Many of us don't know how to use Google that way, so I'd discourage it.
This is how I search here. Look up the help on advanced search options.
But here are a few tips:
To server a specific site:
site:sitename. site:www.orthodoxchristianity.net. You could even be more specific. site:www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/
If you want a term to absolutely be included, place
+ before the term:
+term. +incarnation. (Google "sorta" defaults to this for each term you enter in a basic search, but not explicitly.
To exclude a term, use the
- before the term:
-term. -ROCOR (BTW, caps are irrelevant for the search term.
ROCOR and
rocor are parsed the same.
To include or exclude a specific expression (phrase) use quotation marks: +"Seraphim Rose" -"The Way of the Pilgrim"
Combining the above can create some powerfully accurate and precise queries.
For example, you want to check out what has been discussed about what the Church Fathers have had to say about the use icons to increase your apologetic ability to mock your Protestant friends:
site:www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/ +icon +"Church Fathers"
You get the results and you realize you don't want any result from the entries with the word
Pearsonism in them:
site:www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/ +icon +"Church Fathers" -pearsonism
Now for advanced google-fu, you can use logical operators, specifically AND and OR. These operators must be capitalized. Let's look at an example.
You want to find discussions about Seraphim's (Rose) of Patina teachings on toll houses but are tired of hearing about his
chewing gum and interest in Chinese philosophy.
First you want to limit the site you are searching:
site:http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/
You know that monks are not supposed to be called by their last name, but you also know the Fr. Seraphim of Patina usually is and some who know this place his last name in parentheses to show they know this and that others would be confused by referring to him as Fr. Seraphim of Patina.
So how do we make sure we collect all the posts which refer to this man by the three most likely names people use and avoid getting back references which solely refer to Seraphim of Sarov?
+("Seraphim Rose" OR "Seraphim of Patina")
This will return all three possibilities. Google is going to ignore the parentheses in
Seraphim (Rose), so "Seraphim Rose" works just as well.
Ok we want post about toll houses and not
chewing gum or Chinese Philosophy.
+"toll houses" -
chewing gum -"Chinese Philosophy"
So our entire query looks like:
site:http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/ +("Seraphim Rose" OR "Seraphim of Patina") +"toll houses" -
chewing gum -"Chinese Philosophy"Let your imagination run wild.
If you have any questions, post them.
Edited for moratorim violation - mike.
