FIX THE SEARCH FUNCTION: Default should be, LAST POSTING DATE

[captainhorseboy]

When you try to "View All Threads" of a member, the dates are out of order.

dude read the thread

they are sorted by "relevance" not by date

[papi93]

dude read the thread

they are sorted by "relevance" not by date

What do you mean by relevance? I get a 2008 thread from my profile that hasn't had a reply in ages.

[captainhorseboy]

What do you mean by relevance? I get a 2008 thread from my profile that hasn't had a reply in ages.

it's a terrible algorithm, but it's not "broken" per se... the threads are correct according to the filter they chose, but i think that when they are sorted by age they are more relevant than when sorted by relevance

[papi93]

it's a terrible algorithm, but it's not "broken" per se... the threads are correct according to the filter they chose, but i think that when they are sorted by age they are more relevant than when sorted by relevance

I had actually read the thread but just didn't know what you meant by relevance.

[Pho3NiX]

I had actually read the thread but just didn't know what you meant by relevance.

It's probably a statistical measure as in a thread that mostly talk about topic x and the thread can probably be boosted if quoted by another relevant thread.

but if you restrict it to only a small subset (eg only your post) then statistic is about as good as randomness...

[TheStiffmeister]

i dont know how this search worked before and now it is still all jacked up.

come on bb.com fix this!!! we dont want threads from 2004 popping up as first post.

[kiwidave1]

Hi, I just wanted to add my two cents to the new search results view. I have used it several time now and have to say I Hate it sooooo much.

On my work computer each product page loads so slow now and there is next to no information on the search results so I have to click on a product to even see the basic info such as price and each page can now take 5-10 seconds to load. I can no longer sort by price or serving size. It seems to me that you are directing people to the products you want to sell and not what the customer wants.
Since each search takes so long I am no longer randomly searching for products because it is so painful to click between products that I doubt I will be buying anything new as I don't want to go through the process here now.

I am sure tons of people like the new design but I think it sucks really, really bad and I now have to do my product research on another (competing) website, that is quicker and lists the price on the search results.

Just my 2 cents.

[B.O.L.A.]

When you search for a thread and filter by date either of the last post or of the thread start date it does some strange things. Sometimes it only gives threads from years ago, when you know there have been recent threads with the keyword you're searching for. They simply do not show up. Or, if you want it to list the threads in descending or ascending order it sometimes won't do this. I am pretty sure I'm using it right because I've used many other vBulletin search engines and they work fine.

Also if you search for a thread with, for example, "100 posts or more" it will only give you the threads with exactly 100 posts.

Sometimes when you know there was a thread with a certain word in it, and you search for this thread, only old threads will come up. Or the thread you're looking for doesn't come up at all. I know this isn't a problem of the thread being moved or deleted because I've later found these threads using google where the bb.com search failed.


Lots of other little problems with it too, I just don't know how to describe them.

[B.O.L.A.]

"jeep brah"
titles only
yesterday and newer

-results from 2008 (obv way before yesterday)


"banana"
titles only
at least 5 replies

- only shows results with 5 replies, all of the results are 5 replies only

[Arlecchino]

- only shows results with 5 replies, all of the results are 5 replies only

Identical poor results.

Edit: Contacted geek squad.

[white-goodman]

The search feature is annoying in that it defaults to 'relevancy' instead of 'last posting date'

I've seen this been mentioned numerous times now, can we get the default changed to 'last posting date'? It's only a little change to the HTML

[B.O.L.A.]

still no fix? who's manning the controls around here?



semi-jk

[Arlecchino]

still no fix? who's manning the controls around here?



semi-jk

Might be fairly accurate.



Will hit them up again tomorrow.

[sadworld]

advanced search did not work for me tonight... searched 1 year old and newer and it still showed posts that were several years old... just fyi.

[C5VetteLS1]

Yep, the search features have been crap ever since the sites "format upgrade". Personally I don't see ANY improvements since the upgrade. The upgrades must be strictly "Administrative", they certainly aren't an advantage for the "Users".

[jabryl]

I came up with a few suggestions for improving the forum's Search function. I am aware that my suggestions may not be ideal for all users, or for the site administrators, but I think they would be an improvement for most users.
Here they are in no particular order.

1. Change the default to "Search Titles Only".
When I'm searching for something, usually I'm looking for a thread. Very rarely am I looking for a specific post.

2. Change the "Sort Results by" default to "Last Posting Date".
I'm usually looking for recent threads, and sorting by relevancy often puts very old threads at the top of the list.

3. Reduce the required wait time between searches.
This is loosely related to my first two points. Sometimes I'll forget to change one of those settings, and I'll end up with a page full of results that are nothing like what I wanted. At that point I hit the back button and twiddle my thumbs for 16 seconds while I wait for the system to let me do the search I wanted. The same thing happens when I mistype something or make any kind of mistake when doing a search.

[Arlecchino]

I came up with a few suggestions for improving the forum's Search function. I am aware that my suggestions may not be ideal for all users, or for the site administrators, but I think they would be an improvement for most users.
Here they are in no particular order.

1. Change the default to "Search Titles Only".
When I'm searching for something, usually I'm looking for a thread. Very rarely am I looking for a specific post.

2. Change the "Sort Results by" default to "Last Posting Date".
I'm usually looking for recent threads, and sorting by relevancy often puts very old threads at the top of the list.

3. Reduce the required wait time between searches.
This is loosely related to my first two points. Sometimes I'll forget to change one of those settings, and I'll end up with a page full of results that are nothing like what I wanted. At that point I hit the back button and twiddle my thumbs for 16 seconds while I wait for the system to let me do the search I wanted. The same thing happens when I mistype something or make any kind of mistake when doing a search.

You can change the 1st two yourself, and save your settings under the advanced search function.

Third issue: search is a large drain on server load here given the size of the site. I do not see it changing any time soon. 16 seconds is really not that long.

[jabryl]

You can change the 1st two yourself, and save your settings under the advanced search function.

Third issue: search is a large drain on server load here given the size of the site. I do not see it changing any time soon. 16 seconds is really not that long.

I didn't know you could save your search settings. I've been kicking around this site for five years, and I didn't know you could do that. Now maybe I'm a little scatterbrained, but if I could not know about it, after five years and hundreds of searches, then I would imagine that there are a lot of other users who don't know about it either.
The defaults should be set to what users are most likely to use, and I don't believe the current settings are the best ones.

I know that search is a drain on resources, and I know that the wait time is there to prevent someone from overloading the server with search requests. What I'm suggesting is that a shorter time, say five seconds, would accomplish the same goal without impeding search functionality.

Now I know that 16 seconds isn't that long, and to be honest it only takes about three seconds to change the other two settings, but every little annoyance like that makes the users less likely to use the search function and more likely to post a new thread about a subject that's been discussed a hundred times before.

[wolfdragon]

#2 isn't a bad idea. Changing the default from "Revelance" to either "Thread Start Date" or "Last Posting Date" wouldn't be a bad idea. At least people won't search and give up after all the 2003 results. Make a new thread and catch heat for it (at least the ones who search first).
#1 I don't agree with. Take for instance the Workout Equipment Forum. If you search for information or feedback on a certain product by thread title only you won't find anything unless it's popular. Doing a post search you can find it pretty much everytime.

[jabryl]

#2 isn't a bad idea. Changing the default from "Revelance" to either "Thread Start Date" or "Last Posting Date" wouldn't be a bad idea. At least people won't search and give up after all the 2003 results. Make a new thread and catch heat for it (at least the ones who search first).
#1 I don't agree with. Take for instance the Workout Equipment Forum. If you search for information or feedback on a certain product by thread title only you won't find anything unless it's popular. Doing a post search you can find it pretty much everytime.

The main problem I have with searching by post is that it doesn't just find threads about your search term, it finds every thread in which your search term is even mentioned. Some common terms, like creatine and whey are often mentioned, in passing, in threads that have nothing to do with creatine or whey, but those threads will still show up in a post search for those terms.

For example, in the Misc. section right now there is a thread about marijuana smoking, in that thread there is a post where a user recounts a time that he forgot to put whey in his shaker bottle because his memory was fuzzy from the pot. If you do a post search for the term "whey" that thread will appear in the results.

Post searching is most useful when looking for information about uncommon topics.

[Arlecchino]

Merged all threads about search again for the non-readers.

[jabryl]

Merged all threads about search again for the non-readers.

Hey, Doc Frankenstein, how many threads did you merge to create this monster?

You're doing a fine job of marginalizing a bunch of people who are just trying to make the site better.

[Arlecchino]

Hey, Doc Frankenstein, how many threads did you merge to create this monster?

You're doing a fine job of marginalizing a bunch of people who are just trying to make the site better.

I am not marginalizing them. Longer threads tend to catch the attention of the people who can actually do something about it. It is out of the hands of the mods and the admins. We do not like it either, until someone who can actually do something about it cares enough to change it, we do the best we can.

And I merged three threads, only one had more than five replies.

[IrishPilot]

Hey, Doc Frankenstein, how many threads did you merge to create this monster?

Just saw this thread again and thats what I was thinking lol. I clicked in and immediately noticed there is now a poll, which I certainly dont remember starting...especially with such a random question lol.

[B.O.L.A.]

the search function is retarded. i've complained. mods have complained. nothing gets done.

[captainhorseboy]

turning off the similar threads function would reduce a lot of server load, its like enacting a new search every time a thread is opened

[Arlecchino]

turning off the similar threads function would reduce a lot of server load, its like enacting a new search every time a thread is opened

This too has been pointed out.


More than once.


<sigh>

[jabryl]

So if the Admins don't listen to the users and they don't listen to the mods, then who do they listen to?

More importantly, why is there a whole section for new ideas when there isn't anyone around willing to implement them?

[Arlecchino]

So if the Admins don't listen to the users and they don't listen to the mods, then who do they listen to?

More importantly, why is there a whole section for new ideas when there isn't anyone around willing to implement them?

Very good questions.

Key point: Admins like fitnessman cannot change the search function or things like that either. Yeah, from your perspective that is minor, but he does not need to get hassled any more than he already does (largely by mods).

I will tell you that mods answer what we can. Beyond that, I cannot say.


Sorry man.

[ineed$]

still not fixed