Searching for information?

[Stretch]

G'day Folks,

I struggle like %%$^% to get what I want when I use the in-built vbulletin search function.

It's not just metalmeet but on other forums as well. I blame the software.

I'm a regular on a Mercedes forum called peach parts that has a google search extension. This allows me to do searches in google like this:-

plastic hammer material site:metalmeet.com

to which I'll get a much more accurate result than typing

plastic hammer material

in the search box on this forum.



To enable this type of searching within google the forum administrators need to allow all of those scary google spiders access! Now I'm quite sure this is a frightening concept but seriously it is perfectly OK so long as there is the bandwidth to allow this kind of server access.



Is there any chance this improvement could be made?



Because today all I want to find out is the name / specifications of that white plastic hammer material so I can design some end stops in some axles I'm rebuilding...

...but tomorrow - well who knows?

Two days ago it took for ever to find a couple of threads with folding brake plans links...


...vbulletin search is driving me up the wall!

[Pete's Metalshaping]

Look at this:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&biw=983&bih=554&q=%22plastic+hammer+material%22+%3Awww.metalmeet.c om%2Fforum&btnG=Search

[jlrussell4]

Hi Army,

The material is UHMW - ultra high molecular weight plastic.

[anders nørgaard]

And here is A place to get it in the USA
http://www.interstateplastics.com/Natural-Uhmw-virgin-Rod-UHMNV.php?utm_source=seosites&utm_medium=na&utm_campaign=uhmwplastic.org

[Stretch]

Thanks for the plastic hammer information.



I'm sorry to moan some more about the search functionality - but here goes!

The link posted by Pete's Metalshaping (you're the one not called Pete aren't you?) kind of proves my point.

Sure you get hits on google but they are somewhat limited. You don't get access to the whole site.

If you use the advanced functionality of an external search engine you can get the missing Boolean AND OR etc searching functionality that makes the technology help you rather than hinder you. This I understand is a cheap option compared with up grading server software (and perhaps hardware).

I know this sounds like a whinge - and I don't want to be a total pain in the arse about this - but I don't want to keep on pestering people every time some crazy idea pops into my head by either starting new threads or hijacking threads made by others (which can upset people I know)...

[kit]

I have to say I completely agree with the point you are making ironicly right down to the subject matter, I have just finished making a bending break and went through the same frustrations ending up getting far more info' from 4X4 sites then I could find here,(try the Jeep sites) I'm sure there's loads here but I couldn't access it either, there is a section Sheet metal brake plans on page 2 of the heading Free Tool Plans on the front page of the site but all the links are not functional just red X's.

Guess that means I should post my build.

[anders nørgaard]

I have to say I completely agree with the point you are making ironicly right down to the subject matter, I have just finished making a bending break and went through the same frustrations ending up getting far more info' from 4X4 sites then I could find here,(try the Jeep sites) I'm sure there's loads here but I couldn't access it either, there is a section Sheet metal brake plans on page 2 of the heading Free Tool Plans on the front page of the site but all the links are not functional just red X's.

Guess that means I should post my build.

Kit,
That sounds like a great idea! PLEASE DO!!! :)

[Dick]

Army
i don't know why you think we have restricted Google spiders from this site ?
here are the spiders crawling around the site at this very moment
and as you can see there is a Google spider in the crowd

Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum New style power hammers (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=222) 94.228.34.233 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.233)

11:17 PM Yandex Bot Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread "Professional"? (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8292)
199.21.99.108 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=199.21.99.108)

11:09 PM Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_error.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum Elite Products Group, Inc (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=224)
94.228.34.229 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.229)

11:29 PM Google Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_error.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread Go cart upper wheel?? (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=854)
66.249.71.176 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=66.249.71.176)

11:25 PM Ezooms Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_nopermission.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Replying to Thread Tony's a year older (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9386)
208.115.111.67 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=208.115.111.67)

10:48 PM MSNBot Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread Baileigh MSS-14H 14 Gauge Shrinker / Stretcher (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7212)
207.46.194.113 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=207.46.194.113)

11:30 PM Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum Decorative yard art (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=88)
94.228.34.237 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.237)





G'day Folks,

To enable this type of searching within google the forum administrators need to allow all of those scary google spiders access! Now I'm quite sure this is a frightening concept but seriously it is perfectly OK so long as there is the bandwidth to allow this kind of server access.

Is there any chance this improvement could be made?
Two days ago it took for ever to find a couple of threads with folding brake plans links...

[Dawai]

Freedom is not free.. YOU ARE BEING MONITORED. I am against all "spiders" gathering more information about me or my buddies. It's everywhere.. tin foil hats don't help. Do all these corporations/people have your best concerns at heart?

Lemme see.. Google knows everything I "search for" on it's search engine, they are in the forums where I socialize and "see what pages I access" by tracking notes. Google knows more about my life than my wife does.

[Stretch]

Freedom is not free.. YOU ARE BEING MONITORED. I am against all "spiders" gathering more information about me or my buddies. It's everywhere.. tin foil hats don't help. Do all these corporations/people have your best concerns at heart?

Lemme see.. Google knows everything I "search for" on it's search engine, they are in the forums where I socialize and "see what pages I access" by tracking notes. Google knows more about my life than my wife does.
I understand that that is a great concern for many. It is an unfortunate result of the way in which the heard has grown.

The problem is that at the moment newbies like me have to rely on the hardcore oldtimers to help me find the stuff...

...'cos the search generally comes up with all or nothing result.

[Stretch]

Army
i don't know why you think we have restricted Google spiders from this site ?
here are the spiders crawling around the site at this very moment
and as you can see there is a Google spider in the crowd

Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum New style power hammers (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=222) 94.228.34.233 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.233)

11:17 PM Yandex Bot Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread "Professional"? (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8292)
199.21.99.108 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=199.21.99.108)

11:09 PM Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_error.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum Elite Products Group, Inc (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=224)
94.228.34.229 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.229)

11:29 PM Google Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_error.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread Go cart upper wheel?? (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=854)
66.249.71.176 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=66.249.71.176)

11:25 PM Ezooms Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/statusicon/wol_nopermission.gif http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Replying to Thread Tony's a year older (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9386)
208.115.111.67 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=208.115.111.67)

10:48 PM MSNBot Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Thread Baileigh MSS-14H 14 Gauge Shrinker / Stretcher (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7212)
207.46.194.113 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=207.46.194.113)

11:30 PM Magpie Spider http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/images/misc/question_icon.gif Viewing Forum Decorative yard art (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=88)
94.228.34.237 (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/online.php?do=resolveip&ipaddress=94.228.34.237)

Hi Dick - thanks for the response.

I only have a vague idea how these search engines work. I'm basing my content of this thread on my experiences - bang the search term I posted in post #1 into the vbulletin search and you get hits and hits and hits...

...same search via google you get some out dated stuff.

I don't understand why.

I can only say from my results based experience that I can't find what I need that easily.

[Dawai]

What is really interesting in a "google search" is that the search results are not only based on what you are "looking for" but also what you have searched for in the past. (out comes that case history file they keep on you)

My computer where I have looked for oddball things comes back with different results than my wifes computer at work.

Is that what you are asking for?" intelligent search results >?"
Ebay, I used to get some real bargains searching for mis-spelled items listed..
NOW, it's intelligent search comes back with "corrected spelling" and will not let me mis-spell on purpose.

There is additional terms you can include in your search.. I don't have a list here, but "and" "or" "not".. are normally included..

[Stretch]

What is really interesting in a "google search" is that the search results are not only based on what you are "looking for" but also what you have searched for in the past. (out comes that case history file they keep on you)

My computer where I have looked for oddball things comes back with different results than my wifes computer at work.

Is that what you are asking for?" intelligent search results >?"
Ebay, I used to get some real bargains searching for mis-spelled items listed..
NOW, it's intelligent search comes back with "corrected spelling" and will not let me mis-spell on purpose.

There is additional terms you can include in your search.. I don't have a list here, but "and" "or" "not".. are normally included..

Hmmm really? Google keep a file on every IP address that connects with search information? Could be... however I'm guessing there's more information in cookies. Try clearing your cookies and see what comes up... or not...

[oldgoaly]

"Do not track plus" is a Firefox add-on, keeps google spies from tracking you! We do use cookies in the software to hold your settings, so when you hit "new posts" it doesn't go back to the 1st post. All cookies are cleared when you leave the site! If you don't believe me download "cookie monster" for Firefox and see! I run both;)