Terra Lycos Launches Software for Searching, RSS Reading

Terra Lycos -- LYCOS, for crying out loud -- has released a new client-side software package that sounds quite innovative. The new HotBot Desktop, according to its announcement, will allow users to search the Web as well as the local computer in addition to reading RSS files. The download is available at http://www.hotbot.com/tools/desktop/ , and requires Windows and Internet Explorer.

I haven't downloaded it yet, but there's a good overview article about it from Gary Price and Barbara Quint. The article's at http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb040322-1.shtml . The new software offers searching the Web (using Inktomi, which is owned by Yahoo, right? Buh?), searching certain file types on the local computer, RSS feed reader, and popup blocker. How do they make their money? Text-based ads, which the GP/BQ article thought were a bit heavy.

This sounds like a really good idea. My concern would be with privacy. If you're searching your own desktop, where is information on those queries going? Does Lycos has a privacy policy explicitly addressing the Desktop? Did I miss it somewhere?

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