Search function

pulsekiter · 20th October 2009, 09:27 PM

Okay I am sure it is just me but for the life of me I cannot find the search function? Sorry in advance for the newb question.

hafrogman · 20th October 2009, 09:31 PM

The search function is limited to community supporter accounts. Your other option is to use the "site:" function on google to try and search the site.

**Morrus** · 20th October 2009, 10:11 PM

I do put a tiny clue on each page. Time for another of my expert grahpical how-to guides!

See, it's like a secret treasure hunt! Adds the "game" to "gamer"!

Aus_Snow · 21st October 2009, 03:02 PM

Smartass answer of the day?

The Search Function at EN World

LightPhoenix · 23rd October 2009, 08:22 AM

Wow, there are 33,000 posts asking about the search function. If you assume half of those are answers, that's still over 15,000 posts. Wow.

Merkuri · 23rd October 2009, 01:10 PM

I think it's the #1 question asked in Meta. I probably mentioned this a while ago, but I think there should be a sticky on the top of meta entitled "Where is the search function?" that explains the search feature is for community supporters only (and probably how one becomes a community supporter).

The ad on the side that talks about becoming a community supporter does mention searching, but it's not where most people would look when trying to find out where search is. It's buried in a list of other features. It's certainly not where I'd look if I were new to the site and I wanted to find something.

hafrogman · 23rd October 2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkuri

I think it's the #1 question asked in Meta. I probably mentioned this a while ago, but I think there should be a sticky on the top of meta entitled "Where is the search function?" that explains the search feature is for community supporters only (and probably how one becomes a community supporter).

The ad on the side that talks about becoming a community supporter does mention searching, but it's not where most people would look when trying to find out where search is. It's buried in a list of other features. It's certainly not where I'd look if I were new to the site and I wanted to find something.

I don't think a sticky would work either, people tend to gloss over them. The ideal solution would be to not have the search button dissapear from the toolbar when you're not a CM. Then people look for it, find it, click it, "this function is limited to Community Supporters", sign up, steal underpants, ???, profit!

**Morrus** · 23rd October 2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hafrogman

I don't think a sticky would work either, people tend to gloss over them. The ideal solution would be to not have the search button dissapear from the toolbar when you're not a CM. Then people look for it, find it, click it, "this function is limited to Community Supporters", sign up, steal underpants, ???, profit!

That might be an idea. Although I wonder if it would annoy them?

hafrogman · 23rd October 2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrus

That might be an idea. Although I wonder if it would annoy them?

I expect those that get would get annoyed over it would be the same people that would get annoyed over it in a meta thread. Then it just saves us a thread and a response and skips straight to the angry.

Theroc · 26th October 2009, 07:50 AM

Well, I know I am strange, but thus far I've used the search function once. Then again, that's likely partially because my google fu is weak, so I figure my 'enworld search function fu' would be weak too, and search back a few pages manually before starting a topic on something.

Edit: Gonna clarify what I'm saying so it seems less off topic.

I suppose originally I was going to say I was confused why people's FIRST post as members is asking for the feature, then I remember that I suck at finding things through search, and since I'm sleepy, ended up posting that instead of actually contributing anything truly helpful. Sorry! >.>

Merkuri · 26th October 2009, 01:11 PM

A lot of people come to forums (EN World included) to find information. Maybe they had a rules question and they want to see how others here have answered it. They try to search but they can't find it, so they sign up and post asking how to search.

Probably only a small percentage of such people actually go as far as to sign up. For a lot of them getting one question answered is not worth it, so I'm guessing there's a larger number of people who come to EN World looking for a specific answer and leave frustrated.

I've done similar things with computer-related forums. If I'm coding up something for work and can't wrap my brain around a particular code dilemma I might go to a forum or two to try to find my answers. I don't have memberships to any of these forums, and I don't really want one because I only use them rarely to search for answers to my questions.

LightPhoenix · 27th October 2009, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkuri

A lot of people come to forums (EN World included) to find information. Maybe they had a rules question and they want to see how others here have answered it. They try to search but they can't find it, so they sign up and post asking how to search.

That's how they get roped into this.

Thinking about the Google results more, I don't actually think it's 15k results. Looking at the short view in Google, it seems like threads with some sort of text-based search ad got tagged. So the actual number is still much less.

**Morrus** · 27th October 2009, 05:52 PM

Could someone who is not a community supporter do me a quick favour and verify that (a) the search link now appears in the navbar and that (b) when clicking on it the error message shows the subscribe graphic, and (c) it's not too annoying?

freyar · 27th October 2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrus

Could someone who is not a community supporter do me a quick favour and verify that (a) the search link now appears in the navbar and that (b) when clicking on it the error message shows the subscribe graphic, and (c) it's not too annoying?

I see Search, but nothing happens when I click it (no pull down search menu, error, or anything). Nothing happens when I click the arrow next to search, either. (Contrast to Quick Links, which does give me a pull-down menu.)

I guess there is some use in the fact that I'm still figuring out PayPal!

**Morrus** · 27th October 2009, 08:27 PM

Hmmm. Shouldn't do that.

Can someone else (non CSA) verify the same thing happens to them?

aurance · 28th October 2009, 02:26 AM

I see search. There's a pull-down menu. When I put in a search term and click search, it brings up the aforementioned subscribe graphic and error message.

Oh, and it also kicked me in the nuts. Ow.

freyar · 28th October 2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurance

I see search. There's a pull-down menu. When I put in a search term and click search, it brings up the aforementioned subscribe graphic and error message.

Oh, and it also kicked me in the nuts. Ow.

It's doing this for me now, as well.