The present invention relates to an information search system, an information processing apparatus and method, and information search apparatus and method. A PC extracts, from the mail document transmitted/received by a user, words corresponding to the user's interests and records the interest data. In steps S121 and S122, upon logged in by the user, an HDD recorder requests the acquisition of interest data. On the basis of this request, the PC sends the interest data corresponding to the login user. In steps S123 and S124, the HDD recorder sends the received interest data to a server. In step S131, the server searches for the program information that matches the received interest data. In step S125, on the basis of the program information contained in the search result, the HDD recorder sets the timer-recording of a program. The present invention is applicable to programs which are installed in personal computers.