Originally posted by Peoplesoft bloke
View Post
Search is HARD - it's one of the hardest problems there is when dealing with free text, such as web sites. Which is why it's really cool that Google's site search facility (which IIRC used to only work at domain level) now accepts paths, meaning one can focus one's search really well on sites that have meaningful URLs
My last permy job was in a design studio - I'd be given the comps, and I couldn't care less about the almost intractable difficulties of implementing the design in an accessible standards-compliant way. I'd point at the inevitable "search" box at the RHS of the site header and ask the MD if they'd factored the cost of implementing a search engine into their bid for the (by now secured) contract.
Inevitably the answer was "No... it's just a search box"
I learnt quite a bit about implementing an effective search mechanism for free text during the year I worked there - but contrary to popular opinion, I am not Google, with hundreds of PhDs at my disposal
Anyway, HTH
Leave a comment: