Surely Microsoft can fix this problem by adding more toolbars and icons to the GUI or by further degrading Outlook's ability to search large mailboxes. At that point no one will even remember Word HTML rendering was an issue in the first place.
Good news - Microsoft fixed that search problem over two years ago by handling it on the server in Exchange 2007, so you can search quickly from Outlook / Outlook Web Access / your ActiveSync mobile (Windows Mobile / iPhone).
Choice of Outlook's builtin search (Outlook 2007 with up to date service packs and patches is better than Outlook 2007 as new, and better than Outlook 2003).
Or, if you're pragmatic rather than MS locked, and want really fast search, Google Desktop Search.
Or, if you're quite particular and want really really fast search, you can with a bit of fiddling get Lookout to work in Outlook 2007.
But the benefit of using the Outlook builtin search is that it's the same UI all the time. If you're connected to the server it searches on the server, if not it doesn't.
NB: You can be out of the office and connected to the server if you use Outlook/HTTPS as your connection type.
