Install Google Desktop 2

Google released the Google Desktop v2 beta in August 2005. The product has been applauded by both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Download it, and see what all the excitement is about!

Steps

 * 1)  Surf to http://desktop.google.com/ where the application can be downloaded in a file about 1/3 the size of a typical MP3 song (1.3 mb)
 * 2)  Click on "Agree and Download" to agree to the passable privacy policy and terms of use. Users concerned with privacy will want to set their preferences as described in steps 5 and 6 below. Save the folder on your desktop. [[Image:G-Desktop-install1.jpg]]
 * 3)  Run the installation.
 * 4)  Double click on the Google Desktop icon on the desktop icon of your computer.  You may need to restart your computer to complete installation  The Google desktop icon should look something like: [[Image:Google-Desktop-Icon-on-desktop.jpg]]
 * 5)  Set your initial preferences.  You can choose between the new default sidebar with news, email, stocks, and other information or the smaller floating deskbar or stationary deskbar. [[Image:Google-Desktop-3-Choices.jpg|thumb|]]
 * 6)  Decide whether to accept the privacy implications of the advanced features.  Depending on your preferences and selections you may need to decide whether to "Enable Advanced Features" such as Personalized Search and Page Rank display. Be aware that by accepting advanced features you allow Google to capture data on your web surfing habits.
 * 7)  After completing installation manually adjust your preferences by minimizing the sidebar into a deskbar and then clicking the down arrow and selecting Preferences.  Concerned users may want to uncheck default selections such as indexing secure page web history.  Other privacy and security minded options include specifying folders or websites not to index of an option to encrypt the entire index.
 * 8)  Enjoy the default features.  News, Web Clips (aka RSS feeds), Scratchpad, Weather, photo slideshows, email notification, and more. [[Image:Google-Desktop-4-Sample-Sidebar.jpg]]
 * 9)  Download plug-ins from 3rd party developers on the Preferences page.  Current offerings include a Desktop Search Plug-in for Firefox and a plug-in that allows you to control iTunes from the Google Desktop.  Undoubtedly more cool plug-ins will be developed over time. [[Image:Google-Desktop-5-Plugins.jpg|thumb|Some plug-in options]]

Tips

 * The Linux version is avalible at http://desktop.google.com/en/linux/ and the Mac OS X one at http://desktop.google.com/mac/index.html.

Warnings

 * Google desktop search has some serious and privacy and security implications you should consider before installing it. Anyone with access to your computer will be able to search everything you have done on your computer. For example they could easily do a search for "password" and find every time you used the word "password" in email, a file, or on the web.
 * Remember that GDS 2 is beta software, and that you cannot rollback to GDS 1 using the same index if you experience problems. A lot of users are experiencing strange errors and memory issues, so use your best judgement.

Things You'll Need

 * A computer with Windows, OS X or Linux.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Add RSS Feeds to Your Google Personalized Homepage
 * How to View the wikiHow Article of the Day from Your Gmail Account
 * How to Switch-from-Yahoo-Mail-to-Gmail
 * How to Set Up a Google Personalized Homepage

Sources and Citations

 * http://desktop.google.com/ - Google Desktop Home Page
 * http://desktop.google.com/plugins - Google Desktop Plug-ins Page