New search system FAQ

Current search system
Knowledge Base articles:

• Search FAQ (old system)
• Guidelines for creating search listings (old system)
• Maturity ratings and search

Overview

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The new Second Life search system, announced recently on the Second Life blog, improves both the relevance of search results and usability.

The new system:

• Uses a different search engine technology to provide more relevant search results for Second Life.
• Has a completely redesigned user interface that addresses Resident feedback and implements requested features.

Improvements

The new search system provides the following improvements over the old system:

• Faster results: The new search technology generates results faster, even though it provides more results per page than before. The search homepage loads faster, too.

• Better real estate section: The new real estate section enables you to search for either land for sale or land for rent. Also, you can:
  • Sort results based on any of the columns in the results (for example, L$ price, area, L$ per m²)
  • Choose the type of land you are searching for (Private Island, Mainland, Full Region, Homestead, and so on).
  • Set land price and size limits.

• Search results saved: Search results are saved for 15 minutes after you run a search. If you teleport somewhere and want to reopen search, you don't need to run your search query again.

• More results: Instead of clicking through several pages of search results, search results now display on one screen where you can easily scroll through all of them

• Events happening now: You can now search events by either the exact start time or ongoing through the selected time (but started earlier). There is also an easy way to see all events that are in progress right now - use the Happening Now checkbox.

General questions

What Viewers does this work with?

All released versions of Second Life Viewer 2 use the new search system, as well as certain third-party viewers. Additionally, Second Life web search uses the new search system.

What will happen to old search?

Viewer 1.23's search feature still works in general, but All and Group search no longer work in Viewer 1.23.

Is new search be available on the web?

Yes, http://search.secondlife.com uses the new system.

Is it available in other languages?

Yes, the new search interface is available in all the languages supported by the Second Life website.

Why isn't (some search issue) fixed yet?

We are continually improving search and fixing issues as quickly as we can. There are many things on our list to address, and during the test period you'll notice regular updates. So, keep watching for improvements that will be delivered at a more rapid pace than ever before.

Questions about searching

Why doesn't the Everything tab show what I searched for?

Everything search finds items listed in People, Places, and Groups, depending on relevance. When searching for people in Everything, you must enter their full name. If you do not know the full name, then use the People category.

Note: A person's full info will only appear in search results only if they have checked Show me in Search results in Me > Preferences > Privacy.

Why isn't my last search showing?

My last search doesn't show up every time I reopen the search window—It only shows sometimes. Why?

Your last search is shown if you reopen the search window within 15 minutes of running your last search query, otherwise the homepage is shown.

Where do I send feedback?

Click the Give us your feedback link at the top of the new Search homepage to provide immediate feedback.

Alternatively, file bugs using the Second Life Bug Tracker in the WEB project. NOTE: Set the component to Search.

Questions about creating search listings

How do I list my land as a rental?

You have three options to list a land rental that appears in search:

• Classified ad
• Set land category in About Land window
• Set the parcel description

In addition, if you are an estate owner listing a rental on a private estate, you need to set the parcel for sale. We recommend that you set the price as the weekly rental price, and disclose any other setup fees or deposits in the description.

Warning: Do not set your parcel for sale if you are on the mainland if you want it to be shown as a rental. Any mainland parcel that is set for sale will show up in the Sale section and can be purchased by another Resident.

Create a classified ad

Create a classified ad on the parcel in the Land Rental category. Either:

1. Click "Create a Classified" in the search page

Or:

1. Choose My Profile > MY PICKS.
2. Click the "+" near the bottom of the panel.
3. Choose New Classified.

Then:

1. For Category, select Land Rental.
2. Fill in other information.
3. Click Publish.

Set land category

In the SL Viewer:

1. Choose World > Place Profile > About Land.
2. Click the OPTIONS tab.
3. Set the Category dropdown to Rental.
4. Be sure Show Place in Search is also checked.

Set parcel description

1. Choose World > Place Profile > About Land.
2. Click the GENERAL tab.
3. Use any one of the following phrases (case insensitive) in the parcel's Name or Description:
   • Parcel for Rent
   • Mainland Rental
   • Estate Rental
   • Homestead Rental
   • Land Rental
   • Private Estate Rental

Why is my listing lower (or higher) than it was before?

The new search engine determines relevance of items differently than the old system. In comparison tests, Residents indicate the new search engine results are more relevant three out of four times. If your listing is lower than you expect, make sure that your description is human-readable: avoid keyword stuffing. Refer to the Guidelines for creating search listings for more tips on how to affect your search ranking.

Why isn't my listing shown?

There are several reasons your listing may not be showing up:

• It may take up to six hours for new items to show in search.
• The "Everything" tab is a much more strict search than the other tabs, otherwise there would be too many results. When looking for Residents or places on the "Everything" tab, try searching for the full name.
• If your listing isn't shown in the expected category, verify that the Show In Search check box has been checked.
• Parcels for sale or rent show only if they are at least 512m² in size.

Why isn't my event or Destination Guide listing on the homepage?

The Events and Destination Guide listings on the homepage only show if they are currently active.