A program for deep searching of files on a computer. Internet search engines: review of existing solutions
Surely, any of us have duplicate files accumulated on our disk over time. Files in "Downloads" that you have downloaded multiple times identical photos and musical compositions lying in such depths that hands simply cannot reach them. You can get rid of all this manually, but they will do the work for you much faster special utilities, looking for identical files.
A very popular “cleaner” that probably everyone has installed. Yes, he's not only looking system garbage and clear history and browser cookies, but also remove duplicate files.
Platforms: Windows, Mac.
Price: free, $24.95 for premium version.
The program searches for files with the same or similar names and identical content. Works well with music and can find similar music files, even if they have different tags. In addition, dupeGuru can compare images to find not only identical, but simply similar photos.
Developed for Mac and Linux. Version for Windows more is not supported by the developer, but it can be downloaded from the official website - it is fully functional.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux.
An advanced file search application that, among other things, can remove duplicates. SearchMyFiles has flexible filters so you can customize your search results the way you want.
Platforms: Windows.
Popular Mac app that searches for identical or similar files and shows what the difference is between them. Copies in “Photos”, in the iTunes music library - nothing will pass by Gemini 2. The developers have announced a smart duplicate search mechanism that remembers which files you leave and what you decide to delete.
Platforms: Mac.
Although AllDup is free, it does a lot. Searches for, deletes, copies and moves duplicate files, including identical audio recordings with different tags. Present flexible setup search. Using the built-in viewer, you can examine files and choose what to delete.
Platforms: Windows.
Duplicate File Finder quickly and efficiently finds duplicate files. Provides interesting opportunity search for duplicates not only on the hard drive, but also in local network. Can work with images and music, comparing both tags and content. The preview function will help you figure out what to really delete and what to leave. Unfortunately, in free version Quite a lot of options are not available.
Platforms: Windows.
Price: free, $29.95 for premium version.
Universal file manager, which can do anything with your files. Including finding duplicate files. You can enable the search for copies option on the search parameters tab, in the same place where you specify other attributes of the searched files.
Platforms: Windows.
DupeGuru looks like the most attractive option. It's free, but it offers everything necessary functions to rid your disk of accumulated junk. The only sad thing is that development of the Windows version has been stopped. Windows users For those who don't want to pay for commercial alternatives, AllDup is more suitable. And CCleaner and Total Commander- these are more universal and widespread solutions that are probably already installed on everyone.
To find the files you need on your computer, we have already looked at standard features, which are in Windows system initially. You can read more about standard search in Windows in the articles: and.
The advantage of standard search is that you don’t need to install anything additional on your computer!
But there is also a serious drawback - not everyone has standard search works or does not work as expected!
Therefore, in this article we will look at a separate excellent free program Everything, which allows you to very quickly, one might even say instantly (on the fly), find the necessary files on your computer!
Using the Everything program, you can search for files on your computer not only by full file names, but even by part of a word! This is a great feature for situations where we don't remember the name of the entire file.
We simply enter a word or part of a word in the search field and immediately get the result! At the same time, surprisingly, Everything does not slow down the computer at all, as happens with other programs.
Everything - fast, easy and convenient program to search for files and folders on your computer.
Let's start with a step-by-step analysis of installing and using this program.
How to download Everything in Russian
Let's say I don't remember where this book is stored on my computer.
To find it using the program Everything, I don't have to type in all this long book title. I can enter just a word book and get this result:
IN in this case a search showed me that I have 33 elements in which the word appears book. Moreover, the search results display all elements by file type, highlighting the word I was looking for.
And I can already find the file I need in the displayed list and go to it, just by quickly clicking on it twice. If it is a file, it will open immediately. If this is a folder with files, the folder will open.
Or I can narrow the search so that the list is a smaller file. For example, I’ll write the word the most. Instantly I get the folder I need:
As you can see, finding files and folders on your computer is very easy with Everything program. I'm glad that it's free, in Russian, and gives search results very quickly!
Additional Everything settings
Program Everything initially already optimally configured for most users. However there is additional features, which can be used if necessary.
So, for example, using the menu Search you can specify by what criteria the results will be displayed: by files of certain formats, by folders, or everything. Such restrictions may be useful if the name appears in different files and the list of such files is large. And thanks to the limitation on certain categories, you can narrow your search precisely:
It would also be helpful to simply review the functions that can be found in the menu Service-> Settings. I repeat that by default everything is already configured for the requests of most users, but perhaps some additional settings You will want to enable or disable.
Portable version of the Everything search program
At the beginning of the article, we already talked about such a portable version of this program. Use the portable version as well as the stationary one. It is only worth mentioning that portable version archived.
Therefore, after downloading the archive of the portable version, you need an archiver so that you can open the archive. If the downloaded archive cannot be opened, it means that the archiver is not installed on the computer. In this case, download and install, the installation and use of which we have already discussed in a separate article.
If you plan to use the portable version on a computer that you don’t know what bit depth it has, use an archive designed for 32 bit systems. Or it’s better to download both versions - one will definitely start, but otherwise it will simply display the message:
So: If you even have to search for files or folders on your computer from time to time, I am sure you will appreciate this free program!
Download, use, share your impressions in the comments!
What is this
DuckDuckGo is a fairly well-known open source search engine. source code. Servers are located in the USA. In addition to its own robot, the search engine uses results from other sources: Yahoo, Bing, Wikipedia.
The better
DuckDuckGo positions itself as a search engine that provides maximum privacy and confidentiality. The system does not collect any data about the user, does not store logs (no search history), use cookies as limited as possible.
DuckDuckGo does not collect or share personal information from users. This is our privacy policy.
Gabriel Weinberg, founder of DuckDuckGo
Why do you need this
All major search engines are trying to personalize search results based on data about the person in front of the monitor. This phenomenon is called the “filter bubble”: the user sees only those results that are consistent with his preferences or that the system deems as such.
Forms an objective picture that does not depend on your past behavior on the Internet, and eliminates thematic Google advertising and Yandex, based on your requests. With DuckDuckGo it's easy to search for information on foreign languages, while Google and Yandex by default give preference to Russian-language sites, even if the request is entered in another language.
What is this
not Evil - a system that searches by anonymous network Tor. To use it, you need to go to this network, for example by launching a specialized .
not Evil is not the only search engine of its kind. There is LOOK (default search in the Tor browser, accessible from regular internet) or TORCH (one of the oldest search engines on the Tor network) and others. We settled on not Evil because of the clear hint from Google (just look at the start page).
The better
It searches where Google, Yandex and other search engines are generally closed.
Why do you need this
The Tor network contains many resources that cannot be found on the law-abiding Internet. And their number will grow as government control over the content of the Internet tightens. Tor is a kind of network within the Internet with its own social networks, torrent trackers, media, trading platforms, blogs, libraries and so on.
3. YaCy
What is this
YaCy is a decentralized search engine that works on the principle of P2P networks. Each computer on which the main one is installed software module, scans the Internet independently, that is, it is an analogue search robot. The results obtained are collected into a common database that is used by all YaCy participants.
The better
It’s difficult to say whether this is better or worse, since YaCy is a completely different approach to organizing search. Absence single server and the owning company makes the results completely independent of anyone's preferences. The autonomy of each node eliminates censorship. YaCy is capable of searching the deep web and non-indexed public networks.
Why do you need this
If you are a supporter of open source software and free internet, not subject to the influence of government agencies and large corporations, then YaCy is your choice. You can also use it to organize a search within a corporate or other autonomous network. And even though YaCy is not very useful in everyday life, it is a worthy alternative Google from a search process perspective.
4. Pipl
What is this
Pipl is a system designed to search for information about a specific person.
The better
The authors of Pipl claim that their specialized algorithms search more efficiently than “regular” search engines. In particular, profiles are given priority social networks, comments, lists of participants and various databases where information about people is published, for example databases court decisions. Pipl's leadership in this area is confirmed by assessments from Lifehacker.com, TechCrunch and other publications.
Why do you need this
If you need to find information about a person living in the USA, then Pipl will be much more more effective than Google. The databases of Russian courts are apparently inaccessible to the search engine. Therefore, he does not cope so well with Russian citizens.
What is this
FindSounds is another specialized search engine. Searches various sounds in open sources: house, nature, cars, people, and so on. The service does not support queries in Russian, but there is an impressive list of Russian-language tags that you can use to search.
The better
The output contains only sounds and nothing extra. In the settings you can set the desired format and sound quality. All sounds found are available for download. There is a search by pattern.
Why do you need this
If you need to quickly find the sound of a musket shot, the blows of a suckling woodpecker, or the cry of Homer Simpson, then this service is for you. And we chose this only from the available Russian-language queries. On English language the spectrum is even wider.
Seriously, a specialized service requires a specialized audience. But what if it comes in handy for you too?
What is this
Wolfram|Alpha is a computational search engine. Instead of links to articles containing keywords, it provides a ready-made answer to the user's request. For example, if you enter “compare the populations of New York and San Francisco” into the search form in English, Wolfram|Alpha will immediately display tables and graphs with the comparison.
The better
This service is better than others for finding facts and computing data. Wolfram|Alpha accumulates and systematizes knowledge available on the Web from various areas, including science, culture and entertainment. If this database contains a ready-made answer to search query, the system shows it, if not, it calculates and displays the result. In this case, the user sees only nothing superfluous.
Why do you need this
If you are a student, analyst, journalist, or researcher, for example, you can use Wolfram|Alpha to find and calculate data related to your work. The service does not understand all requests, but it is constantly developing and becoming smarter.
What is this
Metasearch engine Dogpile displays a combined list of results from search results Google, Yahoo and other popular systems.
The better
First, Dogpile displays fewer ads. Secondly, the service uses a special algorithm to find and show the best results from different search engines. According to the Dogpile developers, their systems generate the most complete search results on the entire Internet.
Why do you need this
If you can't find information on Google or another standard search engine, look for it in several search engines at once using Dogpile.
What is this
BoardReader - a system for text search on forums, question and answer services and other communities.
The better
The service allows you to narrow your search field to social platforms. Thanks to special filters, you can quickly find posts and comments that match your criteria: language, publication date and site name.
Why do you need this
BoardReader can be useful for PR specialists and other media specialists who are interested in the opinion of the masses on certain issues.
Finally
The life of alternative search engines is often fleeting. Lifehacker asked the former general director of the Ukrainian branch of Yandex, Sergei Petrenko, about the long-term prospects of such projects.
Sergey Petrenko
Former CEO"Yandex.Ukraine".
As for the fate of alternative search engines, it is simple: to be very niche projects with a small audience, therefore without clear commercial prospects or, conversely, with complete clarity of their absence.
If you look at the examples in the article, you can see that such search engines either specialize in a narrow but popular niche, which, perhaps, has not yet grown enough to be noticeable on the radars of Google or Yandex, or they are testing an original hypothesis in ranking, which is not yet applicable in regular search.
For example, if a search on Tor suddenly turns out to be in demand, that is, results from there are needed by at least a percentage of Google’s audience, then, of course, ordinary search engines will begin to solve the problem of how to find them and show them to the user. If the behavior of the audience shows that for a significant proportion of users in a significant number of queries, results given without taking into account factors depending on the user seem more relevant, then Yandex or Google will begin to produce such results.
“Be better” in the context of this article does not mean “be better at everything.” Yes, in many aspects our heroes are far from Yandex (even far from Bing). But each of these services gives the user something that the search industry giants cannot offer. Surely you also know similar projects. Share with us - let's discuss.
05/10/2016
FileSeek - useful utility, allowing many users to easily find the files they need on their hard drive. Multifunctional program is able to find data using various filters. Setting up the procedure is quick and does not require special attention. The user can customize the search parameters to suit their needs. FileSeek is very fast and scans hundreds of files. The file size, line number, and date are displayed along with the result. last change and document name. You can also create, manage and sync multiple profiles for different projects. It is possible to switch to another language...
30/03/2016
Copernic Desktop Search is a convenient application for searching for diverse information. Through the program the user different levels will find and mail messages, and attached files, and other documents. A simple interface helps the user find files with formats such as doc, docx, pdf, xlsx and others. You can find music files, graphics, images and videos. The advantages of the application include the small size of the application and its minimal load on the computer. The program uses processor resources, disk space And RAM. Copernic Desktop Search (CDS) contains a variety of filters.
21/10/2015
NeoSearch is one of the most convenient applications, intended for searching needed by the user data on the computer. The program has a convenient, understandable, stylish user interface. It has a number of simple functionality, which even a beginner can easily handle. After installing the program, file indexing starts. neoSearch checks the status of all files that are on the computer at that moment. This entire process takes a minimum of time. A specialized scale informs you about the progress of the application. Afterwards, the search results are displayed on the screen simultaneously in the form of four documents, which...
01/12/2014
Wise JetSearch is a program that provides direct search various files or folders located within different local disks personal computer or on removable portable storage media. Given software with dignity replaces the built-in operating system standard file search model. It can work with NTFS and FAT drives; data is searched using a user-specified template, name or other individual specific parameters. Scheme of the algorithm of actions in working with Wise program JetSearch is quite simple: enter keywords, select disk, start search...
29/09/2014
FileSearchy - created to simplify the search for files on your computer. Unlike others search programs, this program searches by name in real time. The program also allows you to search the contents of files such as doc and pdf, and if it finds it, it highlights the found text. FileSearchy instantly finds the files you need by name. The program itself supports tabs, which will allow multiple searches in different tabs, which can be aligned at the end. Supports search by date, file size and registry entries. It is possible to search for multiple lines, as well as exclude lines that should not be...
05/09/2014
SoftPerfect Network Search Engine (NSE) is a program that is useful for quick search shared files on the local network. It indexes and arranges files so that when correct request, any user with access to this local network will find in a few seconds required file. The network administrator has many opportunities, because the program has wide choose useful functions which will undoubtedly come in handy during your work. For example, the function of selective indexing of files and folders. Installing and configuring the program will not take much time, since it is not complicated, it will be enough to copy a few files to the folder with...
Hello guys. Tell me how much time it takes you to search for files on your computer. I think a lot, and even more so if you run your own blog on the Internet or are just a photographer. In this case, a lot of files are collected a large number of. There are several ways to quickly find the file you need. For example, like this or like this
It's good if you know for sure that they are there. What if you are looking for the file you need and know for sure that it is on the computer, where and in what folder? Well, sclerosis just comes to visit. And then the FileSearchy program will help us. See its capabilities.
It’s a cool program, I use it often and recommend it to you.
She looks like this. 
On the left side there is a search bar where you must enter the name lost file. After that, click on the button located at the very bottom of the program window.
Not even five seconds will pass before the program searches everything hard disks and will display all files whose names contain the word that you entered in the search engine. You see how the FileSearchy program works quickly, but if they started searching manually, they would definitely not fit into the time it took for the program to complete it.
So we search for all files that have a match to our request. And there can be a lot of files that contain the same word, and therefore we will still have to lose some of our time. In this case, the program provides us with an advanced search. That is, simplified.
Search files on your computer by type
If we need to find only pictures, then we are looking for pictures. If only folders, then we ask the program to show only the folders found under the name that we entered in the search engine. In general, we sort. Find all files and then specify file type,
by checking the box. 
This way you will save even more time. FileSearchy can recognize file types such as images, audio, video, documents, programs and folders.
FileSearchy has other features as well. For example, we only need files from drive “D”. Under search bar check the box next to “In directory” We will search in certain place, and not in all of the computer's memory. Look at the picture to see how this is done.
By the way, the program allows us to select several places to search at once. Allow it on drive “E” and in one of the folders on any other drive.
You can also exclude from search some directories (drives or folders). This means that if you search the entire computer, then those directories that are excluded from the search simply will not be scanned and will not appear in the search result.
Please note that those folders and drives that are not scanned have an exclamation point before the drive letter or folder name. 
So by clicking on the arrow in the search, we will know what will be scanned and what the program will exclude from the search.
Well, and some other features of this program, which, in principle, I very rarely use. Although in some cases they will be very useful.
Find files in document content
In the search parameters there is an item “In content” This search mode is more related to search text documents. Let's say you forgot how the document was signed. For example, we downloaded a book from the Internet whose title was in English or in transliteration. You don’t know how to write it correctly, but remember what words were found in it.
And two more filters that can be applied are searching by date and size. Everything is clear here.
The version I'm using.
And who doesn’t want to install the program on a computer, there is a portable version similar program. I’ll say right away that it is not so attractive in terms of interface, but it has its own interesting features.
You can find out about it and download it from the official website http://www.voidtools.com
