[REQ] Improved search on this forum

  • I have read that the admins of this site are opposed to different support board software, but the search feature of this forum is not very good.

    For example, I have been keeping an eye on a couple of the threads related to Coppermine, and would like to see other items related to Coppermine and other ways users have integrated or used Coppermine to compliment their WordPress installation.

    However, the search only brings up a limited number of thread matches (only 15 and in some cases only 5 if they are the same in all 3 post categories shown in the search), not every thread that deals with Coppermine. While this isn’t a big deal for what I am searching for, it can be really frustrating when trying to find a solution to a particular problem and error when the 15 links that “match” your search criteria are almost related, but don’t quite help solve your problem.

    I have read the arguments against using other software, but I strongly encourage the admins of this site to reconsider, at a minimum, the way the search results are returned if they will not consider other forum software for this support forum.

    Also, I know you can use Google to seach this site, but why not just offer a helpful search tool here? Why rely on Google to crawl this site when the posts are all stored in a searchable database anyways? Then you don’t need to wait on Google to index a new post that might help solve your problem or improve your site?

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 22 total)

  • The software that powers this site, bbPress, is constantly being worked on and all suggestions are welcome and considered.

    Thread Starter philpeeps

    (@philpeeps)

    Then I suggest the search function be modified to a search similar to other popular forums. For example, allowing the user to choose sub-forums to search, choosing a date range, searching titles or full text, etc…

    Also, do not limit the number of search results, as it can really be frustrating to a user with a problem that may not know every keyword they should be searching for to get a helpful search returned. I have given up on a couple things I have tried for not being able to find the solution through a search for the error line number or similar…..

    This might also eliminate re-posts on common topics…

    “This might also eliminate re-posts on common topics…”

    Although I agree with you on the issue of this forum’s search facilities, on this last point I’m afraid you’re greatly mistaken.

    Thread Starter philpeeps

    (@philpeeps)

    @kafkaesqui

    I disagree…If my search had yielded a similar post to this, I would have just appended that post with my comments. However, I was unable to find one after about 5 searches, so I stopped. I think I stumbled upon some discussions about this forum a couple weeks ago and could not find them again.

    Then this post would have been eliminated ??

    [Moderated]
    Does your browser not have a Google toolbar?

    Thread Starter philpeeps

    (@philpeeps)

    @anon: from my original post

    Also, I know you can use Google to seach this site, but why not just offer a helpful search tool here? Why rely on Google to crawl this site when the posts are all stored in a searchable database anyways? Then you don't need to wait on Google to index a new post that might help solve your problem or improve your site?

    “Then this post would have been eliminated”

    Ah, but you said that it would “eliminate re-posts on common topics,” which is a completely different point than you not posting on how lousy the forums search feature is. Not quite the same…

    Anyway, few would disagree that seach here sucks. Why else would we keep pointing out Google? :)

    Thread Starter philpeeps

    (@philpeeps)

    but again…does this post come up on Google yet?

    When someone needs answers fast, it would be helpful to have the ENTIRE wordpress support forum at their disposal through the search and NOT have to wait until Google indexes the post from an hour ago with their solution.

    And I have read a post about the search feature here…but again, I could not find it again… ??

    Perhaps a Google Suggest search would be helpful to indicate common keywords….

    google is really good with their search engines especially on a PR7 rated forum.

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    The point that Kaf is trying to make, is that over half of the people here don’t even bother to search. Regardless of how advanced the feature is, they just can’t be bothered, they’d rather have us do the work for them, and we do.

    What macmanx said.

    If you reread this thread, you’ll find no one has disagreed with your arguments on the inadequacies of search hereabouts, so I’m not sure why you keep restating them.

    However, I did and do disagree that a better search engine will cut down on duplicate requests for help. It won’t. This doesn’t mean the search engine shouldn’t be improved. It should–if only that it helps those of us trying to provide answers to those multiple cries for help!

    I try to use the search function before posting. But it could use the improvements asked for above.

    Would somebody have the courtesy to explain why my explanation of why this forum software is inadequate was censored? All I was saying was that you can’t expect too much from software that isn’t even in the alpha stage of development. That seems to me a reasonable and informative point, since nobody else has bothered to mention it.

    It was not censored, it was moderated. Your statements were judgemental and not based on facts. The part of your post relevant to the thread topic was maintained.

    I do believe that, putting the search results into multiple pages with 5 results per page, is a legitimate request. I also think that is not very hard to implement for bbpress developers.

    bbPress , please make a note.

    Thanks

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 22 total)
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