Pistonheads Search Function
Discussion
Unfortunately that rather proves the point that the search engine is not fit for purpose for us.
Firstly, you shouldnt have to go through all that messing. Does anybody use a search engine at work or at home which demands that kind of approach?
Secondly, the results you have shown are not good anyway. Several have nothing to do with S series cars, and the latest information has not appeared on the search.
I tried searching PH by google and got more relevant information without all the faffing around. I spent some time on this and lots of messages with the IT team but I really didnt get the feeling they were concerned that much about the 'customer experience'.
I honestly think PH has let us down badly on this. I am also a member of the Facebook group of S enthusiasts and it became clear last year that there was a good deal of frustration about finding info on PH. To me, PH is vastly more useful than Facebook for all technical information and advice about owning and restoring the cars, and I do refer many Facebook queries to info on PH, when I can find it!!! But it is no surprise to me that younger people in particular do find PH frustrating. I now make a point of searching by Google, if the Facebook member cannot find it that way they are very unlikely to find it by the PH way.
If PH lose out to Facebook they have only themselves to blame. I hope Big Al sees this, he at least does appear to have some understanding of PH members needs (which is more than can be said for some mods!)
Firstly, you shouldnt have to go through all that messing. Does anybody use a search engine at work or at home which demands that kind of approach?
Secondly, the results you have shown are not good anyway. Several have nothing to do with S series cars, and the latest information has not appeared on the search.
I tried searching PH by google and got more relevant information without all the faffing around. I spent some time on this and lots of messages with the IT team but I really didnt get the feeling they were concerned that much about the 'customer experience'.
I honestly think PH has let us down badly on this. I am also a member of the Facebook group of S enthusiasts and it became clear last year that there was a good deal of frustration about finding info on PH. To me, PH is vastly more useful than Facebook for all technical information and advice about owning and restoring the cars, and I do refer many Facebook queries to info on PH, when I can find it!!! But it is no surprise to me that younger people in particular do find PH frustrating. I now make a point of searching by Google, if the Facebook member cannot find it that way they are very unlikely to find it by the PH way.
If PH lose out to Facebook they have only themselves to blame. I hope Big Al sees this, he at least does appear to have some understanding of PH members needs (which is more than can be said for some mods!)
greymrj said:
....
Secondly, the results you have shown are not good anyway. Several have nothing to do with S series cars, and the latest information has not appeared on the search.
Richard, I disagree with this comment. The search results shown in my list are sorted by last post date, descending and contain the exact text "new indicator lenses". The results shown are only from posts on the TVR >> S Series Forum. This is exactly what I searched for !Secondly, the results you have shown are not good anyway. Several have nothing to do with S series cars, and the latest information has not appeared on the search.
Of course, if you enter the text "indicator lenses", ommiting the "new", then you will get different (even more !) search results. This is the way this search engine works.
If you just write new indicator lenses, without the quotation marks, then you will get all posts containing the words new AND indicator AND lenses, so this search result will be much more general.
I remember your posts about the search engine from earlier, but try it - the result makes sense to me. 3 extra clicks is not bad for a result. Some of the ERP systems I've worked with were much more frustrating than this
Tim
Edited by TVRees on Friday 11th March 20:05
Tim, I take your point but I suspect you are missing mine. I assume you are pretty computer literate from what you said. I am probably not as computer literate but I do use them all the time and have done since the 'green screen' days, I also use them to do research work.
But I do not think we should consider ourselves typical of the PH users in this respect. PH is a branch of Haymarket publishing and caters for a very wide range of people. I believe that the typical user simply isnt going to use a 'search' facility which requires that degree of knowledge of search systems or that many steps and options. This is a system built for the computer literate not for the 'average man in the street', and yet it is being used by the average man in the street. I asked other PH members and a selection of my friends to try it, hardly anybody found what they were asked to look for and the differences in results astonished me.
Sometimes it can throw up quite obscure but interesting references but most people ask simple questions and it simply isnt fit for that purpose.
It was the experience with Facebook members that really frustrated me. I got fed up with answering questions on FB that had already been dealt with in detail on PH. Furthermore people were re-inventing the wheel without the benefit of the wealth of info stored on PH. So I tried to refer them to the info on PH, but it was just too difficult and time consuming. I eventually realised that if I couldnt find it searching PH threads on Google, then someone new didnt have a cats chance in hell of finding it.
Put bluntly my view is that this is an intellectual system created for the satisfaction of its creators, but not designed to provide for the needs of the customers.
Are there any S owners who use the search and find it user friendly? There werent last time.
But I do not think we should consider ourselves typical of the PH users in this respect. PH is a branch of Haymarket publishing and caters for a very wide range of people. I believe that the typical user simply isnt going to use a 'search' facility which requires that degree of knowledge of search systems or that many steps and options. This is a system built for the computer literate not for the 'average man in the street', and yet it is being used by the average man in the street. I asked other PH members and a selection of my friends to try it, hardly anybody found what they were asked to look for and the differences in results astonished me.
Sometimes it can throw up quite obscure but interesting references but most people ask simple questions and it simply isnt fit for that purpose.
It was the experience with Facebook members that really frustrated me. I got fed up with answering questions on FB that had already been dealt with in detail on PH. Furthermore people were re-inventing the wheel without the benefit of the wealth of info stored on PH. So I tried to refer them to the info on PH, but it was just too difficult and time consuming. I eventually realised that if I couldnt find it searching PH threads on Google, then someone new didnt have a cats chance in hell of finding it.
Put bluntly my view is that this is an intellectual system created for the satisfaction of its creators, but not designed to provide for the needs of the customers.
Are there any S owners who use the search and find it user friendly? There werent last time.
I gave up with the Pistonheads search ages ago. I use Google for any queries and put the word "Pistonheads" at the end of my enquiry. I seem to end up with the right threads although it sometimes takes a few iterative loops to get there. Why bother with a dedicated search when you can use Google? I am sure that there will be thoughtful responses to this statement!
I have not signed up to Facepaint but I suspect that I may be missing out.....
Cheers
Tony
I have not signed up to Facepaint but I suspect that I may be missing out.....
Cheers
Tony
greymrj said:
.
It was the experience with Facebook members that really frustrated me. I got fed up with answering questions on FB that had already been dealt with in detail on PH. Furthermore people were re-inventing the wheel without the benefit of the wealth of info stored on PH. So I tried to refer them to the info on PH, but it was just too difficult and time consuming. I eventually realised that if I couldnt find it searching PH threads on Google, then someone new didnt have a cats chance in hell of finding it.
Put bluntly my view is that this is an intellectual system created for the satisfaction of its creators, but not designed to provide for the needs of the customers.
Are there any S owners who use the search and find it user friendly? There werent last time.
I couldn't agree more - well said mrjIt was the experience with Facebook members that really frustrated me. I got fed up with answering questions on FB that had already been dealt with in detail on PH. Furthermore people were re-inventing the wheel without the benefit of the wealth of info stored on PH. So I tried to refer them to the info on PH, but it was just too difficult and time consuming. I eventually realised that if I couldnt find it searching PH threads on Google, then someone new didnt have a cats chance in hell of finding it.
Put bluntly my view is that this is an intellectual system created for the satisfaction of its creators, but not designed to provide for the needs of the customers.
Are there any S owners who use the search and find it user friendly? There werent last time.
I find Facebook great for chitchat / organising meets etc. BUT
ph should be the place to go - it was 2 to 3 years ago - and I've stopped near enough stopped searching which is just as well for me as I've completed the build (but not the usual running issues)
I pity anyone starting a rebuild
greymrj said:
Are there any S owners who use the search and find it user friendly? There werent last time.
greymrj said:
Perhaps I should make clear that I want to promote and defend the value of PH, but PH isnt doing itself any favours.
I agree with your comments and I see your point, .... With my post I was just trying to help those (experts?) who would like to search the PH forum by highlighting a method which, in my opinion, can be used to give meaningful results. That's all !
You're right, a search function should not require an instruction manual, but I thought some help would not go astray.
Test it a few times, using the tips written above, and hopefully, we can all find some benefit
P.S. - PH is really the best, leagues above crappy facebook !
I sometimes use the PH search function , the Tim way as above .And I have to agree with Tim it really works !
Only the first time is difficult ;-) After you have used it a few times you will find it easy to use. Come on guys, you are never to old to learn, its just 2-3 clicks more.... The "" are helpful if you search for a set of words !
Han
Only the first time is difficult ;-) After you have used it a few times you will find it easy to use. Come on guys, you are never to old to learn, its just 2-3 clicks more.... The "" are helpful if you search for a set of words !
Han
HvdWeerden said:
I sometimes use the PH search function , the Tim way as above .And I have to agree with Tim it really works !
Only the first time is difficult ;-) After you have used it a few times you will find it easy to use. Come on guys, you are never too old to learn, its just 2-3 clicks more.... The "" are helpful if you search for a set of words !
Han
Well Han, I thought I was! Only the first time is difficult ;-) After you have used it a few times you will find it easy to use. Come on guys, you are never too old to learn, its just 2-3 clicks more.... The "" are helpful if you search for a set of words !
Han
And here's me thinking that those extra clicks were my knees, hips and back!
Every day's a schoolday!
TVRees said:
I agree with your comments and I see your point, ....
With my post I was just trying to help those (experts?) who would like to search the PH forum by highlighting a method which, in my opinion, can be used to give meaningful results. That's all !
You're right, a search function should not require an instruction manual, but I thought some help would not go astray.
Test it a few times, using the tips written above, and hopefully, we can all find some benefit
P.S. - PH is really the best, leagues above crappy facebook !
Thanks Tim, I appreciate what you were trying to do and it will help some PH members. I dont think Haymarket have any real intent to improve things for us, which seems to me to be a marketting error.With my post I was just trying to help those (experts?) who would like to search the PH forum by highlighting a method which, in my opinion, can be used to give meaningful results. That's all !
You're right, a search function should not require an instruction manual, but I thought some help would not go astray.
Test it a few times, using the tips written above, and hopefully, we can all find some benefit
P.S. - PH is really the best, leagues above crappy facebook !
TVRees said:
glenrobbo said:
Every day's a schoolday! holiday!
It might be a holiday every day for you over there in sunny Hungaria, but I am kept very busy a lot of the time entertaining a 7 month old jobstopper!
( See March Sprint, High Peak Nomads Regional report. )And before anyone comments, at least we are both in the same mental age group!
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