Search results are faster
When MacUpdate first implemented relevant results in the software search, users would typically have to download a results page with over 400KB of file size data. This can take a considerable amount of time to load on non-broadband connections. It used a javascript technology that gathered all of the results into one page, which allowed you to scroll to the next page of results instantly without connecting again to the server. The down side was that you had to download a massive HTML file full of results, even if the listing you were looking for was on the first page of results.
AJAX technologies to the rescue! We've implemented a new standard that reduces the size of the search results page from 400KB to a small 16KB. And when going to the next page of results, there is still no need to reload the entire page, including corresponding ads. It just reloads the results content, saving you a lot of time. Enjoy!
AJAX technologies to the rescue! We've implemented a new standard that reduces the size of the search results page from 400KB to a small 16KB. And when going to the next page of results, there is still no need to reload the entire page, including corresponding ads. It just reloads the results content, saving you a lot of time. Enjoy!
16 Comments:
That sounds great, but it doesn't work at all. I just searched for the term "toast" and it returned zero hits. Other common Mac terms have the same result.
yep - "spam" gives no results either...
jonathan: "spam" gives me results here. Can you email me a screenshot of the entire browser window that you're using so I can see its setup. Also, did you try holding SHIFT and clicking the reload button in Safari? macupdate AT macupdate . COM
Macupdate search is a joke.
Search "xml".
Page 1 results:
XMLmind XML Editor 3.5.2
Books 3.0.1
XPublish 2.0a2
XML Editor 2.3.4
2 one-star apps, a one-and-half star app and some book library app. WTF
I would not normally guess the little squares at the bottom of the page are PAGE BUTTONS, but the dearth of results made me wonder...
Page 2:
A full page of results.
Back to versiontracker.com for some real searching, sorry.
anonymous: results aren't necessarily based on user reviews. Also, are you familiar with digg.com. It's one of the most popular websites on the Internet. They use the boxes at the bottom for next/previous page links. A LOT of other websites are using them as well.
Also, did you see our MacUpdate Google powered option? What more can we do?? VT users will always be VT users, and that's fine. I'm guessing you always were one?
Joel,
I prefer macupdate.com to versiontracker.com
But ever since you started tinkering with the searching, the searches have been whack.
You seem to avoid realizing that you have been introducing lots of new problems that were not problems before..
I knew things were going downhill when the masthead proclaimed better searches than other websites-- promising to know the difference between Intel- and non-Intel software for every item in your database. Ridiculous.
At least things have back-tracked from that ludicrous hype.
But, the mechanics of searching your website are still bad, and all your happy talk about it doesn't change the fact that things were OK before, and now they are less than OK.
Also, the Intel-compatible link is silly. What is the purpose for that? Everything that doesn't break under Intel is compatible with Intel. You are promoting the falsehood that lots of software has to be written to run on Intel Macs. That is a stupid notion but it is a popular misconception. It is bad enough that Windows users are ignorant about Macs, but it is also spread by misinformed Mac users, too.
Why does macupdate have to muddy the waters also? Not good.
Did Macupdate recently change management or ownership or something? This used to be a good, Mac-oriented and sensible place to visit.
Recent changes have not been good.
At least the effort is appreciated, and the blog is a good idea for sharing information.
I am not trying to be discouraging, but you really need to pay more attention to what is going on.
Keep up the good work.
anonymous:
(1) Analytics data shows that the top searches made by users on the site are showing the best results for those searches. So some peoples' opinion that the search has gone downhill might be their opinion, but the analytical data shows otherwise, with thousands of search queries to backup the claim that the new search is a vast improvement. You can help us by posting search queries that give you issues in the post made last week that displays the top 200 search terms that we made public.
(2) Why is the "Intel-compatible" link silly? It displays all Mac software that runs on the new Intel-based Macs. From the feedback at Macworld Expo in our booth, there were a LOT of people that wanted this, and even used it or knew about it beforehand. And if you didn't notice, the TITLE and HEADERS on that page state "Universal Binary." How is this a misconception? Those titles run on Intel processor Macs. It's simple and true.
(3) No, we haven't changed management. But we also haven't been sitting around using the same technologies that are old and outdated. We're constantly seeking to improve. And data shows that popularity in these new changes has increased considerably (over 100%) since we launched them.
(4) Thanks for your kind comments at the end of your post. Encouragement is appreciated, and your help to continue to improve MacUpdate is what will make it the best for the community.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
(post above removed because of harsh use of language)
deleted for "harsh language"? that's just sad
Hm. It seems the search function isn't working properly when using "PithHelmet" (which is blocking inlineSearch.php for some reason). I've never had any problems with PithHelmet on other sites that use AJAX, so it isn't a general AJAX thing.
Hi Joel,
I'm seeing broken search results when using PithHelmet as well. I believe that the problematic include is this one:
/promo/ajaxbasic.js
The URL is blocked out because of the /promo/ part, and a PithHelmet rule that is included in the default installation. I believe that if you change this URL to
/ajaxbasic.js
(like the other JavaScript files), there should be no problem...
Cheers,
- tonyboy
I dislike two things with the new search.
1. the search box is now at the very top of the screen. I preferred it on the right hand side or consider dropping it to just above the listings.
2. the ajax search results take longer to appear than the old javascript search. I'll live with this if it helps our non broadband, bandwidth limited friends.
Apart from that, I find the search results are accurate.
p.s. I'd prefer the bar with links such as help, about macupdate, submit a file etc at the top of the page because you have to scroll through alot of listings to get there and some people might miss it. OK I'll admit it I couldn't find it :)
I always worked in Mac, and Macupdate has always worked fine, but now, with the new search system, I can't find any file.
The only thing I could found was a message; "Building results...hold SHIFT and click reload if stuck".
It may sound sarcastic, but Macupdate doesn't work in my Mac anymore...
Hope you change it, because the web is very useful.
klaus: What browser are you using? What search term are you searching on? And lastly, are all of your category checkboxes selected in the category filter?
Please revert to your previous search scheme. It yielded results faster without saying, loading results. When I search for iTunes Duplicates your deliver pages of results now. Your site used to be fast and favored over versiontracker for its vitesse but this is no longer the case. Why fix something that ain't broke?
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