Show HN: I am making an app to rival "Everything"
Generally, I never had problems locating, or quick accessing my files using "Everything". It’s fast and does the job well, no complains there.
So… why build something else?
Because I have some minor complains that have inspired me to work on my own custom replacement to it. And because I just want to make a great project to have on my resume . Here are some limitations I ran into: The app fails when I want to locate a file from another drive that I share between PCs and doesn't use the NTFS file format. Another thing it could do better is to feel a bit more system intergraded. Windows treat it like a separate window, like all the others, and Alt + Tabbing through multiple windows, or giving it administrator privileges every time you open it can cause a small chaos and frustration. It also looks kind of outdated. Doesn't have an easy and quick way to list the most frequently or recently used files. Doesn't provide security for sensitive files by locking them behind a password.
If these issues bother you as well, keep reading.
I have made a basic version of my app that is ready for real world use. It does not yet include all the fixes to the issues that I specified earlier, but it's a solid start and free of charge of course. It is called "Da Deep Search". I will walk you through the most important features that "Da Deep Search" has OR will support in the future over "Everything", since this is a project that I have been working on for only ~3 months.
Current features the app has over everything: 1) More flexible. The app has the ability to scan drives that don't use the standard Windows file system (NTFS). This means that it is compatible with nearly every type of external drives and USB drives out of the box, especially if you share them between devices with different OSes that don't support or it's not preferred to use NTFS. 2) Better system integration. The app's UI is more modern, it blends with the Windows OP better and the way it's accessed gives it the illusion of being integrated into Windows itself, rather than feel like a separate application. Also, it does not require annoying administrator privileges to run or perform an action.
Current tradeoffs: 1)Currently Da Deep Search is not as lighting fast as Everything, though still pretty fast. But don't worry, I am currently working over a solution that will make it as fast while keeping the flexibility and compatibility!
Future features (that I am currently working): 1) Lighting fast file search. 2) Local file sharing. This will allow for encrypted file transfers over the local network. 3) File encryption. This will allow the app to make files or entire directories in-accessible by altering the file bytes and essentially locking them behind a password.
My goal is to create a versatile tool that combines fast, flexible file search with secure file transmission and encryption — an all-around solution for everyday file needs. It WILL take time and I need your help to reach this goal by sticking around and providing solid feedback through the website!
Most people use a CLI. However, that can cause latency for execution, so a service or a REST interface would be interesting.