Thread searching tools are not intuitive and difficult to use
 

Here on the CX thread, as with every other Flyertalk thread I'm sure, I notice many requests about things answered over and over again (op-ups, lounge access, new J, etc. etc.). Some of this may be due to laziness, however the search feature is also to blame here. Let me explain.

There is no massive, intuitive "search" feature on flyer talk that pops out at you. Most usually unfounded or already answered threads come from relatively new posters who haven't used flyertalk a lot and don't know that you don't click the "Search" button on top to best search posts. In fact, as someone recently posted, if you type in a word there less than 4 letters long it won't allow you to do the search. Hence their query about new J on LAX-HKG wasn't quickly located. I spent way too much time my first few hours on flyertalk trying to use the search function well, and still it isn't very good IMO. Call me dumb, stupid, whatever you like, but the fact is that I wasted my own time in the beginning trying to get acclimated to this site (which has tons of good info and obviously very informed posters, but could use an interface revamp).

Sure, it all makes sense if you know how to do use flyertalk, but 90% of good engineering is making things simple so anyone - no matter if they've visited the CX forum 1000 times or 1 time - can figure out how to easily do a search and get what they're looking for without problems. Flyertalk unfortunately could use a little streamlining, and thus maybe take it easy on the people who post already answered question, giving a little benefit of the doubt.