I'm looking for a good linux file and application finder (prefer a file finder but I know some apps search both files AND apps. I've had a VERY hard time finding something that does this.
Preferred usage: launch GUI finder >start typing filename or words within the file >hit return >be presented with a list of possible results that I can then open the result.
The BEST that I've found so far is Synapse (https://launchpad.net/synapse-project -last updated 2012-03-18) -technically a file LAUNCHER, but also finds files quite well). I've also tried an app many are familiar with, Gnome-Do). For various reasons I'm still looking for something different than those two.
I'm still looking for a file finder that is better than the above; faster, lighter. Preferably without large dependencies from other DE's (I run xfce).
It seems to me that file finders in Linux are hard to come by from the searches that I've done.
I'd prefer if people didn't try to convince me that CLI tools (find, grep, locate, etc.) are the answer -I love and appreciate the CLI but am looking for a GUI solution.
My System is an old Dell Latitude D620
Running Debian Wheezy (though I've added a repo to get me xfce4.10).
Thanks very much for taking a look at this -I welcome any discussion that spins off from this.

Try catfish.

It's a pretty quick and lightweight file searcher.

Hey, thanks very much Shane25119. That does indeed look promising. I'm still very open to other suggestions or discussion about this question/topic so I hope others chime in before I mark this solved.
Again, thank you Shane25119. o/

and the built in gnome or kde search is not working for you ?

I do not use " xfce" so .

Yep, catfish is great.