# SDMB Searches - WTF?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [October 30, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513 "2001-10-30T13:43:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513/1 "2001-10-30T13:43:48Z")

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I just submitted a thread on the Cafe Society MB, and was dutiful in doing a search before I submitted to try to avoid a redundant thread. So I hit “search” and typed in “Beatles” (the question has to do with whether the Beatles were truly the first band to purposely misspell their names, or whether their fame just made their doing it all the rage…) and the search came back with _nothing_. I have seen a number of Beatles threads on the various boards, so something is up.

I am very open to some “D’oh!”-level obvious thing I am doing wrong and will hang my head in shame if such is the case. But are there any obvious tips?

Patiently awaiting your coaching while hoping the abuse and sarcasm will be kept to a manageable minimum,

WordMan

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**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513/2 "2001-10-30T13:49:03Z")

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You must get all the options correct. You have to select the correct search forum, and specify and more realistic date range. I am always searching ATMB in the past five days for something that would never be there.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513/3 "2001-10-30T13:57:31Z")

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This belongs in ATMB, not GQ, so I’ll move it. **NMKIA** is right: a whole-thread search of ATMB over the last 5 days is the default. You have to change the settings.

bibliphage  
moderator GQ

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**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-searches-wtf/90513/4 "2001-10-30T14:01:49Z")

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thanks for moving the thread and the coaching - I will check it out…