Index discussion thread

squeaky

apprentice_tycoon wrote:

I've hit a snag before I even start - I've tried searching 'jam', I used the search box at the top of the page, then the 'search this forum', then the advanced 'search this forum' - all came up with no matches, is the word too short? any suggestions?

Yes, hard luck AT - you've got a word that is too short to use in a search. As suggested using jam* might help... but the way I found most of the threads I recently looked for was to use the word "making" since in the majority of "jam making" posts - that's a word that's used quite a bit.

As I said in the tutorial (which you should all have in your bookmarks or favourites folder by now ) the very best way to work is not to use the search but read the forum list and use your mark one eyeball. It's the only way to make sure that you don't miss relevant threads.


Just in case anybody hasn't spotted the links to the tutorial (well worth a read) yet - it's here:-

How to write an index

squeaky

Hi everyone,

The tutorial was finally finished last night so if you've read a version more than a couple of days old it will be worth popping back to have another look. You can find it (and bookmark it) here:-

How to write an index


Actually, not really wanting to get my big stick out or anything - it does contain some advice on a couple of things that you really must not do...

..so I kinda insist that you take a look please

Sorry.

Otherwise, have fun and I hope you're all thoroughly enjoying yourselves

apprentice_tycoon

I think that the joke is on me really:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: I picked jam out of the list because it seemed so simple, it was quite a narrow subject and how hard would it be to run 'jam' through the search every now and again? I've gone and picked the only word on old style that the search won't recognise!!!!!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: -eye ball it is then.....

RacyRed

Awwww, AT it's not just jam. I have to check manually too.

Even though "bread" has 5 letters and runs ok in the search, I have to check manually, we are such an abbreviation loving lot, just try searching on "bm" or "sc" :rotfl:

squeaky

One thing that has been coming up lately is the question of "should I include related threads and links that are in other indexes?"

And the answer is "Yes, by all means."

That's not to say copy another index wholesale - if there are lots of related links in it then just add a link to that index. But if there are just a couple or three that are spot on it isn't going to hurt to have them duplicated and will, in fact, be of help.

HTH


Edit: A handy tip.

The forum software is very tidy and removes all blank lines at the bottom of a post - so you may find that your list sits right on top of your signature. To get past this, add a few blank lines and then just type in a full stop. Like this:-



. <--- I'll bet most you didn't notice these

But if you really want to be neat - just use "white" for your font colour. Like this:-



. <--- sneaky huh?

Queenie

First and foremost, I hope there isn't a need to merge this particular query as I hope that others may a) either have found an easier way, in which case they can post to add to it or b) others may have something to say on this particular aspect

If it were merged with the Indexing Discussion Thread, it would present the same problems/issues regarding wading through a lot of posts to find the relevant answers that this post hopes to address.

As all the indexing is being streamlined, please may I request that the OS diary archive be broken down into weekly indexes as opposed to monthly indexes?

The reason I ask is for the sake of making searching less labour/time intensive, which in turn, defeats the whole object of indexing.

For example, today PP has asked about Pukka pads. I know that at one point in OS there were several posts about that very subject and I wanted to be of assistance and locate them for her. I'm sure she would have already used the search and probably come up against the same issues I did.

It would seem that *most* of those references were made in the OS daily because that's what the search threw back. (Or, if not made in the daily, were merged into the daily)

By having the Daily as a monthly archive, this means there is approximately 120 PAGES to scroll through!!!! And that is just ONE months archive!!!!!

The daily has traditionally always included advice/tips/even recipes within it ... but when it comes to searching, to wade through 120 pages of just one of the archives - that's not counting the other 20 or more archived threads it may sift out - is an absolute nightmare.

If indexing is designed to make searching/locating information easier - for new faces and older members, then I believe this could only benefit our users.

TIA

Katgoddess

Did you know that you can search through a thread as well, rather than having to go through all the pages?

RacyRed

Thats a thought Queenie.

I also often find myself looking back through the daily.

Perhaps an alternative would be for one of us to do an index of the useful tips and subjects discussed in the daily, linked to the first appropriate post?

RacyRed

Queenie wrote:

First and foremost, I hope there isn't a need to merge this particular query as I hope that others may a) either have found an easier way, in which case they can post to add to it or b) others may have something to say on this particular aspect

If it were merged with the Indexing Discussion Thread, it would present the same problems/issues regarding wading through a lot of posts to find the relevant answers that this post hopes to address.

Thinking about it, I believe the indexing discussion thread would be exactly the right place for this; the people currently working on making OS easier to navigate will be checking there and it is only 45 posts long at the moment. It is there for discussion of exactly this sort

Queenie

Kat - no, I didn't realise that, but I have just tried it First I get 22 threads, then I use the search this thread which threw back 24, soooooooo, now I end up with searching 22 threads and reading 24 of each of those = 528.

If the daily were broken down into weekly as opposed to monthly, that would still greatly reduce the amount of searching as it may only throw up say, 15 threads and even if they also threw up 24 it would reduce to 360.

Racy - the index discussion thread is clearly labelled Index Authors Discussion Thread - of which I am not, so I still feel that as my thread is applicable to *all* OS'ers for their views and input (thanks Kat) that is why I asked that it not be merged There is an old fashioned part of me that doesn't read things which are clearly addressed to a particular group ... I know, bit odd, but that's old fashioned good manners for you - in the same way that I don't read over another typists shoulder, if you see what I mean? Equally, it would still mean reading through all the other index queries, which are not of the same relevance to me and my query.

It's a great idea to go through the daily and pull out any relevant tips in their own right, but that's subjective - who knew Pukka Pads would be a recurring subject? :laugh: Maybe this highlights a need incorporating both your suggestion *and* mine?

Actually, 45 views in an hour is pretty high considering it's a Sunday and many of our members log in from work to read to the forums. "Delux hand mixer" query only netted 17 within a similar time span