RE: [cobalt-users] Archive Searching

["Dan" <dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 	Pardon me, but it DOES matter what the subject is. When I log
> onto the Web site for the archives, and click on the "cobalt-users
> Archives" link, I'm presented with options as to the DATE that I want
> to search. Clicking on the date provides a complete list of ALL the
> posts for that day.
> 	As an option, I can also choose "Search" and input a word,
> words, or a phrase and hit "Search". However, as much as this option
> allows CONTENT searching, the results are STILL show by Email message
> TITLE.

They may show the message title, but apparently the searches are being done
on the text in the body of the messages. I notice that even though the
search displays the message subject, I never see the original message that
started the thread unless the subject is contained in the body of the
original post.

>
> 	Unless I want to spend hours looking at EVERY post for that
> day, I have to scan by subject(title of each message). Just for fun,
> I did a search on "DNS" and received 3976 potential messages.
> 	It's no wonder why some newbie Cobalt users shortcut the
> search through the archives, and simply post a new message. Frankly,
> as annoying as it is for veteran listers, this is often faster than
> going through the archives.

IMO, that's a ridiculous example. Anyone searching *just* DNS deserves 3976
messages to search through. Searching on "wildcard DNS" or "RaQ2 DNS" will
bring fewer results.

>
> 	The solution, or at least a better option, would be to
> properly title each Email subject and alter the subject line when the
> thread starts to change. Just my $0.02, FWIW.
>

Besides the archive, putting [RaQ2] or [RaQ3] etc. in the subject would help
those reading the list to know what messages to read and which to ignore.
For example, "[RaQ4] FrontPage Subwebs" would be a message anyone who
doesn't have experience on a RaQ4 would ignore since it doesn't apply to the
2 or 3.
--
Dan Kriwitsky