The software indexes content from over 300 different file types, including Microsoft Office applications, Adobe PDF, and assorted music and video formats.

Thomas Claburn, Editor at Large, Enterprise Mobility

September 27, 2005

1 Min Read

Yahoo Desktop Search has left beta. On Tuesday evening, Yahoo said it plans to make the finished version of its free desktop search software available.

The updated release includes a contextual word search function called LiveWords, which allows users to use selected text in applications like Microsoft Word as a search query. By clicking on the LiveWords button provided by the Yahoo software, users will be presented with a "search snack," which is to say search results based on highlighted text.

The software can index content from over 300 different file types, including Microsoft Office applications, Adobe PDF, and assorted music and video formats.

According to a company spokesperson, Yahoo does not disclosure how many people are using its search software. A number of other companies--including Ask Jeeves, Copernic, Google, and MSN--also offer desktop search applications.

About the Author(s)

Thomas Claburn

Editor at Large, Enterprise Mobility

Thomas Claburn has been writing about business and technology since 1996, for publications such as New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business. Before that, he worked in film and television, having earned a not particularly useful master's degree in film production. He wrote the original treatment for 3DO's Killing Time, a short story that appeared in On Spec, and the screenplay for an independent film called The Hanged Man, which he would later direct. He's the author of a science fiction novel, Reflecting Fires, and a sadly neglected blog, Lot 49. His iPhone game, Blocfall, is available through the iTunes App Store. His wife is a talented jazz singer; he does not sing, which is for the best.

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