A Suggestion about the Search Button

[Ginsu]

May I suggest that either:

1) The search engine itself is improved so that you can actually find what you're looking for without having to come up with the perfect filtering criteria. As it is, either you get no results for your search because its too specific, or you get way too many because its too vague and then you have to sit there looking through 50 threads.

OR

2) Kindly ask all the Search Button Police to STOP IT ALREADY with the rude thread killing posts. Yes, so somebody asks about a dash rattle again, or keyless entry, or rims or whatever, so what? Are you that concerned about space on this forum that you have to keep all new threads to a minimum? If the topic bothers you then don't open the thread! This forum is supposed to be a live discussion of Versa issues, not an electronic encyclopedia or reference guide where all the answers have already been published and you have to look them up. And since there is a constant stream of new versa owners, there will be some repetitive questions asked. Get over it, and stop being so rude. How many times have we seen someone new ask a question, get shut down with one reply, and then they never show their face again?

At the very least, you could be more sensible about the advice. If a newbie asks an old question, say "Hey, this problem has come up before. If no one else answers you, your best bet is to try the search button at the top of the screen. Good luck."
Modified by Ginsu at 11:35 AM 5/12/2009

[marlin29311]

May I suggest that either:

1) The search engine itself is improved so that you can actually find what you're looking for without having to come up with the perfect filtering criteria. As it is, either you get no results for your search because its too specific, or you get way too many because its too vague and then you have to sit there looking through 50 threads.

OR

2) Kindly ask all the Search Button Police to STOP IT ALREADY with the rude thread killing posts. Yes, so somebody asks about a dash rattle again, or keyless entry, or rims or whatever, so what? Are you that concerned about space on this forum that you have to keep all new threads to a minimum? If the topic bothers you then don't open the thread! This forum is supposed to be a live discussion of Versa issues, not an electronic encyclopedia or reference guide where all the answers have already been published and you have to look them up. And since there is a constant stream of new versa owners, there will be some repetitive questions asked. Get over it, and stop being so rude. How many times have we seen someone new ask a question, get shut down with one reply, and then they never show their face again?

End of rant.

Forum searching is a difficult task no matter what you do - if everyone made informative thread titles, then it would be easier to sift through everything here...the "M4D Ty73 JDM 1337 Sw4y BAR YO" threads are not exactly easy to figure out...it all starts with how people preface their thread titles.

People say search because they don't want to have to re-type the same response 100 different times for each new member that comes in...the staff (IMO) does a very good job of trying to update the FAQ threads and the stickies with all the information that is available, and it's a bit disheartening when someone just plops in, asks 1 question and leaves without ever taking a moment to realize that the question has been answered already...most of the time those 1 post wonders are only here for the one thing and really aren't interested in sticking around.

Yes, maybe people don't have to put "SEARCH NOOB OR GTFO" but certianly a quick helpful reminder to utilize the information already available is not a difficult request.

[Ginsu]

Agreed.

[AZhitman]

Working on #1, and #2 is always great advice.

Good reminder!

[Mubbly]

100% agree about the thread killer "there is a search button, ya know?" response.

I know things have discussed before. Do you really want there to be 0 activity on the forum because everyone uses the search button to find their answers? Its what makes a forum a forum. New threads are needed, whether they've been covered before or not. I would be bored out of my mind if there were no new topics. N00bs(which, my friends, may become our millionth word), Mubbly welcomes you.

BTW.. the search button looks like an ad in my peripheral.

[Rockhound]

100% agree about the thread killer "there is a search button, ya know?" response.

I know things have discussed before. Do you really want there to be 0 activity on the forum because everyone uses the search button to find their answers? Its what makes a forum a forum. New threads are needed, whether they've been covered before or not. I would be bored out of my mind if there were no new topics. N00bs(which, my friends, may become our millionth word), Mubbly welcomes you.

My sentiment exactly.

It's as if folks don't see the cyclic nature of these forums. A very large contingent of owners visit forums for a very specific question and have little interest in sticking around for the camaraderie, which isn't such a bad thing. Others might stick around for a few months, but once they've figured a few things out, they lose interest in the forum.

Like you said, Mubbly, eventually most questions are asked/answered after a couple years, which means that if you relegate forum activity to new threads for completely discrete questions, forum activity will grind to a near halt, especially if you group questions under broad headings.

Also like you said, some "noobs" go on to be the experts of the forum after a little while. Some people are genuinely new to the whole 'forum' concept, too, so explaining the search button in a rude manner does little to engender much interest in sticking around to be part of the forum once the question is addressed.

That's not to say you can't politely mention the helpfulness of the search button (like others have mentioned), but everyone is bound to think their question is in some way unique to their situation (which in fact it may be). But I also agree that forum searching is in fact flawed by nature, and there's nothing wrong with wanting a faster answer than having to mine through potentially hundreds of posts for your answer like the proverbial needle in the haystack.