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I noticed that MSE has two tags for search:

Can [advanced-search] be made into a synonym for [search]? I see no reason why we need both. "Advanced search" questions are just plain search questions.

Pretty please, with a cherry on top?

Boston cream cupcake topped by a cherry

Boston cream cupcake by Joy.

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  • There are differences between the basic search and the advanced search (both in appearance and behavior). Why should they be merged specifically?
    – Ken White
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:32
  • @KenWhite What differences? All searches go to the exact same place. "Advanced Search" just refers to the additional filter options like closed and votes which are still available in the regular search and only labelled as "advanced."
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:35
  • @KenWhite I don't understand how basic search's appearance is different from advanced. There's no special page for advanced search, it's all done in the same box and on the same pages. I guess you could make an argument that having a separate advanced-search tag makes it easier to find questions specially related to those operators.
    – user163250
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:36
  • @animuson so I never actually thought of this before, but you could actually argue that having a separate advanced-search tag makes it easier to find questions specifically about advanced search. Maybe the synonymization was a little premature on MSO? It does feel strange tagging new advanced search questions with both tags though (it's the redundancy of it that's troubling).
    – user163250
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:37
  • I stand corrected about "appearance"; I hadn't realized they'd gotten rid of the old "advanced search" page (which used to be separate). I guess it's bee a while since I had to look at it. :-)
    – Ken White
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:39
  • @Cupcake It could, assuming they were actually tagged correctly. But the very first question tagged with advanced-search is barely even about advanced searching. So I doubt that is actually a helpful thing. How many users who come here to ask a question know the difference (or even care)?
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 4:39

1 Answer 1

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Search is usually performed by entering a search phrase in an input field and hit enter (or clicking the search button). You could use some advanced features in a search input box, such as is:question on *.SE.

Advanced search uses a lot more filtering options such as date, size, location, region and other types of metadata to filter the search result to increase the good search results. It is very different from plain search.

Most search engines have advanced search even if it's not all that obvious to find.

enter image description here

I would suggest not to have advanced search a synonym for search because they are two different things.

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    You can use all "advanced search" features in the search input box. In fact, that's the only place you can use them. Stack Exchange does not have any separate page specifically dedicated to advanced searching, only a list of every possible thing you can type into the search box.
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 5:29
  • @animuson Cool! Where do I find this "all-search-syntax" page?
    – Benny Skogberg
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 6:15
  • It's in the help center. Just type in "search" - should be the first result.
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 6:16

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