Please add search box & more navigation

[350kitty]

Hi Barry,
I have some feedback and a few suggestions. First, let me apologize in advance if I'm being a little cranky.

- I did a search of one of the categories, and then wanted to start another simple keyword search from the search results page. I keep missing the Search link in the bar across the top, because I am looking for (and all I want is) a simple, one-field search box so I could begin a new search.

- Come to think of it, that's what I want on the home page. I can understand why you wouldn't want to do that. I suppose it would add substantially to traffic by searching (as well as slowing down the whole system) beyond a particular category. So I can understand why you would want people to search only one category at a time. But clicking a category, then clicking ANOTHER link (that is not particularly visible) to begin a search kinda bugs me. Just add the search BOX itself to the top of each category page. I would far rather not have to click to begin a search. I would rather just see a search box on any page I am looking at.

- The only direct link to click to begin a new search in the same category from the search results page was to click on the Search Categories link, which brings me to an advanced search. I don't like the Search Categories page: it's TMI (Too Much Information), waaaay TMI. I don't want the advanced search until I actually click on Advanced Search. 90 to 95 per cent of the time I just want a simple one-field search box that allows me to search for the keyword I am looking for.

- Also the Search Categories link is such a small link (in small type) that I actually missed it the first few times I used the site.

- The name of the Search Categories page is not at all intuitive to me: the first dozen times I looked at it, I just went "hunh" and did not bother to click on it. If you have gone to the trouble of hiding a simple search box on the home page AND on each category page, why am I suddenly presented with the advanced search which allows me to search the whole site? AND it makes it harder for me to simply go back to search the category I was just in. BLEH!


- The bread crumbs on the search results page are not being used correctly. The bread crumbs currently come up on the search results page like this:

WaccoBB > Search Categories

"Search Categories" may sound intuitive but it's not a conventional name for the page. Advanced Search would be more descriptive.

I am expecting the bread crumbs on the search results page to be like this:

WaccoBB > CategoryName > Search Results

Bread crumbs should reflect a hierarchy or a series of steps taken in logical order, and allow the user to retrace their steps, go back a level or two (or three) in one click. I should be able to click on CategoryName to go back to the category I was just searching, or another level such as the top level, WaccoBB, to return to the home page. Nowhere on the search results page do I see a link allowing me to simply return to the category I was just searching!

Does this make sense?


- Also, offering a link to an Advanced Search box when most of the time people will be looking for a simple, one-field search box is pretty un-user friendly, particularly to computer novices and the elderly. The first few times I looked at it, I just got exasperated with all the choices. I actually missed the simple search at the top on multiple occasions. In the layout, all the parts are blending into one another. There's not much to differentiate the different functions.

- The "Category Jump" is not intuitive either. Once again, it's TMI. And it's hard to find since it's placed at the bottom. Again - easily missable. If people do find it useful, I would rather it be named "Jump to Category". You won't find "Category Jump" on the Amazon site, eBay, Apple, or Yahoo! - the KING of categories and subcategories of information on the web - or any other major web site. For the vast majority of users, it would only work for a very short list of categories (I'd say 3-5 tops).

- New Posts: Please add a note to the New Posts category describing its parameters: new posts in reverse chronological order - the last 100? or for the past week? month? since I last logged in? Hunh?

- Why does it say "New Posts" twice on every page? Once in the dark blue bar, and again in the middle of the light gray bar on every page. What would be useful is to list the name of the current category. For instance, if I use the advanced search to search several categories at once, then click on one of the search results, and then want to know which category I'm in, it would be handy to have the category name in large print in the gray banner.


Sorry if I'm being grumpy. I'm glad it seems to be gaining momentum.

Barry and other volunteers, thank you once again for putting all this work into our online community!

Take care,

Hoai-An

[bobafifi]

Hi Barry,
because I am looking for (and all I want is) a simple, one-field search box so I could begin a new search.

Have you tried using Google site search? It's not 100% up to date because Google doesn't spider daily, but it's worth knowing about. Here's the search for "sonoma" (site:waccobb.net sonoma)

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

-Bob
https://www.bobafifi.com

[bobafifi]

Another thing Hoai-An you might consider is to change the skin to the default as the layout is much more logical and the color scheme easier on the eyes. I wrote about this back in June: https://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=162

-Bob
https://www.bobafifi.com

[Barry]

Hi Hoai-An,

Thanks for your suggestions and feedback. I'm in Phoenix staying with my Sweetie's family so I'll be brief for the moment.

Search: I'm sorry I don't understand. There is a "Search" option on the main menu bar and a "Search this Category" a little lower down when you are in a category. Both bring up a "simple, one-field search box" as well as a link to the advanced search.

Category Jump: I'll look into that when I get back next week.

New Posts: Its posts from the last week in reverse chronilogical order. Its listed twice so people don't miss it!

Barry