The Search Function

From DSL Wiki

This page in other languages: Español

The DSL forum search function works, but the search methods are nonstandard vs. google-like searches.

For example, all searches should be done specified ALL FORUMS and FROM THE BEGINNING or NEWER

and the keyword syntax is OR based instead of AND based.

So if you search for

     cat dog

you will get all "cat" posts, all "dog" posts and all "cat dog" posts. Also, partial wildcard searches must be specified too.

Here is an example of a good keyword search:

     cat* AND dog*

This will only find results that contain both "cat" and "dog" but because of the "*", it will also find "cats" and "dogs"

Using Google to Search DSL Forums

Type the following into Google along with your search terms:

       site:damnsmalllinux.org -"changes starting"

to search the DSL forums and Wiki simultaneously. It won't return the nice threaded discussion which the Forums' own search interface does, It generally finds only the homely 'printable' version of each thread (though each page does link back to the original forums). Finally, the results are not as comprehensive as the forums' own search. Still, it is lightning fast by comparison, and it (oddly) even finds some forum posts which ikonboard does not (even using the above tricks). Since it's quick, uses a friendlier search syntax and since the pages returned are considerably lighter on the browser (in the Damn Small spirit), it is often a quicker path to good results. Not least because it returns results from our (excellent and improving) Wiki at the same time.

(Note: the -"changes starting" in the above box is an attempt to weed out the masses of 'Wiki Recent Changes' which are otherwise returned by Google. It's an ugly hack, but it returns a nice set of results.)