h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is it just me, or is the "Search the site" thing rubbish? There seems to be no way to do logical operations (AND, OR, NOT, etc.) For example, trying searching for articles on Java Script:

'Java Script' produces a few relevant articles (although an articled TITLED "Java Script/PSP..." only scores a 40% match!) plus a load of stuff about film scripts, coffee, islands east of Krakatoa, and who knows what else.

'Java Script programming' produces EXACTLY THE SAME RESULTS!

Enclosing the search string in quotes produces only three results, and I KNOW there are more.

I'm willing to help fix it if anyone cares.

Don't worry, its not just you.

The problem with the search engine is that it is kind of in built into the sql server (or something, I'm not too well up on the technicalities) and the crux of the matter is that no one really knows what goes through its mind when awarding things rankings. It'll only do OR searches, and at one point they had to articficially inflate the scores which it came out with because they were all so low it was depressing.

basically, the best way is to try to ignore the magnitude of the number, and just compare the numbers it spits out to see which are likely to be a little more relevent...

With any luck, an improved search engine is somewhere on the to-do list...

Comparing "Relevance" values is pointless. "Princess Bride Script" is more relevant to a search for "Java Script" than many of the entries about Java. Anyway, the offer still stands. (I was born in SQ, so SQL is my native language... )

The other thing to note is that the search engine is only updated about once a day, so entries take time to filter into it if you've written them recently.

Meanwhile, another interesting way to find things on h2g2 would be to use the top BBCi search page. This will return things from the whole of BBCi including h2g2. It does use logical phrases like AND, and OR. and if you include h2g2 in your search that should get better results than the sites!

I have a problem with the "Search the Conversation Forums" or "Search for a Friend" tool.

Example: If I remembered reading a chat about underwater hurdling and I wanted to look at it again, I could put the phrase "underwater hurdling" into the box and it might come up with suggestions. If I then remembered the phrase I wanted was "underwater hurdles" I'd have a problem. "Underwater hurdling" is now appearing in the Search the Guide box despite the fact that I don't want to! I just want to search the conversations. So I have to either cut and paste it back where I want it, or type it out again, before refining my search.

Why?

Good question. And as every other quetion about the search engine best answered by Jim Lynn here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F48000?thread=172635&post=1843554#p1843554 ;-) It's of course a bug. Has been as long as I can remember. But it's fixed in the new skin when we get that. :-) F48000?thread=185803&post=2054814#p2054814

Because it's a bug! It's on the list I think!

Simulpost!

A well-known bug, yes. But for some reason not on the public list. I checked!

It's called a "feature".