Searching in Windows is a bit of a mess. To be fair, though, it’s less messy than it used to be: until earlier this year, the Start menu’s search functionality was mixed into the Cortana voice assistant. The May 2019 Update split Cortana and search into separate functions, which made things clearer, and means those who prefer not to use Cortana can disable her entirely without forfeiting search capabilities.
Improvements have been a long time coming, though. As far back as 1991, Microsoft was working on a smarter file system that would extensively index both the metadata and content of every file, making it quick and easy for users to find whatever they wanted with just a few keystrokes. By the early 2000s, this idea had evolved into a project called WinFS (short for “Windows Future Storage”). This was to have been part of Longhorn, the nascent operating system that became Vista – but, sadly, WinFS never saw the light of day.
Its abandonment may have had something to do with Apple. In 2004, several of the Longhorn team attended the AppleWorldwide Developers Conference, where Steve Jobs unveiledMac OS X 10.4 Tiger, featuring Spotlight – a fast, systemwide search tool that seemed to do everythingWinFSwas designed for. Internal emails, later released, reveal how the Longhorn team felt about what they’d seen: “I did system-wide queries against docs, contacts, apps, photos, music, and my Microsoft email on a Mac,” admitted Microsoft developer Lenn Pryor: “It was amazing. It is like I just got a free pass to Longhorn land today.”
Jim Alchin, who headed up Vista development, agreed: “It’s hard to take. I don’t believe we will have search this fast.”
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Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (AMD)
By no means the last word in excitement, but the ThinkPad E16 is a good-value choice for business users
Huawei MateBook D16
The best and biggest screen here, plus a powerful Core i9 processor, ensure the MateBook D16 stands out
Acer Aspire Go 14
It's tough to argue with this laptop's value for money or battery life, but speed lovers should look elsewhere
HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)
This sleek 2kg convertible packs everything you need, including a Core Ultra chip and optional Nvidia graphics
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Don't let your migration projects go up in smoke. Steve Cassidy runs through the blunders to avoid
Control your computer with your face and head -it's the future!
As if to show nothing is new in the world of technology, eye tracking and gesture control date back decades. But if Apple's on board, maybe their time has finally come, suggests Nicole Kobie
Chip off the old block
Standalone sales of the Z80 CPU have finally been discontinued after 48 years. David Crookes looks back on a chip with a staggering impact
Cloud backup 2024
Whether it's through attack or error, your business data is always at risk. Dave Mitchell explains how cloud services can add extra protection and puts four contenders to the test
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra
A brilliant advert for resinbased 3D printing, with a host of features that make it easy to obtain great results
HP All-in-One 27 cr-0014na PC
A speedy and temptingly priced all-in-one PC with a fine 27in display-but note its 1080p resolution
