BootsnAll Travel Community

Maybe I’m just an literate fool, but the 'find' button is hard to find. :P I think is should be named 'search' , like it is on most web sites. It is a usability issue...

Notwithstanding the irony of stoo's first sentence (hi buddy!), I have been thinking about this over the past few days. I was prompted so to do by the spate of almost identical threads started on the gear forum about packs (again) especially for Europe trips. Only one of these was in any significant way different, and they had already done some research, still needed to ask, and produced a useful thread. The rest, well, they're just repetition.

I was sure this must have come up before and so, radically, did a search, and lo and behold here we are. I agree that in terms of general Web conventions and therefore usability 'Search' is preferable to 'Find'. However I also wonder whether there isn't some way we could further promote the use of the search facilities (which are actually fairly good) in a non-pejorative (i.e. not 'use the search dumbass') but effective way.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt to those who've kicked off these threads (many fairly new folk) that they are fully capable of using a search function, but that it either hasn't occurred to them or it's not adequately highlighted. This is partly an issue of page design (drawing attention to the search more effectively) and partly an issue of education (I can't remember what I was told when joining about using the search, but it might be something that could be highlighted in one's welcome email if it isn't already, say).

Just a thought. I actually quite like reading about packs (I don't get out much now that I'm saving so hard), but even I am finding some of these a bit unnecessary.

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or it's not adequately highlighted. This is partly an issue of page design (drawing attention to the search more effectively)

Make it blink?

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Originally posted by Stoo:
Make it blink?

Nooooooo no no no. No. You don't know what you're suggesting. The blink tag was rightly consigned the history's dustbin along with flashing marquees and other hideous early Web nonsense.

No.

Something else - colour maybe, but not that. I'm not a graphic designer, I'm a programmer, so would never claim to be a UI expert, but blinking is right out. Sorry. No.

I second that, no blinking!

At first I was looking for a text field to type a search term into. Many websites have that and it would help people locate the thing.

I was joking. No blinking. That would be <blink>soooooooooo</blink> 1996.

Re: the "what pack do I need for Europe" (later, rinse, repeat) endless loop, we prefer to encourage people to ask any questions they want to, not to become Wikipedia.

I agree Static, people should get to ask questions, but I agree with Stoo that "find" isn't as intuitive as "search." Plus, it is inconsistent with what most other board services have (those that I visit, at least). I get that BnA is not like the other guys, but sometimes if people just did a quick search, they wouldn't have to start a whole new thread which we'd all feel compelled to answer.

The "Find" button comes with the Groupee board system we use, so we can't change it... We've talked about adding a second search feature to the boards, but that's on a back burner as there's already a search function there (via the "Find" button).

I agree that it could be promoted better, and I also agree that I'd rather have people spend the few minutes many have online to ask a new question - even if it already exists - rather than hunting through search results for the answer. If there's a happy medium, it's the person who searches the existing threads and then asks a questions that's new or slightly different than the rest, thereby further rounding out the information base we have... And again, most people don't spend hours on BootsnAll.

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I get that BnA is not like the other guys,

Most other guys don't dress in women's clothing.

Hang on a mo - I wasn't for a moment trying to suggest that anyone be discouraged in any way from asking questions. All I wondered was whether some activity was evidence of the search not being sufficiently prominent in users' consciousnesses. And as I said, it was only a thought. I'm sorry if it wasn't a very good one, and also if it wasn't framed well enough that my intentions were unclear.

Heaven preserve us from Wikis...

I have had occasion to think about this issue just today, while answering someone's question on the board. The person asked a pack question in full view of at least fifteen other pack question right up the same alley. My conclusion is that, when a person first gets a membership here, they are dying to get started in the community. The easiest way to do that is to ask a question. If they just take the advice already on offer, they are still faceless. I gotta guess that people come here at least in part because of the unusually friendly atmosphere. They don't use "find" not because they can't locate it, (it's right beside the "New" button which they had to use to post, after all) but because it is less fun than the other way.

D

P.S. Joe, that looks like the famous Utili-Kilt. Some grips at work wear this, if'n you can believe it.

I think the "one thread for all" vs. "one thread for each" debate is separate. (For the record, much to slip-the-Here-Here-Here-moderator's growing horror, I also like the friendly and conversational nature of the fresh boot's duplicate topic threads.) It is good that we are having this particular debate but this is the wrong thread for it.

My original point: "Search" for such a function on a site is nearly ubiquitous...leaving "find" less than intuitive. BnA would be better severed with a change.

I am a bit shocked that Eve's software cannot accommodate the edit. It seems like something that would be configurable...at least on a text file level. Are you (JessieS) sure that it is not possible rather than just a pain for the techies?

Fight the power,

<blink>Stoo</blink>

Fair point, Stoo. I've sent a note to Groupee asking if they can make that change. I'll let you know what I find out.

Now stop blinking.

Well, adhering to that point, then....what's the diff? You know where it is. Any mental midget can figure out what "find" means. And why do we have to be the same as everyone else? The "change find to search" idea seems to me to be a non-issue with no importance of any kind. I think we should be fostering a little more of a "hey, figure it out" attitude. Isn't that the point of the place anyways?

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. I'd heard it couldn't be done, but I'd never bothered to actually ask. Once your cache is cleared, you should see the button at the top now says "Search" - and I even did it myself.

And Piecar, my dear, if it's "a non-issue with no importance of any kind," what does it say about you that you're bothering to post about it?

It says that I was trying to think of a reason to work the words "Joe Louis" into a sentence but forgot because the phone rang. Also that I enjoy giving my opinion and that often, in my experience, open forums are the place for that.

D

P.S. I see you're one of those gals who use "dearie" and "hon" and "sweetie" in a slightly passive aggressive way. Are you a Mom?

I'm not a mom, nor do I want to be one. I am, however, the BootsnAll Community's Chief Den Mother (at least when static isn't around).

Well, that sounds important. Good work on the changing the word there. But it would have been funny to jostle the order to see if Stoo could "find" it. I know, eye rolling and headshaking has ensued.

I can die in peace now. Three cheers to RalphTheWonderLlama for reviving this thread. And a cookie for JessieS.