Huge potential appliance database?

[Martin]

The fact is that whilst the UKW ‘search’ facility does have huge advantages on information fed into its database this last many years. An enormous wealth of information contained within its thousands of pages even. The fact is, like all databases on the Internet, you can only get out what you put in. 😕

This is where the system trips up for the most part simply because the postees don’t feed in the full and factual information from the start. Especially, and most decisively, the product MODEL NUMBER 😈

So many threads of priceless information lost within the gigabytes of info as those wishing to extract the information cannot find as the subject matter is lost in the confusion of it all.

Most people post their queries using titles such as “Hoover dryer no heat” Samsung freezer problem” “No full spin” or “Diplomat dilemma”……….?

All good stuff but try searching information from those dim and distant threads and the ‘searchee’ is overwhelmed with loads of irrelevant drivle on all sorts of snippets of info that his/her search proves fruitless in the extreme. Often as not resulting in yet another thread asking the same question over and over again, for no fault of their own. 🙁

Therefore I think it is time that all this information is ‘categorised’ and placed in specific areas to enable quick, easy and effective use for all. And the only way I can see that being utilised is by each and every ‘postee’ stating in the title (or the first line of subject matter) the FULL MAKE AND BL**DY MODEL NUMBER (GUESSING IT AI’NT NO GOOD – BY THE WAY)!!!!! 😈

That way, if anyone has a problem with (for example) a WIDGET ABC123 and needs to search answers, then you just need to type in the ‘Search’ box WIDGET ABC123 for it all to spit out at you on your screen!:D

Do please remember, you only can get out what you put in. If you have a problem you want to post about then fine but do give the full info up front right from the outset. The end result being that all can find and utilise this information without the need to read through realms of useless rambling drivle and end up with nowt but confusion. Resulting in yet another post on the subject that was covered a month or two ago most likely? :rolls:

[bobokines]

Re: Huge potential appliance database?

Martin, this is a brilliant post. Perhaps in the wrong forum though.

It might be worth posting this in the technical queries forum, possibly with a more informative title 😉

Bob

[nationalhomecare]

Re: Huge potential appliance database?

That sounds like a great idea, as we seem to repeat the same information over and over again.
I wonder what the technical implications of setting up the system would be though?
I would be a very powerfull tool to have access to. 8)
If there is any info I can submit i’d be happy to help!
Steve

[kwatt]

Re: Huge potential appliance database?

I’d love to do it and expand on it. However when I have grumbled about what I’d like to do spares suppliers don’t much like the idea. 😉

Usual restrictions apply… time and money. With one you can get the other and currently I have neither or certainly not enough to do what I’d like to. So, I have to live with what I can do.

I have looked at breaking it up a bit into different forum areas but it gets complex and you have to bear in mind usability, if it isn’t instantly useable then people don’t use it. Online forums don’t really allow for easy navigation of that sort of information IME regardless of the topic, you still get false positive results on search. Added to which the search functions aren’t usually the best, certainly nowhere near as powerful as a pukka search engine.

I’ve seen a few forums with sub-boards as they call them and, in all honesty, you get people posting all over the place as they are unsure of where they should actually post. It’s a pain basically regardless of how you go about it unless you want to go the whole hog and do it right.

K.

[fasetester]

Re: Huge potential appliance database?

hi guys most times before i post i will do a search. i will put in the type of appliance make and model no. the forum the category and it bring up all sorts is it not possible just to get the info you want or am i not doing the search right. rhanks fasetester 🙂

[Penguin45]

Re: Huge potential appliance database?

Hi Fase,
The big secret of the Search facility is ‘AND’. Your last problem, for instance with the SMEG dishwasher, if you put “SMEG dishwasher” into Search, it will find all references to SMEG and all references to dishwasher. If you type in ‘smeg AND dishwasher’, it will only find references to SMEG dishwashers, which narrows it down a bit. Putting in ‘smeg AND di612c’ will find all references to the specific model. Put in the same and select a specific forum (ie, Trade Tech) from the drop down on the left and it will only find references in the selected forum.

I use it all the time – I’ve got a good memory, but it isn’t that good 😀 .

‘AND’ is the secret – capitals essential (otherwise it finds all examples of ‘and’ …………).

Chris.

[Author]

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