Microsoft has no immediate plans to integrate new desktop search tools into its Windows operating system, according to an executive with the software maker.
Speaking on a conference panel at the Harvard Business School's 2005 Cyberposium event Saturday, Mark Kroese, general manager of information services for Microsoft's MSN portal, indicated that the software giant is watching its step with desktop search. Krouse said he believes the company could be perceived as trying to leverage its dominance in operating systems to knock out search rivals such as Google if it tried to bring desktop search to Windows.
In December 2004, MSN released a beta version of its desktop search technology, which allows people to search the contents of their hard drive, including Outlook e-mail, calendar items, contacts and documents saved in other Office applications. It also lets them navigate the Web with MSN's proprietary search technology from points within e-mail and within Windows.
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