
My Startup project: ErrorKey.com, a tool for hackers. - okeumeni
http://www.errorkey.com/
======
thorax
I like the idea! I like it so much that our startup last year targetted the
same general audience with a custom error search engine:

<http://bug.gd>

<http://bug.gd/info/faq>

We've only grabbed error codes where we can find/recommend a solution, but
when it comes from crawlers we always link to the source as well to avoid
copyright issues. How are you working around that in your case? Are they
coming from local sources rather than websites? (Admittedly, I doubt these
companies are too worried about their error documentation being quoted in
full.)

Best of luck to you! I like to see more attention to this area, no doubt.

~~~
cmars232
Despite the benign assurances of the site, having to type my email address in
bug.gd is annoying. I disagree with "forcing community participation" like
this... how do I even know there would even be enough content on your site to
make it worth my time?

~~~
delano
You could suggest that they change their approach in getting the email address
but the concept of reminding you to reply with your fix to that error is good.

~~~
cmars232
I completely agree, its a good feature if its optional.

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jlogic77
Is it going to be better than just putting the code in a search engine like
google or something. Most of the codes I come across are unique enough that I
get a direct match pretty quickly. Also what helps me is seeing related forum
posts and other comments on resolving the issue, the definition in on itself
is often useless.

~~~
ericb
I have nothing to do with the site or author, but I can suggest the following:

-Google defaults to under-emphasizing results related to errors specific in newer versions of software. So when a bug in a new release comes out, info is often no where to be seen--it is obscured by older items with higher rank.

-Google includes links to both questions, and answers. I only want answers.

-Google's results are across multiple pages and obscured in forum discussions. I want one page with all the answers and info.

-Google frequently returns results from experts exchange, which involves scrolling to the bottom. Additionally, I've talked to developers who don't even realize the unobscured answer is at the bottom.

-Some code queries do not translate well into regular searches because the characters have meaning. Off the top of my head example: select * from blah

-There is not always a nice centralized place to go to share it with the world know when you have a fix.

That said, I'm not sure this site implements solutions to all these problems,
but a wiki-type site could. Isn't Jeff Atwood doing something with a similar
idea?

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DanielBMarkham
I've been using Google for this for a very, very long time.

Can you describe to me why I would want to come to your site next time I had
an error?

~~~
josefresco
Error codes, without all the other crap (bullshit paid forums, AOL nation
posts) is reason enough for me.

~~~
ghiotion
Absolutely. I can't tell you how friggin' sick I am of inadvertently clicking
on an "Experts Exchange" link in a google search set. The microsecond it takes
my eyes to register an EE site and click back is one too many. I'm pretty sure
EE owes me about 10 years of my life up to this point.

~~~
huhtenberg
Member-only EE content is visible in Google's cached version of their pages.
Just scroll to the bottom part of the page to see it. E.g.:

[http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:gRw9sjavhVAJ:www.expert...](http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:gRw9sjavhVAJ:www.experts-
exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/XP/Q_21692879.html%3Fqid%3D21692879)

~~~
jonknee
It's available from the regular version of the page too--just scroll to the
bottom like you do on the cache:

[http://www.experts-
exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Syste...](http://www.experts-
exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/XP/Q_21692879.html?qid=21692879)

~~~
OpenMIKE
Not for me. This 'trick' stopped working for me about a month ago, so now I
have to use the cache links.

~~~
jonknee
Interestingly it seems to be based on a referrer. It worked when I clicked the
link from Google, not when I clicked it from here. Why are these clowns still
in Google's index anyways, cloaking isn't allowed.

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rams
While working on a project about five years back using mainly Microsoft
technologies, I discovered that there were a few consultants who had built
their business around Windows error messages. Maybe you need to focus on the
right segment of this market ;-)

~~~
eru
Who hired their service?

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pchivers
[http://www.errorkey.com/Search/Index.aspx?q=NoSuchError&...](http://www.errorkey.com/Search/Index.aspx?q=NoSuchError&btnS=Search)

Ugh, this error message is filled with errors and definitely needs copy
editing. My best attempt:

    
    
      The search for "NoSuchError" did not match any documents in the system.
    
      For best results:
    
        * Type fewer words
        * Make sure you are using the correct spelling
        * Try different word combinations
        * Search the internet (???)

------
philh
First thought is that this seems to be much the same as <http://bug.gd>,
except without the email thing. This is probably a good thing, if your results
are good enough quality.

------
aasarava
I like the idea and think it will be powerful once you allow users to post
info on how they resolved the errors. But Splunk already does this, no? Will
this provide any new / easier / cheaper features?

~~~
okeumeni
I don’t think Splunk is an error search engine.

~~~
aasarava
I stand corrected. I was thinking of how Splunk lets you search all your own
logs for a specific error code. But I see how your use case is different.

------
tstegart
You've created a lot of these search things haven't you? What are you planning
to do with them all? Any plan on trying to monetize, or are they all just
projects for fun?

~~~
okeumeni
Our primary goal is to build tools that people can use, and then we will focus
more on the money side. By the way the previous engines are already bringing
in money; they are fully using the power of affiliate marketing. Check them
out: qwili.com, qhoga.com, karatr.com.

Error key is a tool we build for hackers, ourselves it is more for a useful
purpose than to make money.

~~~
mleonhard
Alas!

[http://qwili.com/Search/index.aspx?q=chu-
hi&btnS=Search](http://qwili.com/Search/index.aspx?q=chu-hi&btnS=Search)

[http://qhoga.com/Search/index.aspx?q=gnomes&btnS=Search](http://qhoga.com/Search/index.aspx?q=gnomes&btnS=Search)

[http://karatr.com/Search/Index.aspx?q=replica+rolex&btnS...](http://karatr.com/Search/Index.aspx?q=replica+rolex&btnS=Search)

------
cmars232
I know this is a really new project, and I would love to find a better way to
search for errors... but how are you going to avoid "pulling a Cuil"?

The Search For : NullPointerException did not match any document in the system

For best Result:

    
    
        * Type less words
        * Type Words Correct Spelling
        * Try Different Word Combinations
        * Search the internet

~~~
okeumeni
Please send us your search suggestion to ErrorKey at intelliverb dot com. Tell
us what system you want us to research on, let’s build this together thanks.

~~~
LeMadChef
Is it possible to log all search queries that return 0 (or less than x)
results, then report on that every day/week/month?

Would minimize the "I can't find xyz" type of feedback that you may or may not
get.

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chollida1
I'm not sure how it works but 0xC0000005 works and 0x00000000C0000005 does
not.

Is the site 64bit friendly?

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derefr
I think the real solution here is microformats, to be plugged into bug
trackers and knowledge bases. Then something like this would be possible (just
mocked it up myself):

<http://derefr.googlepages.com/google_errors.png>

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rubentopo
Interesting, try getting exceptions as well, that might be useful for
debugging purposes.

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maxklein
entering E_ERROR gives wierd results. If I were you, I'd save all searches,
create a static page for that result and index it in google.

Since you're an affiliate marketer...

~~~
okeumeni
Good Idea, Thanks. BTW we are not affiliate marketers; we build engines that
leverage the power of affiliate marketing to deliver fairly good product
search.

~~~
maxklein
What may want to do is this (for all your search properties):

Let's say I am a user and I search for "Will Smith". I receive some results. I
then search for "Will Smith Pictures". I receive more results. I then search
for "Will Smith Pictures No Shirt". What has happened is that I received
results that were not relevant, so I refined or changed my search till I found
the item I was looking for.

So, my idea is that when you have a particular session searching, you
aggregate the follow up queries for each search, and display them at the top
of the search results to keep the users longer on your site and push more ads.
Because in most cases, users will not click, but in about 10% of cases, the
user will see something that he had not previously wanted to search for, but
now wants to search for.

For example, I search for "Angelina Jolie", and as "recommended search" I see
"Angelina Jolie affair with Max Klein", I would be curious to learn more about
the affair Angelina had with this mysterious and probably dashingly handsome
Max Klein, so I basically double my interaction with your site.

------
pongle
Just a quick note: in your credits I think you mean to reference people's
Trademarks, not Copyrights (you use the (c) instead of (tm))

~~~
okeumeni
Right! We will fix that ASAP. Thanks for the remark.

~~~
Chocobean
I like the hints if no results are returned. this may sound more 'natural'
though:

    
    
        Type fewer words
        Type Words with Correct Spelling
    

with regards to "Try Different Word Combinations", I assume you mean the
ordering of my search keywords ("apple pie" "pie apple")? If so, why does word
ordering make a difference?

------
richtaur
Honestly I think getting into the search market is a waste of time. Too many
fish in the sea, and too many sea monsters.

Also: why no API? :)

~~~
okeumeni
API is a great Idea thanks for the hint. : )

------
bkmrkr
Great Idea!!! bookmarked.

