Search customisation pony

December 7, 2005 9:07 PM

Dear Mathowie,
Could you so kindly add to the preferences an additional customization? If it isn't too much work. One in which I can choose which search engine the top right search input requests a search from. I don't ask for much. I only need a choice between Yahoo and Google. If it is any easier, I'm the only one asking so you can just give me the option and no one else. If it isn't all too much a bother, sir.
Humbly,
TwelveTwo
posted by TwelveTwo to Feature Requests at 9:07 PM (23 comments total)

greaseMonkey
posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 9:13 PM on December 7, 2005

seconded.
posted by mystyk at 9:31 PM on December 7, 2005

I'd really like somebody with too much time on their hands (who isn't me) go through MeTa and determine the number of ponies that have been asked for versus those that have been delivered.
posted by keswick at 9:31 PM on December 7, 2005

Wha?
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:32 PM on December 7, 2005

keswick Yes, but look how nicely I asked!
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:33 PM on December 7, 2005

Dear TwelveTwo,

Nobody uses the top-right search box anyways. It's actually a decoy whose results are near random and specifically designed to not return the result you want. If it's not too much of a bother consider just opening a new browser window and going to the search engine of your choice and typing in your query the old fashioned way. This method also has the benfit of being future-proof. Should ever decide you want to add Search Engine X to your collection, the above process will still work.

P.S. Don't take this response the wrong way: your pony request is stupid.
posted by nixerman at 9:35 PM on December 7, 2005

I use it. But now I'm going to take all your responses the wrong way and go upstairs to cry into a pillow.
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:38 PM on December 7, 2005

DEAR TWELVETWO STOP THE FAKE LETTER THING IS OLD HAT STOP THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE IS PRETENDING YOU'RE MAKING A PHONE CALL WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY POSTING ON AN INTERNET FORUM STOP GUARANTEED LAFFS STOP STOP STOP
posted by gramschmidt at 9:51 PM on December 7, 2005

Hit the link marked "search" in the nav. That gives you both.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:53 PM on December 7, 2005

I haven't ever used the search box, but it appears it searchs yahoo by default, yes?

If I remember correctly, we had a thread about the search going to google, then a bunch of people saying that yahoo was better (and it is).

So now someone wants the option to either search google or yahoo.

If the search does as I believe, you can just as easily search either engine by specifying your search domain and criteria.

"site:metatalk.metafilter.com" +pony

works in both google and yahoo.
posted by puke & cry at 9:59 PM on December 7, 2005

Don't both Yahoo and Google have toolbars? Add the search you want to your browser.
posted by xammerboy at 10:27 PM on December 7, 2005

Or download FireFox. Takes two minutes. You have a great browser, and Google search is built right in by default.
posted by xammerboy at 10:27 PM on December 7, 2005

I use the top right search box quite frequently. I can't help it. I have a small bladder.
posted by loquacious at 10:52 PM on December 7, 2005

I prefer to have my manservant Rigsby engrave each and every search result upon a sheet of finest silver, that I need not disgrace the genteel expanse of my corneas with anything so gauche as the cathode-ray, with its attendant pixellated foofaraw. One assumes he uses one of these engines of searching in performing this duty, but one mustn't trifle with details, old boy.
posted by arto at 11:43 PM on December 7, 2005

i've been doing a lot of searching for box, to little avail.
posted by Hat Maui at 12:01 AM on December 8, 2005

"greaseMonkey"

Not everyone has the time, knowledge or inclination. It's fair enough to request features, even if they're unrealistic. "greaseMonkey" is a shit response.
posted by nthdegx at 12:07 AM on December 8, 2005

I just figured if it was possible for the customization in preferences to change type size, font and dhtml link titles, that it would not be too much work to allow for an option to change form action. I may be unique in that I find the search in the corner nicely placed. It has come in handy a few times as not all the computers I check Metafilter from have firefox or a google bar. It is possible to open a new window for a search engine page, or click the Search link at the top. However, I find both choices to result in an unnecessary extra step and extra page to load. But, it seems no one is interested in such a luxury except me. So, problem solved!

(What is greaseMonkey?)
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:22 AM on December 8, 2005

(What is greaseMonkey?)

. ;)
posted by soundofsuburbia at 3:54 AM on December 8, 2005

Google search for "define:greasemonkey": Greasemonkey is a software implementation of a concept called "Active Browsing". It allows users of the Mozilla Firefox web browser to install user scripts which modify specific web pages. This web scripting was hitherto reserved only for the authors of web sites. As the Greasemonkey scripts are persistent, the changes made to the web pages are permanent.

Greasemonkey home page
Greasemonkey user scripts on userscripts.org tagged with metafilter (Self-link? I wrote like half of them.)
posted by Plutor at 3:56 AM on December 8, 2005

Ugh, that definition is bad. Greasemonkey is an extension for Firefox that allows you to inject arbitrary Javascript into any website that you visit. It allows you to modify it in just about any way (including cross-site mashups).
posted by Plutor at 3:58 AM on December 8, 2005

Psst, TwelveTwo, you were looking for your pony in the pasture, when Matt told you above it is in the barn.
posted by terrapin at 6:15 AM on December 8, 2005

As the Greasemonkey scripts are persistent, the changes made to the web pages are permanent.

...for the person using Greasemonkey, not everyone else, just to be clear.

'greaseMonkey' is a shit response.

I don't know if I care for that kind of language (eh, whatever), but I agree with the sentiment.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:48 AM on December 8, 2005

Firefox? Greasemonkey? Bah. Use Maxthon and you can add both without any knowledge of coding. Any search where the search term appears within the URL can be added to the search box just by editing searchbar.ini . So you can add "search MetaFilter via Google" and "search MetaFilter via Yahoo" (either, or both) if you want.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:17 AM on December 8, 2005