Untidy potluck........

[DeathStalker]

I was perusing the potluck looking for a particular manual. It's some 69 pages big. Is there a way to view more posts per page that I missed?

 

Also is there anything I could do to help you tidy it up some?

 

Oh, and why does my membership expire in 2109? Do you think at age 146 I'll be too old to fix my own stuff?

 

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

You could browse the Service Manual Pot Luck if you like however it, like the rest of this site and, indeed, the greater Googleverse, is all about SEARCH.  Use the search, Lurch!

 

 

[tpoindexter]

The custom search engine works great!!

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The custom search engine works great!!

 

You discovered my secret - thats my preferred search engine for this site!  

[DeathStalker]

As someone who has seen more computer errors than I care to admit, I like to see with my own eyes rather than trust another programmer usually. Sorry. Kind of like "Samurai’s Golden Rule of Appliance Repair: Never trust customer diagnostics."

 

I also like to look first before I ask so I don't waste your time.

 

Of course earlier my looking did not reveal the secret answered button. To be honest? When I look at this thread right now I can't see the secret answered button. I see report, multiquote and quote.............

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

You are welcome to browse to your hearts contentment, however, I think your heart will more content using the search as illustrated in my screencast above. But the choice always remains yours.  

[tpoindexter]

You discovered my secret - thats my preferred search engine for this site!  

Mine to. I don't even use the other anymore since I started using it.

[DeathStalker]

:beermug:

[DurhamAppliance]

And another secret i use.... Even if you are not in the Appliantology site you can search google or bing... Type in what you are looking for and add "appliantology. " If your url address bar at the top of your browser is also a search box like in chrome, then just type it in your address bar. Btw remember if you put a "-" in front of any word in google, your results will exclude anything that has that word.... Maytag appliantology -dryer will pull up all maytag entries in appliantolgy except those with the word "dryer".

To search appliantology and fixitnow or even appliantology and Searspartsdirect at the same time and you want to exclude anything I posted about your model when in regular google type : appliantology OR searspartsdirect Gss25jfmb -Durham .... the "OR" must be capitalized and there cannot be a space between "-" and "Durham. " Google has tons of filters and parameters to get you what you want.

Not too shabby for an old guy using the interwebs, eh?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Great tips, Brother Durham! This old dawg just learned a thang or two.

[jumptrout]

Is there a way to search Downloads by model number?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

If the person who uploaded the file included the model number in the title, as a tag, or in the description field, search will find it.  

 

I envisioned the Downloads section to be a collaborative effort that was entirely driven by search.  Hence just one category called Pot Luck Supper.  The key to that working effectively is for the file contributors to be conscientious about the meta data they include with the file.  For example, adding all applicable model numbers in the file description, adding all applicable tags such as brand type of appliance, etc., adding the publication number in the description field, and things like spelling out the word "refrigerator" instead of just saying "fridge" (or if you're going to just say "fridge" in the title make sure to add the word "refrigerator" as a tag).  

 

The Downloads section is a community effort.  I'm just one of the contributors.  I ain't nobody's momma here and I don't play one on TV, so the Pot Luck Supper will be as messy or tidy, as useful or useless as you, the file contributors, the community of users, make it.  

[DurhamAppliance]

Adding all model numbers can be tedious at best. Maybe the first few letters... Gss, psh etc. That'll limit the items that come up. And instead of modifying all the current files... maybe a section on this site that would utilize the collaborative nature of the site... ie a section where we can create an index to the manuals.... I need a manual, i find it in the potluck section, then a'cause i be grateful, i go to the collaborative index section and post something like manual (link) covers this/these models. If i left out a model, the next person who searches and did not find the model listed in the index would make a post regarding his model and include the manual link. Moderators could then combine posts referencing the same manual to keep things tidy if so desired. New manual requests post responses can easily be ported over to the index section

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Adding all model numbers can be tedious at best. Maybe the first few letters... Gss, psh etc. That'll limit the items that come up. 

 

That's a great suggestion, we should start doing that from now on.  

 

And instead of modifying all the current files... Maybe a section on this site that would utilize the collaborative nature of the site... ie a section where we can create an index to the manuals.... I need a manual, i find it in the potluck section, then a'cause i be grateful, i go to the collaborative index section and post something like manual (link) covers this/these models. If i left out a model, the next person who searches and did not find the model listed in the index would make a post rearding his manual and include the link. Moderators could then combine posts referencing the same manual to keep things tidy if so desired.

 

This kind of sort of happens how.  Each time a file is added, a new topic is automatically generated and posted in the Service Manual Request forum.  These auto-generated topics will always have titles that begin with "New Appliance Service Manual added: [followed by the title of the file that was uploaded]"  These topics are an excellent place for people to post comments or suggestions for additional information that should be added to the file listing to make it more searchable.  The mods can then add this info to the file listing in the Downloads section.

[DurhamAppliance]

That's a great suggestion, we should start doing that from now on.

This kind of sort of happens how. Each time a file is added, a new topic is automatically generated and posted in the Service Manual Request forum. These auto-generated topics will always have titles that begin with "New Appliance Service Manual added: [followed by the title of the file that was uploaded]" These topics are an excellent place for people to post comments or suggestions for additional information that should be added to the file listing to make it more searchable. The mods can then add this info to the file listing in the Downloads section.

This is great for newer or non-uploaded manuals but the vast majority of times people find the manual for themselves by searching and wading through manuals without using request. Especially Frigidaire manuals!

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

This is great for newer or non-uploaded manuals ...

 

Not sure I follow you there, Brother Durham.  If the file isn't uploaded, it will not have an auto-generated topic in the Service Manual Request forum.  

 

BTW, the Service Manual Request forum is also separately searchable and, since it contains an entry for every file in the Downloads section, it is often a better place to search for files.  

[DurhamAppliance]

Ok... Let's say I want a manual. I search for it first before I ask for it. I find the manual that pertains to it but only after looking through 3 or 4 manuals some of the descriptions have partial model numbers and some say "covers these models and possibly others". Frigidaire is a great example. There has been no request nor topic regarding the model I want. I find it. Wouldn't it be helpful to the next person if I posted what I found. Now, this isn't a problem at all if I asked for the manual. Somehow I thought asking for a manual without attempting to find it first was.... well... lazy. But if asking helps build the index, then I'll do a search of the model and if nothing comes up, ask away!

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Wouldn't it be helpful to the next person if I posted what I found. Now, this isn't a problem at all if I asked for the manual. Somehow I thought asking for a manual without attempting to find it first was.... well... lazy. But if asking helps build the index, then I'll do a search of the model and if nothing comes up, ask away!

 

Absolutely!  Post both what you were looking for and what you found as a new topic in the Service Manual Request forum so it becomes discoverable information (via browsing or searching) by another user.  

[DurhamAppliance]

I guess I took the title of the forum "requests" too literally.

[DurhamAppliance]

Oh, and why does my membership expire in 2109? Do you think at age 146 I'll be too old to fix my own stuff?

 

Whatsamatter Deathstalker? Do you think where you are going you really gonna want to fix the furnace??

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

I guess I took the title of the forum "requests" too literally.

Maybe we should add another descriptor, like "and index" or "and suggestions".

[DeathStalker]

LOL Durham, I always try to be helpful so if that furnace needs fixed.........

 

I guess I missed the creation of the potluck and didn't know what it was or how it was "created." But you will notice I DID offer to help tidy it up.

 

EDIT: Oh and thanks for the search tips. I take my iPad with me on these little sojourns to the renters house when I'm fixing the appliances there so this will make it easier to search for things.

Edited April 9, 2013 by DeathStalker