14 DAY TRIAL // The first fully-fledged beta build of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 initially scheduled to drop by mid September is already available for download. At the end of August, Jon DeVaan, Senior Vice President of the Windows Core Operating System division at Microsoft together with Nick White, Product Manager on the Vista team, promised that the first beta of Vista SP1 will be delivered to approximately 10,000 to 15,000 MSND and TechNet subscribers. Yesterday, September 12, the Redmond company published a Knowledge Base article titled "Overview of Windows Vista desktop search Changes in Windows Vista Service Pack 1" in which it confirms officially that Vista SP1 Beta is live.
"Microsoft has released an update to Windows Vista," Microsoft states in the KB article revealing the changes included in the beta. SP1 beta "adds changes to desktop search; enables third-party search applications to integrate into Windows [and] contains a new protocol for calling the default desktop search application." The changes introduced into the default Windows Desktop Search mechanism built in Vista were catalyzed by the complaints Google filled with the Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ already got the first full beta for Windows Vista SP1 complete with the alterations to the search mechanism.
"The changes we made are designed to enable a customer who chooses a third party search solution to have easy and direct access to that solution through the Windows user-interface," a Microsoft representative stated, as cited by Mary Jo Foley. "That means that in addition to the numerous ways a user could access a third party search solution in Windows Vista, they can now get to their preferred search results from additional entry points in the Start Menu and Explorer Windows in Windows Vista with SP1. ISV's simply need to register their search application using the newly provided protocol in Windows Vista SP1 to enable these options for their customers."
In this context Vista users will be able to choose a default desktop search program in the same manner as the search engine integrated in Internet Explorer. Microsoft informed that users will be able to navigate via Start, Default Programs, Associate a file type or protocol with a program and then simply tie the search protocol to the third party application of their choice. The Redmond company also enumerated a range of updates that will impact graphical user interface in Vista.
"Control Panel - The Associate a file type or protocol with a program dialog box lists the search protocol under Protocols. - The Set your default programs dialog box lists Windows Search Explorer as a selectable program. - The Indexing Options dialog box includes a Pause button. When you click the Pause button, the Windows Search Indexer stops indexing new content for 15 minutes.
Start menu - The Search option on the right side of the Start menu is removed. - Start menu The See All Results option is changed to the Search Everywhere option. - Start menu The Search Everywhere option passes the search arguments that are typed in the text box to the default search application by using the search protocol syntax."