Toolbars, Desktop Search and Mac Users

Written by Courtney Heard


These days, it seems everyone is releasing a Toolbar and Desktop search, from Google and MSN to Search Engine Optimization companies and Internet Service Providers. As none of these are being released forrepparttar Mac platform, it has left many of us Mac users wondering why.

Contrary to popular opinion, most software today does release a Mac version. With Apple’s launch ofrepparttar 107524 iPod and iTunes music store, andrepparttar 107525 significant drop in computer prices, many people are switching torepparttar 107526 Mac platform. Mac users are onrepparttar 107527 rise and most software companies recognize this and are meetingrepparttar 107528 Apple community’s needs. So, why hasn’t Google, MSN, Yahoo! and allrepparttar 107529 other Toolbar pushers released a Mac version?

It’s really quite simple. Since about 1997, withrepparttar 107530 release of Apple’s Sherlock, we’ve had allrepparttar 107531 functions of these toolbars and desktop search programs built-in torepparttar 107532 operating system. Withrepparttar 107533 exception of a Google PageRank checker, everything you can do with your Toolbar or Desktop search of choice, you can do withrepparttar 107534 software that comes built-in on your Mac. And now there’s even a way to checkrepparttar 107535 PageRank of every site you visit with any browser in Mac OS X. I’d even go so far as to say us Mac users have it better. Shall we take a closer look?

Desktop Search software by Google offers 3 main features: searchrepparttar 107536 files on your hard drive, search through your email, and searchrepparttar 107537 web. All of these features have long been a part ofrepparttar 107538 Macintosh Operating System.

Searching throughrepparttar 107539 files on your hard drive has always been a snap for Apple users. The Finder is even named for it. In every finder window there is a quick search field (fig. 1) for a simple search of your hard drive. This search is a keyword search ofrepparttar 107540 names of every last file on your drive, including your web history or SiteCache (fig. 2). You will also notice there are mailboxes inrepparttar 107541 returned search results in Figure 2. This is just a name search though, so only mailboxes withrepparttar 107542 keyword you wish to find inrepparttar 107543 name will be returned as search results using this quick search.

With a swift keystroke combination [Apple + F] or a selection fromrepparttar 107544 File menu inrepparttar 107545 Finder, a search window opens up with seemingly limitless parameters (fig. 3). With this find function, you can search by name, content, date modified, date created, kind (i.e.. audio, video, text, etc), label, size, extension, whether or not it is a visible file, type, and creator (fig. 4). You can also search using a combination of these things by clickingrepparttar 107546 + button.

There are endless combinations of search criteria and locations. By usingrepparttar 107547 "Search in:" drop-down menu, you can search in any specified location. Your home folder, your music folder and your entire hard drive are a few examples. Finder search is powerful, easy, quick and has been able to out-search any Desktop search tool sincerepparttar 107548 90s.

The quick search has also been included in Apple's e-mail client, Mail. Search through messages and mailboxes for content, keywords, sender, recipient, subject and attachments. Asrepparttar 107549 owner of a web-based company, I receive more email than anyone would consider decent, so you can imagine how much use I get out of this particular function (fig. 5). It's absolutely invaluable.

So, what does that leave us with? Searchingrepparttar 107550 web. Enter Apple's magnificent Sherlock. Here's where I turn into a total nerd.

Sherlock, released forrepparttar 107551 first time in 1997, is Apple's way of organizingrepparttar 107552 web. Organized into channels, you can search many different services. Sherlock Channels include and are not even close to being limited to: • About.com • Best Site 1st • Looksmart • Lycos • Overture • Google web search • Google directory search • Google groups search • Google news search • Picture search - search for images onrepparttar 107553 web • Lycos Stock search - Search for a stock, it's symbol, it's last trade and news fromrepparttar 107554 company it represents. • Dictionary.com - Look up words in a dictionary or thesaurus. • Systran translation - translate anything into a dozen languages. • AppleCare - searchrepparttar 107555 AppleCare knowledge base for Mac tech support. • Movies! - This is my personal favorite. Powered by Moviefone, search for movies, their show times at theaters near you, a description ofrepparttar 107556 movie,repparttar 107557 movie poster and playrepparttar 107558 quicktime movie trailer, right there in Sherlock! See fig. 6. • Project Gutenberg e-text search - find electronic books. • Heise online - search tech news from heise online. • NASA's Astronomy Picture ofrepparttar 107559 Day - userepparttar 107560 APOD viewer to browse through NASA's latest pictures ofrepparttar 107561 day - some of these are absolutely breathtaking. • USGS Earthquake Hazards - this listsrepparttar 107562 latest seismic activity, no matter how small, from aroundrepparttar 107563 entire globe. Inrepparttar 107564 wake ofrepparttar 107565 Indian Ocean tsunamis, this one can be a little frightening. • Ebay - Search for items and track them. • Phonebook - search for phone numbers, addresses and get directions to every search result. • Japanese news from Mainichi Shimbun • Above California - search maps for campgrounds, ranger stations, lakes, trails and much more. • Wedlock - plan your wedding in Sherlock.

Fishing for phishers.

Written by dDawg


Netcraft goes fishing for phishers.

Netcraft has released an Internet Explorer plug-in that could help people avoid becoming victims of online fraud. The Internet security company heraldedrepparttar plug-in toolbar, which displays information aboutrepparttar 107523 Web sites a surfer is visiting, as a strong weapon against phishing attacks. The Netcraft Toolbar provides you with constantly updated information aboutrepparttar 107524 sites you visit as well as blocking dangerous sites,repparttar 107525 company, best known for providing statistics on what software Web sites are running, stated in a posting. "This information will help you make an informed choice aboutrepparttar 107526 integrity of those sites." The toolbar displays information aboutrepparttar 107527 popularity of a site,repparttar 107528 country in whichrepparttar 107529 site is hosted andrepparttar 107530 Internet address ofrepparttar 107531 site. It also indicates whether other toolbar users have flaggedrepparttar 107532 site as a possible phishing scam, which uses fake Web sites that look like they belong to a trusted provider, such as a bank, to fool people into handing over sensitive personal information.

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