[Zope-dev] Comment on CVS change of default textindex search operator

[Chris McDonough]

It's so broken with OR for large datasets that the search results are
virtually meaningless.  We see this first-hand on Zope.org (which is now
ANDed after an upgrade) and in most of our consulting projects.

I strongly agree that there should be an easy way to switch textindex
default queries between OR and AND on a per-index basis.

I'd be willing to switch it back, but gad... OR is just *so* useless.  ;-)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Casey Duncan" <cduncan@kaivo.com>
To: "R. David Murray" <bitz@bitdance.com>
Cc: <zope-dev@zope.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 11:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Zope-dev] Comment on CVS change of default textindex search
operator


> "R. David Murray" wrote:
> >
> > >To: zope-checkins@zope.org
> > >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 19:47:31 -0500 (EST)
> > >From: chrism@digicool.com (Chris McDonough)
> > >Subject: [Zope-Checkins] CVS: Zope2  - UnTextIndex.py:1.33.2.9
> > >
> > >Update of /cvs-repository/Zope2/lib/python/SearchIndex
> > >In directory
korak:/home/chrism/sandboxes/2_3Branch/lib/python/SearchIndex
> > >
> > >Modified Files:
> > >      Tag: zope-2_3-branch
> > >       UnTextIndex.py
> > >Log Message:
> > >Changed default query operator to 'AND' instead of 'OR' (way improved
search results).
> >
> > This strikes me as a Very Bad Thing.  Not the idea of having AND be the
> > default query operator, but the fact of *changing* the default.  If I
> > remember correctly the default is documented (insofar as it is
documented)
> > as being AND, but the default has been OR for so long that I'm sure
there
> > are many sites that will break if this change is committed to a release.
> > Worse, the behavior of a site as seen by end users will change.
Finally,
> > it is my experience that most search engines use OR as the default
operator.
> > I prefer AND myself, but OR appears to be something of a defacto
standard.
> >
> > I'm willing to be convinced, though <grin>.
> >
> > A way to set the default would be cool, but might open up a can of
worms.
> >
> > --RDM
> >
>
> I'm a little torn between being alarmed at this and agreeing with it. I
> think if this is done there should be an TTW interface in ZCatalog to
> switch between AND and OR as the default. That would be the best
> solution IMHO. Also a _documented_ way to switch it in Catalog as well.
>
> My $0.02
>
> --
> | Casey Duncan
> | Kaivo, Inc.
> | cduncan@kaivo.com
> `------------------>
>
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