Every time I perform a WS search I get hundreds if not thousands of hits that don't even contain the keywords
What am I doing wrong
Thanks all
okay, first of all, what do you mean by a WS search?
there are two searches available up on the top of the page:
the top one, in the white area, I would call the Wordsmith search -- it enables you to search the whole site, even including a Google search.
the second one, in the gray area, is the forum search. here
you need to fill the form out properly for what you want; but, if you were to leave everything at the default values except for putting the word "keyword" in the keyword field, you should come up with
your post here.
> the second one, in the gray area, is the forum search.
The search function works pretty well I think, though it is annoying that you have to change the settings every time. The presets should be different, IMO.
Frm the one search I seldom get any hits at all, even when I'm sure I should
From the other I always get huge numbers of hits, few of which even contain the keyword
bell: Obviously you understand something about the algoithm I don't. However I agree about the settings, and furthermore it gripes me that when I return to the search page all the entries have been deleted
We have to be forgiving, however, as I find that many sites of this sort have less-than-perfect search and editing algorithms, but there's not much the Admins can do about it because they're all at the mercy of Bill Gates' numskull programmers
>Frm the one search I seldom get any hits at all, even when I'm sure I should
That's the one I'm talking about. Make sure you set the time range and then change your search scope to suit on the left (assuming you want to - if not leave it as 'All forums'). You can restrict the forum searches really well with the keywords (eg., by using the 'advanced search tips'), so just pick 'Newer than 3 years' or something and maybe up the results format to 50 so you don't have to sift through hundreds of pages - bob's yer uncle.
> it gripes me that when I return to the search page all the entries have been deleted
That's a feature, didn't you know:-) Most browsers are set to cache field input so that you need only to type the first letter letter of the word. That doesn't help for pages with radio buttons and the like though.
bell: The top search, from which I never get any hits, has three windows, the bottom one being a Google search, and no time-range provision. I typed "then change your search scope" in all three windows and as usual I got no hits whatever from any of them
Using the lower search I typed "belligerent time range" and in addition to this thread I got 22 hits, most of which didn't contain all three keywords, but only one, "time"
PS: I don't see an "advanced search tips" link in either search page; perhaps because at age 75 I suffer a form of ADD and possibly early symptoms of Alzheimer's
I'm bamboozled
Thank you nevertheless, and I will keep at it
dale, this can be found right above the keyword entry box:
Keyword search terms (
Advanced search tips)
the bit I've shown in blue is clickable.
edit:
so, putting [time +range] into the keywords search
and
belligerentyouth into the username search
I get
this.
How did I know, without first looking, that a thread with the word "algorithm" in it would have been initiated by Dale?
tsu:thanks I will look for it but the blue wasn't clickable
The red was clickable, but again I didn't need 23 hits. The algorithm (or whatever it's called) picked out only the word, "time", ignoring the other two. Like I said, this isn't like Google and there's something strange about it
father: I could use some synonyms; pref neologisms, and slang is acceptable--thanks
dale, here is a pointer to the search page; note the "Advanced search tips" in blue (which turns red when I move the mouse pointer over it) -- that's the bit that is clickable!
http://wordsmith.org/board/search.php?Cat=0again, putting [time +range] into the keywords search
and
belligerentyouth into the username search
should get you 1 match, i.e. this thread!!
tsu: Aha, now I see it and thank you
By the way you referred to the link as a "pointer", and I am wondering if you have any more neologistic synonyms
In computer science, a pointer is a programming language datatype whose value refers directly to ("points to") another value stored elsewhere in the computer memory using its address for the the term--Wikipedia
Pretty good syn for "link", I'd say
Thanks again for your patience
>neologistic synonyms
in teaching an intro course to XP and MS-Word for seniors, we refer to the "mouse pointer" (the cursor looks like a pointer) and "insertion point". using consistent terminology is required to get our "point"s across w/o confustion.
I have never heard of a (hyper)link being refered to as a pointer. I've heard of the mouse pointer (i.e., the leftward-leaning arrow-shaped cursor icon) and pointers in the programming sense (i.e., storing an address rather than a value in a variable). This latter term has developed a new, extended meaning. A pointer is a reference (URL, citation, etc.) to something: "Could you give me a pointer to that?"
zm: Thank you for that
Incidentally can I conclude that "hyperlink" is just another syn for "link"
tsu: Thank you too. I'm on the lookout for neologisms,but not if they're literal. Thus woudn't you consider "mouse pointer" and "insertion point" verging on literal
Seriously, this is an important distinction in my project
Thanks bothaya
Incidentally can I conclude that "hyperlink" is just another syn for "link"It is in my neck of the IT woods,
YMMV.
>woudn't you consider "mouse pointer" and "insertion point" verging on literal.
hey! -- it weren't me that tried to call them neologisms!!
and, I'd say that link was short for hyperlink.
tsu: Why can't a neologism be literal
6 months ago, when you first started posting here,
you posted to and/or started several thread about how to use advanced search features of google.
(one example[ur]http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=words&Number=159557[/url])
now, you are stimied by the simpler features of AWAD search.
what is it? are you proficient at using search engines? or an internet illiterate? are you surprised to learn a link is a hyper link? (since when?)
you seem to have an agenda.. (should i go over to word craft to learn it? you seem to refer to that site once a month or so..
all to often you have discussion there, that you are dissatisfied with, you want to continue here,(after we first go there and aquaint ourselves with it, and you provide a link) and then you seem dissatified with our discussion too.
what is it
>Why can't a neologism be literal
you're the one who claimed it (or wants to rule them out of your collection), so you tell me!
Helen thank you for evoking all the fond memories
"6 months ago, when you first started posting here,
you posted to and/or started several thread about how to use advanced search features of google....now, you are stimied by the simpler features of AWAD search."
Yes I am
"what is it? are you proficient at using search engines?"
I'm pretty good with Google
"or an internet illiterate?"
Yes I am that, too
"are you surprised to learn a link is a hyper link? (since when?)"
No I'm not surprised, but I'm compiling a dictionary and get opinions of this sort from several quarters before I write a def
"you seem to have an agenda.."
I do? What is it
"(should i go over to word craft to learn it? you seem to refer to that site once a month or so.."
In the interim I've learned that doing so is a violation of protocol so I don;'t do it anymore
"...all to often you have discussion there, that you are dissatisfied with, you want to continue here,(after we first go there and aquaint ourselves with it, and you provide a link) and then you seem dissatified with our discussion too"
What gives you that impression