This tweak will have you searching the Internet faster and more powerfully then you ever have before.
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Start -> Programs -> Powertoys for Windows XP -> TweakUI for Windows XP
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Click the '+' next to 'Internet Explorer'
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Hightlight 'Search'
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In the right plane click on the 'Create' button.
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For the Prefix, type in 'Google' or if you're REALLY lazy (like me) then just 'g'
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for the URL, enter: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%s&num=100
The 'hl' is language, the 'q' is the query, and the 'num' is the number of results per page. To search for multiple keywords at a time, use the format 'google monkey+cars' or just 'g monkey+cars' depending how you chose to set it up.
If you use another search engine, then you must have never tried Google.
Here are some reasons to help sway you: http://www.google.com/technology/whyuse.html
It has no graphics to load, no popups, no graphical ads, and codes your search terms in bold to prove the pages it lists have all you wanted.
And if that didn't work, try installing a BSD or *nix type OS, and finding solutions to cryptic error messages using any other search engine.
Sooner or later you'll realize Google is tops. Just give it a month's trial and see if you ever leave it ;)
On request for advanced users only. If you don't want to use TweakUi, use this registry file or make the according changes manually.
;--begin copy below----------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\g]
@="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%s&num=100"
" "="+"
"#"="%23"
"&"="%26"
"?"="%3F"
"+"="%2B"
"="="%3D"
;--end copy---------------------------------------------------------
Copy and paste into notepad, save as "search.reg", right click - merge.
