Yahoo has released new software that will allow computer users to search their own hard drive for e-mails, pictures or files. Microsoft, Google, and Ask Jeeves have already produced similar software.

According to experts, this type of technology will become more important as hard drives continue to increase their capacity for holding information. The new Yahoo software can find music, photographs, e-mails and other files and can search by date, size, name and time.

Yahoo also believes that future versions of the software will also allow PC users to search the Internet as well.

Julian Smith, an analyst with the research firm Jupiter indicated, 'It is all about extending the idea of search and getting a closer relationship with consumers by organizing not just how they search on the Internet but the files on your computer as well.'

The version available today is a beta version and is free. It is only compitable with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser on Windows XP and Windows 2000 operating systems.