New Google powered search for W203 & Mercedes
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Los Angeles
1997 E420
New Google powered search for W203 & Mercedes
Hi all -- visiting from the w210 forums here. I thought you might like to know about a new site I developed where you can search across the different forums and websites for mercedes info:
http://www.everythingbenz.com
I built it after getting tired of searching in 5 places for the info that was looking for. It's working pretty well for a few different chassis and now I'd like to invite you w203 folks to try it out.
The most basic way to use it is to put in "w203" and then click on DIY/Pictorial and you should get a lot of your major tech info threads. You can also do searches such as "w203 oil change" or brakes, comand, etc to get more directly to the info you are seeking.
Hope you like it. I'll look forward to your feedback.
http://www.everythingbenz.com
I built it after getting tired of searching in 5 places for the info that was looking for. It's working pretty well for a few different chassis and now I'd like to invite you w203 folks to try it out.
The most basic way to use it is to put in "w203" and then click on DIY/Pictorial and you should get a lot of your major tech info threads. You can also do searches such as "w203 oil change" or brakes, comand, etc to get more directly to the info you are seeking.
Hope you like it. I'll look forward to your feedback.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,544
Likes: 87
From: San Jose, CA
2010 c300
I've tried searching "w203 service B" and some links pointed me to a w211 mbworld forum. I ended up posting on there before realizing it wasn't a w203 forum. 
I assumed when I typed w203 that it would only list w203 forums. Looks like it checks for anything that contains one of the word "w203" or "service" or "B". Just have to read carfully once you open up that link. I can see a use for it though from time to time. Thanks.
I assumed when I typed w203 that it would only list w203 forums. Looks like it checks for anything that contains one of the word "w203" or "service" or "B". Just have to read carfully once you open up that link. I can see a use for it though from time to time. Thanks.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Los Angeles
1997 E420
Ahh yes. Unfortunately, there isn't a way for google to know what part of the page is the "meat" of the post vs. signatures and everything else on the page. Also, there isn't a way to limit the results to your class/chassis at the moment because many sites/pages are not chassis specific, or there's not a way for that information to come through in Google. Google DOES boost results where it deems your search terms are most relevant, so if you put your chassis or model in the search and it's in the URL or title, for example, it will be higher in the results. I've also tagged the pages where I am able to determine the chassis in Google and allow you to "boost" those results using the "refinements" at the top of the results (try your query with and without the refinement, however).
So those are some of the limitations, but hopefully being able to search across many forums and sites outweighs them if you can have a slightly different searching mindset than when you search a specific forum (it's more like searching google directly). The limitations might actually turn out to be a positive -- I've found some surprisingly helpful information in places where I normally wouldn't have looked or searched.
I'm continuing to enhance the functionality (the site has been live only a week) and your feedback and searches (I'm analyzing the queries and results) are tremendously helpful for guiding me on what to work on.
So those are some of the limitations, but hopefully being able to search across many forums and sites outweighs them if you can have a slightly different searching mindset than when you search a specific forum (it's more like searching google directly). The limitations might actually turn out to be a positive -- I've found some surprisingly helpful information in places where I normally wouldn't have looked or searched.
I'm continuing to enhance the functionality (the site has been live only a week) and your feedback and searches (I'm analyzing the queries and results) are tremendously helpful for guiding me on what to work on.
Last edited by CA_Tallguy; Jan 25, 2008 at 04:17 PM.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 503
Likes: 1
From: Bay Area
'05 c230 Kompressor Sport Sedan
Yeah, taht's a great idea, but it does need some work.
I clicked on the w204 paid advertising banner just to see what would happen and it led me to an amazon site selling a kitchen knife.
Good attempt. Keep at it. I'd like to see this thing working. Don't give up!
I clicked on the w204 paid advertising banner just to see what would happen and it led me to an amazon site selling a kitchen knife.
Good attempt. Keep at it. I'd like to see this thing working. Don't give up!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 245
Likes: 11
From: Los Angeles
1997 E420
heh. yeah, that's driving me crazy too. I'm getting in touch with the google folks about that.
