Today we are introducing the Super Search and HashTag features into the Blog Forum. Super Search can be seen at the top of the Blog Forum.
Hash Tags:
HashTags are a concept invented by and predominantly used in Twitter. Twitter users will already be familiar with this concept.
How it works: If your blog post deals with a common topic, then add a #...
more...

and short word identifying that topic. Thereafter, bloggers will be able to search related posts by searching for or clicking on the HashTag.
For example, this post has now been tagged as #siteannouncement All other similar posts will also be tagged with this keyword.
In the past, bloggers have raised the issue: My suggestions, bug reports, feedbacks are getting "lost". Hereafter, you may tag such posts with a new or preexisting HashTag. For example, #sitesuggestion or #sitefeedback. Similarly, you may tag your post with #railbudget if that post deals with the upcoming or past rail budget.
The tags are freeform and will get picked up from the body of the post. However, please make sure that there are not too many similar tags, since the purpose will be lost. For example, railbudget is different from railwaybudget. This will result in splintering of posts.
The HashTag feature will address the Blog Classification problem. We no longer need to have a proliferation of Tabs for "Suggestions", "Budget", "Feedback", etc. Each HashTag is itself like a freewheeling and freeform tab.
Super Search:
1. Previously, only public posts were searched. Now all posts public, pvt, admin forum, etc. will be searched.
2. Now all kinds of combination searches can be done. For example if I will to look for all posts by a certain member addressed to the moderator, then I choose the member name in the member field, and Search Phrase = @moderator.
3. New fields to Search: Trains, Stations and the aforementioned Hash Tags. For example, now you may search for all Mumbai Rajdhani posts related to railbudget. Select the particular train, and then select railbudget in the HashTag field.
3. Date range search: We may look for all posts made in a certain date range. For example if I were to look for all my posts made before August 2009, then Date To field will be Aug 30, 2009 and the Date From field will be blank.
Members may try out the various combination of searches to filter out the information they are looking for. Coming up: Super Search will be integrated with the PNR Forum, News Forum and the Trip Diary.