Re: OT: Archives nearly useless? (Google doing evil?)

[Marty <martyb@ix.netcom.com>]

(reply posted to backuppc-users)

Michael Marsh wrote:

> I can find debian-user postings on google pretty easily by specifying
> "site:lists.debian.org" in my search.  Trying a couple of keywords
> that I'd seen recently picked up a posting from last week.

Thanks, and now I remember reading about that method recently, without
grasping its significance.  I tried this method with the backuppc-users
thread and unfortunately it doesn't seem to work with lists.sourceforge.net.
Even when it does work, this method requires you to know the name of
any list where your search hits might be located, so I don't know if that's
a real solution or not.

<snip>

> I'd say the most optimistic explanation is that google is finding what
> it's able to find while respecting site owners' wishes.

I don't see what legitimate purpose it might serve, and I wonder if the
posters' wishes or search engine users' interests, or even public
interests, enter into consideration?  I suppose not.