The new search system- problems, observations, issues

[mikkiwikki]

Where did you get the 13 months figure from?

Well I cant speak for dpuck or Dan - but given this THREAD was started August 2006 - that might be your first clue.

The response is very re-assuring.

 

[BoardTracker]

Well I cant speak for dpuck or Dan - but given this THREAD was started August 2006 - that might be your first clue.

The response is very re-assuring.

This thread was started in August 2006 when the first/original version of BoardTracker was released. That is 13 months ago. So that would serve as a very good indication that the new version is less (actually considerably less) than 13 months in the works. And EVEN if it was 13 months in the works, we have never indicated that it would be any shorted.

The new version of BoardTracker is in Beta and is still being worked on.

 

[mikkiwikki]

This thread was started in August 2006 when the first/original version of BoardTracker was released. That is 13 months ago. So that would serve as a very good indication that the new version is less (actually considerably less) than 13 months in the works. And EVEN if it was 13 months in the works, we have never indicated that it would be any shorted.

The new version of BoardTracker is in Beta and is still being worked on.

Im sure a very accurate answer which doesnt provide any useful information as it pertains to the fact that search still does not work.

Thanks.

 

[BoardTracker]

Im sure a very accurate answer which doesnt provide any useful information as it pertains to the fact that search still does not work.

Thanks.

Last I checked, the regular version's search works and the beta version works as beta supposed to.. in sometimes a crippled way (thats why its beta).

 

[minnie61650]

Im sure a very accurate answer which doesnt provide any useful information as it pertains to the fact that search still does not work.

Thanks.

I agree. The search function as it is is very poor to say the least.

I have not even been able to track my Personal Messages since last December.

I had given up posting on this thread since I do not think the search function is going to get better. I am sure this is not an easy task and that they are working on it but it is very poor to say the least.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Last I checked, the regular version's search works and the beta version works as beta supposed to.. in sometimes a crippled way (thats why its beta).

Well your wrong - even with California gold there are problems...

Heres a test to duplicate one of the *many* problems with your *service*

Problem #1 - Search by username. ...you can search using the main search - but you cannot search by username by Clicking on your name on the left hand side or your screen...using the drop down...Pick search all posts by that username. For username boardtracker - I got two hits...both wrong.
So if it doesnt work - and you KNOW it doesnt work - then shouldnt you de-activate that option from the dropdown???

Problem #2 - (mentioned in another thread) You cannot search WITHIN A THREAD.....steps to duplicate....go to any thread...in the upper menu - you have the option SEARCH THIS THREAD....That doesnt work. It bounces you back to the main screen - asking you to repick from all the categories.such as Theme Park Attractions etc,. (even if you were not even reading a thread in that category) ..which is NOT how it worked before.

Thanks!

 

[mikkiwikki]

I agree. The search function as it is is very poor to say the least.

I have not even been able to track my Personal Messages since last December.

I had given up posting on this thread since I do not think the search function is going to get better. I am sure this is not an easy task and that they are working on it but it is very poor to say the least.

Just my 2 cents.

Hi Minnie - Yeah I just check in every once an a while....being in software development - I know if you dont complain - things dont get fixed.....so HERE i AM complaining again. Everyone please chime in!!!!

 

[BoardTracker]

Well your wrong - even with California gold there are problems...

Heres a test to duplicate one of the *many* problems with your *service*

Problem #1....

Bickering about what does and does not work as should or as you wish, in a beta phase of a product, is somewhat pointless.
California gold version of the search is the Beta cycle of the new version of BoardTracker.
You complain about the fact that things don't work.. well, we hear you. It's beta. It it worked fully, it wouldn't be Beta.

Your inability to search within a thread, has nothing to do with BoardTracker. BoardTracker V1 doesn't have this capability. When V2 is fully released, you will be once again able to search both by username and within a thread. Once we get there, there will be a new search module for boards with this capability and this board will once again have it as a feature.

Until then, we still have work. So.. back to work.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Bickering about what does and does not work as should or as you wish, in a beta phase of a product, is somewhat pointless.
California gold version of the search is the Beta cycle of the new version of BoardTracker.
You complain about the fact that things don't work.. well, we hear you. It's beta. It it worked fully, it wouldn't be Beta.

Your inability to search within a thread, has nothing to do with BoardTracker. BoardTracker V1 doesn't have this capability. When V2 is fully released, you will be once again able to search both by username and within a thread. Once we get there, there will be a new search module for boards with this capability and this board will once again have it as a feature.

Until then, we still have work. So.. back to work.

Well - I guess you missed the point. Its not point less...it *is* the point.
Until it works I will continue to complain regardless of your versioning naming convention.

 

[jfulcer]

Bickering about what does and does not work as should or as you wish, in a beta phase of a product, is somewhat pointless.
California gold version of the search is the Beta cycle of the new version of BoardTracker.
You complain about the fact that things don't work.. well, we hear you. It's beta. It it worked fully, it wouldn't be Beta.

Your inability to search within a thread, has nothing to do with BoardTracker. BoardTracker V1 doesn't have this capability. When V2 is fully released, you will be once again able to search both by username and within a thread. Once we get there, there will be a new search module for boards with this capability and this board will once again have it as a feature.

Until then, we still have work. So.. back to work.

Awwww jeez, smacking the board members here and talking down to them like they are utter morons is really kinda beneath you.

It's absolutely amazing to me that you keep coming here and posting about almost releasing this or you're really close to that.

* You said that you'd be releasing a new version of the search engine to the boards (and well, I think you meant all over) on September 5th. It's now almost a month later and we've not seen it. We still have to use California Gold.

*The index is STILL not up to date. It's (I think) still over a month off the last I checked.

But you know all that. You keep feeding those Koalas. And they keep failing us. If you're going to link to something from Wikipedia, you should be linking to Vaporware.

 

[agnes!]

I just wish the various aspects of the Search that don't work would have their visible clickpoints "poofed". DIS'ers, especially folks new to the site, wouldn't have to click on a choice, have that choice always come up with no hits and then post "Why?" on the Tech Support Forum. If a message would come up that said "This feature is presently disabled until further notice." or "Please try this feature using the California Gold skin [with the appropriate instructions following]."

agnes!

 

[bicker]

It seems to me that folks should be addressing their concerns to board webmasters, not BoardTracker (nor moderators, for that matter).

 

[mikkiwikki]

It seems to me that folks should be addressing their concerns to board webmasters, not BoardTracker (nor moderators, for that matter).

Hey bicker -
I believe the webmaster is subscribed to this thread...good point.

Hey Webmaster are you OUT THERE??!?! hearing this? I *could* search within the thread to see if he is subscribed.....buuuut OOPS that doesnt work anymore. Guess Ill just refer to the boardtrackers beta software development cycle which has a never ending amorphorous timeline for completion.

How much $$$ did you pay Boardtracker? Just curious. Were deadlines involved in your agreement? Again - I work in software development and Id be canned If I performed like this.

Oh an BoardTracker - Im very cognizant of Beta software. Im also cognizant of customer satisfaction. Maybe you should look that one up. Your CUSTOMERS dont care what version your at. And when you say something is going to be fixed by XXX date. It should be....or that results in customer DIS-satisfaction. Something you may want to think about.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Awwww jeez, smacking the board members here and talking down to them like they are utter morons is really kinda beneath you.

It's absolutely amazing to me that you keep coming here and posting about almost releasing this or you're really close to that.

* You said that you'd be releasing a new version of the search engine to the boards (and well, I think you meant all over) on September 5th. It's now almost a month later and we've not seen it. We still have to use California Gold.

*The index is STILL not up to date. It's (I think) still over a month off the last I checked.

But you know all that. You keep feeding those Koalas. And they keep failing us. If you're going to link to something from Wikipedia, you should be linking to Vaporware.

right on~! jfulcer you go!

 

[bicker]

Hey Webmaster are you OUT THERE??!?!

Uh, this wasn't what I had in mind.

 

[labattblue]

Well your wrong - even with California gold there are problems...

Heres a test to duplicate one of the *many* problems with your *service*

Problem #1 - Search by username. ...you can search using the main search - but you cannot search by username by Clicking on your name on the left hand side or your screen...using the drop down...Pick search all posts by that username. For username boardtracker - I got two hits...both wrong.
So if it doesnt work - and you KNOW it doesnt work - then shouldnt you de-activate that option from the dropdown???

Problem #2 - (mentioned in another thread) You cannot search WITHIN A THREAD.....steps to duplicate....go to any thread...in the upper menu - you have the option SEARCH THIS THREAD....That doesnt work. It bounces you back to the main screen - asking you to repick from all the categories.such as Theme Park Attractions etc,. (even if you were not even reading a thread in that category) ..which is NOT how it worked before.

Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Where did you get the 13 months figure from?

From the start date the new search was announced, in the OP, from alex, see quote below

Please use this thread to post any problems, observations or issues with the new search system

.

Awwww jeez, smacking the board members here and talking down to them like they are utter morons is really kinda beneath you.

It's absolutely amazing to me that you keep coming here and posting about almost releasing this or you're really close to that.

* You said that you'd be releasing a new version of the search engine to the boards (and well, I think you meant all over) on September 5th. It's now almost a month later and we've not seen it. We still have to use California Gold.

*The index is STILL not up to date. It's (I think) still over a month off the last I checked.

But you know all that. You keep feeding those Koalas. And they keep failing us. If you're going to link to something from Wikipedia, you should be linking to Vaporware.

Go easy, Jeff, I got whacked with points some months back, and all I did was welcome BT back to the boards after an extended absence of his/hers. Hate to see you, or others here, get likewise whacked over a search thing.


And BT, thanks for the update.

 

[BoardTracker]

From the start date the new search was announced, in the OP, from alex, see quote below
....
And BT, thanks for the update.

Hey Dan
This thread, quoted by you, was an announcement by Alexa about BoardTracker Version ONE. Not the new version. 13 months ago DisBoards started Beta testing the FIRST version of BoardTracker. Not the new one. The new one is in beta for less than 2 months AND DisBoards is the FIRST (and atm the only) board beta-testing the new version. We are working on Version 2 for about 7 months (we actually always working on new things, but defining a new version was 7-8 months ago). And actually, even 13 months working on a new version is really a very short time, considering the scale and complexity of creating a search engine.
As the new version requires dealing with about x20 more data and much heavier infrastructure and resources requirements, this is a very delicate issue. Doing it for free (certainly the case thus far), lacking the budget of Google it may also explain why we can't get 50 people working on it and finishing it all in a month

Anyway, we are working on it (aside from the times we are posting here ) and we are happy to keep you updated.

Best regards,
BoardTracker.com

 

[travelbug]

I just noticed that my Aug. 9 post requesting an update has disappeared from the thread, along with the response (both quoted by Dan back in post #534), and my thank you after the response. I also noticed that a more recent post of mine (around Sept. 15 or so) explaining some recent difficulty with the search function has also disappeared, along with another person's response. Kinda puzzling. Can't image what I did wrong. Hopefully nothing!

 

[agnes!]

travelbug -

You're thinking of the other New Search feedback thread...
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=20209472#post20209472

Look for Post #53 & #54 and there you are !

agnes!