How does the 'Similar Thread' function work?

[cuso4]

recently i've realised that there's this extra section at the bottom of our usual threads. there's a 'similar function' bar that lists about 4 other threads. its supposed to be similar, but i don't find anything similar about the thread i was on and others.

e.g. i could be on a thread in Help and Feedback, and there can be a thread in that section with a Singaporean thread or one from Jay Translations.

the topics don't even come close... so how does the thing work? on what are the similarities based on? the same thread-starter? similar postees? :hmm:

[killer_race]

it searched by words i think...like your thread title has "Similar" in it. 3 of the 4 similar threads have the word "similar" in it too. so actually, if your thread title had "jay" in it you could have practically 90% of the threads be a "similar thread" so yea...

[kahel]

If you could see, it searches the forum for "similar" thread titles that you have in your title. It's to avoid creating new threads that are similar to each other. It's actually a good guide to if you are interested in that topic.

Some threads may not look related as it uses your topic title as a keyword and searches the forum for possible results that may fit your keyword. Think if it as google (i reckon it uses google technology too), first it enlists websites in our case topic titles that may cater your keyword and next it searches the content on our case the posts insided threads for possible results in your keyword.

I do think it's very useful. :wink2:

[scarletwillow]

This thread has inspired me.

I must discover the most-used keywords for thread titles on this board and make a superthread containing the most revolting pictures known to man and title it with all the keywords.