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Spotlight Feature request: Google and URL launcher

Submitted by Flauchhaus on January 31, 2009 to Usability

Feature request: It would be nice to have Google (or other search-engines) integrated into the Spotlight menu. Also it would be nice to open URLs and connect to servers from Spotlight menu even if there is no bookmark for it.

There is a plugin "Google importer" but its not compatible with leopard.

# Integrate Google search results into the spotlight menu.
The Spotlight plugin should be manageable like any other in the Spotlight preferences.
# Enable opening URLs and a "Connect to server" function when the user enters smb://x.x.x.x or www.apple.com and so on

A negative thing that may concern some is that if the search engine plugin is activated, everything that is searched locally with the spotlight menu would be also searched online. It may be a good idea to have the online search plugin disabled by default. 3rd Party developers can't write a good online search plugin for Spotlight because they only can write Spotlight plugins for files as far i know.

Low

Low

Not fixed

Discussion (5 comments)

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 3:13pm

Assigned to categories: "Usability"
Removed from categories: "Annoyance"

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 3:14pm

Changed problem description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 4:42pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 4:43pm

Changed problem description.
Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 4:54pm

Added new image attachment.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:05pm

Changed problem description.
Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:05pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:06pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:07pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:10pm

Changed problem description.
Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:13pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:14pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:15pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:16pm

Changed solution description.

abitgone wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:17pm

Not sure I'd like that as a default behaviour - plugins would be a good idea, giving the end-user control over what happened with spotlight. Alternatively, though, you could just install Google Desktop.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:17pm

Changed solution description.

Flauchhaus wrote on January 31, 2009, 5:30pm

I thought of Google desktop but i try to think about end users (that sounds bad :/).
Search results in the Spotlight menu would be an incredible fast way to find things on the internet - sorta like inquisitor just integrated into the spotlight menu.
Im pretty sure that many don't want to install an entire new local search engine ( -> Google desktop) just to to something like that, a Spotlight plugin would be great.
It would be good if it would be an option in the OS, if it would be only a downloadable plugin not many would use it because they wouldn't know about it. - I think it would improove the speed of use for everyone.
bleh to make it short:
search results in spotlight - really fast & easy online search access for everyone because its in the OS.
google desktop - just more bloat that not many persons would use

mojo2012 wrote on February 1, 2009, 5:20pm

In my spotlight window there is section website. Isn't that what you want?

ebaur wrote on February 2, 2009, 1:10am

Spotlight only searches caches pages, so the "websites" section you see is all pages you've already been to.

Overall, I like this idea. It would make the spotlight menu more powerfull than the Run prompt in windows (actually, I think it already is, but adding URI support would be cool).

kelchm wrote on February 22, 2009, 7:46pm

Good idea, but best implemented as a plugin imo.

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