Google has brought there search engine to the desktop. From the press release:

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - October 14, 2004 - Google Inc. today announced a beta desktop search application that enables users to search their email, files, web history, and chats. Called Google Desktop Search, this new application makes it possible for users to find information on their computers as fast and easily as they can search the web with Google.

"Google Desktop Search brings the power of Google to your personal information on your own computer. As easily as searching Google, you can instantly search your files, local email, the web pages you have seen, and more," said Larry Page, Google's co-founder and president of products." It's free, installs quickly, and keeps completely up to date. Google Desktop Search represents a quantum leap in access to your own information."

I'm trying it now. My only complaint so far is that it's designed to index Outlook and Outlook Express emails, but what about Mozilla? And it indexes MS Office files, but not OpenOffice.