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Topic: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads  (Read 6341 times)

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Offline curiouscat

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Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« on: December 15, 2012, 08:41:26 AM »
I've noticed on some other forums, a feature that automatically lists similar posts while a person types up a new thread-starter or right before he is allowed to post it.

Wondering if that might be a feature that'd be possible in the  Chemforums engine and / or desirable? The idea is to avoid duplicate threads of stuff previously answered by "forcing" the poster to look. By making searching before posting not just a suggestion but the default.   

Not really a big deal but wondering what others think..

Offline Borek

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Re: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2012, 08:43:06 AM »
What forum engine?
ChemBuddy chemical calculators - stoichiometry, pH, concentration, buffer preparation, titrations.info

Offline curiouscat

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Re: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2012, 08:52:29 AM »
What forum engine?

vbulletin I think. Maybe some others too. Google Groups used to do this too.



Did some googling and found these; might be relevant.

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=201651

http://www.walkingdeadforums.com/forum/f42/new-check-similar-threads-posting-3609.html

Offline curiouscat

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Re: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2012, 08:54:33 AM »
Stack Overflow does it too; don't know what engine they use; probably custom written.

Offline Borek

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Re: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2012, 12:35:20 PM »
vBulletin is commercial (which means we would have to pay for it) and - while I like it - out of the question for now. Stack Overflow engine seems to be a custom one.

Perhaps there are mods for SMF that could do similar thing.
ChemBuddy chemical calculators - stoichiometry, pH, concentration, buffer preparation, titrations.info

Offline curiouscat

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Re: Search Box minor suggestion to possibly reduce redundant threads
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2012, 02:50:51 PM »
vBulletin is commercial (which means we would have to pay for it) and - while I like it - out of the question for now. Stack Overflow engine seems to be a custom one.

It'd be rather silly to change engines just for this feature. Even if vbulletin was free. If it aint broke....

Quote
Perhaps there are mods for SMF that could do similar thing.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. It seems this was on their ToDo List in 2010 so maybe there's something out there....

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