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Search all WordPress blogs?

  1. isaiah626
    Member

    What do you all think about a search feature that looks only at WordPress.com blogs? I think Blogger has this option (you can search just the blog you're currently looking at or search all of Blogger). For instance, you could search for what WordPress users are saying about the latest episode of a TV show. Would this be a good option to have on WordPress' home page, or maybe added to the bar next to Press This and Blog Info?

    I know the FAQ says you can go to Google and use "site:wordpress.com" for a search. But why send WordPress users to an outside site?

  2. sunburntkamel
    Member

    if it's a single word, you can do a tag search: http://wordpress.com/tag/YOURSEARCHTERMHERE

  3. isaiah626
    Member

    True, but what if you want to use several keywords to search for your subject?

  4. timethief
    Member

    Then you either searcch each tag the way that has been explained to you using the wordpress tag pages or you use Google. Google is the leading search engine utility and wordpress is in the blogging business. Obviously it would be a bad business move indeed if wordpress was to invest money and staff time into duplicating the functions of google's search utility.

  5. engtech
    Member

    Go to Google

    type "site:*.wordpress.com searchterm"

    http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006-15,GGGL:en&q=site%3A*.wordpress.com+hello+world

  6. engtech
    Member

    sorry, didn't read the entire first post.

    Good search is really hard. Google is good at it. Writing a bad search engine instead of using Google's good search engine is a waste of everyone's time.

  7. drmike
    Member

    The other issue is that a large percentage of folks have stated that they don't want their blogs to be indexed and searchable. They do that by choosing the option upon signup and within their Options settings.

    MSN.com seems to cover better and quicker anyway.

  8. isaiah626
    Member

    I was just curious if you all thought my idea was feasible. Thanks for your opinions. Guess I'll stick to Google.

  9. innovatorm
    Member

    This thread is crazy! "Search" is an essential feature for basic users (like myself) to find things. I'm trying to find a specific WordPress blog right now... just have to randomly browse thru things; tried Google, can't find it; tried MSN, can't find it. For this thing to really be competitive it needs search capabilities. Stick someone else's search into it, whatever. Just figure it out.

  10. drmike
    Member

    What are you trying to find?

    Also remember that the blog may be marked as private or password protected. It wouldn't come up either place if it was. that might be why you can't find it.

  11. jmnowak
    Member

    I agree that it is crazy not to be able to do a search of the WordPress.com database using either a keyword(s) or blog name. If a blog doesn't want to be found, it won't be, based on drmike's comments. However, the WordPress.com home page tag cloud is also highly inefficient as a search method, as I've proved trying to find some of my posts!

    Other online directories have search boxes; it's only common sense, and logical! WordPress.com is an online directory; what's the difficulty? If a simple online directory such as photoblog-community.com can add a search box, after I put in my request (they worked on the same tag-cloud principle prior to that), then why can't WordPress.com, which must be a much more powerful database and have that capability inbuilt in its software?

  12. jmnowak
    Member

    As an afterthought, perhaps we could do a Poll of WordPress.com members to gauge their reaction to this very basic idea. How does one go about doing that?

  13. lifewiththeothers
    Member

    I was just about to post with the same suggestion as the person who started this thread. I get frustrated when I'm trying to find particular wordpress blogs and cannot. And google turns up a bunch of random stuff. Google should be the answer, but it doesn't seem to be, in fact.

    In addition, when trying to find other bloggers who blog about the same thing I do, the tag search is completely off. The reuslts rarely have anything to do with what I requested. (If I use the Find function on my browser, I ususally get "word not found on page" result. It makes no sense.)

  14. raincoaster
    Member

    Use engtech's google suggestion. Absolutely nothing works better.

  15. sulz
    Member

    i'm actually becoming more keen on the idea. although engtech points out a method, i think i must have gotten it wrong because by using the method i get other non-wp sites in the results.

    a wp blog search engine created by wp will benefit all wp users who may not be aware of the google search method if they don't venture into the forums. it also beats searching the tags if they're searching for something that's more complicated than a one-letter tag.

    previously, there were people who supported and opposed the idea of having an off-topic forum right here in the forums. wordpress was of the opinion that if they can chat elsewhere why should they need to create a similar environment here, particularly since it does not benefit the wordpress community directly?

    but in the end there was a demand for it and if you venture into the off-topic area, you can see people do use it, even though it's mostly the regular volunteers.

    that said, i suggest everyone who supports this idea send feedback and perhaps we may get our wp search engine in the near future if the demand is there...

  16. drmike
    Member

    I gotta admit that I am as well and I think using Goolg eis a poor option. More that I don't think highly of Google or it's indexing. We've all seen examples of how poorly some search results are around here and the false positives that Google kicks out.

    I'd rather see staff working on current issues though.

    I don't want to see them put up a search box on the front page though. Maybe a box where you put in the keyword you're looking for and it drops you into the tag page.

  17. jmnowak
    Member

    Since writing my two posts above, and as a newbie to WordPress.com and finding out about the power within the dashboard, I have come to recognize the benefits of Blog Surfer and Tag Surfer within the dashboard. They do as their names suggest -- search for a WordPress blog/post either by name or keyword. This is terrific as, so far, have subscribed to three WordPress blogs and also found WordPress posts relating to the tag I was looking for. The Tag surfer then adds that tag to my Category list, if I wish to use it for a future post -- cool! Nothing like making it easy for us, eh?!

    The intention of my original idea about having a search box is for the *visitors* to the WordPress.com home page. For instance, I notice that the tag 'Life' has a large number of posts. I'm not sure I'd want to download all those posts (thinking about bandwidth allowance here), and then having to struggle using Related Tags that may not be what I'd be searching for. I certainly don't have that sort of time, nor inclination, to browse through a whole host of posts I'm not interested in!

    drmike's latest post (june26 at 12.55pm) says:

    "I don't want to see them put up a search box on the front page though. Maybe a box where you put in the keyword you're looking for and it drops you into the tag page."

    Mmmm? Where does drmike suggest this box for our keyword search is to be placed, if not on the front page? LOL! Mixed/confused message here, I think...

  18. drmike
    Member

    No, I think "I don't want to see them put up a search box on the front page though" is pretty clear.

  19. engtech
    Member

    For some reason the link in my previous comment is broken. try this one:

    http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&rls=GGGL%2CGGGL%3A2006-15%2CGGGL%3Aen&q=site%3Awordpress.com&btnG=Search&meta=

  20. letthemeatcrow
    Member

    Just adding my voice. I was about to create a new post on this topic. I would really appreciate a word press search engine.

  21. drmike
    Member

    Best bet would be to submit a feedback as we hardly see staff here in the forums but they have stated that they will not do this for the reasons stated up above. Please also note the workarounds mentioned up above as well.

    Thank you for not opening up yet another new thread on the subject.

  22. timethief
    Member

    My blog has a blog specific search box.
    It's the only search box I want on my blog.
    I do not support the inclusion of a Google search box on my blog.
    Nor do I support the notion of the development of a wordpress search box.
    If either or both were offered as widgets I would not place them in my sidebar.

    (1) I know how to use the wordpress.com tag pages.
    (2) I know how to use the wordpress.com blog surfer.
    (3) I know how to use the wordpress.com and tag surfer.
    (4) I know how to do a google search.
    (5) Every one of my readers knows how to do a google search.

  23. drmike
    Member

    TT, make sure you bug Mark about that with a feedback. :)

  24. timethief
    Member

    Done :)

  25. mikekim
    Member

    I would love to have a search function for wordpress...

    The blog surfer/tag surfer are just beta and they don't cut it for me (especially since tag surfer now shows a big abyss of whiteness after i tried to mess around with it just now after reading about it here). And I think the blog surfer could be better implemented. For example, there should be a small link on blogs where you can add someone to your blog surfer list, instead of having to copy/paste their url while toggling between pages/tabs on your browser. (Not sure if WP already has this but from my quick glances through blogs, I didn't see anything like an "add to blog surfer" link.)

    I don't think either of those addresses the things a search box would though. It would just be less of a hassle if there was a little search box at the top of the page. It would be faster than clicking through a series of tags, and it would be faster and more convenient than opening up a new window/tab to search on google. I know at least one person is against it but, considering the popularity of google on here, why not just put in a google-powered search box on wordpress? There's even space for it already at the top, on the bar with "my account," "my dashboard," and "new post." (For unregistered users the bar could just have the single google search box in it.)

    I think it would help a lot. I'm a new WP blogger and I've found the lack of a dedicated search box one of the few frustrating things. (And I really think an "add blog to blog surfer" link by default--albeit modifiable and able to be taken out--would be great.)

    (Oh, the [more or less] useless profile page is another slight annoyance.)

  26. raincoaster
    Member

    I literally always use Google and just type in the search terms followed by "site:wordpress.com" and have great luck. Does this NOT work for other people?

    I've actually found that the way WP is set up, it takes real effort for me to link to non-WP sites.

  27. mikekim
    Member

    Yes, that works well but the thing is, it's just a bit of a hassle to open up a new window and go there. And you have to enter "site:wordpress.com" every time too.

  28. timethief
    Member

    Opening a new window is a hassle - really? IMO "hassle" is when you're on a locked down terminal with only one window as drmike often is.

    And having to type - "site:wordpress.com" into the google search bar is too much for you - this is an absolutely hilarious position to take because you just typed 310 words of complaint. IMO any blogger that can't handle typing "site:wordpress.com" into the google search bar ought to consider a change of hobby.

    The word "lazy" keeps coming to mind. lol :D

  29. mikekim
    Member

    I'm sorry for using the wrong word (although i said it was "just a bit of a hassle")...okay....doing the above things can be an "inconvenience," or at least an "annoyance."

    Is my position still "absolutely, positively, unequivocally hilarious"? Laugh Out Loud. Well, just thought I'd let you know, I found your 123.522 word reply kinda funny too.

    I'm just making some suggestions and trying to create some dialogue here, like I'm sure the original poster intended. I'm not trying to be a comedian or anything. I'm glad I was able to make you laugh though.

  30. adelaideproperty
    Member

    Just found this post. New to wordpress.com. I think an 'in house' search of blogs would so much easier than what's available currently. Just adding my opinion. :)

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