Call for development: Useful Full-Text Search

  • SQL Server's Full-Text Search is a set of development tools that requires considerable expertise to create a useful end user search solution.

    Users expect Google. Type in a few words and good result appear. Typos, misspellings, and messed up boolean syntax are handled. But if provided with proper syntax, it does exactly what's asked. Close matches to words and phrases common in the corpus are preferred to uncommon, but exact match terms.

    I know that search developers are rare, highly desired developers. Perhaps if a few SQL guys were to get together, we could find one or two to help build some real full-text solutions.

  • Is google hiring or is this a source forge project?

    That's a lot of work and technique that would either need to become opensource, or it's going to end up as proprietary.

    I do wish you luck, however.

    EDIT: One additional thing. The Google interface is a combination of front end and back end integration along with, afaik, local cached recent search terms used to clean up incorrect search queries.

    It's not just a matter of cleaning up Full Text Searching. Google's entire primary purpose IS searching data, and only that. It's organized around it, optimized for it, and is coded to that purpose. Everything else is an 'extra'.


    - Craig Farrell

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  • Proprietary? Open source? I guess that would depend on what we agree is needed. There isn't really much out there in either at present, there could be commercial market for some really good tools, but if community wants open source, that's a good option too.

    G does have the ability to tightly integrate their systems. I'm not saying we can develop THAT level of search without knowledge of a particular search product. Still, I think there is the possibility for some development of some tools to build quality front-ends to SQL's full-text search.

  • I wouldn't argue that there's some options available to build some nice front ends for Full Text Indexing.

    I would argue these points:

    1) We do database here, not front ends. This is a SQL forum.

    2) We work in Microsoft. We get paid to do what we do if it's heavy lifting. Free software and codework is usually done by the Linux community.

    3) The level of integration to get that search structure has been built for a number of years by some of the top minds in the business. Google that is. I'm not saying they CAN'T be imitated. I believe it's out of scope for one or two coders.


    - Craig Farrell

    Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

    For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
    For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]

    Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

  • I would argue these points:

    1) We do database here, not front ends. This is a SQL forum.

    2) We work in Microsoft. We get paid to do what we do if it's heavy lifting. Free software and codework is usually done by the Linux community.

    3) The level of integration to get that search structure has been built for a number of years by some of the top minds in the business. Google that is. I'm not saying they CAN'T be imitated. I believe it's out of scope for one or two coders.

    Yeah, Google *owns* text retrieval. doens;t mean no one else can work in the field too.

    Paid is fine. My point is perhaps a few SQL Server people who would use such a product might group together to get it done. Perhaps if a group of us asked MS they would work on it for the next release.

    Finally, your point about SQL is valid. The product I'm thinking about would be geared specifically to SQL Server--a set of tools to make development of SQL search solutions better and easier. Since SQL developers are the one who have to create such solutions now, it seems reaosnable to put this in in SQL forum.

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