Hello!

Just a quick introduction here, I am Mike, I oversee the automotive side of things over at Internet Brands company that operates this discussion forum. We are trying to do our best to listen to the users and focus on the details here, we believe in improvement; so I am very interested to hear some of your feedback regarding the site - more importantly the new search feature. It looks like the good old vbulletin search button - but we've radically changed the speed at which it gets you results and operates.

I want to know if you are having problems, if it's been working okay for you; even if you really couldn't care less, chime in with your .02, I do want to hear from everyone. If you really want to get personal here, use creative language you can either PM me or email me directly.

Thanks again, and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

PS. For those interested in this search technology, this is a new code/program that InternetBrands.com is testing out only on a few select communities - such as this one in order to improve the load on the server and speed up the server in general. Avoid bogging down during high traffic times.

Mike @ Internet Brands

 

Hi Mike.....

 

Hey Mike... What's going on today ?

How's things in California?

I searched and couldn't find the answer *grinz*

 

Hi Mike


From myself as a user perspective, it is certainly improved over the old system!

 

Hello Mike

Generally I find the new software upgrade an improvement from the previous version of VB.

I would guess the slowness of the site this past week was due to the system upgrades and not bugs in the new VB.

The "new" search function seems to work good for me, as of today anyway. It seems to be quick and "to the point".

There are still some issues with links in web mails. I have already sent a report to support. I have narrowed the problem down to "just" the links that go to posts in the Regional Chapters Forum.

It appears that links are correct when you first click from the web mail. The link that pops in the address bar is correct. Just that when the link hits the FTE site, its not recognized and you end up on the "main" FTE site page.
Now when you copy and paste the link to the address bar, it works fine.

If the link in the web mail is to any forum other than the Regional Chapter forum, it appears to work fine. By example the link in my web mail to the, Subject:"Site Announcements" update Date:Sunday, April 20, 2008 4:43:24 AM, worked properly this morning.

The links to a Regional Chapter forum did not. Somewhere, somehow, those links have not been indexed under the new software. I should add this is not an issue if the emails are opened in Outlook or Outlook express, just from like my Comcast web mail account.

So far the new VB is works great from my perspective.

 

The old system I put in (it wasn't standard VB search) allowed wild-cards, optional words, negative words and required words.

It appears the same syntax is supported in the new system, but its not documented anywhere. The old system I set up (it wasn't standard VB 3.0 search) had them documented on the search screen for the benefit of the users.

Example:
+ means keyword is required. "+tires wheels" will return results which must have tires and optionally have wheels
- means negative keyword. "tires -wheels" will return results which must have tires but do not contain wheels
* wild card. "*v8" will return results with words which end in V8 such as 352V8, 351V8, etc. "tire*" will return results with words which start with tire, such as tire, tires, tiresome, etc.

When making a new feature keep in mind the target audience on some of these sites contain many people who aren't technically savvy. They won't know about search engine is using standard database fulltext search syntax unless its pointed out.

 

I think it works very well.

 

Hi Mike. Welcome to FTE.....or should that be your line?

Anyway, I like the new search now that it's absorbed enough old threads (don't know the technical term). The first couple of days it was a turd....but it's pretty darn good now.

 

Search is working great for me now. Thanks

 

Seems to be working well and quickly.

I have not done any really specific searches lately but things like single word search gets a very rapid response, as does "new posts."

 

I also like the fact that it gives percentages that that thread fits your search.

 

I like the new search feature.

 

Hey, I resemble that remark


I don't use the search a whole lot, but wanted to say Hi Mike, and welcome aboard

 

Howdy and thanks for the welcome! I've unfortunately broken the cardinal forum rule by double posting - in the following forum / thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...-function.html

BUT!

With that said, I am still tracking your responses in both threads now and I am thankful for some of the constructive criticism or praise that you've provided.

Thanks again, and keep 'em coming

Mike
Internet Brands

 

Perhaps Mike you can give some insight on why you can no longer copy and paste a link without losing the hyperlink attached to the link.

Hey all! We really need to hear your feedback on the SEARCH function

The above was a copy and paste of this thread title

BTW all is forgiven for your double post. Just fess up and tell us which FORD truck is your daily driver.