adsense account (reports, settings,...)
The engines include all of the Google engines.
http://www.firefoxtoolbar.com/adsense
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Pat
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Pat McDonald
1. I tired this, but I don't see how it's going to work on a mac since there's a windows executable that must run in the background for desktop search to be active. How did you manage this?
Posted at 4:43AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Joshua Dickens