Sony Reader: What do we want from searching? (poll)

NatCh · 12-14-2006, 12:52 PM

We've talked a lot about searching and the various reasons we want it, and what all would have to happen in the hardware/software to make it doable, but I don't recall any real discussion of what we want this notional search function to do.

So, I'm starting this thread as a place to talk that over. I'm adding a poll so that we can get kind of a quantitative measure of what we're looking for. I'm giving the poll my best guesses as to what folks want. I know I'll miss something, but that's what the discussion is for. I'm also going to try the poll feature that allows selection of multiple answers, so we'll see how that works.

I'd also like to get a feel for what's acceptable as far as how long the searching takes, clearly several minutes is probably too long, but is 20 seconds? 10? I'm used to the searching on the Palm eReader software, which is dependant on the length of the text it's searching, so I'd think that 10~20 seconds to search a long text is probably okay, with around 5 seconds being good for most searches, particularly just a "find the next/prev" kind of search.

For me, the only searching I see myself using is a find next/previous instance of a given text string. But you lot have a very diverse collection of different needs and goals, so I'm interested in what the rest of you come up with.

Have at it.

HarryT · 12-14-2006, 01:05 PM

A basic "Find Next/Prev Instance" is all I want, together with a preferably 1-button "Repeat Last Search" facility. "Whole word only" and "case sensitive" options would also be highly desireable.

ultim8fury · 12-14-2006, 01:06 PM

I don't want or need a search function.

yvanleterrible · 12-14-2006, 01:06 PM

I don't have a reader yet but things pretty much look like what I expect of computers in general.

NatCh · 12-14-2006, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

A basic "Find Next/Prev Instance" is all I want, together with a preferably 1-button "Repeat Last Search" facility. "Whole word only" and "case sensitive" options would also be highly desireable.

(smacks forehead) See? I knew I'd forget some obvious stuff.

Alexander Turcic · 12-14-2006, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

(smacks forehead) See? I knew I'd forget some obvious stuff.

I think you can edit the poll

Only those who already voted won't be able to participate in the additions.

NatCh · 12-14-2006, 01:11 PM

I'm not seeing where to edit it, Alexander. (feels another head smack coming on)

HarryT · 12-14-2006, 01:11 PM

"Word" is the program I do most searching in; I was just thinking what I use most often in that, and those are what I came up with

.

Alexander Turcic · 12-14-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I'm not seeing where to edit it, Alexander. (feels another head smack coming on)

Nat, check your PM.

mrborgs · 12-14-2006, 01:41 PM

Search features depends for me on the text I am using. For a fiction book probably no need at all other than dictionary to look up an unknown word. But for non-fiction, specifically resource books (like handooks, technical books, etc.) I would want a robust search function that will help to find inforamtion quickly in large books (e.g. - Computer programing book want to find all instances about a specific line of code)

flumbo · 12-14-2006, 01:54 PM

I mostly use the reader for fiction or linear reading of how-to books, so I don't have any need of search. I previously used palm and pocket pc for the past eight years and never really needed it...

HarryT · 12-14-2006, 02:01 PM

The situations I'd like to have it in fiction are for the really long "classics" - stuff like "War and Peace", or "The Count of Monte Cristo" where you encounter someone's name who last appeared 1000 pages before and you can't remember who they are. That's especially a problem in "War and Peace" where there are literally hundreds of named characters, many of whom have very similar names.

slayda · 12-14-2006, 02:24 PM

Nathan,
May not be strictly in find but it would be nice to bookmark the string you just searched for. E.g. "Chapter" to create a pseudo TOC using bookmarks.

RWood · 12-14-2006, 03:18 PM

If we do a search, the most valuable search lists for me have always been Key Word In Context (KWIC) type indexes. Otherwise a jump to the first occurance and a repeat key to get the the next.

While I like the concept of whole word searches, I am already having second thoughts about it as some texts (even several from the Sony store) have run two word together rendering this type of search moot.

Bob Russell · 12-14-2006, 03:39 PM

With a prev/next search, I'd appreciate the opportunity to bookmark a result also, because I find I often need to keep peeking at multiple results and then go back again.

It also needs to be trivial to choose prev or next. If it takes multiple buttons after each find, I think it becomes really frustrating.

View Poll Results: What do we want from searching?
Jump to Next/Previous occurance of specified string	42	62.69%
A List of all occurrences (nice to have)	10	14.93%
A List of all occurrences (gotta have it)	4	5.97%
A List of all occurrences with page #s (nice to have)	10	14.93%
A List of all occurrences with page #s (gotta have it)	0	0%
A List of all occurrences with surrounding words (nice to have)	9	13.43%
A List of all occurrences with surrounding words (gotta have it)	8	11.94%
I’d like to have a dictionary word lookup function	22	32.84%
I’ve gotta have a dictionary word lookup function	8	11.94%
I want something REALLY complicated and involved from a search, and I want it to happen instantly!	1	1.49%
~ 3 seconds is okay for most searches	8	11.94%
~ 5 seconds is okay for most searches	16	23.88%
~ 10 seconds is okay for most searches	10	14.93%
~ 15 seconds is okay for most searches	1	1.49%
~ 20 seconds is okay for most searches	8	11.94%
I don’t care how long as long as it returns what I want to see	7	10.45%
I don’t have a dog in this hunt, I just want to see the poll results	3	4.48%
(newly added) Repeat last search	24	35.82%
(newly added) Whole word only option	20	29.85%
(newly added) Case sensitive option	14	20.90%
(newly added) I don't want a search function	8	11.94%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 67. You may not vote on this poll

12-14-2006, 12:52 PM	#1
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Sony Reader: What do we want from searching? (poll) We've talked a lot about searching and the various reasons we want it, and what all would have to happen in the hardware/software to make it doable, but I don't recall any real discussion of what we want this notional search function to do. So, I'm starting this thread as a place to talk that over. I'm adding a poll so that we can get kind of a quantitative measure of what we're looking for. I'm giving the poll my best guesses as to what folks want. I know I'll miss something, but that's what the discussion is for. I'm also going to try the poll feature that allows selection of multiple answers, so we'll see how that works. I'd also like to get a feel for what's acceptable as far as how long the searching takes, clearly several minutes is probably too long, but is 20 seconds? 10? I'm used to the searching on the Palm eReader software, which is dependant on the length of the text it's searching, so I'd think that 10~20 seconds to search a long text is probably okay, with around 5 seconds being good for most searches, particularly just a "find the next/prev" kind of search. For me, the only searching I see myself using is a find next/previous instance of a given text string. But you lot have a very diverse collection of different needs and goals, so I'm interested in what the rest of you come up with. Have at it.

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12-14-2006, 01:05 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A basic "Find Next/Prev Instance" is all I want, together with a preferably 1-button "Repeat Last Search" facility. "Whole word only" and "case sensitive" options would also be highly desireable.

12-14-2006, 01:06 PM	#3
ultim8fury Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 368 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK Device: PRS500, Looking at 700	I don't want or need a search function.

12-14-2006, 01:06 PM	#4
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	I don't have a reader yet but things pretty much look like what I expect of computers in general.

12-14-2006, 01:11 PM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'm not seeing where to edit it, Alexander. (feels another head smack coming on)

12-14-2006, 01:41 PM	#10
mrborgs Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Device: Palm Tungsten T5	Search features depends for me on the text I am using. For a fiction book probably no need at all other than dictionary to look up an unknown word. But for non-fiction, specifically resource books (like handooks, technical books, etc.) I would want a robust search function that will help to find inforamtion quickly in large books (e.g. - Computer programing book want to find all instances about a specific line of code)

12-14-2006, 01:54 PM	#11
flumbo I got nothin... Posts: 127 Karma: 302 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hawaii	I mostly use the reader for fiction or linear reading of how-to books, so I don't have any need of search. I previously used palm and pocket pc for the past eight years and never really needed it...

12-14-2006, 02:01 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The situations I'd like to have it in fiction are for the really long "classics" - stuff like "War and Peace", or "The Count of Monte Cristo" where you encounter someone's name who last appeared 1000 pages before and you can't remember who they are. That's especially a problem in "War and Peace" where there are literally hundreds of named characters, many of whom have very similar names.

12-14-2006, 02:24 PM	#13
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Nathan, May not be strictly in find but it would be nice to bookmark the string you just searched for. E.g. "Chapter" to create a pseudo TOC using bookmarks.

12-14-2006, 03:18 PM	#14
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	If we do a search, the most valuable search lists for me have always been Key Word In Context (KWIC) type indexes. Otherwise a jump to the first occurance and a repeat key to get the the next. While I like the concept of whole word searches, I am already having second thoughts about it as some texts (even several from the Sony store) have run two word together rendering this type of search moot.

12-14-2006, 03:39 PM	#15
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	With a prev/next search, I'd appreciate the opportunity to bookmark a result also, because I find I often need to keep peeking at multiple results and then go back again. It also needs to be trivial to choose prev or next. If it takes multiple buttons after each find, I think it becomes really frustrating.

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