Compass, a Java Search Engine Framework, has released version 1.2. Compass simplifies the integration of search functionality into any Java application. It is built on top of the excellent Lucene library and adds several features on top of it (most notably, transactional support, including long running transactions).
Compass allows to map your domain model (Object, pure XML, and the map like Compass Resource) into the search engine simply using either xml or annotations, and integrates with leading ORM libraries (Hibernate, TopLink, OpenJPA) and web frameworks (Spring MVC, Grails) in order to simplify even more the introduction of search into an application. A nice write-up on why Compass or Search make sense can be found here and the birth of Compass is still valid on how it came to be.
Does search functionality is a must have in an application? Do you agree that search feature can be much more than just a “google like” search box in your website and actually change the way people interact with applications (ala Google Desktop or Mac Quicksilver)?
Oh, the Things I Know 