Why isn't there a search by color option? I think this would help a lot, especially with all of the fractals and abstract art. You could have a checkbox list and have submitters check one or more predominate colors of an image, then add that to the sort by pull-down box. Just an idea.

I would really like to see a better search on the site.

Well, it takes time to code these things. It's not like Caedes doesn't have other things to do.

As for colour option, I can see how that suggestion would be made, but how would it be achieved? Would someone go through all the images and add database tables for the various predominant colours in that image?

The search can work in Keywords like it sort of does now, if you type pink, you end up with a lot of pink images.

Yeah, but how does it know the image is mainly pink?

You could let volunteers or mods go through the permanent gallery, and then add the option for brand new images from that point on only. That way, you don't have to code all the images, just some, and you could make it an optional value.

From the standpoint of web development (and I do have some professional experience doing that), you could make another section in the database and have it be boolean (true/false) for whatever color.

You'd have to limit the color names anyway, and there might be some debate as to whether one color should end up in blue or green. That's why I'd make it an optional value, and let people pick more than one color for an image (maybe up to 3 max, or then put it into a multi-color category if it has more than 3).

That’s quite a large undertaking to modify the images already here. Maybe it could be an option where members could add keywords (colour, style, generic descriptives etc) to an image either when they submit it or edit it later in the control panel. You could then make it the responsibility of the member themselves to update keywords in images they already have in the permanent galleries.

perhaps you could make these suggestions on the dev site forums?

Well ... I think if you only like blue (for example) .. then YOU should be the one to put in the keywords for the entire site .... but, then, we'd have to hire somebody that likes green to follow up and check your work to make sure you're not skimping on the relevant green keywords (you know, out of spite or something) ... and don't get me started on the peeps who like red ... angry folk, they are

and then there's the burnt umber crowd .. heh, they charge an arm and a leg

Sorry, I didn't know there were any dev site forums.

Not a bad idea, but it would take a huge effort to implement.

Sam - It would be a large effort for sure but for the most part it would be the members responsibilty to do it on their own images. It wouldnt have to be mandatory although it would be in their own best interests I guess as their imags would show up more often if people searched for specific things.

I think the first step is for authors of relevant (color-oriented) images to get in the habit of including the color names in their descriptions (and maybe go back and add them to their own existing images) but it's hard to get the word out and may seem sort of redundant to some people as well, since you can plainly see the colors when you look at the image. At least having them listed in the description will already work with the current search function. I think Caedes mentioned that he was working on improving the search function but I don't know if that improvement has already gone into effect. One major help would be to be able to filter search results by gallery so if you're looking for fractals with the word "blue" in the description you can at least make it so the only search results are from the fractal gallery.

Filtering the search results using basic criteria such as gallery seems like it would be relatively easy to implement compared to adding new categories of information about each image.

This feature would be specially relevant for monochrome (black and white) images. People who want to see B&W's have to wade through a lot of undesirable (from this perspective) images to winnow out the ones they want. A search feature or category selection would be nice for finding monochrome images.

Waiting for Caedes to implement the search by smell on the flower and food gallery:-) Those with weak stomachs should stay away from Dj's gallery!

scratch & sniff surfin'? it could catch on....

I heard some company was trying to make devices for computers and TVs that manufacture scents. So if you're watching an ad for perfume, you'd get the scent. (IMHO that would drive me up the wall, since I'm allergic to a lot of that stuff.)

www.aromajet.com

Interesting site Phil...investment opportunity?