Mac Users Sound Off: New “Search” Is Good, Needed.

Bambi Brannan | Saturday, October 23, 2004 | Home » News and Comment »

I resepct Tera’s opinions. Over the long haul, she’s right much more than she’s wrong. Many Mac readers took issue with her conclusion regarding upcoming “search” capabilities in Mac OS X Tiger and Microsoft’s de-horned Longhorn (the next generation of Windows). Based on feedback and comments you’d have thought she said Macs suck. They don’t.

What started the flood of email, feedback, and comments was Tera’s article on “search.” Apple is highlighting new and improved file search capability in the next version of Mac OS X—Tiger. Microsoft is pushing similar features in Longhorn (due sometime in the next few years).

Even search Goliath Google is getting into the act (Windows only) with a new file indexing program designed to make finding information on your computer (not on Google’s computers) much easier.

Tera says it’ll be a nice feature to have, but it won’t matter because most people won’t use it. She used a lot more words to say that than me, but, then I’m blonde (more efficient with words), and she’s not (some kind of funky silver which must reflect her age).

So, the real test as to whether she’s on to something or Apple’s search feature in Tiger, Spotlight, is an organizational savior remains to be seen.

Frankly, I welcome anything that helps me find stuff on my Mac. I keep music in music, pictures in pictures, movies in movies, and everything else in documents. That’s where the mess is. That’s where I need the help.

What about readers? Oh, boy. If opinions mean much, you got some ‘splainin’ to do, Tera. Fully 75-percent of comments and feedback said Tera’s all wet (which explains the bad hair day when those photos were taken) and new search tools will rock.

For example, reader “mcmarks” had this thoughtful view:

“Several people have stated that Tera missed the point of searching. I think she got the point alright, but the premise of her argument that people’s behavior won’t change is, I believe, wrong. I used to avoid searching because it required me to open a new window which was a hassle..especially for that period of time that Sherlock was the only way to search your hard drive from Finder. Ever since they added the search function to the Finder window tool bar, I search for files I want even when I know where they are because I don’t have to click as much. So, am I a unique case? Maybe. Perhaps this is a good subject for a poll.”

See how thoughtful and pleasant that response was. No, we didn’t get any, “Tera, you ignorant slut.” Reader “koskinen” put another spin on search. Tera says it won’t matter because it won’t help Mac users organize any better, just help out. Read this:

“Spotlight technology is very import to all of us. Not only it finds everything out of anything. It can look into any document plazingly fast. For me the best thing is though that with Spotlight I can keep my documents organized in the smart folders. Spotlight makes the search automatically and places the document in to the smart folder. That is a huge help in my everyday work.”

It seems people are NOT looking for a tool to help them organize files. The Finder and folders pretty much do that now, I think. They’re really looking for something to help them find files regardless of where they may be. Mac reader “alectanner” nailed it on the head:

“I think you’ve totally missed the point. The point of Spotlight is not to help people organize their computers better. The point is that they don’t have to anymore. Regardless of whether things are tidy or a mess, they are easily found. I am totally stoked about Spotlight. I can’t wait.”

I’ve been totally stoked before, too, but I got some pills for it.

Tera had a few readers “get it” regarding her premise, but most simply looked forward to the next latest and greatest thing; like Tartuffe in the early days (only to be disappointed years later, of course). Reader “craignelson” summed it all up this way:

“I think spotlight is fantastic. it doesn’t try to change the way you organize your files, but rather organizes your files for you. throw them wherever, and spotlight will find them for you, in an instant. not to mention the smart folders option that will automatically organize things for you like smart playlists in itunes. i’m sure no one else will care, but i’m at least excited.”

That sounds like someone has actually used Spotlight in the developer release of Tiger, so he’s speaking from experience. Still, I will agree with Tera; not everyone will change habits. But I look forward to something that makes my bad habits easier on me.

What do you think? Should we run a poll on Search? What’s the point? Search (Spotlight) won’t be available until Tiger is released “sometime in the first half of 2005), and Windows users may not see their version for years after that.

In the meantime, I’m putting music in Music, pictures in Pictures, movies in Movies, and everything else in Documents.

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Classy Mac360 Photo Bambi Brannan | I work in public relations in San Francisco, California. I truly love Macs, my husband, both of my pet fish, high heels, dinner out, and chocolate. Not always in that order. Follow me on Twitter.