Unsearchable threads

[swallowmeinsf]

Recently, a megathread appeared called [m1am1b0yz.com

My only intention to single out this particular item is to bring out the enduring problem of megathread, thread and post titles which the VBulletin search software can't find.

I have tried searching for this megathread exactly as notated, as well as trying to search leaving out the open bracket ([), and by eliminating the ".com" at the end. No matter what I try, the answer is: "No results found."

I'm sure I must be missing some rules or guidelines about searching (those are hard to find themselves), but it seems to me that if the VBulletin software allows the posting of names that cannot be searched, those posts will be buried alive. It will have the inevitable effect of reducing usability and result in unvisited posts.

It might be timely to mention that practically none of the file sharing sites provide search engines. Third-party engines tend to be pay sites, so if GH can't find one of its own posts, the link probably stands no chance of ever being found by any other means.

Fewer successful hits due to technical limitations must surely result in less revenue for GH.

The moderators at GH are, in my experience, the most able, knowledgeable, helpful, courteous and creative I have ever encountered in a forum. We all have a great treasure here, and we all try to express our appreciation in our own ways. It is very encouraging to know that we have somebody competent to turn to when we need help!

May I suggest a solution to this naming and search problem? Issue links to RULES for naming conventions in every megathread and thread as follows, and make them sticky:

1. Make a list of non-alphabetic characters which the VBulletin search engine will discard no matter what.

2. Explain why two or more adjacent non-alphabetic characters will guarantee a failed search, and list the invalid combinations.

Explain how to deal with parentheses, commas, brackets, colons, semicolons, tildes (~), @, pound signs, %, carets (^), ampersands, asterisks, underscores, hyphens, plus signs, equal signs, forward and back slashes, quotation marks, apostrophes, greater and lesser than symbols (<, >), question marks, periods, exclamation points and other special characters embedded in a title during a search.

3. Provide us with a list of delimiters which are permitted. The ampersand, for example has been a recognized delimiter for many, many years, along with the underscore and the hyphen. These are often displayed in a browser's url window when visiting GH, but don't work in a search (obviously, because we can't search for a GH url directly).

4. Give us some guidelines about spaces between words in searches and what effects they have on results.

5. Although VBulletin searchs discard words of 3 letters or under, it often craps out on words of 4 letters or more as well. Sometimes we are told that "common" words have been discarded, but we are never told what they are. Some "uncommon" words are discarded as well. Which ones, exactly, and what's the workaround?

Some moderator responses to posts asking this question suggest using the wildcard * with words of three characters or less, but it usually doesn't work at all, or, worse, returns a massive list of irrelevant hits, which just can't be good for overall performance, and given the rapid growth rate of GH, should be considered a pressure on server capacity to process transactions, a continuing and increasing problem.

6. ENFORCE searchable naming conventions that work every time, and when an unsearchable title is encountered, persuade the poster to review the rules and ask he or she to rename the megathread, thread or post, reminding them that they'll get more hits, Thank You's and other good stuff to help them on their way up to Forum Lord.

7. When a megathread or thread has been deleted, somehow give us a way or place to verify that. A running log would be nice.

I've seen ample evidence that the GH team is always trying to make this great site even better. Keep up the good work, folks! You are bringing education, entertainment, enjoyment and pleasure to all members to a degree you cannot even imagine.

If any of these issues already have solutions provided by moderators which I've not been able to find, my apologies for taking up your time.

 

[Stoic]

Thank you for your suggestions. I'm sure the higher-ups would take in these and implement what they can.

In the meantime a possible solution for you would be to search via Google

 

[XMan101]

Thank you for your kind remarks and suggestion, swallowmeinsf

Google is probably the best way just at the moment as Stoic said

 

[BurntOut]

Thanks for the suggestions. While a thread explaining extensively how to use the search functions will be useful, we are currently using the default search engine provided by vbulletin and therefore modifications can't be easily made.

As for a temporary solution, in addition to the option of using google, you can use an asterisk when searching for such terms. For example if you are looking for [freegayporn.com], searching for *freegayporn* will bring you results.

 

[swallowmeinsf]

Attempts to use Google to find keywords in GH

Once again, thanks so very much for your helpful comments.

What's making this so difficult are all the special characters that are allowed in titles. I know why it's being done, and I support the reasoning 110%. But as I suggested in my last post on this subject, what needs to be done is to contact VBulletin (unless you have good doentation yourselves) and just ask for a list for special characters and strings its search engine either can't handle or will discard. Then, pass on that list to members and make some rules about which special characters to avoid in titles. If you have the doentation, there's gonna be a list in there somewhere, making this a 10-minute job.

Unfortunately, Google does not appear to be a predictable or reliable solution, either.

Per your suggestions, here are the Google search results for my first sample problem, [m1am1b0yz.com:

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ae34ea8b3ec20d7d

Click on it. Success!, but I did notice that something or somebody provided a closing bracket, which was not part of the original megathread title (or am I, as the Brits say, going around the bend?)

Now, here's another example, this time a very popular megathread title on GH - Freegaydars. The Google result:

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ae34ea8b3ec20d7d

Click on it.

As you will note, access is denied, even though GH recognizes me as a logged-in member. If it works for you, there may be another explanation. As you are certified Lords of the Realm and undoubtedly have a cosmic level of access, then try it again with a username that, like mine, has minimal access privileges. I haven't the foggiest idea why, but my bones tell me that there are some safeguards against intruders in there that we don't understand. May I suggest that these may be a bit too strict, or lack the ability to tell the difference between a GH member and an intruder; or a review of other security options might be in order?

Experience has taught me that there is a solution to EVERY technological problem. First, identify the cause, experiment, do tons of testing, develop a fix, and then TEST, TEST, TEST before putting any changes into production.

Gents, don't give up on this. Search problems are frequent and chronic on GH, and without a solid understanding of VBulletin's search limitations, and then subsequent rules for us about naming conventions, the problem will never go away. You must be aware that GH searches put a load on the VBulletin servers. Why not work to lessen that load? Solving these VBulletin search mysteries will improve your host's performance, improve response time, reduce unnecessary traffic, and enable GH members' searches to hit the bullseye the first time, every time. No flubs, no glitches, no errors.

My advice would be not to bother trying to fiddle with VBulletin's search engine yourselves. They've got something that works very, very well, and as they say, don't mess with success. No software can possibly handle every problem. Depending on how open VBulletin is to suggestions for fixes and enhancements to improve performance for high-volume forums like ours, it might be worth a shot to come up with a short list and pass it on to them. After all, YOU are THEIR client, and I've got a hunch that more than chump change is involved.

I thank you once again for your excellent support and moderation. Needless to say, I am at your service if I can be of any assistance.

But I gotta say this: at this point in my life I would prefer watching an episode of "The Sopranos". The experience would be a lot less bloody (lol!).

 

[XMan101]

As you will note, access is denied, even though GH recognizes me as a logged-in member.

Even though it still appears in Google doesn't mean the thread still exists. In this case the thread is gone and removed as the links had expired

 

[swallowmeinsf]

Removed Threads and Google

Thank you, the analytical part of me missed the possibility that dead GH links would produce this result.

Am I missing something else: when a GH search on Google fails, is there a way to find out why? Could the failed result include a message to the effect that the item no longer exists rather than just telling us that access is denied? That's not much help, especially to inexperienced users like myself.

Or am I just so inexperienced that I'm being a pest? I'm trying to find ways to contribute and help and to be of some use to somebody.

Thanks again, Ruler of Heaven, for the gift. I LOVE learning from my mistakes!