If you are used to MOSS it will feel like beeing run over by a truck to configure a WSS search. The WSS is very limited in the searching department, by obvoius reasons, and there isn’t realy that many options. Today I got a bit of time over to setup a Search Server Express next to my development WSS-server, and I spent the day by tweaking away to prepare a seminar the comming thursday.

The Search Server Express adds to WSS by adding a Shared Services Provider (a limited one) with just ability to configure search. You are able to setup Content Sources, Crawl Rules, File Types, Metadata and Federated locations (which isn’t availiable in MOSS without the infrastructure update). You will also find options on the site collection level.

So if you want to get good search right out-of-the-box without spending the money for MOSS this is the way to go. As usual there is already detailed information on technet about this. Follow this link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc297193.aspx