View Poll Results: Will standard categories in posts make searches more effective?
Voters: 11. You may not vote on this poll
categories to enable better searching
Jun 13, 2006 | 06:49 PM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
From: Dolores, CO
categories to enable better searching
i think anyone who has been here for more than a month gets tired of members who don't search for the answer others think is obvious. everyone has their reasons for not searching (laziness sure, but also not knowing what words to use to express common concepts is a big one on the list). i think the following suggestion would reduce the frequency of duplicate posts, endless repeated questions on common themes, and the typical frustration that the more knowledgeable members feel.
i propose that as each person posts a new thread (and possibly also a reply), you're given the option to choose keywords out of two dropdowns, with the first being major categories such as suspension, mileage, bodywork, etc. and then the second dropdown box is populated with choices related to the first choice. you would use these to definitively designate the most important idea the question or answer relates to. i dinged up a quick example:
http://www.aspen-graphics.com/YTdropdowns.htm
(here's a picture of what it could look like, so you can see it w/o leaving YT)
choose something in the first category, and then the next box becomes active with choices appropos to the first. choose a different first category and your options for the second change accordingly. the examples are just that -- they would be adjusted by those most in the know and best able to spell -- and then turned loose on the world.
then key these fields to the search feature so you can search on those terms exactly -- either through dropdowns there or at least because those words would be in the post, you could search them.
it would be in the best interest of everyone who wanted to avoid answering the same question every week, to OPT to categorize his or her post, since that would increase the likelihood of someone finding it.
if you need more convincing, think about how many ways you've seen terms spelled (which make searching unhelpful): "corn fed", "cornfed" or just TJM used and 'bumper' never making it into the post. or worse, the false positives from searches on "bob" (haha, just picking on you bob -- bob98sr5) where the searcher wanted to learn about bobbing the truck bed, and instead finds hits about "firearms wallpaper/pics", and "this is america, speak english when ordering". (huh??)
the critical, limiting factor is whether the site code can support this. if it can, i see few if any drawbacks and primarily benefits.
so, what do you think?
i propose that as each person posts a new thread (and possibly also a reply), you're given the option to choose keywords out of two dropdowns, with the first being major categories such as suspension, mileage, bodywork, etc. and then the second dropdown box is populated with choices related to the first choice. you would use these to definitively designate the most important idea the question or answer relates to. i dinged up a quick example:
http://www.aspen-graphics.com/YTdropdowns.htm
(here's a picture of what it could look like, so you can see it w/o leaving YT)
choose something in the first category, and then the next box becomes active with choices appropos to the first. choose a different first category and your options for the second change accordingly. the examples are just that -- they would be adjusted by those most in the know and best able to spell -- and then turned loose on the world.
then key these fields to the search feature so you can search on those terms exactly -- either through dropdowns there or at least because those words would be in the post, you could search them.
it would be in the best interest of everyone who wanted to avoid answering the same question every week, to OPT to categorize his or her post, since that would increase the likelihood of someone finding it.
if you need more convincing, think about how many ways you've seen terms spelled (which make searching unhelpful): "corn fed", "cornfed" or just TJM used and 'bumper' never making it into the post. or worse, the false positives from searches on "bob" (haha, just picking on you bob -- bob98sr5) where the searcher wanted to learn about bobbing the truck bed, and instead finds hits about "firearms wallpaper/pics", and "this is america, speak english when ordering". (huh??)
the critical, limiting factor is whether the site code can support this. if it can, i see few if any drawbacks and primarily benefits.
so, what do you think?
Last edited by photoleif; Jun 13, 2006 at 10:11 PM.
Jun 13, 2006 | 06:57 PM
#2
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,697
Likes: 0
I've been talking with Leif about this, and if it works, I feel this will GREATLY improve YT. People will actually WANT to use the search. I've spent many times trying a whole mess of words and things like that to find old posts or a certain topic that I knew was talked about to no avail. Leif could easily fix that, he know's what he's doing.
Jun 14, 2006 | 10:44 AM
#5
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver
Rant begins now.
i think the biggest thing is that people search! What is making it so difficult to use the search button is that people are not searching and asking q's that have been covered so often. So when you do search you get all these redundant posts, most of them just tellin the person to use the search button. I find that by searching in the proper forum and not just all of YT in combination with "good" key words then the search is still powerful. There is also a thread a bit ago about using google to search YT. Anyways the biggest problem is people dont search. Maybe when you create a post and the title matches 1000 other threads like "will these tires fit" a big hand comes out and slaps you on the face.
Another good thing to do to make the search work, is when you figure out the answer to your problem POST it in the thread so the info is there for people to use and not have to ask again.
And lastly if you have a question search and find a similair post and bump it with your question to minimize threads....ok rant over!
and yes im up for anything that works effectively.
i think the biggest thing is that people search! What is making it so difficult to use the search button is that people are not searching and asking q's that have been covered so often. So when you do search you get all these redundant posts, most of them just tellin the person to use the search button. I find that by searching in the proper forum and not just all of YT in combination with "good" key words then the search is still powerful. There is also a thread a bit ago about using google to search YT. Anyways the biggest problem is people dont search. Maybe when you create a post and the title matches 1000 other threads like "will these tires fit" a big hand comes out and slaps you on the face.
Another good thing to do to make the search work, is when you figure out the answer to your problem POST it in the thread so the info is there for people to use and not have to ask again.
And lastly if you have a question search and find a similair post and bump it with your question to minimize threads....ok rant over!
and yes im up for anything that works effectively.
Last edited by Godzilla; Jun 14, 2006 at 10:46 AM.
Jun 14, 2006 | 10:59 AM
#6
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,419
Likes: 8
From: Peoria IL
Originally Posted by Godzilla
What is making it so difficult to use the search button is that people are not searching and asking q's that have been covered so often.
so ya im in favor of a way to condense the best of our technical info to make it easy to get to.
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