DIY: how to search for [prior] information/posts
due to lots and LOTS of posts amounting to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about various topics from "why does my knitting curl" to "i want an easy pattern for FOO" or "there was a post last week about BAR" i thought i'd put this information out there, possibly for the memories:
o first, goto the front page of the community/journal and LOOK at what's offered. there's usually a few (or LOTS) of links. scan for what you think you might want, esp various questions. you wouldn't believe how many people ask for certain topics (that's why they're FAQs)
o okay. you've framed a question. before posting it, try "asking" google for a few minutes and work through some keywords to find what you need. it's surprisingly good at finding stuff. "knitting pattern" or "curling knitting" or ... whatever. didn't find it? try making a noun plural: pattern to patterns. try try try.
http://www.google.com/search?q=knitting+pattern&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=curling+knitting
o looking for that older article? here's a handy way to search a given community/journal for something.
oo click on journal archive (on top of most pages in that community). this gets you the current by month calendar.
oo start with the current month (december at the time of this writing), and click the hyperlinked month name on the top of the mini calendar for that month. NOT a date number. this gets you a large list of the subjects by day and time for every post that month (it can be large). how neat is that?
oo first, use the text find feature of your browser. in IE, it's under edit -> find (on this page) or Control-F (for windows). enter a keyword you think you want. like "ball" or "pattern" or "nostepinne" or ... it's your question :)
oo if the 'find' method does not work, start scanning the titles (if they exist - some folx don't put one (for shame) or put silly ones like (arrrggh or gnash or ptui)) and read along. no? pick the prior month and repeat. it's better than going back in units of 20-30 posts or prior day. this probably isn't the only or best way, but it's the most effective one i can think of.
oo i wish LJ had effective searching, but it doesn't (unless a community/etc is OPEN to a search engine (like google), and usually, they are not.
o you're still stuck? now you're in luck, because now you get to write a great question with a good subject and post it :) hee hee. really, you'll find people answer a well worded and unique question with gusto!
o still want more? hit your local yarn store (LYS) or local book store for some of the excellent knitting titles that exist. these last few years an AMAZING variety of GOOD, very VERY good books have come out. i envy the new knitters this wealth that some of us oldsters didn't have. how we struggled (and still do :>) you can also start grazing the web. there is absolutely phenomenal material out there for free. patterns, techniques, videos, pictures.
hoppy holly daze
o first, goto the front page of the community/journal and LOOK at what's offered. there's usually a few (or LOTS) of links. scan for what you think you might want, esp various questions. you wouldn't believe how many people ask for certain topics (that's why they're FAQs)
o okay. you've framed a question. before posting it, try "asking" google for a few minutes and work through some keywords to find what you need. it's surprisingly good at finding stuff. "knitting pattern" or "curling knitting" or ... whatever. didn't find it? try making a noun plural: pattern to patterns. try try try.
http://www.google.com/search?q=knitting+pattern&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=curling+knitting
o looking for that older article? here's a handy way to search a given community/journal for something.
oo click on journal archive (on top of most pages in that community). this gets you the current by month calendar.
oo start with the current month (december at the time of this writing), and click the hyperlinked month name on the top of the mini calendar for that month. NOT a date number. this gets you a large list of the subjects by day and time for every post that month (it can be large). how neat is that?
oo first, use the text find feature of your browser. in IE, it's under edit -> find (on this page) or Control-F (for windows). enter a keyword you think you want. like "ball" or "pattern" or "nostepinne" or ... it's your question :)
oo if the 'find' method does not work, start scanning the titles (if they exist - some folx don't put one (for shame) or put silly ones like (arrrggh or gnash or ptui)) and read along. no? pick the prior month and repeat. it's better than going back in units of 20-30 posts or prior day. this probably isn't the only or best way, but it's the most effective one i can think of.
oo i wish LJ had effective searching, but it doesn't (unless a community/etc is OPEN to a search engine (like google), and usually, they are not.
o you're still stuck? now you're in luck, because now you get to write a great question with a good subject and post it :) hee hee. really, you'll find people answer a well worded and unique question with gusto!
o still want more? hit your local yarn store (LYS) or local book store for some of the excellent knitting titles that exist. these last few years an AMAZING variety of GOOD, very VERY good books have come out. i envy the new knitters this wealth that some of us oldsters didn't have. how we struggled (and still do :>) you can also start grazing the web. there is absolutely phenomenal material out there for free. patterns, techniques, videos, pictures.
hoppy holly daze