Saving Google Deskbar—a call to action

[DarkShadows]

Please read this post and participate responsibly and within your own conscience. Thanks.

In case, you are unaware, Google used to support tool called the Google Deskbar which is quite different from the Google Desktop of today. I (and many others) believe Google Deskbar to be the best desktop search-engine interface tool one can install on a PC. If you download and try the Google Deskbar, you will find it a fairly quick and easy way to search the Internet, and without any performance or security drawbacks. Later, I will post some tips and tricks for Google Deskbar.

However, Google has essentially done away with Google Deskbar, in favor of Google Desktop Search. Google is essentially feeding off of Google Deskbar's popularity, to feed interest in Google Desktop. The thing is most people who use Google deskbar like it very much for what it is: fast and un-intrusive.

However, if you search around the web for articles on Google Desktop Search (now called Google Desktop) you will see all manner of security and performance concerns. In fact, here is a significant issue I posted in Google Groups.

I encourage you to try Google Deskbar and participate in the following grass roots movement.

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While you cannot get it from Google anymore, you can download Google Deskbar directly from PCWorld.com.

1. Install the Google Deskbar.
   
2. After installation, turn the Report Aggregate Usage Statistics check box in the Google Deskbar Options dialog. It is my hope that Google can tell how many people are actually using Google Deskbar versus how many are using Google Desktop. Driving up the usage statistics should help the cause.
   
3. Use the Google Deskbar, And I mean really use it! (It's a great tool so this shouldn't be hard). Every time you do an Internet search it must be from the Google Deskbar, this helps drives those statistics.
   
4. Once you have used it for a week, go to Options > About Google Deskbar > Email Suggestions, and send Google a well-thought-out, and spell-checked email message. In your own words, state everything you like about the Google Deskbar, and everything you do not like about Google Desktop. For now I would not suggest many changes to Google Deskbar, as that defeats the intended purpose. Google Deskbar's main strong point is that it is small, light-weight, works very fast, yet is a very powerful tool- we don't want it to grow big, fat and slow (like the Google Desktop). We want this as alight-weight alternative to the Google Desktop.
   NOTE: When you are done typing and spell-checking your email, copy all of the text to memory for step #5 below, before you send it.
   
5. If you have not already done so, it is also recommended to post your information from step #4 above in the Google Deskbar Group. You can quickly get to this group by clicking on the link located in Options > About Google Deskbar > Online discussion. If you are not registered with Google Groups, you will have to register (you can use you own email address to register). If you are willing to do all of this, create a new thread and paste the same information that you placed into your email. This will create discussion board traffic, and Google will be more likely to get the hint. You might also consider posting it to the Google Desktop group.
   
6. If you participate in other on-line technical forums, newsgroups, or discussion threads, or just know people who use a PC and Google search, discuss this issue openly with them and encourage them participate.
   
7. Share this information with anyone who has expressed a reasonable interest. Please respect people's junk email preferences, as we really need their help and participation. when sending this information along,
   Please do not forward this entire message on, as the email will eventually get ugly an unruly. People tend to get turned off by long multi-forwarded email threads with lots of angle brackets. Just copy and paste the text between the lines, paste it into your own email message, and type an intro to your friends.
   
8. Encourage the people you send this information to, to also follow these steps.
   

We need a grass-roots movement to drive up the usage statistics for Google Deskbar. And we need an email campaign. If everyone interested tells just just a few people, we will soon generate the statistics to help Google get the message.

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Edited March 24, 2006 by DarkShadows

[WolfX2]

you forgot the WL toolbar

[oioldman]

however now that all search engine companies have to submit all search results to the US Government, i think the number of people using them will slowly go down, as big brother is not my friend in all cases.

See link for info, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4821858.stm

[Nerwin]

I would not use google desktop and NO toolbars!

[DigeratiPrime]

I would not use google desktop and NO toolbars!

same

[jago_lfn]

only toolbar i use is statbar