How to efficiently "search" within forums??

[SouthArk370Z]

Originally Posted by AK370Z

I have thought about it but been really busy. I'll look into that. I just assumed people used drop down menu

You need to learn how to delegate.

Most users will not spend more than a few seconds trying to figure out a web page. Many people, especially those who have just discovered this site and don't realize what a great resource they have stumbled upon, will get frustrated and go looking for a site that is easier to use. IMNSHO, the user should initially be presented with a very simple search interface with the option of using advanced search (see any web search engine for examples). Requiring the user to make a menu selection to do a proper search is just going to frustrate people and scare them away.
I am familiar with how search engines work and enjoy a good digital challenge, so I spent several minutes trying to figure out the site search here with the intention of writing a How-to. I quickly decided that using Google/DuckDuckGo/et al was a lot easier for most users and returned better looking results to boot.
YMMV

It appears that there are two search engines available in vB5. If you have the same option in vB3, give the other one a spin and see if it looks like it would be any easier for the average user.