I tried to search for a couple of terms using the basic search box in the strip at the top of the forums. I got the “You must wait 120 seconds between searches. Please try again in another 116 seconds.” I wait (more than two minutes) then try again. “You must wait 120 seconds between searches. Please try again in 117 seconds.” never get search results, and it always seems to want me to try again in 116 or 117 seconds.
This has been reported previously. I simply go to Google now and type “SDMB: search text.” Obviously “search text” being the term you’re looking for.
seems to be triggered by searching for multiple terms. If I search for a single word it works.
FWIW I just tried it and didn’t have a problem.
Is it possible you’re inadvertently double-clicking something or double-hitting the Enter key?
This is the correct answer but you spelled “site:boards.straightdope.com” wrong.
SDMB: works fine.
“site:boards.straightdope.com” only returns results from boards.straightdope.com
The search engine here is admittedly a bit wonky at times, and oddly it seems to misbehave more for some people than others. I have no idea why that is.
Anyway, as was already mentioned, you can use google to search the SDMB. Full details with lots of helpful hints can be found in the sticky at the top of the ATMB forum:
HOWTO: Search the SDMB using Google
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=638051
While this does mostly work just fine, if someone else refers to the SDMB using those initials on another site, those results may show up in your search.
OK. Thanks for that.
The only bummer about searching the board via google is that you can’t search for terms used by a specific member. Yeah, you can include your terms plus the username, but the results are threads where the term is used AND the member also posted in the thread, but not necessarily where the searched-for member is who posted the searched-for term.