The default search box in Vista start menu is one of the most improved features in Vista when compared with Windows XP. This not only acts as a search box but also as Run box and command line. But still this isn’t good enough for some and that makes Start ++ (Start Plus Plus) a necessity.
Start ++ enhances Start Menu in its all aspects, the search box, run box and command-line with customizable commands.
Run with Admin Rights:
Now with Start ++ you can run any command with admin rights so easily. Just type ‘Sudo’ followed by the command in the search box.
Search Pictures:
With Start ++, you can actually the browse the pictures from the search result in the Start Menu itself without opening another Search Window. Just type ‘pic’ followed by whatever you are searching for.
Play Songs:
The command ‘play’ followed by the song name will open the song in the media player. Other commands like ‘playartist’ and ‘playalbum’ plays the list of songs from a particular artist or album respectively.
Internet Search Options:
There are also many other options like you can search in Google or Yahoo right from the Start Menu search box. For example, ‘g’ followed by the search word will open up the searched results from Google in your default browser.
List of Prefix for different Internet Search Options:
w - Wikipedia Look-up
d - Dictionary Look-up
l - Live Search
g - Google Search
y - Yahoo Search
imdb - IMDB Search
Customize your own Start ++ Feature
The best of all the options is the feature to create your own Start ++ Command. You can set up a new command by giving the shortcut name, command and arguments if any.
With all these features, Start ++ is one of the must have utility for any Vista user.
Download the latest release of Start ++
Also, learn ‘How to Refine a Search in Windows Vista?‘
Wow cool trick. But is this trick but better than Finder search in OS X?? What do you think?
I am not sure how does search works in OS X? Start uses the same WDS 3.x but presents it in an efficient manner.
This thing is good , does it modify system files ..
@Madhur Kapoor, I don’t think it modifies any system files…It just uses the same base with some extension, so there maybe some addition of files and these are added when you install which you can uninstall safely at anytime.