Talk:Search Service:User Interface Design

I think the location bar could be used for solving a couple of issues.

The search engine pull down menu could be moved to the left of the location bar. Its selection determines how text in the location bar is interpreted. After any commit, the selection falls back to the default behaviour.

The search engine is either determined by the pull down menu, or by the usage of the indicated smart keyword with the default selection.

Default appearance of the location bar:

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @v   | | http://example.com      | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

A search engine can be selected using the pulldown menu.

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @   v| | http://example.com      | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

After selection the user can use the location bar for his search term.
<pre>
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @ g v| | search term             | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

After commit the location bar falls back to default. (The search engine's page provides any neccessary information and can be used for additional searches.)

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @   v| | http://google.com/search| | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

Alternativly the user can use smart keywords.

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @   v| | g search term           | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

In either case the search string is stored for autocompletion regardless of the method used.

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @   v| | g se|                   | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
              +------------------------+
              | g search term          |
              | g search term 2        |
              +------------------------+

    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @ g v| | se|                     | | > Go |
    +------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
              +------------------------+
              | search term            |
              | search term 2          |
              +------------------------+

Pros

• We need only space for one instead of two text fields. Doubling the space available for the location and search terms.
• Smart keywords and pull down menu are unified.
• Go button of location bar can be used.

Markus Schmaus 18:42, 23 Feb 2006 (PST)

Cons

• User has to use the pull down menu to access the search functionality. (If he doesn't use keywords.)

Markus Schmaus 14:59, 26 Feb 2006 (PST)

Comments from beltzner

Interesting idea, and definitely an optimization for power users that might be worth exploring. There are some downsides that you failed to point out, though:

• as soon as the user follows a link, they lose the search field and can only get it back again by using the drop-down
• assumes that the user is very keyboard centric and comfortable using command-line like interfaces

One of the reasons that the current search field is so successful is that it is a clear place for the user to search. Mozilla had keyword search for a long time, and it wasn't well discovered or frequently used. I'm not sure reverting to that format is the best thing for the general user.

You're right, reverting back to keyword search only is not a good idea. Even though command-line like interfaces are fast and comfortable once you know them, they are very hard to discover and learn. There should always be a graphical interface for them as well. Hence I'm suggesting to combine the power of keyword search with the accessibility of a pull down menu. This does not only provide a way for mouse centric useres to access this feature it also gives a hint toward the command-line like interface, which can thus be more easily discovered by interested users.

The usability can probabily be increased by using more space for the pull down menu. This additional space is more then compensated by the space saved by using only a single text field.

    +------------------+ +-------------------------+ +------+
    | @ Google (/g/): v| | search term             | | > Go |
    +------------------+ +-------------------------+ +------+

    +----------+ +---------------------------------+ +------+
    | @ Open: v| | example.com                     | | > Go |
    +----------+ +---------------------------------+ +------+

The most recent search engine can also be presented as the first entry in the pull down menu.

    +----------+ +---------------------------------+ +------+
    | @ Open: v| | example.com                     | | > Go |
    +----------+ +---------------------------------+ +------+
     +-----------------------+
     | @ Amazon.com (/am/)   |
     +-----------------------+
     | @ Open                |
     | @ Google (/g/)        |
     | @ Google Images (/gi/)|
     | @ Froogle (/froo/)    |
     | @ Amazon.com (/am/)   |
     | @ IMDB (/imdb/)       |
     | @ Bugzilla (/bug/)    |
     | --------------------- |
     |   Edit this list...   |
     +-----------------------+

Selecting a search engine could bring back the its last search term.

This is only a suggestion, which hopefully would not only improve usability for power users but also for others. It would lose the persistance of the search bar, but the big advatage would be space. Markus Schmaus 15:01, 26 Feb 2006 (PST)