Reuters (www.reuters.com) announced on November 2 that Yahoo Inc.’s Chief Executive Terry Semel said on November 1 that the search engine giant is working on a desktop search program that would help people find information stored on their computer hard drives.
Desktop search is the latest battlefield in Yahoo's ongoing rivalry with Web search leader Google Inc. (www.google.com) and others. In mid-October, Google released a test of its desktop search product. Software giant Microsoft Corp. (www.microsoft.com), which is preparing to take on Google and Yahoo in the Web search market they dominate, also plans to launch a test version of its own desktop search product by the end of 2004.
Terry Semel said at an investment conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, which was broadcast over the Internet, that Yahoo is working on it, and that in short course, Yahoo will have a desktop solution as well. He did not say specifically when Yahoo's desktop search program would be released. Semel, a former Hollywood studio executive, who is seen by some as a strong potential successor to retiring Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner, also said he plans to stay put at Yahoo.
