Can you improve your "Google Fu?"

[chessnerd]

My Google-Fu (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Google-fu) is pretty good; I can generally find what I want online using a search engine. However, I was wondering if there was a way I could get better...

Typically, when I go to the Support Forums here on Ubuntu Forums I struggle from my lack of Googling abilities because -

A. I couldn't find help for my problem through Google and am coming here to get it

or

B. When I'm trying to help someone else my Google-Fu isn't powerful enough to assist them

Anyone know of a way I can improve my abilities, or is superior Google-Fu something you are just born with?

[Sealbhach]

I just find that putting the exact phrase in "marks" usually gets me what I'm looking for. Searching for anything Ubuntu related, my usual search criteria are:


ubuntuforums "exact phrase".

.

[formaldehyde_spoon]

Try "ubuntuforums.org: yourSearch" ;)

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

Here are a couple of useful sites: http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ and: http://crunchbang.org/ubuntu-search-engine/. The first one lets you add a Ubuntu-Google search engine to the small search box (upper-right) in Firefox. The second one is a Ubuntu-Google "Custom Search Engine".

[chessnerd]

I just find that putting the exact phrase in "marks" usually gets me what I'm looking for. Searching for anything Ubuntu related, my usual search criteria are:


ubuntuforums "exact phrase".

.
Yeah. I already knew it, but it is a useful trick.


Try "ubuntuforums.org: yourSearch" ;)
Do you mean site:ubuntuforums.org yourSearch? I need to use that more often. I know it exists but never apply it.


chessnerd,

Here are a couple of useful sites: http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ and: http://crunchbang.org/ubuntu-search-engine/.
Not bad. I like the feel of Ubuntu Search better than the Crunchbang one, but it doesn't seem to bring up Ubuntu Forums posts, which are often far easier to understand than the community documentation. Still, I'll try to keep these in mind when doing my searching.

[standingwave]

Google tips and tricks

+how to select tea
(force Google not to ignore how)

darjeeling -tea
(the word darjeeling but NOT the word tea)

tea-house
(the words tea-house, tea house, or teahouse)

brew coffee ~tips
(the words brew, coffee & both tips & its synonyms)

coffee maker $19..$99
(coffee makers between $19 and $99)

wild coffee site:npr.org
(wild coffee from the website npr.org)

caffeine health site:edu
(caffeine health from sites with the .edu domain)

caffeine health filetype:mp3
(mp3 files caffeine health)

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

I have found a lot Ubuntu-Forums posts in my results using ubuntu-search. It depended on what I was looking for, of course. Perhaps a different query will bring them up for you.

[chessnerd]

standingwave, those are nice tips. All of them seem useful and powerful.

You are truly knowledgeable in the ways of Google Fu... (or you have enough Google Fu to find the list of tips online)

[chessnerd]

chessnerd,

I have found a lot Ubuntu-Forums posts in my results using ubuntu-search. It depended on what I was looking for, of course. Perhaps a different query will bring them up for you.

I did several searches for various things (drivers, how-tos, problems, etc) and it didn't come up. Also, Ubuntu Forums isn't listed in there list of searched sites (http://www.ubuntu-search.org/annotations.html). However, it is possible that I missed it.

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

I think Ubuntu Forums falls under: help.ubuntu.com which is one of the listed sites. Try "no sound in 10.04" in the search box - I'd like to see if the forums come up for you then - I'm starting to wonder what's going on, and I just brought up several forum posts with that.

[chessnerd]

chessnerd,

I think Ubuntu Forums falls under: help.ubuntu.com which is one of the listed sites. Try "no sound in 10.04" in the search box - I'd like to see if the forums come up for you then - I'm starting to wonder what's going on, and I just brought up several forum posts with that.

Sorry, still nothing. Here are the first 10 links given to me, in order, when I search "no sound in 10.04" (without the quotes):

www.ubuntugeek.com/fix-for-no-sound-sound-blaster-audigy-after-upgrading-from-ubuntu-9-04-to-9-10.html

ubuntuguide.org/

www.ubuntugeek.com/howto-install-eee-control-in-ubuntu-9-10-karmic.html

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport/Machines/Netbooks

www.ubuntugeek.com/fix-for-all-pulseaudio-related-issues.html

tombuntu.com/

www.ubuntugeek.com/sound-solutions-for-ubuntu-904-jaunty-users.html

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs

www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-install-openoffice-3-2-in-ubuntu.html

tombuntu.com/index.../transform-ubuntu-into-a-media-center-with-xbmc/

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

This is quite odd, my first 10 are:

1) www.ubuntugeek.com/fix-for-no-sound-sound-blaster-audigy-after-upgrading-from-ubuntu-9-04-to-9-10.html

2) ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9200471

3) ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1476282

4) ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9147678

5) swiss.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1470632

6) ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1470007

7) ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1476282

8) ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1467010

9) swiss.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1458389

10) ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1466929

I certainly have no answer for this. Just to make sure- you did install the http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ search engine in the small search box in the upper right of Firefox - right?

Edit: I had nothing to do with the #8 emoticon.

[chessnerd]

I certainly have no answer for this. Just to make sure- you did install the http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ search engine in the small search box in the upper right of Firefox - right?

No, I use Opera. I can try that...

[Tries]

Still the same results in Firefox with the search engine added.

This is rather confusing. I have no idea why my computer would take me to a version that doesn't include Ubuntu Forums posts.

I can try again later, I suppose...

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

Did you scroll down the page: http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ ? Granted, it's a short scroll but basically did you install the search engine as it shows and then use that search box for your search (with Ubuntu Search Engine selected for that search box)?
Just trying to eliminate possibilities.

I'm going to sign out now, but I'll check this thread later.

[chessnerd]

chessnerd,

Did you scroll down the page: http://www.ubuntu-search.org/ ? Granted, it's a short scroll but basically did you install the search engine as it shows and then use that search box for your search (with Ubuntu Search Engine selected for that search box)?
Just trying to eliminate possibilities.

I'm going to sign out now, but I'll check this thread later.

Yep, exactly as it described and I searched with both the box and the on-site search bar. Neither brought up any forum posts. I don't think that has any effect on the search results. I'm not sure what the difference is.

Did you go to the About page and then click on the link under "What is it?" to see if Ubuntu Forums is included in your list? If it is, then for some reason we are going to different versions of the site.

[standingwave]

You are truly knowledgeable in the ways of Google Fu... (or you have enough Google Fu to find the list of tips online)I have a file and as I come across tips (lifehacker, google's blog, etc.) I've added to it. Some of the tips in there are obsolete or at least superfluous. For example, I used to find images of a given resolution by adding imagesize:1280x1024 as a search term. Then Google made it a drop-down.

http://lifehacker.com/339474/top-10-obscure-google-search-tricks
[/URL][URL]http://www.googleguide.com/print/adv_op_ref.pdf (http://www.googleguide.com/advanced_operators_reference.html)

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

I have something else for you to try: http://www.googlubuntu.com/ . Add this to the small upper right search box in Firefox and then search for "no sound in 10.04" . This should bring you to the same results I get, albeit borrowed from the Ubuntu Search Engine for this site.

I hope this works for you.

[chessnerd]

cheesenerd,

I have something else for you to try: http://www.googlubuntu.com/ . Add this to the small upper right search box in Firefox and then search for "no sound in 10.04" . This should bring you to the results I get, albeit inserted into another site.

I hope this works for you.

Yep, that one brings up Ubuntu Forums posts. I guess I'll use it over Ubuntu-Search. Still, I wonder why we were getting different results...

[jmszr]

chessnerd,

Odd for sure, but this is Ubuntu. And it's Friday.

[WinterRain]

I have the world's most powerful Google-Fu. If I can't find it on google, it doesn't exist online. Period. End.

Therefore no, I cannot improve my google-fu. Perfection cannot be improved upon.