Copernic Desktop Search

CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 29 reviews
• See all user reviews

Product summary

CNET Editors' ChoiceOct 04

CNET editors' review

• Reviewed by: Jeff Bertolucci
• Edited by: Robert Vamosi
• Reviewed on: 10/11/2004
• Released on: 09/24/2004

Copernicus may have searched for truth in the heavens, but his 21st century namesake, Copernic Desktop Search, available as a free download, ferrets out facts in the digital world. This free utility from Copernic Technologies hunts down files and e-mail on local drives. It has some flaws--for one, it doesn't search the entire Web as competing product HotBot Desktop does--but it's fast and easy to navigate, and best of all, it won't cost you a dime.

Like its competitors, Copernic Desktop Search installs in less than five minutes and requires only 7.1MB of disk space. It uses a configuration wizard to lead you through the basics, such as which file and e-mail folders to index. Once setup is complete, Copernic creates a searchable index of your data, a speedy process that took roughly 15 minutes on our 10GB test drive, then updates the index every time you add or a remove files.

Copernic's interface is the best of the desktop search engines'. A left-side search column allows simple keyword queries or more refined sleuthing based on file size, date, type, or folder. A row of easy-to-read icons at the top of the screen allows you to limit searches by category: stored HTML pages, e-mail, pictures, videos, and so on. Like X1, Copernic is lightning quick, displaying search results as fast as you can type. We also liked the Copernic Deskbar, a search window that integrates with the Windows Taskbar and is handy for quick queries.

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User reviews

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 29 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars Write review

• Showing 3 of 29 user reviewsSee all 29 user reviews

• 2.0 stars

  9 out of 9 people found this review helpful

  "Misses too many files"

  by wetherby on May 31, 2005

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• 2.0 stars

  8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

  "Can't necessarily trust the results"

  by schnel on April 25, 2005

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• 3.5 stars

  8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

  "Fast but be AWARE"

  by Theo Van Broeck on April 22, 2005

  read more

• See all 29 user reviews Write review

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Where to buy Copernic Desktop Search

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