CFA/Search-Research/SearchBar

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« Comparative Feature Analyses
« Search Notes
« Search Research


Current Capabilities

  • Highlight entire search field when clicking in the box
  • Drag and drop search
  • Highlight, right-click, and search
  • Button information on mouse-over
  • Site-specific search using search box - google

Upcoming Capabilities

  • Resizable search bar (Neil Deakin) - FF3 P2

Features on other browsers

  • SnapBack - safari
  • Button to clear search field - safari
  • Search this site - camino (same as google capability)
  • Search bookmarks and history from Search Bar - flock
  • Wrap up feature for search engines, to search all at once - maxthon
  • Keyword web searches - maxthon


Additional features

  • Support for multiple search boxes - Groowe Search Toolbar - FF add-on
  • Targeted search options: audio/video podcast, photo, code, technorati searches

Screenshots

"site:" lets you use google to search a specific site:

SBsiteGoogle.jpg

Safari SnapBack button takes you back to search results:

SBsnapbackSafari.JPG

Safari button clears the search field:

SBclearsearchSafari.JPG

Google Toolbar Search Bar settings:

SearchBar-settings-Google.JPG

Camino Search this site:

SBsearchthissiteCamino.jpg

Conclusions

  • A button to clear the search field isn't really necessary when clicking in the search box highlights its contents
  • The SnapBack functionality is very useful to control the number of tabs open in a browser
  • Google's search this site capability is a useful function that should have improved discoverability.
  • Bookmark and history search is helpful, and something to consider as a configurable option.
  • Multiple engine search is an edge case; it's a better idea to have a short, yet varied default engine list, but make it easy to add a new search engine (like how Opera has done it).