Server issues - point of no return, we move to Microcosm ASAP

How are search results sorted? Just seems to be a random order

That'll be me then. Why are you posting your whinge in this server issues thread?

server issues thread, it's got microcosm and issues in the title, so placed up some issues in it...

so take that..

How are search results sorted? Just seems to be a random order

Different items are given a different weight:

1. Microcosm titles score 1
   
2. Microcosm descriptions score 0.2
   
3. Profile names score 0.4
   
4. Conversation titles score 0.2
   
5. Comments score 0.1
   
   

The words are then stemmed, so that "ride" and "rides" and "riding" would all match along with valid unicode variations.

The index then matches the search terms against the stems by generating stems from the search terms and looking for those.

A rank is then generated based on the weight of each term in which part of the item it is being matched against.

The rank is then divided by the number of unique words in the document, and finally the proximity of the search terms to each other.

This is then ordered by rank, and the earlier score depending on location of the word provides a bias against comments and for forums, profiles, conversations and events.

From that the top 25 items are returned and the resultset calculated.

Then, from the 25, the documents are re-searched and the headline generated to show where the matches occurred.

Hashtag searches also filter a strict match... and do not score in the ranking algorithm (mixing hashtags with a search query will filter to the hashtag, but rank by the search terms).

in!

For you, they'd have to be called huggles. :)

So age of the record doesn't come into it at all? I'm seeing a 7 year old dead thread ranking top whilst a post created today containing same search term drops to page 8 of results for "Shimano 105"

So age of the record doesn't come into it at all?

Not at the moment.

Though I agree that it should. I'll work out a way to age the item and have it affect the rank.

That'll give hippy some merging job to do.

About time he got to do some work... instead of complaining about bottom-buttons
wac

I've found searching for members tricky.

Is it a bit chilly?

Is there any way to delete all messages?

Send me a message asking for that. I will delete every message, I don't do half measures.

Any chance the microcosm thing might lead to this glorious forum being viewable through tapatalk? Apologies if this has already been covered.

Edit: and many thanks to Velocio and everyone else involved in getting the microcosm move done so smoothly!

Ok, the preview doesn't actually shows the final result either.

test

Ok, the preview doesn't actually shows the final result either.

It is only a preview, not the full thing.

We do stuff like go off and embed YouTube videos, or Garmin maps, etc... this happens on the server, but the preview happens in your browser just to give you an idea of what it looks like.

Who's done the new design and ux? So far I'm very impressed. Lovely work on typography and details. Everything feels intuitive and balanced, and the hierarchies of the pages is great. Information is dense, but not hard to take in.

That would be myself dictating everything, but as I lack any talent in making things pretty Jim over at http://heightdigital.co.uk took care of the execution.

If we are successful in our next funding round (happening now if you happen to know any angel investors) then we'll be able to hire him permanently to help us add the next swathe of features we want (classifieds, polls, verified users, etc).

What's the logic in calculating the amount of pagination to show?
Seems a bit odd to have a 16 page thread like this and only seeing two buttons. It's also counterintuitive that the rightmost button is not necessarily the last page in the thread, but looks like it is. You see '1,2,last', so you click on 'last' expecting to see page 2, but end up on page 16. Maybe it just needs a gap as a visual clue.

I am finding them less convenient - you see that someone is replying to someone else and then have to click the name if you want to make sense of the reply. Or you just skim over it and don't bother.
Actually links not opening in separate tabs is a bit annoying too.
On the other hand if people are dissuaded from quoting long posts or bunches of photos then that's a good thing.

Let me share what we considered...

In all of the following this means the current page, n means a numbered version of this. * asterix around something indicate where we might bold or highlight a page.

Choices:

1. << < this > >>
   
2. |< < this > >|
   
3. first prev this next last
   
4. {min} {-2} {-1} *{n}* {+1} {+2} {max}
   
5. first {-2} {-1} *{n}* {+1} {+2} last
   
6. first {-2} prev {n} next {+2} last
   
7. |< {-2} {-1} current {+1} {+2} >|
   
8. |< {-2} {-1} *{n}* {+1} {+2} >|
   
9. |< {-2} {-1} this {+1} {+2} >|
   
10. Page {X} of {Y} : First < {-1000} {-500} {-100} {-50} {-10} {-2} {-1} *{n}* {+1} {+2} {+10} {+50} {+100} {+500} {+1000} > Last
    
11. Page [{X}] of {Y} : First {-1} *{n}* {+1} Last
    
    

#10 is how vBulletin did it, and links are only shown if valid, navigation is removed altogether if page is 1 of 1. Our big complaint with this is the uselessness of so many options, that mostly they were used to binary search a long thread (and a page number entry box would've been a more powerful way of doing that), and finally that such huge navigation would never work on mobile.

#11 was what we decided on. It's compact and offers a really simple and intuitive pagination control. The “Page x of y” text places the “First... Last” in context. For most users advancing next, prev and first, last is all the navigation required. The {X} within “Page x of y” is a form control, hitting enter on that form will submit the form and launch a navigation jump to the designated page (if valid). If the number is above y, or below x, or not a number, then nothing will happen. This control gives power users the ability to jump around, binary searching the discussion.

Only valid links are displayed, and if there is only a single page, the pagination control is not shown at all.

Or if you want... you can just imagine we designed it like that for shits and giggles.

I am finding them less convenient - you see that someone is replying to someone else and then have to click the post number or whatever if you want to make sense of the reply. Or you just skim over it and don't bother.
Actually links not opening in separate tabs is a bit annoying too.
On the other hand if people are dissuaded from quoting long posts or bunches of photos then that's a good thing.

Just highlight the text when you press reply then

Sure, if everyone else does so too. One or the other. The old way was certainly simpler, whether or not there are advantages to the new way will be shown as we go along.

Could you do
Page [{X}] of {Y} : First {-2} {-1} {n} {+1} {+2} Last

Pretty much. If we got it wrong we'll revisit and make changes. But I am going to give it enough time to know if we got it wrong or it's just the shock of change.

This would not fit in the mobile view.

BTW, @Mule🚴 what's the rectangle at the end of your username? Some emoji?