BGoogle has launched a Linux version of Google Desktop. The beta of Google Desktop for Linux -- the application, designed for indexing and finding data in PCs, as well as for searching the web – comes three years after the product's launch for the Windows operating system.
Google Desktop allows people to search the Web while also searching the full text of all the information on their PC, including Gmail and their Web search history. Since the index is stored locally on the computer, users can access Gmail and Web history while offline as well. The version can also find previous versions of files or recover those that have been accidentally deleted.
Presently, Google Desktop for Linux does not feature the Sidebar and Gadget features which are there in the Windows version. Gadgets are mini-applications that display things such as e-mail, weather data, photos and news on the desktop, while Sidebar is a vertical panel where the Gadgets can be organised.
According to company spokesperson, Google Desktop for Linux uses Google's own desktop search algorithms, instead of the existing Linux search applications such as Beagle.
Only computers with x86 processors can use the software. It supports the Debian 4.0, Fedora Core 6, Ubuntu 6.10, Novell Suse 10.1 and Red Flag 5 versions of Linux, and uses either the KDE or GNOME graphical user interfaces.
Although Google has released other projects as open-source software, where they can be freely modified and redistributed by anyone, Google Desktop for Linux is proprietary. The software was developed by the company's Beijing engineering team and is available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese.
Google also offers Linux versions of its Picasa photo-editing software, as well as Google Earth and Google Toolbar for Firefox.
Google has not given a release date for the final version of the software.
SOURCE:http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2156924.cms
Google Desktop allows people to search the Web while also searching the full text of all the information on their PC, including Gmail and their Web search history. Since the index is stored locally on the computer, users can access Gmail and Web history while offline as well. The version can also find previous versions of files or recover those that have been accidentally deleted.
Presently, Google Desktop for Linux does not feature the Sidebar and Gadget features which are there in the Windows version. Gadgets are mini-applications that display things such as e-mail, weather data, photos and news on the desktop, while Sidebar is a vertical panel where the Gadgets can be organised.
According to company spokesperson, Google Desktop for Linux uses Google's own desktop search algorithms, instead of the existing Linux search applications such as Beagle.
Only computers with x86 processors can use the software. It supports the Debian 4.0, Fedora Core 6, Ubuntu 6.10, Novell Suse 10.1 and Red Flag 5 versions of Linux, and uses either the KDE or GNOME graphical user interfaces.
Although Google has released other projects as open-source software, where they can be freely modified and redistributed by anyone, Google Desktop for Linux is proprietary. The software was developed by the company's Beijing engineering team and is available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese.
Google also offers Linux versions of its Picasa photo-editing software, as well as Google Earth and Google Toolbar for Firefox.
Google has not given a release date for the final version of the software.
SOURCE:http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2156924.cms
I think google's managers know that there'll be not profit at all, but this software is rather corporate advertising than useful tool. Does google really need extra advertising? Actually no, still they do.