Believe it or not - the search box is out of eye-shot with my 'standard' browser window size, and on my 2bit phone its too many wipes away
If the Sphinx/Alabaster combo permits, put it near the top where everyone will see it!! As you say its very effective - once you've found it.
Yeah tool tips are easily overlooked - to be honest I never realised you had them, it was only when I was thinking about where to show the name of the current Mark List that I hovered the rodent over the icons
BR