Hey all, I figured off topic could be a lively spot to get some honest answers

Just a quick introduction here, I am Mike, I oversee the automotive side of things over at Internet Brands company that operates this discussion forum. We are trying to do our best to listen to the users and focus on the details here, we believe in improvement; so I am very interested to hear some of your feedback regarding the site - more importantly the new search feature. It looks like the good old vbulletin search button - but we've radically changed the speed at which it gets you results and operates.

I want to know if you are having problems, if it's been working okay for you; even if you really couldn't care less, chime in with your .02, I do want to hear from everyone. If you really want to get personal here, use creative language you can either PM me or email me directly.

Thanks again, and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

PS. For those interested in this search technology, this is a new code/program that InternetBrands.com is testing out only on a few select communities - such as this one in order to improve the load on the server and speed up the server in general. Avoid bogging down during high traffic times.

Mike @ Internet Brands

 

I really like the search feature except for one thing.

Threads need to be sorted by date in every option.

My mind works on wording & date memory. If I search for specific words for certain threads in "relevance" ..IMO,they still need to come up chronologically.

I don't want to still be reading every listed thread by relevance only to go through a couple of pages from 2002,2003 knowing that thread was about 6 weeks ago.


Also, I don't read small print because it is too hard on my eyes

 

That's actually one of the things that we recently noticed so I am glad you brought it up again, it's obviously an issue. Adding to the list

 

I smell BIG TROLL??
2 post and same thing DUH dump this

 

Okay, by all means, feel free to contact me at manders@internetbrands.com...

 

I'll give it a test drive.

Stand by.....

I've typed 911 in the search box and got limited entries, spelling "NINE ONE ONE" out returned something completely different.

Odd, and you might want to try that too. I know a lot of old posts should have been triggered that were much different.

Still checking differing strategems.

9(space)11(space)01 returned even more different returns - none of which were related to the old threads.

 

I like it , it seems to be quicker - though I'm not sure I understand the significance of the percentages that are in the column on the left.

 

We call it "relevance"; but there is some disagreement here about whether it will remain, can't yet establish how useful it is perceived to be by the searchers. There is a version without relevance, and some people liked that more. Again, hate to repeat myself, but I am glad that you brought up that relevance column.

 

This thread is not unlike my lower intestine; stinky, bloated, and full of danger.

 

How far back does it look?

 

Relevant to the words entered. Got it. That illustrates the importance of the title of a thread being properly worded.

 

anders,

The one thing I try and let people on FTE know is to get the actual topic in the title instead of "help me" , "Newbie needs help" type things.

Relevance is fine for somethings but with so many threads,posts and misspellings of words it is hardly needed anyway.

Of course I speak with my experience and my memory

I think it is great it finds things a LOT faster in the message box.

I usually search the Title box.

 

If you are professional about it - it works.
IE: year, model, system

EXAMPLE:

89 ranger tranny

But tranny, trans, gearbox, and transmission - what then?

Obviously you can't use the first three letters as the call, because "GEARBOX" then is an exception....

Also consider distributors...

In Britain and Australia it is called a "DIZZY", and what about "COIL PACKS"


It would seem that a library of related terms must be included. Best we can do is point to a category I think....

Ignition and so on, but how many will think to?

I apologise if this complicates the effort, but maybe it will help define the task. I dunno.
there is a lot here.

I think it needs backing up and looking at "THE FORREST", with nothing derogatory intended. It will be tuff to sort out...


~Wolf

 

okay my .02, i hate the new search system, or i am not smart enough to make it work for me. the majority of my searches was during my initial sign in.... i would search for my user name. the results would be a list of my posts, most recent first. if there were new posts it was in bold print. so if i was pressed for time, i could log in and see any new activity and save myself some time, rather than checking all the different sections. the new search feature never works that way for me. i have skipped around several pages and cant find my most recent activity. if i can do this with the new system, then i apologize, other wise, it just made life more complicated for me. thanks, Dan

 

Dan click your user name then

click find posts by you...see what comes up