[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #3338: Plugin author search doesn't return relevant results

[Making WordPress.org]

#3338: Plugin author search doesn't return relevant results
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 Reporter:  magicroundabout   |      Owner:
     Type:  enhancement       |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal            |  Milestone:
Component:  Plugin Directory  |   Keywords:
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 This ticket has been spawned from #3327 which was about exact-plugin name
 searches and how to install a plugin that you know the name of when it
 doesn't appear (high up) in search.

 During my attempt to install a plugin that I knew the exact name of (the
 plugin was https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-help/) I searched for the
 plugin author's name. Firstly I searched for "Jaquith" and then for
 "Mark".  I did this in both the WordPress Dashboard "Install Plugin"
 screen, and in the plugin director on wordpress.org - neither helped me
 find plugins by Mark, and the search for Mark returned '''zero results'''
 in the author search in the Dashboard.  More detail in each below.

 In both cases it looks like this is ONLY searching for the full username
 "markjaquith". In my opinion a search should also match first and/or last
 name - maybe not so much on the wordpress.org directory, but DEFINITELY on
 the WordPress dashboard author-specific search.

 More deatil:

 '''WordPress Dashboard'''

 What I did:

 In the Install Plugins screen, select "Author" from the search drop down,
 enter "Jaquith" and then "Mark"

 Expected behaviour:

 I see plugins from authors who have "Mark" or "Jaquith" in their name

 Actual behaviour:

 No plugins listed.

 Demo: https://cl.ly/0J002g322s2X

 Fix:

 Make the WordPress Dashboard plugin search match author names as well as
 usernames. Consider making partial matches work too.

 '''WordPress.org'''

 ''Note: Just for a moment, let's pretend we're not developers. We don't
 know about search algorithms and meta data and indexes.  We know about
 Mark's plugin and we want to find it.''

 What I did:

 Entered "Jaquith" in the plugin search box

 Expected behaviour:

 "Jaquith" is a pretty un-common name.  So I should see plugins for which
 Mark is the author listed

 Actual behaviour:

 I see a load of random plugins that don't have Mark as the author.

 Explanation of actual behaviour:

 ''OK - we can be developers again now''

 The listed plugins all mention Mark in the plugin description.

 Suggested fix:

 This is a HARD problem to solve in a way that pleases everyone - and maybe
 my solution is specific to Mark and my particular search.  But should
 matches on author name be higher in results that matches on description?

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Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/3338>
Making WordPress.org <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/>
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