searching for thread

[Bud Kennedy]

HI,

I am looking for the piece written about replacing the mounting rubber on a uhaul window. It showed several pictures of the process and I need to get in touch with whoever wrote it.

The search function dosn't seem to be working so I can't find it that way.

Someone please help.

[CindyL]

Bud:

This might not be the exact link you are looking for, but it gives you the person for whom you need to search, Bridget T. http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...dow-43188.html

She has so generously shared images and descriptions of her renovations. If this is not the one you are looking for, search for other postings by Bridget. She is the one you want, I think.

CindyL

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by Bud Kennedy

HI,

The search function dosn't seem to be working so I can't find it that way.

Someone please help.

Are you still having problems searching? It seems to be working now...

[Raya]

Hi Mary,

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I really enjoy this site (thank you!), but my guess is that many people are finding that the search engine is "not working." Not in the sense of being out-of-order (although perhaps it was when Bud was trying), but in the sense that they cannot make it work for them.

I use Google search for FGRV, so I can't give you any detailed information from my perspective of actually using the FGRV search; but what I can say, as a member, is that I'm noticing that it seems virtually no-one is adding on to an old thread that they found via search anymore (unless Donna et al found it for them). "Old" oftentimes meaning last week now.

This has been frustrating for me for a few reasons:

1) There is a lot of great information "back there" that was contributed either by people who are no longer active, or who aren't going to post it again.

2) For myself, I have typed more than one long post about certain topics, but after a while I find that while I would really like to contribute, if I can, I don't want to spend 45 minutes typing something I just typed last week, or even last month (that's how close together the "same" threads are occurring now).

3) Not that there can never be a repeat of a thread topic, because that's unrealistic, but to my mind it is nice for future searchers (if there ARE any anymore) to be able to find two or three really information-packed threads on a given topic, rather than fifty threads that have three replies (because many people just weren't going to post about the same topic over and over). The latter makes it hard to really get to the meat of the topics, later on.

My guess is that if the search engine were more user-friendly (or if more people used Google search but that seems to be less known), then people would at least be able/willing to dig up a thread from last week or even last month instead of starting a new, identical one that then often gets only sparse replies.

Thank you for listening, and thank you for your efforts on behalf of the forum :thanx:

[CindyL]

One of the things I do not like with the new software is that when you post to a thread and want to go back and see the posting, it has disappeared from view when you look for new stuff using the "New Posts" feature, i.e. your own new post is not visible to you. It only reappears when someone else has posted to that thread. Maybe that is just a setting?

I just do not find this new software as user-friendly as the last software was. Some of the features take a bit of effort on my part to figure out how to use them, and I teach technology.

CindyL

[Raya]

I noticed that too, Cindy. It does seem to run counter to logic, and to how other forums (and our previous incarnation) work.

My workaround has been to go to "Quick Links" --> "Today's posts" when I want to find my post/thread again (I think Floyd gave me that hint).

I am not quite as active on the forum as I was before the software update, and I don't consider myself to be someone who simply hates all change across the board. I know that I could just "go find another forum if I don't like this one," but, on the other hand, if it's like a community, I would rather see if it can be improved than to just go find another one.

Raya

[CindyL]

Honestly, if I answered Bud's question here and found the link he wanted, it was because I went to uhaulcamper.com and searched for Bridget's name there, since she very generously posted this information on both forums. That gave me a name to search for over here.
Thanks for the hint, Raya. I will use that feature.

CindyL

[CindyL]

And as long as I am whining, I sure do wish that the cover image would change more often like it used to. In fact, it might be something I would be willing to help with in a couple of years, not now. Too many things to do for tenure.

CindyL

[Mary F]

Thanks for your insights, Cindy & Raya. I'll forward your concerns to the upper management. There may be some settings that can be tweaked.

I may also split these comments out to a new topic (thread) in the Feedback forum (or whatever it's called now)

[Janet H]

The native search is ... flimsy (trying to be nice about it)...


It does keyword searches and not much more. You can use google to search the site however - I set up a custom search to do this and we'll look at adding it to the menu options on the upper nav bar. For now you can find the link in my signature

[Joy A]

Yes, I too find this new version awkward and at times fustrating to use.

We've undergone other changes but they were as troublesome as this one seems to have been.

I'm not on here as much as I used to be either. Too bad it was a great site.

[Maggie R.]

Thanks for custom search link, Janet H! The forum is such a great resource ... because of the great people

Maggie

Originally Posted by Janet H

You can use google to search the site however - I set up a custom search to do this and we'll look at adding it to the menu options on the upper nav bar. For now you can find the link in my signature