The new search system- problems, observations, issues

[chipscinderelly]

Using IE and the new function works - but it won't let me search a thread which is frustrating as I know that in some of the larger meet threads there is specific information that I would like to pull without having to repost a question.

 

[seema]

Since the new search does not run on our server, it absolutely is responsible for the decreased server load. The number of searches performed now is irrelevant to our performance.

The number of searches may be irrelevant to the server load and server performance; however, it must be important to the adminstrators of this bulletin board whether the new search function has maintained, increased, or decreased the number of searches that are being performed. If the number of searches has decreased, then this change should be a concern to the adminstrators; the usefulness of a valuable function of this bulletin board (ie the search function) should be considered to have decreased.

 

[Sandi]

What the heck is with the "category search" categories? Arts & Humanities? Government and People? How are those categories to be used in a helpful way for Disboard searches?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I am not sure either, Sandi, what those mean. I do know, as seema mentioned, I too do almost no searches now.

 

[agnes!]

Are there any plans to run a poll about the BoardTracker system?

agnes!

 

[TLHB70]

I am not sure either, Sandi, what those mean. I do know, as seema mentioned, I too do almost no searches now.

same here.
I rarely search now.

 

[taeja71]

I can't search w/in a thread. Searching just that forum isn't specific enough. I'd like to be able to search a thread w/in the forum again.

(or if you can search w/in a thread, some one tell me how)

 

[willis37862]

I also don't like this new search engine. It's too limited. PLEASE bring back the old one.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I agree. This search engine is incredibly pointless... many times I just want to see what threads i have posted in, and now I cannot see this.

I've given up using this all together...

 

[Sammy]

I really do not like this new search....its basically useless as you can't search within a thread.

 

[willis37862]

There seem to be plenty of us who don't like it. I hope that someone is listening.

 

[jfulcer]

never mind

 

[jfulcer]

I agree. This search engine is incredibly pointless... many times I just want to see what threads i have posted in, and now I cannot see this.

I've given up using this all together...

Ok, just being the devils advocate here, but except for missing the last day or so (or more? Which is, I assume, a problem and being worked on - I could be wrong) but I can search for all your posts (and anyone's) by using the advanced search:

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=&order=0&user=JRawkSteady&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1

Am I missing something?

 

[smjj]

I give up either I am really stupid or the new search engine is. It just isn't user friendly or nearly as good as the old one. Please go back. I think the reason the load on the server is less now is that most have just given up on it...smjj

 

[agnes!]

Ok, just being the devils advocate here, but except for missing the last day or so (or more? Which is, I assume, a problem and being worked on - I could be wrong) but I can search for all your posts (and anyone's) by using the advanced search:

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=&order=0&user=JRawkSteady&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1

Am I missing something?

I think the Advanced-Search option only works for threads that you *start*. IIRC(?), there are two workarounds to find threads you've posted in but not started.
1) left-click on your user-name when it appears(in the left-hand "box") in a thread, a drop-down menu will appear with "Find all posts by user"
2) subscribe, subscribe, subscribe to *any* thread you post to.
An additional wrinkle is if you want to find an old thread that you didn't subscribe to but followed, well, that gets a little more complicated. You have to go back to that thread after the fact and then subscribe.
I think.

agnes!

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....An additional wrinkle is if you want to find an old thread that you didn't subscribe to but followed, well, that gets a little more complicated. You have to go back to that thread after the fact and then subscribe.
I think.

agnes!

Agnes, how would you actually find such a thread, in order to subscribe for the future, assuming it was more than a few days old and manually searching the first few pages of a forum, if you can recall the correct forum?

 

[KathyTX]

.....An additional wrinkle is if you want to find an old thread that you didn't subscribe to but followed, well, that gets a little more complicated. You have to go back to that thread after the fact and then subscribe.
I think.

agnes!

Agnes, how would you actually find such a thread, in order to subscribe for the future, assuming it was more than a few days old and manually searching the first few pages of a forum, if you can recall the correct forum?

Well, how would you have found it before?

If you posted in it, do a search on your own username like Agnes described.

If you know who the OP of the thread was, or what the title of the thread was, use the new search tool to locate the thread.

If you know the name of another poster who posted in that thread, locate any of their posts and search on their username from that post.

Agnes's point is that you should use the subscribe function to mark any thread you want to follow- that's what that function is intended for.

 

[agnes!]

Agnes, how would you actually find such a thread, in order to subscribe for the future, assuming it was more than a few days old and manually searching the first few pages of a forum, if you can recall the correct forum?

Dan -

Frankly? I don't DIS as much anymore or follow older threads in the same way, so I'm not sure...I have completely lost track of some threads/users because I cannot remember posters' nicks...my poor addled brain just remembers their avatars or the great photos in their signatures(like the flying cat lol).

I do know that there are "work-arounds" that seem to accomplish what the original(intuitive/server-intensive) site search *used* to do, but they seem a bit too much like "work" to me and not enough like *fun* . From now on, when you find any threads that you *think* you might be interested in following? Well, subscribe!subscribe!subscribe !
In order to find the older threads that you might have "lost" and that pre-date the BoardTracker change-over, you will have to spend the time and do the various searches WebmasterKathy suggests.

agnes!

 

[HappyCamperToo]

Agnes's point is that you should use the subscribe function to mark any thread you want to follow- that's what that function is intended for.

Is there a subscription limit?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Well, how would you have found it before?.........Agnes's point is that you should use the subscribe function to mark any thread you want to follow- that's what that function is intended for.

Well, WMK, quite honestly, I would have used search, or, if it was in one of the 569 threads I have currently in my subscription list (I have used that function since it has been available and tend not to unsubscribe), I would use that function.

Sometimes there are just some threads that you recall something from, a word, a phrase, etc, where you had not necessarily wanted to follow the thread as such when first reading it, (actually maybe it meant nothing at the time), but subsequently, someone may be asking a question or similar where you do recall that previously viewed thought and were able to search, using a word, maybe a person, not an OP, but just a responder, and one could find it. That's all, not a biggie.

Dan......agnes!

Thanks, Agnes.

Is there a subscription limit?

HCT, I know it is at least 569.