Re: AVS NOT searches-- the "Bud Not Buddy" fix

[Elizabeth Thomsen <et@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob Duncan wrote (in part):
> Either of the following search strings will work:
>         On being a superpower "and not" knowing
>         "On being a superpower and not knowing"

Bob's right, of course, but I guess we're looking at this from different 
perspectives.  People with some database searching experience appreciate 
the different Boolean operators and know how to use them.  People 
wanting to use the less common operators like NEAR and NOT can use 
whatever syntax they need to.  But what I see is people (including kids) 
who get confusing results when they are using NEAR and NOT and other 
operators just because they happen to be words in the title.  It's hard 
to get them to learn to put quotes around the whole phrase, or around 
the troublesome words, to avoid this problem, when they don't see those 
words as anything special at all, just part of the title.

I guess in my ideal searching environment, I'd use implied AND, have a 
simple search page that doesn't interpret any words (including AND and 
OR) as operators, but allows you to use the full range of operators 
using symbols, using quotes around the operators, not the search terms. 
    Put the burden on the user doing the sophisticated search, not the 
person just typing in a title.

Or maybe this would work-- if the use enters a search that includes a 
word that's a Boolean operator, a popup could display that says 
something like:

"Do you want me to interpret the word NEAR as a Boolean operator?  If 
    you don't understand the question, just say NO.  [No/Yes]"

-- 
Elizabeth Thomsen, Member Services Manager
NOBLE: North of Boston Library Exchange
Danvers MA 01923
et@xxxxxxxxxx