The information retrieval is necessary for the execution of our daily activities. The people use the computers during hours to find information although they are not safe of its existence. The Internet offers an opportunity to provide an almost infinite source with information. The personal computers, on the other hand, also store a great amount of information. The challenges and the characteristics of the organization and information retrieval are treated in this paper in both stadiums, the Web and the Desktop. A study of the investigations is made therefore in the state of the question