Tough Deletion

Google Desktop also makes it hard to delete items from its cache. You must click "Remove items" on the Google Desktop Search results page and then check the boxes next to the files you want to toss. Its far easier to decide upfront what you dont want Google Desktop to search on and then set your Search preferences so that those directories or Web sites arent indexed and cached in the first place. Google preps enterprise-ready desktop search. Read more here. If you realize that you really, really dont want hundreds or thousands of messages, Web pages or documents youve read or written since you installed Google Desktop to be available, your best move is to simply uninstall Desktop. Just make sure that the box next to "Keep my index" is unchecked, or it wont do you any good. Once youve decided what you want to be searchable and what you dont, you can reinstall the program. Then, using your new rules, it will create a new index without any of the troublesome files. For added local security, you can avail yourself of Desktops improved security features: options to not search password-protected Office documents and secure Web pages (HTTPS). You can also set other Web pages that may not be SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protected—for example, Yahoo Mail in standard mode—so that such pages wont be searchable. Now, as far as remote access goes, Google Desktop, as my colleague Larry Seltzer points out, is actually quite secure. The simple answer to securing your system locally is to simply make sure that you lock your desktop or turn off your machine when you walk away from it. Click here to read Larry Seltzers column "Google Desktop Search Doesnt Threaten Security." Personally, I keep a very close eye on my computers, so Im not worried about someone hopping into my chair to read my budget spreadsheet. Id rather have the ability to find the information I need when I need it. Next Page: Spreading the search net.