Google search ain't cuttin it

[carlcnc]

If Google search was the best my favorite
restaurant could do,
I would stay home and eat my own cooking
It's unorganized,out of date by hours if not a full day. and generally a poor substitute for
what we had before

end of rant
Carl

[Gary Campbell]

Carl...
You forgot to mention that the old one would at least return a link to a complete thread, instead of a copy of a single post with the search criteria in it. If I had to learn what I learned from this forum using the new search, I would be a much bigger dunce than I am.

[dana_swift]

I have posted an alternative, have you tried it?

D

[zeykr]

Dana's alternative is nice and best option currently available, but I still prefer 'Last Day'. Hope they fix it!

[tgm]

I have to agree with Carl, the new search just plain 'stinks' compared to what we had before. Why do people insist on trying to 'improve' something that is working just fine??
Remember the old adage...
the cause of every problem is a change'...and this search fiasco hits that nail on the head.

Tom in PA

[cnc_works]

Check the last thread on this subject and you will see described a method where you can edit your preferences and have the latest posts emailed you for whichever categories you wish.

Donn

[rb99]

Why did it get changed?

Can it be changed back to the old search?

Why not have the old search and Google?

RIB

[Gary Campbell]

Dana...
I have found over the years that I am not the "typical" user.

I NEVER used the last day search on the old search engine.

I have the "NEW" icon show up on any post I havnt read.

I also get an email if a post is made to any thread I have posted in, along with any in the Cabinetry/eCabinets section. Outlook is set on my computer to send these directly to the deleted items folder and they are deleted upon exit. I dont have to read them, I am simply notified that a post was made to a thread of my interest.

What I do use most of the time, and most likely to my age induced memory loss is a search in the last 300 or 600 days that was made concerning a certain item that I would like to referrence to by providing a link to a user that wants info. It was obvious that he couldnt find the info, now its obvious that I cant find it either. I also used the "search for authors name" function a good percentage of time.

I usually stay very current with the forum, and save those threads important to me in my list of bookmarked pages. For this reason, I very seldom search for me, mostly for another user as I can remember that there WAS a post, just dont remember where or when.

For example; I responded to a post concerning an air drill in the SB accessories section. I would have like to link to that original post, which was titled "Air Compressor" by original poster Nat Wheatley. The old search engine would return a number of threads, allow me to select them, and when selected go to the original post. Not any more. The Google search returns a single post with no link to threads. Its the communities loss, I have already gleaned enough info from my predacessors to be dangerous! http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/clipart/happy.gif
Gary

[robtown]

Ummm... "Last Day" was much easier than all methods above.

What's up with it?

It's actually diminished my time here on the forum.

I understand there's many ways to skin a cat here, but I just want the old way back as it was most convenient.

[burchbot]

I would like to see the old way back. I have cut way back on my visits since the change.. The worst part being it makes it harder for people thinking of buying a ShopBot to learn about them.
Dan

[br928]

Admin. Why is the old search feature disabled?

Seems like a lot of people want to know.

It is much harder to find old posts and does diminish the usefullness of this forum.

Is it going to be fixed or is this the way it's going to remain?

[knight_toolworks]

I just signed up for emails. then I have them go to their own folder. I find this faster then the old last day method.

[donchapman]

Admin, please find a way to bring back the old search method if possible.

The old "last day" search was so quick and easy that I visited the forum most days of the week for the past many years and told people I met elsewhere that one of the best things about owning a ShopBot is the fantastic user forum.

I now visit the forum maybe once every week or two and find searching very clunky so I'm sure I now miss a lot of info.

[ted]

Hello all!

We appreciate your hanging in their while we struggle with our old and idiosyncratic forum software. [And Dana, we really appreciate your helpful temporary search solutions ...!!]

But alas ... a new world is just around the corner. With efforts from Aaron Koehl (of Saw Mill Creek behind-the-scene fame), we will shortly be moving to a new, better-featured (including "Search"), and more easily managed vBulletin forum.

When the transition happens, all existing content, threads, posts, and images will be preserved in the new system. During the transition the old forum will be "locked to new posts" for a short period of time while the transition takes place. Then you will be able to continue, right where you left off in the same thread on the new forum. All forum memberships will be maintained, and as much as possible, all info you've entered will be maintained.

It will be necessary to give everyone a new password. These will be emailed out to all members during the transition period. Your password will also be emailed to you if you request it on attempting to login to the new system. (If you are not able to remember your registered user name or your registered email address, we will still get you the info but we'll need a bit of time to get it you manually).

We're very pleased with the prospects of the new forum system and being able to move forward with it.

Ted Hall, ShopBot Tools

[rcnewcomb]

Thanks for the update. We look forward to the new and improved forum.

[wberminio]

Ted
I think you made some people very happy!

Thanks

[Gary Campbell]

Even though I am sure that it will not happen, and using Sawmill Creek (and other successful forums) as an example. Hopefully we can improve our "new" forum as we bring it right into the 90s'. http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/clipart/happy.gif

Some features that I have found on the others that I frequent that are missing here:

Admin approved real names only. Exceptions given to those in witness protection with a note from the US Marshall. Slows down the spammers too.

Posters for help related issues have machine model/year available, at least in profile.

Generic location... Western NC or state OK

Signatures... with or without live web links

Private beta forum where beta testers can communicate beta testing issues with staff without having the general public make erroneous assumptions.

[donchapman]

Thanks, Ted.

[keith_outten]

Gary,

The ShopBot Forum has already been successfully imported into vBulletin. It was a major undertaking to save every thread and all the picture attachments but Aaron Koehl did the job and saved everything. He wrote custom scripts to import every field in the database and had to create a custom program to adjust the picture file names since they are different than vBulletin.

What is important is that all of the information everyone has shared here is being preserved. Ted Hall and the ShopBot Team deserve a lot of credit for recognizing how valuable the information here is, I know that everyone here will appreciate their efforts when the new software is made available.

Lets Rock http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/clipart/happy.gif
.

[Gary Campbell]

Keith...
Thanks for the heads up, my friend. And thanks to Aaron for the work, although I am sure the SB folks beat me to that one. There is a lot of info stored away in the archives, I know how much it meant to me, I am glad todays and tomorrows users can benefit also.
Gary

[bleeth]

It has been a long wait but is apparently worth it. :D
For those who will find nits to pick at: :mad:

[rej]

good job shopbot.
thank you for having a forum