OMG Ning - PLEASE Fix the Search

[Jen]

Dear Ning Team,
This is without a doubt the most frustrating platform on the Planet, in regards to searching for content. I've been searching for 30 minutes for one blasted tip. For God's sake, forget all the fancy stuff for a while, and fix one of the most needed and critical features that any online Community or website must have - - a Search that works properly. The Search should return results for any content that contains a "search word or phrase", and not just tags. But, even the tags are not found.

This has been a problem for almost 2 years now. It's inexcusable. And frankly, I am tired of wasting hours every week searching, and I'm tired of my members having to experience this exasperating experience as well.

If you want proof that even the simplest of searches do not work properly, I'll be happy to oblige. I cannot tell you how many times I have searched for exact tags, that absolutely exist - - nada, doesn't work. Even the Google Search struggles with Ning tags. So something is obviously, seriously wrong. Please fix it.

Sorry for my shortness on this. But, I am tired of this being ignored. I am pleading with you all. Please fix this critically needed feature, and ongoing issue.

You all know that I am one of your biggest fans, no doubt about it. But this issue makes me a little crazy in the brain.

Thanks in advance,
Jen

[Jen]

Thanks everyone for all the new input. What's really a bummer about this? This discussion is almost 2 years old. And the search is no better than it was when this discussion was created.

Shame on you, Ning.

Best,

Jen

[Jeff Bean]

Jen, that's the point. That's why I lit it this discussion up again. (Once I found it, that is.)

Horrible UI. False positives up the kazoo - a list of false results as long as your arm. Most are false negatives (searching for absolutely nothing else it can't find a danged TAG for pete's sake crying out loud). It's completely incomprehensible.

t's only because my network is currently populated by mostly-lurkers who are tech-afraid that this hasn't become a huge problem yet. I and the others in-the-know just have workarounds. We actually keep lists!

[Jen]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your input. Definitely a discussion that needed a little fire.  I've come to realize this is not an easy endeavor. However, doesn't matter how complicated, costly, or what it takes. It just needs to work.

Best,

Jen

[Connie Mettler]

I am so totally with you on this, Jen! All the amazing things we can do with our Ning platforms -- but the search sucks!! Many of members don't even know what a tag is. I'm tired of teaching them. Then, of course, things that I have tagged, of course correctly, I can't find.

How about if you guys don't do anything else for awhile and fix this? Anybody else with me on this?

[Ambroise]

I have the same issue and it is very important for me too :-(

[Martin]

hmm..I think almost 2 years after this post is searching very weak element in every Ning network

[HELP SEEKER]

PLEASE HELP ME TOO,

http://creators.ning.com/forum/topics/need-help-with-advanced-searc...

[Alex from Bougex.com]

Unfortunately..... I really agree with you Jen.  

Ticket n° 00711722 : Profile question-based searches not working 

Ticket n° 00614882 : Events don't show up in my calendar

/events/event/listAllTypes is not sorted and numbers are not working and tags from old events are showing up. 

Hey Ning... Why don't you spend some time on that before changing the admin section ???