To think this site is really basic?

[FortunesFave]

As in...I can't just go to the search box and put in a subject and find it in past discussions?

It takes you to a google search! I know I could probably do an advanced search but it's a bit old-fashioned isn't it? The way this place works is so ...2000!

On Reddit, if you put something in the search box it immediately asks you if you want to search the subreddit you're on or the whole site...we should have that here. I know I could post this in site stuff but wanted some more answers than I'll get there.

I like the search functions on here. They're basic in the sense of "you get what you ask for". Which means you have to educate yourself a bit in learning what to ask for.

What I'm seeing in "modern" search functions in other apps and on other websites is the introduction of intelligence to interpret what is requested and then to provide what an algorithm has decided had "really" been asked for. And so quite often provides irrelevant results.

This site responds very well to my need for a larger text size. To me, and a lot of other people, this is the most important thing about any website.

Tim Berners-Lee intended his invention of HTML (a subset of the SGML) to be a means of communication of information separate from and independent of, the computer platform it's used on. Separating page styling and formatting from content is a brilliant concept and is essential to the functioning of all websites.

Google provides site-specific search facilities; it doesn't automatically search the whole of the Web just because it carries a Google label.

Mumsnet works very well for me; I'm not so sure it would work as well for people using accessibility tools but perhaps the mobile app covers that. I don't need those features beyond the adjustable text size.

Like a PP, I find it very frustrating that the search function shows you previews of the individual posts but you can't then click through to them, just the thread.

serenoa I have seen people post on here saying the site works very poorly with accessibility software.

Yes but if you bookmark a thread, it only takes you to the last comment you bookmarked

I can’t get it to do this for me. It still takes to me to the bottom of the thread (one of the four last posts, depending on which I choose).

Good thread though. I like the fact that many of the complaints are being met with "actually that functionality does exist, you're just not using it".

Advanced Search does exactly what you want OP. You can use it to specify chats in a certain time period or with certain words in the title, or from specific posters. I've always found what I'm looking for there. It's easy.

I'd love an edit function. I'm on a site that allows a post to be edited for just 3 minutes after posting. This allows for typos etc to be corrected but stops it being changed any later.

A perfect compromise.

Like a PP, I find it very frustrating that the search function shows you previews of the individual posts but you can't then click through to them, just the thread.

I can click through to the individual post. Disclaimer: when I don't get a completely unclickable screen or an "ooops, we can't find that" message.

I just find with advanced search I can't find anything useful. Even when searching for posts that I know exist.

Slight side note but I would love it if on the mobile site the OP's posts in a thread we're highlighted some how so you don't miss their replies!

But they are on mine

Ha, Soupdragon. I must admit, I think it has occasionally worked for me but so rarely I thought I must have dreamt it.

Which reminds me, you can bold on mobile by putting before and after what you want to bold. Clicking on the bold icon gives you the two *s but I find it a giant pain to then try to insert the words between them.

I use the Guardian Comment Is Free site. It lets you reply to an individual post so your reply shows up immediately after the original post and others reply to you, which leads to an interesting sub-discussion. I wish Mumsnet did this, too. It's a pain having to reference the poster and then your reply turns up pages later. Who has the time for all this unnecessary scrolling back and forth?

@WannabeMathematician

Slight side note but I would love it if on the mobile site the OP's posts in a thread we're highlighted some how so you don't miss their replies!

I use the mobile site, not the app and everything is highlighted the same as on the desktop site

The fact that so many people have such vastly differing experiences of the site show that it's a mess.

I use the Guardian Comment Is Free site. It lets you reply to an individual post so your reply shows up immediately after the original post and others reply to you, which leads to an interesting sub-discussion.

Ahh, nested comments versus strictly chronological ones. Purely personal preference, but for me the nested approach is off-putting. If I join a busy thread early-ish that I find really interesting then I'll either have to revisit earlier comments to see what's been added or miss them. I prefer to see the flow of conversation as it actually happens rather than needing to jump about in the thread.

Nested comments would definitely be an improvement. It's a massive pain on busy threads where multiple people are having different conversations and tagging each other. Also if someone doesn't quote the previous comment and says something like in answer to your question.... it's a pain to figure out what question. To be honest though, on huge threads I tend to just read the posts by the OP so I suppose part of that is my fault for wanting to skip over the dozens of comments saying the same thing.

I'd also like to be able to "Watch the OP on a thread" so I don't get emails on threads and click into them to find a comment saying "Any update OP?"

ShartGoblin Why not simply disable the email alert function (I'd find it unbearable) and just customise to have the OP's posts hhighlighted?

Because I actually do want emails when the OP replies. I do have the OP's posts highlighted, it's when they reply to other posters it gets confusing to figure out what on earth they are replying to without context.

I never use the email alert function for that reason.

yeah, I find it the worst messageboard of any I'm on in terms of functionality. Not being able to quote sections of posts, or easily tag other users, or upvote/respond to individual posts. It's very hard to navigate the discussion. It could be a million times more usable than it is.

I wish there was a way of returning to a thread at the last post you Read.

There is! You just bookmark it.

Not being able to ... easily tag other users, or upvote/respond to individual posts

Tagging, up/downvoting, etc to my mind gives things a vibe of a popularity contest and you end up with people continually tagging and hunting for upvotes as well as gaming the voting system. I actually prefer these features not being present.

I was also able to quote your post!

I do hate the way advanced search works. I often look for old posts/threads of my own and AS will find the thread for me, but not take me to the specific post I'm looking for with the keyword in it. In a 1000 post thread that's really tedious.

This in spades. It is incredibly annoying. I wish MN would do something about it. It’s not impossible.