› How Search Functions Work On Social Networking Sites
Friendster and other social networking communities offer a limited yet handy search ability. Every wonder how those ever-present search functions on your online social network actually work?
Complexes searches require searching for Boolean or range criteria (a Boolean search is one that allows for “and/or” arguments). Search engines like Google allow up to 30 keywords, but cannot process complex boolean or range searches (not that Google, which has an estimated 10,000 to 100,000 servers, is at all worried about it). These searches can be handy for, say, an online dating network, where a member searching for ethnicity may wish to search for anybody who is African-American “and/or” Latino.
Range criteria are also complex forms of Boolean searches. Examples of range searches might be age (30 to 40) or income ($30K per year and up). The more criteria a search has, the more server resources are needed to process the search.