The primary impact of the change is giving Vista users who choose a non-Microsoft option for desktop search more outlets to see those search results, as opposed to the results generated by Vista's built in desktop search engine.
The changes are coming with the first service pack to Windows Vista. Microsoft is launching a beta version of the update in the next couple of weeks, with a final version expected early next year.
The search changes mean 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," a Microsoft representative said in an e-mail to CNET News.com.
Microsoft said that to enable access to search applications, search providers will need to register their service using the new protocol in Windows Vista SP1.
Windows Vista SP1 search changes
Posted on Monday, September 17 2007 @ 1:06 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck