All of us using the Search function here usually finds it a bit clunky and awkward, and the Search does not search content, only titles. However, I've also noticed queries posted are very general in their title, such as "I have questions", or "where to stay", etc without specifying the cities or the details of the question.
Maybe I'm preaching to the choir, as the experienced posters already know this. There's just such a wealth of info here, and it's frustrating when the same info/ questions are repeated.
Any other suggestions to make the Search feature more effective?
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
I use Google search instead, including ricksteves.com/travel-forum in the search string along with whatever geographical reference seems useful. I just find the forum's Search function too frustrating to deal with. That's a good tip about specificity in titles, though.
When planning a trip to a small country (as I recently did for Norway, Sweden and Finland), I just go to the appropriate forum here and read everything. (Yes, I'm retired.)
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2688 posts
Titles with specific details also help posters get better answers, but that doesn't seem to occur to people. Just one of the frustrations of message boards.
Posted by
North Carolina
2499 posts
I certainly agree that posters need to make their titles specific and informative. However, it is not the case that the Search function only searches titles.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8159 posts
lnbsig, I think that Pat was talking about questions posted to the forum, and not questions on the Search page when she mentioned specificity in titles. I agree that the more information that is in the title, the better the responses will be. If I have a choice between responding to "Where should I travel in June?" OR "What is the best website to find out about train travel in German?" I will choose the second every time. And that's because i know I can answer a question about Germany (usually) but I have no idea what the first poster wants or where they want to go.
FWIW, you can do a better search if you do a "site" search on Google. First, key in the word "site" followed by a colon, then the actual site you are looking for. For example, if I input this string - site:ricksteves.com/travel-forum Strasbourg restaurants - I will get better information on Google than if I searched on the RS website.
You can also restrict the search to specific forums. If I want to find info on taxis in Iceland, I can input this string - site:ricksteves.com/travel-forum/iceland then add Iceland taxis (or just the word "taxis)" and it will only search the Iceland forum.
Posted by
Boise, ID, USA
2309 posts
Mardee - what you've typed says a space after the colon but your examples don't have one - ???
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8159 posts
Oops, sorry, Janet - I'll correct it! You are right - no space.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20468 posts
I admire you techy people.
I tried but didn't work for me.
Put in: site:ricksteves.com/travel-forum butt naked
But no results.
Why didn't it hit on this one: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/wizz-airlines-vs-ryanair (second post) or does it only hit titles?
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8159 posts
Um, Mister E, I got plenty of results when running this search; for example; https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/is-the-tsa-violating-your-privacy-with-its-new-body-scanning-machines
Are you sure you put it in the right place? It should go in the bar for the URL address?
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20468 posts
I vonfrss I am computer ignorant.