Hmm, that didn't work! I was hoping to spark some interest in some ideas I have for better ways to search the archives. I first documented them here:
But I'm copying and pasting them here. They both require "infrastructure" improvements, either at the archive site (better indexing and search) or in the way mail list handlers work: Add Link to the Archive before Sending to List Members ------------------------------------------------------ Enter a post in the archives as soon as it gets to the mail list server, and then include a link to the archived email with the post that goes out to the subscribers. An example of the link: "This post has been archived as http://www.mandrake.com/en/archives/newbie/2002-06/msg02005.php."; (Was that clear? Normally, when someone posts to a mail list, IIUC, it first goes to the mail list server, and is sent from there to the subscribers. What I'm suggesting is that it take a momentary detour when it arrives at the mail list server during which it is added to the archives and a line is added to the post (perhaps a header, or a footer) which says, for example, "This post has been archived as http://www.mandrake.com/en/archives/newbie/2002-06/msg02005.php.";.) (I recognize the archive could be moved. I'm hoping that even if it does move, things like the "2002-06/msg02005.php" would be preserved (along with stuff to identify the archive, like "en/archives/newbie").) Dedicated Search Engine on Site with Daily Index Update ------------------------------------------------------- Provide a search engine on the site specifically for the archives, with the index updated at least daily. (Preferably more often -- should be little reason it can be done every hour with a cron job -- if it indexes only the added posts it should not be a major burder (little or no worse than doing the same thing every 24 hours). Randy Kramer
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