September 08, 2004

100 GB text data needed to test a desktop search engine

Searching for files is the everyday need for most computer users. The most comfortable way is the indexed search as it allows not only to locate files within subseconds but also to find exact word combinations, sorted by relevance/significance, date and word order. Rich filtering options and easy preview turn the boring search process into a piece of cake.

One of the fastest desktop search engines diskMETA is available both as freeware and shareware.

PLEASE TEST: the DISKMETA text search softwrae is intended for extra large data volumes, UP TO 100 GIGABYTES. It can create up to 100 indexes, index up to ONE MILLION various files. The search time is never more than ONE SECOND.


Features and Performance
The 1.9 MB download is added into the Search section of the Start menu. DISKMETA Desktop Search can search files on local hard drives and in shared network folders. Before starting, you should instruct DISKMETA, which folders and file types should be indexed. The procedure is very easy and takes usually few minutes.

The file search works correctly with file types including Office document formats (DOC, XLS, RTF, TXT), HTML pages, CHM, PDF files, ZIP and RAR archives. The results panel on the right presents the hits in the usual format of web search engines - sorted by relevance, with search words highlighted bold, giving the path, file name, date and offering text reconstruction if you do not want
to launch the corresponding application.

September 08, 2004

Ukraine Weighs In On The Search Stakes

Another addition to my index of indexing programs: diskMETA, from <META> Inc. "the largest search engine provider in Ukraine and a leader in Cyrillic multilingual search engine morphology technologies".

A press release issued today says diskMETA is one of the fastest desktop search engines, and is available both as freeware and shareware. The program "is intended for extra large data volumes, UP TO 100 GIGABYTES. It can create up to 100 indexes, index up to ONE MILLION various files. The search time is never more than ONE SECOND". It works on all Windows platforms (98 or higher).

The file search works with Office document formats (DOC, XLS, RTF, TXT), HTML pages, CHM, PDF files, ZIP and RAR archives. There are three versions: Lite (free), Personal ($50) and Pro, which supports morphological English searches and Intranet wide searches ($100)

The search technology used in diskMETA, apparently, "has a long and glorious history. It is used for a decade in the nationwide biggest and most popular web search engine www.meta.ua, in a series of search tools for web-sites and CD-rooms installed in most governmental and financial national institutions" in the Ukraine.

My tupennies' worth? It's fast, intuitive and unfussy. You can also view the raw text in a special preview window, but it doesn't support preview in the same way that X1, dtSearch or the new Copernic Desktop Search do. That said, it's great to see a new player on the block, especially one so enthusiastic.