I notice that Google shows up a lot on that list. Don't use Google Desktop, if you can help it.

But highly suspect.

http://askbobrankin.com/is_google_desktop_evil.html

I know Bob defends it here, but I just don't trust it.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39252738,00.htm

And I know people since then have jumped to the defense of Desktop - but look! The link above is from BRITISH PEOPLE. And we all know that superior accents make for superior intelligence. Ergo, they must be correct.

Actually, unfortunately, all I have to back up this claim is the fact that my company flipped out and wouldn't let anyone install Google desktop, much to the chagrin of the documentation department, who could have used it.

I know. I've interviewed a couple of times. The free massages and organic meals call to me, but my resume does not call to them, apparently.

And they are largely a good company - I've objected to some of their complicit actions with repressive overseas governments, but who hasn't?

they look at keywords in gmail (as ALL email providers do), and they look for keywords when indexing on your desktop. Of course they do! We live in the "targeted marketing age" where everyone does that, whether we pretend to not know about it, or not! People always scream about "oh, the grocery store discount cards are EVIL because THEY can keep track of what you buy, so they can...they can"...what? Sell you more of what you like?? Come on! This decades-old paranoia of a practice which has more than likely NEVER HURT ANYONE is really, well, just paranoia! Get over it, or stay out of stores, and off the Internet!

I don't care if Google tracks my web use, for the most part, but searching my desktop is out of the question.

It's not paranoia, it's caution. People should be aware of how their information is being used. If you are happy with your personal documents being scanned by Google, that's fine with me. But I'm not going to tolerate it in my life.