Abstract: Apparatus and methods useful for desktop searching are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention, for each query, the system evaluates if similar ones would give more results. If so, the system suggests the user with one or several similar queries. Similar queries are based on indexed content so corrections conduct to (that is, lead to) at least one result. According to another embodiment of the invention, for each keyword of the query the system computes a similarity value for a subset of all keywords of the index database. The subset is composed of all keywords minus the ones too short and too lengthy to be similar. Therefore, each keyword from the query gets a list of similar indexed keywords. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the system replaces each query keyword, one after another, by a member of its similarity list until all combinations of substitutions are listed. The number of results for each similar query is calculated.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for choosing digital advertisements to send to a user's computer while protecting private information. When a user performs a search using a public site, the user's search information is stored in a database. The system builds a profile for the user based on the public search information, which can be used to select advertisements for delivery to a Web site accessed by the user. The system can also select advertisements based on information gleamed from a user's private (desktop) searches. For example, the system can use the content or category in which a user is searching to choose advertisements.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for indexing documents during CPU idle time. The method can include the steps of determining at regular intervals if CPU usage is above a threshold value and pausing the indexing when CPU usage rises above a threshold value. If the CPU usage is below a threshold value the indexing is continued. Unlike traditional document systems, the document database described herein can be updated without interrupting the use of the computer.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for indexing documents in a quasi real-time manner. The method can include the steps of indexing documents and storing document information in a database, registering with an operating system for notification of changes to the documents, and responding to received notification of changes by updating the database to reflect the addition, modification, renaming and/or deletion of documents. Unlike traditional document systems, the document index described herein can be updated without rescanning all the indexed documents.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for indexing documents in a quasi real-time manner. The method can include the steps of indexing documents and storing document information in a database, registering with an extended MAPI layer of an e-mail program for notification of changes to the documents, and responding to received notification of changes by updating the database to reflect the addition, modification, and/or deletion of documents. Unlike traditional document systems, the document index described herein can be updated without rescanning all the indexed documents.