The advanced search option for Live Search appears to have moved, and disappeared in one instance.
After entering a search, the Advanced option now displays. When clicked, an in-place search box with six tabs is shown.
This is an interesting concept, and one that could help the new user. Instead of Google’s entire page with options from copyright data to numeric ranges, a user can come here and find an advanced search operator for a specific type of search.
Unfortunately, it appears that Live has recently changed this option, and does not show any way to get to this option before searching — nor a way to do an advanced search that does not automatically include your current search terms. The help (reached by clicking “learn more” in above image) states to use search builder, “click Advanced in the top right of the search results” and under notes states “You can start Search Builder without any terms defined in your search text box”.
I think the team at Live has an interesting concept here but could stand to put it through some more usability testing so it is clear to the user just how the search query is being generated and what terms are being included. Having to delete existing search terms from the search window before going to the advanced window will be confusing and frustrating to many people.
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