User Interface faceted searching
 

Hi*

while exploring Apache Solr* I learned about faceted searching and how it can greatly enhance the user experience and usability of a website.

Links:
A good example
http://people.apache.org/~hossman/apachecon2006us/faceted-searching-with-solr.pdf
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/...eted_browsing/

Suggestions for future vB releases:

• Registered users can opt to have a facetted search/what`s new page as a start page instead of a miles-long forum list
• On the what`s new/search page facetted browsing will be possible ( http://www.digital-web.com/articles/...eted_browsing/ )
  • add filter "only news from selected forums (requires forums to be selectable/excludable in user cp)"
  • add filter "only news from subscribed forums/groups/blogs"
  • add filters for forums/groups/blogs
  • add filter "only news from subscribed users" (requires other users to be subscribable)
  • add other search-options as filters as well (prefixes* tags etc.)

Thinking about it: why don`t add a facet-toolbar/section everywhere where it makes sense?

Please either make those things possible and add a nice interface on top of it or create interfaces to feed a SOLR index.

all the best*
Sacha