12. The system of claim 9 , wherein said list of search results is narrowed and displayed while the user search input is being received within the customized File Open dialog system.
9. A customized File Open dialog system, comprising: a general purpose computing system which includes computer storage media and communication media; a system memory component; a search engine that is operative to generate a list of search results from a user search input, wherein said list of search results are obtained from searching one of said system memory component and an interconnected computer network; a browser which is capable of scanning contents of said system memory component and said interconnected computer network; a component for building a customized shell view within a File Open dialog box based on the namespace extension by implementing a Component Object Model (COM) interface to display or perform an operation on contents of said customized shell via a user input device; a second COM interface which is operative to provide a channel of communication between a view object and said File Open dialog; a third COM interface which is operative to provide a channel of communication between said File Open dialog and said customized shell view; and a fourth COM interface which is operative to host a Shell browser; a search location toolbar designator; show toolbar designator that is operative to select a type of file from said list of search results; a preview pane that is operative to display contents of a user specified file from said list of search results; a filename pane that is operative to display a pathname of said user specified file; and an open toolbar designator that is operative to display said user specified file contents within its appropriate application.