[Sigia-l] search results and thesauri

[Tanya Rabourn]

Avi Rappoport wrote:
> The only search engine I know that allows search admin control over
> whether synonyms are automatically searched or whether they are
> presented as an option is Inktomi Search Software: the synonym file
> has flags for behavior.

Have you noticed that in Inktomi's documentation after explaining how
to make synonyms automatically part of the search they caution against
its use?

	"In addition, this expansion is invisible to the user, so
	users will get results that do not contain their search word.
	Our user interface tests have shown that users don't like
	that."

I'd be curious to know whether they used actual synonyms in their
tests.
http://support.inktomi.com/kb/012402-004.html

-Tanya
___________________________________
Tanya Rabourn <rabourn at columbia.edu>
[User Services Consultant]
AcIS R & D <www.columbia.edu/acis/rad>
tel: 212.854.0295