maemo.org - Talk - Introducing Tablet Scene

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Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Quote:

Originally Posted by geneven (Post 217520)

I said that I thought that 95% of posters did "some kind of search" before posting. By my definition, 100% of people who glanced at the first ten results of a search did "some kind of search". But they didn't have to use a search engine at all to do "some kind of search".

I am so writing you in for president this November.

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 217514)

Not trying to perpetuate any sort of argument, but experience and observation has shown me that your estimate can be easily flipped and be more realistic-- I was being facetious when I used the word guess. :p

But hey, I decided to search on the subject and found a slightly relevant study on search habits:

http://www.webology.ir/2004/v1n2/a4.html

So in other words as the internet progressed, users regressed. Nice.

Granted, nothing about forum posting per se, but it does indicate the general laziness of web searchers. Unfortunately, that same laziness applies to people posting questions. And I'm betting we *could* perform an analysis of this site to determine a fairly accurate post/search ratio, but even though I'm actually intrigued by the idea I'm too lazy to do it. I do however have a statistic: 150,000 hits on Google for "search before posting". Hmmm... a little on the low side... :D

I wouldn't call it a regression. I don't know about you, but when I can't find what I'm looking for in the first bit of results, I either:

A) Search within the results
B) Add new keywords to my search
C) Better phrase and express my query
D) Use more advanced search features (if available)
E) Try Google if I'm not using it already :p

It is only good search technique, right? ;)

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 217514)

But hey, I decided to search on the subject and found a slightly relevant study on search habits:

http://www.webology.ir/2004/v1n2/a4.html

So in other words as the internet progressed, users regressed. Nice.

Granted, nothing about forum posting per se, but it does indicate the general laziness of web searchers.

Nah, the results are garbage after the first page anyway. If what you're looking for isn't on the first page, you didn't search right. I say that people don't bother looking past the first page of results because they've learned from experience that there's nothing of much use out there past the first page.

Now, on the other hand, the built-in search tool on this forum is very different. Since it sorts results first by date, not by relevance, you have to wade through several pages of useless dreck to get to what you want, if what you want is 6 months old. The Google Search does not have this problem; I try to use it whenever possible.

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Good points qole and Brent. But I have seen exceptions, where even using robust search methods still resulted in the result I really wanted showing up on the second or third page. But in those cases it mainly indicates the wealth of knowledge on the subject (for me, typically mythology or Visual basic programming) combined with my pathological desire to find just the right page... :D

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

My way to search this, or any other site with a crappy search form, is by typing in the Firefox urlbar: "here: some searchterms". How does this work you may wonder. Easy: Add a bookmark with keyword "here:" and Location:

Code:

javascript:void(location.href='http://www.google.co.uk/search?&q=site:'+location.href.split(%22/%22)[2]+'+%s&sourceid=firefox')

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Wow, that here: trick is snazzy.

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

@iamthewalrus:
Interesting. Does that work only on Windows? It ~~doesn't seem to work~~ on my Firefox3 on Linux. If I enter 'here: some searchterm' on the urlbar I get a message saying 'the protocol (here) isn't associated with any program'. If I click the bookmark I get a google search on the site with %s

EDIT: Scratch that, it works! I had put 'here:' in Name instead of Keyword. Great trick!
:D

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Maybe it's a FF2 vs FF3 thing. It worked in my Debian FF2 no problem.

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Typical example for ITT-threads! The content seldom hits the title.

Re: Introducing Tablet Scene

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatonero (Post 217753)

Typical example for ITT-threads! The content seldom hits the title.

I believe it's just the opposite-- the non sequiters are the exception overall.

Ironically, though, your post counts as off topic. :D