Index vs. Search? (take III)

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Jay Maechtlen noted: <<ideally, of course, the search engine would  
look at synonyms and offer alternative search terms...>>

Definitely, but creating such a compendium of synonyms would be an  
awfully thorny challenge in artificial language -- one that isn't  
even close to having been solved yet. As your example (below)  
indicates, it's not trivial to embody all the implicit knowledge we  
accumulate over decades of linguistic weirdness. And the resulting  
database of synonyms would be huge, even if you constrain it heavily  
towards a specific domain (e.g., word processing).

<<And speaking of strange terms, how about "spike"?>>

Case in point! The physical artefact still exists here and there, but  
mostly in diners and greasy-spoon restaurants nowadays. Very few word  
processor users have ever seen one or used one, so it's an interface  
metaphor that isn't immediately clear until it's explained.

<<I know the name is taken from the office implement, but how many of  
us nave actually used the physical item?>>

I have, but that was 30 years ago.

<<How many actually use the "spike" in MS Word?>>

I do, and it's quite useful. It even gets a couple mentions in my  
book (see below) specifically because it's so darned useful.


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.