Forum:Removing redirects from the drop-down search menu

Forums: Index → Archive → Removing redirects from the drop-down search menu

At the moment, when a user types into the search bar, a drop-down menu appears giving him a list of options related to his or her search terms. Both articles and redirects appear in this menu. Many of these redirects are redundant or have poorly-written titles, and I believe they make the wiki look unprofessional. Typing something as simple as "M19" into the search bar yields the following results:

• M19
• M19 high-explosive anti-tank shaped charge
• M19 Rocket Launcher
• M19 rocket launcher
• M19 Rocket Launchers
• M19 SSM
• M19 SSM (SPNKr) Rpcket Launcher

All for one relatively minor part of the Halo Universe. Furthermore, since the search function isn't case sensitive, we have redundant redirects that are identical to each other but for capitalisation. One of the redirects to "rifle" is "Ma series". This is neither necessary or professional.

Deleting all these redirects (and deciding which ones should be kept) would be a phenomenal task, so I suggest to you that those with the appropriate privileges alter the wiki's coding so redirects don't appear in the drop down menu.

Naturally, legitimate alternate titles such as "UNSC" redirecting to "United Nations Space Command" would be removed because of this, and sometimes the proper title of an article might be something entirely different than the most commonly used name (for example, with Covenant species or weapons): Not everyone is aware of the full designation, of, for example, the M41 Surface-to-Surface Rocket Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon. However, I believe that if, for instance, someone were to search for "UNSC", and no option appeared on the drop-down menu, they would hit "return" anyway, and would be redirected to the article, likewise for "Grunt" or "Jackal". Alternatively, they'd be taken to the search page, where they'd get a list of relevant articles, one of which would probably be the one they're after. Furthermore, if someone was looking for the M41 article, they'd probably type "M41" in, and the above scenario would apply, or they'd reconsider and type in "rocket launcher", which would appear on the menu and take them to the disambiguation page, and from there they'd find the article they were after.

tl;dr - I think we should stop redirects appearing in the drop-down search menu to increase clarity while searching, enhancing the site's professionalism at the same time.

Yay or nay?

The All-knowing Sith'ari 13:11, 12 December 2011 (EST)

Support

• Support - Obvious yay.— subtank 15:35, 12 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - As per The All-knowing Sithari.--Commander Halofan1234 (I say the cabal does not exist) 21:54, 12 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - Yeah.--Jugus (Talk | Contribs) 03:15, 13 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - Absolutely! Let's name this "Operation: DIRECT PROFESSION". for teh lulz. —S331 _{(COM • Mission Log • Profile)} 07:31, 13 December 2011 (EST)

• Support This is one of the wiki's biggest problems right now, with ODST drawing around 10 redirects, and most of those being redundant. Support, support, support! Infernal-Blaze 15:24, 14 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - As per everyone above. Ιι Ηη Ππ 16:22, 14 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - 'nuff said - Nìcmávr ^(Tálk) 11:42, 16 December 2011 (EST)

• Support - Second Lieutenant Keith Johnson ^{com link} 17:32, 22 December 2011 (EST)

Comments

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I've made this change. --Steve (talk) 13:50, 22 December 2011 (EST)