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I know http://www.searchyc.com http://www.searchyc.com et al exist, but still do not understand why HN does not have its own search facility.

by babul 18y ago

pg 18y ago
Because I have a lot of things to do and don't have infinite time. Implementing search right is not trivial.
- globalrev 18y ago
  Use google custom search?
  - dcminter 18y ago
    But "real" Google's just as good for that: http://www.google.com/search?q=globalrev+site://news.ycombinator.com http://www.google.com/search?q=globalrev+site://news.ycombin... I think it's reasonable to assume on a "Hacker News" site that the clientele will be up to figuring that out.
    - globalrev 18y ago
      ok didn't know exacrly how it worked but "search YC" is actually awesome, why not just integrate their service?
- kirubakaran 18y ago
  In the mean time, can't you set up search powered by searchyc.com? (At present I use Xichekolas' HN Toolkit GM script that does this.)
- henning 18y ago
  This is why $DEITY invented Lucene/Solr, Sphinx, etc.
- dominik 18y ago
  Why not add a 'search' link to the top navigation that just links to searchyc.com? Estimated implementation time: 1 to 5 minutes. Then, when HN's own search arrives, you could replace that link.
- babul 18y ago
  Appreciating how busy you are, what you do (thank you), how HN is built, the fact HN is not a business par se, and that one would rather not have a feature than something poorly implemented, it nonetheless would still be helpful to many even in a basic form. Generally, most people here are capable of finding what they want/need (e.g. using the methods repeatedly outlined throughout HN), but that is not really the point. In most (especially YC) startups, such features are the first to be implemented even if initially they suck - the mantra being release early and iteratively improve. Hence, I'd have thought search would have been high on the agenda and one of the first things done (even if not optimally - it doesn't have to be good, just 'good enough' to be useful, and can be improved over time) as it is a critical feature in almost every site these days and even on HN is one of the most repeatedly requested and asked-about things. I don't think it requires infinite time either. :)
sysop073 18y ago
I don't really know why you'd want to search HN or an equivalent site, they're not meant for searching, they're meant for browsing
- alex_c 18y ago
  I think this page, as a counterexample, will prove you irrefutably wrong: http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/startupswiki/Ask_YC_Archive http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/startupswiki/Ask_YC_Archive

I know http://www.searchyc.com http://www.searchyc.com et al exist, but still do not understand why HN does not have its own search facility.

by babul 18y ago

I know http://www.searchyc.com http://www.searchyc.com et al exist, but still do not understand why HN does not have its own search facility.

pg 18y ago

Because I have a lot of things to do and don't have infinite time. Implementing search right is not trivial.

globalrev 18y ago
Use google custom search?
- dcminter 18y ago
  But "real" Google's just as good for that: http://www.google.com/search?q=globalrev+site://news.ycombinator.com http://www.google.com/search?q=globalrev+site://news.ycombin... I think it's reasonable to assume on a "Hacker News" site that the clientele will be up to figuring that out.
  - globalrev 18y ago
    ok didn't know exacrly how it worked but "search YC" is actually awesome, why not just integrate their service?
kirubakaran 18y ago
In the mean time, can't you set up search powered by searchyc.com? (At present I use Xichekolas' HN Toolkit GM script that does this.)
henning 18y ago
This is why $DEITY invented Lucene/Solr, Sphinx, etc.
dominik 18y ago
Why not add a 'search' link to the top navigation that just links to searchyc.com? Estimated implementation time: 1 to 5 minutes. Then, when HN's own search arrives, you could replace that link.
babul 18y ago
Appreciating how busy you are, what you do (thank you), how HN is built, the fact HN is not a business par se, and that one would rather not have a feature than something poorly implemented, it nonetheless would still be helpful to many even in a basic form. Generally, most people here are capable of finding what they want/need (e.g. using the methods repeatedly outlined throughout HN), but that is not really the point. In most (especially YC) startups, such features are the first to be implemented even if initially they suck - the mantra being release early and iteratively improve. Hence, I'd have thought search would have been high on the agenda and one of the first things done (even if not optimally - it doesn't have to be good, just 'good enough' to be useful, and can be improved over time) as it is a critical feature in almost every site these days and even on HN is one of the most repeatedly requested and asked-about things. I don't think it requires infinite time either. :)

sysop073 18y ago

I don't really know why you'd want to search HN or an equivalent site, they're not meant for searching, they're meant for browsing

alex_c 18y ago
I think this page, as a counterexample, will prove you irrefutably wrong: http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/startupswiki/Ask_YC_Archive http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/startupswiki/Ask_YC_Archive