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Lex Friedman

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A fix for searching your own questions

posted October 6, 2009 09:45 AM Lex Friedman
A little over a month ago, we announced that search on Answerbag would now be powered by Google. We're thrilled with the effect that change has had — namely, tremendously more relevant and useful search results on the site.

Unfortunately, Google search broke a key feature some of our most dedicated members rely upon: The ability to search just your own questions.

I'm pleased to announce that, as of this morning, that oversight has been addressed; you can now search your question history from profile module that appears on many pages. Enjoy!
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1. Avatar
bobbinhood: Oct. 6, 10:00 AM

That's awesome, Lex. Thanks! Is there any way we could add a similar feature for searching just our own answers?

 
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ENG A.K.A. Keithold Jr.: Oct. 6, 11:09 AM

On the top of the page, there's only searching for answers and members, but not searching for questions. Would you please post a link to search for our own questions?

 
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Galeanda: Oct. 6, 12:03 PM

ENG, it's right there in "My links" on your profile page under the "View my profile & activity" tab there on the right corner.

Thanks, Lex for getting this fixed. Just getting back from computer problems and trying to catch up and needed to use that search feature a bit today. I, too would love to search my answer, more than my questions, actually. That would be a a great feature. Thanks again for the fixes :-)

 
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skeeter: Oct. 6, 01:01 PM

Perfect Lex. Thanks very much! And it works!

 
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tuvw: Oct. 6, 03:24 PM

When will we be able to flag duplicates? I've tried to flag 6 questions with exact word for word dups and they are not accepted Example: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1735959
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1735958

 
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BigDaddyBS: Oct. 6, 07:13 PM
in response to tuvw's comment on Oct. 6, 03:24 PM

That one, and, I assume, the others, should be accepted. Reply to the rejection email you got (if you didn't, they just haven't come up in the staff mod queue, yet... be patient), and ask.

Flag rejections only occur with an email. This didn't happen when the email system was stopped, but it's been working, far as I know, for a few months, now.

 
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Gingerminx: Oct. 6, 08:18 PM
in response to BigDaddyBS's comment on Oct. 6, 07:13 PM

BigDaddy, I have never had an email about anything I have flagged but I have received points so know some were accepted.

 
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Google Loves the Foos: Oct. 6, 10:23 PM

Thanks, but I can't still see my friends q's o r answer just a blank white screen and no loading thing ayt the bottom of my page.

 
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HungryGuy: Oct. 7, 03:47 PM

Does the Google search include answers and comments as well, or only questions? It seems to be that it's not finding everything that it should find.

 
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The Chief: Oct. 7, 07:17 PM
in response to Gingerminx's comment on Oct. 6, 08:18 PM

Gingerminx,

Ideally, you will only recieve email notifications of rejected flags. No notifications are sent out saying something you have flagged was accepted. You will see this by changes in your points and percentages for moderation.

If you've never received a rejection by email, then nothing has been rejected. Unless, of course, it occured a while back when the email notifications were temporarily suspended while AB worked out some bugs they were having.

:):):)

 
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ENG A.K.A. Keithold Jr.: Oct. 7, 08:18 PM

I want to remove friends who have not been on AB in over 18 months, so I can see how many true friends I have left.

Would you PLEASE put a "Last Login" date right below their names on our friend rosters?

It would look something like this:

(AVATAR)
Username
Last Login:
1-5-2007 20:43 Central
Remove

 
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BigDaddyBS: Oct. 7, 08:43 PM
in response to ENG A.K.A. Keithold Jr.'s comment on Oct. 7, 08:18 PM

"... truer friends ..."?

Just because someone is no longer on AB, doesn't mean they aren't a "true" friend. GEEZE!

However, I DO like that idea! I believe the date only would work better, since times would probably be PST, and mess some people up. (Besides, if you're looking at 18 months, the time means nothing.)

BUT, what happens to those of us who never really log off? Maybe you want the "Last Active" date, instead. ;-)

 
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ENG A.K.A. Keithold Jr.: Oct. 8, 01:27 AM
in response to BigDaddyBS's comment on Oct. 7, 08:43 PM

Indeed, the "Last Active" date is what we want.

In the meantime, what's keeping the staff from placing these time-stamps? After all, how hard are they to program?

 
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Gingerminx: Oct. 8, 01:34 AM
in response to The Chief's comment on Oct. 7, 07:17 PM

Oh I see, thanks Chief. :)

 
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HasntBeen: Oct. 9, 11:34 AM

I've been sent by a group of radicals who call themselves "Baggers for Justice", to warn management that if we don't get the Friend's Activity page fixed soon, we're all going to narrow our eyes to vicious slits like Clint Eastwood and hold our breath. We leave it to you to decide whether you can live with the consequences.

 
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BigDaddyBS: Oct. 9, 11:50 AM
in response to HasntBeen's comment on Oct. 9, 11:34 AM

HasntBeen,

I got mine to work... It took four clicks to do so... I think it has to do with how many friends you have in your list.

Think about it. The more friends you have, the more members your Friends Q&A must go through to find Questions and Answers, and pick the newer ones, that you have not already read out of the bunch. If any of your friends are very active (and many of mine are), it can take a while. I believe they have a "timeout" set on building that page. If you have patience, you may get the "You have to add friends..." thing. If you click the link (either the Friends option on your Q&A tab, or the Friends Q&A in your info box), again and wait, you may get it again. The check for the Friends Q&A seems to be cumulative. If you keep trying, it will show sooner or later.

The "time-out" thing may also have to do with how busy the site is when you try to bring it up.

Just my observances, for you and others having the problem, and for the staff, so they may have an idea of where to look for the problem. ;-)

 
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ENG A.K.A. Keithold Jr.: Oct. 9, 07:43 PM

If any of you on my email contacts list (Answerbag Staff, et al.) got an email from "me" about a "UICShop," that was NOT sent by me!

Someone from Beijing hijacked my email address and used a spambot on it to send a mass message to everyone I have ever contacted. This happened a couple of nights ago, and I am still receiving fallout from it.

I have since changed my password and ran an antivirus.

Has this happened to any one else?

Here is a relevant article from BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8294714.stm

 
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EX3CUT1ON TW1N: Oct. 10, 06:31 PM

Thats awesome, Cheers!

 
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HasntBeen: Oct. 10, 07:06 PM

@BigDaddy: indeed, I trimmed my friend's list from 3 pages (which isn't that much, by AB standards) down to 1.5, and now the 'Friends Activity' page seems to be working. So now we know.

 
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Christina: Oct. 11, 01:13 PM

Great! Thanks a lot!

 
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Gingerminx: Oct. 12, 12:33 AM

Is there something wrong with the leader board? When I check out my rank, it doesn't seem to be changing, it has a little "-" beside it, so I checked out other people, everyone has a little "-" beside them, is it broken?

 
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ChuckExAnon: Oct. 12, 09:01 AM
in response to Gingerminx's comment on Oct. 12, 12:33 AM

Yes, Gingerminx, both the Leaderboard and the Ranks are messed up...again! I reported it to Administration early yesterday, but it remains screwed up. Unfortunately, this is not the first time for this!

 
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Gingerminx: Oct. 12, 01:21 PM
in response to ChuckExAnon's comment on Oct. 12, 09:01 AM

Thanks Chuck. I am glad it is not just me! :)

 
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therapist: Oct. 12, 02:32 PM

I am still having trouble seeing the new questions on the new arrival page. None of mine are showing up. I used to be able to see them on the social q and a page but several of them are not even showing there. is anyone else having this problem? Is there anyway to fix this. It's been going on for weeks.

 
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Gingerminx: Oct. 12, 03:32 PM
in response to therapist's comment on Oct. 12, 02:32 PM

I had similar problems for a week or more Therapist. It was extremely frustrating but I am glad to say mine seems to be alright now.

 
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