CFA/Search-Research: Difference between revisions

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== General Browser Capabilities ==
== General Browser Capabilities ==


=== Search Engines ===
* [[CFA/Search-Research/SearchEngines|Search Engines]]
* [[CFA/Search-Research/AddressBar|Address Bar]]
* [[CFA/Search-Research/SearchBar|Search Bar]]
* [[CFA/Search-Research/SearchResults|Search Results]]
* [[CFA/Search-Research/SearchThisPage|Search this Page]]
* [[CFA/Search-Research/Other|Future of Search]]


Current Capabilities:
== Purpose ==
* Ability to manage search engines: add, remove, restore default, reorder
Examine a bunch of browsers, existing Firefox Add-ons, and web services to generate a report that describes:
* Automatically check for updates to search engines
* Which capabilities each has
* Highlight notification of ability to add search engine
* A summary of where each is different/unique
* Some conclusions about which aspects seem most innovative and interesting that we might want to consider for Firefox


Upcoming Capabilities:
== Browsers to investigate ==
* Ability to declare a default search engine - FF3 P3? ([http://wiki.mozilla.org/CFA/Search-Research#Search_Engines_2 IE])
* Firefox 2
* Ability to use a temporary search engine and then restore the default (one time use) - FF3 P3?
* Camino
* Support search engine shortcut keys (Ryan Flint) - FF3 P2
* Flock
* iCab
* IE 7
* Maxthon
* Netscape
* OmniWeb
* Opera
* Safari
* SeaMonkey
* Shiira


Capabilities in other browsers:
== Add-ons to investigate ==
* Multi-engine search
=== Firefox ===
* Local search engines on default
* CustomizeGoogle [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/743 link]
* Answers [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/735 link]
* GooglePreview [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/189 link]
* LinkedIn Companion [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1512 link]
* SearchWith [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2194 link]
* DictionarySearch [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/68 link]
* Groowe Search Toolbar [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/534 link]
* Loki [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2306 link]
* OpenSearchFox [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3698 link]
* Visual-Search Extension [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5309 link]


=== Address Bar ===  
=== Safari ===
* Unified search - results include bookmarks, URL history, search history and the web
* Search bookmarks and history from Address Bar
* combine bookmark keywords and bookmark search - FF2?
* ability to browse by name from address bar (keyword.URL)
* keywords (search from location bar)
* keyword web searches - opera
* customize address bar search - maxthon
* URL alias - maxthon
* autocomplete keywords
* drag and drop search


=== Search Bar ===
* Sogudi - shortcut keyword searches
* keyword web searches  
* Saft [http://haoli.dnsalias.com/Saft/ link]
* Search bookmarks and history from Search Bar
* Insquisitor [http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/06/sogudi-for-searching-via-safaris-location-bar/ link] - rich search results, autocomplete, search suggestions
* support for multiple search boxes - FF2?
* site-specific search using search box
* highlight entire search field when clicking in the box
* SnapBack - safari
* button to clear search field - safari
* search this site - camino
* wrap up feature for search engines, to search all at once
* targeted search options: audio/video podcast, photo, code, technorati searches
* drag and drop search
* highlight, right-click, and search
* button information on mouse-over
* Resizable search bar (Neil Deakin) - FF3 P2


=== Search Results ===
== Meeting Takeaways ==
* Rich search results (Gavin Sharp) - FF3 P3
* Search Engines
* offer suggestions to autocomplete searches - FF2
** Multiple search engines - slow, not useful for most users
* google calculator suggestions in search box - FF
** Implement default search engine selection and one-time search engine use
* display in new tab vs. this tab
*** one-time search engine use could be a specific configurable keystroke (as in Inquisitor)
* display in new window
** Need a better way to notify users of the ability to add a search engine; Google Toolbar has a more in-your-face way of asking you
* display in sidebar
* Address Bar
* preview search results - safari
** Investigate way to integrate Search Bar and Address Bar into a unified search mechanism (one bar instead of two)
* show matching bookmarks when searching - flock
** Unlock ability to use search engines through keywords in the address bar
* show recent searches/search history
* Search Bar
 
** Suggestions are being cut off
=== Search this Page ===
*** gavinbot - truncate beginning of similar results (doesn't work w/ yahoo suggests, which may not follow what you've typed so far)
* search on webpage
*** shift box to the right
* highlight search text on webpage
** Word "Suggestion" is being cut off (fixed)
* match case of search text on webpage
* Search Results
* search for text when i start typing (quick find)
** We like Inquisitor - use 3 search results because that's all people look at.  But, use green URLs, blue Titles, just like Google search results.  Does it breach our Google contract though since users can bypass Google search results pages (and ads)?
* dim background on search w/in webpage - safari
* Search this Page
* match whole word only on search w/in page - opera
** Search this site should be an extension of Find in this Page
* option to search in current window, local files, internet, web cache - iCab
** Change UI of find as you type because it is for accessibility whereas regular users use find in page
* option to search 2 search engines at once - iCab
* Future of Search
* search and replace - omniweb
** Integrate QuickSilver-type functionality into the browser; that is, have hotkeys to do searches on the browser on a pop-up layer above the webpage, w/o needing a search bar
* search for regular expressions - omniweb
** Introduce and test a unified address/search bar for the QS pop-up, and then tweak it later for the main browser window implementation
* find in all tabs - shiira
** Rich search results (a la askx.com with blogs, videos, images, news, weather, maps, etc. in search results depending on query)
 
** Helping people search (providing suggestions, helping users write queries)
=== Other ===
*** Visual-Search Extension?
* writing direction in search and location bar - safari
* user profile to save search and other settings
 
== Screenshots ==
 
=== Search Engines ===
[[Image:Search-Default-IE.jpg]]
[[Image:SearchEngine-shortcut-Maxthon.JPG]]
[[Image:SE-mult-Max.JPG]]
[[Image:SE-multoption-Max.JPG]]
 
=== Search Bar ===
[[Image:SearchBar-settings-Google.JPG]]

Latest revision as of 20:05, 19 July 2007

« Comparative Feature Analyses
« Search Notes

General Browser Capabilities

Purpose

Examine a bunch of browsers, existing Firefox Add-ons, and web services to generate a report that describes:

  • Which capabilities each has
  • A summary of where each is different/unique
  • Some conclusions about which aspects seem most innovative and interesting that we might want to consider for Firefox

Browsers to investigate

  • Firefox 2
  • Camino
  • Flock
  • iCab
  • IE 7
  • Maxthon
  • Netscape
  • OmniWeb
  • Opera
  • Safari
  • SeaMonkey
  • Shiira

Add-ons to investigate

Firefox

Safari

  • Sogudi - shortcut keyword searches
  • Saft link
  • Insquisitor link - rich search results, autocomplete, search suggestions

Meeting Takeaways

  • Search Engines
    • Multiple search engines - slow, not useful for most users
    • Implement default search engine selection and one-time search engine use
      • one-time search engine use could be a specific configurable keystroke (as in Inquisitor)
    • Need a better way to notify users of the ability to add a search engine; Google Toolbar has a more in-your-face way of asking you
  • Address Bar
    • Investigate way to integrate Search Bar and Address Bar into a unified search mechanism (one bar instead of two)
    • Unlock ability to use search engines through keywords in the address bar
  • Search Bar
    • Suggestions are being cut off
      • gavinbot - truncate beginning of similar results (doesn't work w/ yahoo suggests, which may not follow what you've typed so far)
      • shift box to the right
    • Word "Suggestion" is being cut off (fixed)
  • Search Results
    • We like Inquisitor - use 3 search results because that's all people look at. But, use green URLs, blue Titles, just like Google search results. Does it breach our Google contract though since users can bypass Google search results pages (and ads)?
  • Search this Page
    • Search this site should be an extension of Find in this Page
    • Change UI of find as you type because it is for accessibility whereas regular users use find in page
  • Future of Search
    • Integrate QuickSilver-type functionality into the browser; that is, have hotkeys to do searches on the browser on a pop-up layer above the webpage, w/o needing a search bar
    • Introduce and test a unified address/search bar for the QS pop-up, and then tweak it later for the main browser window implementation
    • Rich search results (a la askx.com with blogs, videos, images, news, weather, maps, etc. in search results depending on query)
    • Helping people search (providing suggestions, helping users write queries)
      • Visual-Search Extension?
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