Another Searching Thread

[bitingmidge]

I was trying to find an old thread over the weekend, and as is often the case, took quite some time to find it.

Because I remembered who posted it, I used an advanced search and some other words that weren't necessarily in the heading, which was just as well as it was full of oblique descriptions as it turned out.

I think that it's worth considering occasionally slipping in a few "tag words" just to make searching a bit easier.

For instance a thread on Table saw dust collection fittings may well be called "My TS dusty bits" and the discussion that follows is often laced with anything but the words "Table saw dust collection fittings", so in trying to find it a year later, one would have to either remember the terms used in the thread, or just get lucky.

This could be overcome if the occasional tag was added at the end of a post (particularly from the person kicking off the thread), mind you, if everyone used similar tags, it may test the search engine a bit too!

Any thoughts?

P


Searching, search, tags, description, how to search, search criteria.

[silentC]

Are you sure this hasn't been suggested before? How do you know?



Taking the , taking the mick, being a smart asre, do a search

[CameronPotter]

Good idea.

I always try to spell out what the thread is about in my first post, but when the thread gets hijacked by someone answering/asking a related question (and that is the bit you are interested in, I find that is usually where the searching falls down...

[Wongo]

Searching for trouble again are we?

[bitingmidge]

Taking the , taking the mick, being a smart asre, do a search

I think that's been done before!


P

[CameronPotter]

Yeah, I searched for search and got back 500 posts (maximum number that can be returned).

[Groggy]

This has been discussed before in other fora.

eg In the heading, put:
Saw
Saw, Cabinet, Techniques
Saw, Cabinet, Fences
Saw, Cabinet, Jigs
Saw, Hand
Drill
Drill, electric
Drill, electric, handheld
etc

It is a handy system if you want to retrieve your own posts, but any expectation of others to use the system is doomed to failure - a bit like herding cats.

[CameronPotter]

Yep. When I started here I suggested that put a sticky at the top of the Buy and Sell asking that people put where an object is in the title of the post.

Very few people pay any attention to that request...

Mind you, I have also learnt that in many of the cases it doesn't really matter as the things that are sold there are usually not too big...

[Wood Butcher]

Very few people pay any attention to that request...

I've found that very few of anyone pay attention to what they rules say

[CameronPotter]

I've found that very few of anyone pay attention to what they rules say

I reckon you notice it a lot more than I do as a moderator too! (Blissful ignorance on my part)