Searching the ITRC Forums

[Kimberly Ann]

Hello All,

I'd like your feedback on how you use the ITRC Forums search function (located in upper left sidebar). Currently, any forums search generates results with a maximum of 50 threads
returned. I'd like to know:

1. Are 50 results enough? If so, why. If not, what is preferred number?

2. What is your search behavior --> do you typically only view the first page of results, or do you have a need to view as many results as possible? If so, can you provide an example?

Appreciate your help,
Dan
Forums Manager

[Kenny Chau]

Hi Dan,

1. 50 results are just fine. I suggest to let us choose how many results per page will be better.

2. I will view about 10 pages or until I got what I needed.

Regards,
Kenny.

[Michael Tully]

Hi Dan,

Interesting question...

1. I think 50 is generally enough when only searching through one category, Technical documents or forums. When using both in the search, sometimes there are too many.
2. I use the % number and particularly the description of the response to see whether the search was any good. Sometimes when I've looked for something and not found it, browsing through a category like OmniBack for example I may stumble across what I've been looking for.

Regards
-Michael

[SHABU KHAN]

Hi Dan,

1. 50 works for me ...
2. If I get what I am looking for in the first few pages then I do not look further.

Thanks,
Shabu

[Steven Sim Kok Leong]

Hi Dan,

The only time I need to search through more than 50 returns in the search engine is when I wish to retrieve my old responses. In such cases, I have to google search on itrc.hp.com instead.

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x1aba854994d9d4118fef0090279cd0f9,00.html

It would also be useful if threads with bunnies can be highlighted in the returns. I think that eases the job of finding an endorsed solution to a problem on the forum.

Hope this helps. Regards.

Steven Sim Kok Leong

[Mateja Bezjak]

Hi Dan,

1. 50 results is enough for me.

2. I usually take a look at the first few results, according to the returned percentage. This would be just the first page of search results.

Regards,
Mateja

[Volker Borowski]

Hi Dan,

that pretty much depends on what I search for.
If I have exact keywords and expect a small amount of hits, I'll refine my search if I get more than 50 hits in any case.

If I need to search in an "unqualified" way, it is a big help to have a lot of headlines, that you can compare without paging back and forward.

So the idea to let us have an entryfield for this is not so bad and I think 50 is a good default.

Thanks
Volker

[Paula J Frazer-Campbell]

Hi Dan

50 is normally fine.

A search within results would be more than nice to have.


Paula

[Justo Exposito]

Hi Dan,

I think that 50 it's good as default, and it's better if I can change it.

It's a good idea if appear the bunny in the responses (as Steven tell).

Regards,

Justo.

[u856100]

As for the quantity, 50 is fine.

The only small and slightly annoying part associated with the search facility, is not being able to search for your own unassigned replies. I like to be courteous by prompting assigning points, but I have assigned ~100 and when I miss some, the only way to find these is by trauling through all the posted questions until you stumble upon the correct one.

At least, I don't think this facility is available?

cheers

John

[Mark Vollmers]

Dan-

50 should be enough, but it depends on what you are searching for. If you have something specific to search with, like an command, then that is fine. If you are looking for something and have to be a little more general , then it might not be. I just tried one, and ended up with 50 for technical docs and 50 for forums, so that should be plenty.

like the others, I normally go off the percentage. I also look at the titles; normally, at some point, the titles drift off from what I was looking for, and that's when I stop (If I search for NT UNIX shares to look for things about file sharing between the two, I stop once I start hitting threads about sharing the printers, for example).

Mark

[John Bolene]

50 is good, I rarely have to request a second page

Most of the results I use are found in the top 20, if not the top 10.

[Ron Kinner]

50 will do tho the option to change it is nice. What you really need to do which won't cost much is to relabel the Filter Category. It should be Filter by Forum. I didn't even realize that that was what it did until just recently.

A search of the results would be wonderful.

I'd also like to have the + and - options used on many search engines.

Ron

[Mark Greene_1]

50 is ok, but as Ron indicated, the boolean search leaves a lot to be desired, particularly for those of us used to using the search engines at google and altavista. I'm not sure if it is the search function or the word indexing, but sometimes I have to phrase something two or three different ways before I get the proper combination of words to find the postings I'm looking for.

HTH
mark

[Kimberly Ann]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for responses. There are some nice ideas, particularly having the rabbit show up in the search results. I will collate this feedback and present to the owners of the search engine and interface. If you have more thoughts, please let me know.

Thanks,
Dan

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi Dan:

For me if the search engine understands boolean logic, 10 will be plenty. I would much rather see a more robust boolean search engine than more data displayed for me to search through. I don't even want to see anything about partial matches. I'll simply loosen the search criteria. If the engine really understand AND's and OR's the number of items displayed is unimportant.

[steven Burgess_2]

I agree with A Clay, generally I use the search for forum responses. If I want a specific doc I tend to go to docs.hp.com

I know you can enter where you want to search. I just prefer that way. Would it be possible to request how many replies you would like or if the return isn't enough ask for more?

Regards

Steve