Search Engine overlook

This article discusses features of some popular search engines that can boast their speed as well as a good set of functions. Yet showing off in advertisements is one thing, being able to withstand an expert’s detailed gaze is something totally different. Speaking of experts, there was a whole office of them ready to explore the software from the ground up. A set of programs (dtSearch Desktop, "Ищейка Проф Deluxe", Google Desktop Search, SearchInform, Copernic Desktop Search, ISYS Desktop) was installed on a test computer (Athlon 2,2 MHz; 1 Gbyte RAM, IDE-winchester Seagate, 160 Gbytes, 7200 cir./min.; Windows XP). A text database of 20Gbytes volume was created in formats doc, txt and html for testing. A group of people, including me, was involved in testing, comparing and sharing their subjective impressions on each software. My own impressions from the event follow.