# Weird search engine behavior or clueless poster missing the obvious? You be the judge **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 14, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267 "2002-03-14T14:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/1 "2002-03-14T14:04:30Z")
Yesterday, I was trying to find [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=77030) thread. Here’s what I remembered about the thread that was searchable: It was in the BBQ Pit I posted to it **Stoid** posted to it **wring** posted to it **Scylla** posted to it It had some varient of the word “rebirth” in the title The words “rebirthing”, “murder”, “pillow”, “shaved” were all in it. I had no clue what date the thread was. I tried setting the forum for The Pit, putting the word “rebirth\*” in the keyword field, searched any date and got a couple of hits, none of them the thread in question. I tried searching for “rebirthing” on any date in The Pit. Nuthin. I tried about a half-dozen combinations of the words/posters I knew and could NOT get that thread to show up. (Yes, I tried checking both “and newer” and “and older” under the “Any Date” option: no change). Eventually, I did it the hard way: I searched _every_ Pit Thread that I’d ever posted to. I finally found the thread back on page 12! :eek: So: why couldn’t I find this thread with a narrower search (I still can’t get it to come up with a search on the word “rebirthing”.) Am I doing something wrong? Is the search engine weird? Is it both? Any help would be appreciated. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![jdavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@jdavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdavis)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/2 "2002-03-14T14:16:55Z")
The search index for the 1.8 million posts is not complete. It’s been running since Saturday evening but we’re only about 70% of the way through. Until the index creation finishes searches are going to be spotty. Maybe even after the index is finished. We won’t know until we get there. On Monday I flippantly said the index would be ready Saturday morning. Let’s make that Sunday… Jerry ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/3 "2002-03-14T14:29:40Z")
A-ha! Thanks, **Jerry**! I didn’t know there _was_ a search-engine index, let alone that it wasn’t completed yet. I just had this horrible worry that I was doing something wrong. I appreciate the info! \< double-take \> 1.8 _million_ posts?!? We _are_ a talkative group, aren’t we? 😉 Fenris ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/4 "2002-03-14T17:55:07Z")
Ok, I can understand you remembering which forum, the names of the “important” posters involved ( 🆒 ), and the word 'rebirth. but ‘ **shaved** ’???:eek: (side note, I think I missed you most of of “eek” ) and \*\* Fenris\*\* - don’t forget - the search engine has to check not only the number of posts, but the number of **words** - which, for some of the JDT, and a few other noteables, would be mind boggling. Maybe we should remember fondly “ **WB** ” whose characteristic misspellings prob’ly make the search engine hum “Gotcha ya” ! Or maybe not. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/5 "2002-03-14T19:30:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \* > \*\*Ok, I can understand you remembering which forum, the names of the “important” posters involved ( 🆒 ), and the word 'rebirth. > but ‘ **shaved** ’???:eek: (side note, I think I missed you most of of “eek” ) > \*\* Reread the thread in question, if you’ve got a strong stomach, and see what was done to the murdered child. You’ll see why the word “shaved” stuck in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-search-engine-behavior-or-clueless-poster-missing-the-obvious-you-be-the-judge/98267/6 "2002-03-14T23:47:43Z")
Sometimes [http://www.google.com](http://www.google.com) has old board messages, you can search there. You never know.