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Nit-picking question. For example Eclipse has both Find and Search features, is there a difference?
Find[^]
2. to locate, attain, or obtain by search or effort
Search[^]
2. to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed
Is there a reason why find is used more extensively in applications? Can they be used interchangeably?
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I think the two are used pretty interchangeably in software.
to me, "Find" implies a result you are expecting, while "Search" implies more of an open-ended look.
a) I want to Find this sting in these documents.
b) I want to Search for this string in these documents.
to me, a) implies I am expecting to find it, while b) implies I don't really know if it is there or not.
So usually in source code I want to find something, whereas on the interwebs, I am searching to see if I can find something.
So Find is slightly more positive.
But that's just me.
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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Maxxx wrote: So Find is slightly more positive.
I agree, Find suggests it will do what you want, Search suggests it will hope to do what you want.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Thanks for all the replies.
This automatically answers why Google is "Search" and not "Find" (which didn't occur to me to question)
Eclipse's division of terms makes no sense though, I guess the two were added by different dev teams, to settle some kind of difference in opinion.
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I suspect that it's historical: Find was used because the shortcut key CTRL+F didn't clash with that for Save CTRL+S
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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If I can't find, I search.
Find: the odd one out.
Search: for the missing airliner on the ocean floor.
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If I knew I couldn't find I wouldn't start searching 
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. — Lyall Watson
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That I'll know only when I attempt to find
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The attempt to find is the search; finding is the successful outcome of a search.
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. — Lyall Watson
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"Find" is used when the "Search" button is too small 
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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IMO, it makes absolutely no sense and when designing an application yourself you should avoid copying that. Ignoring unrelated meanings, finding is by definition either the successful outcome of a search or an incidence happening by chance. So it makes no sense to offer it as an action in an application.
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. — Lyall Watson
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"Find" is what happens at the end of a successful search, so it can be used in the imperative as a command to search for something successfully.
"Search" itself does not imply success in finding the object of the search.
- If you know that something exists, but you're not sure where it is, you can use "Find".
- If you are pushing for successful results, and expect an apology if the search is not successful, you can use "Find".
- "Search" can be used in all instances.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Search would actually be a better verb for the activity, as it implies that there may be no matches.
Find implies that the activity will be successful.
But a few decades of computer software getting it wrong probably means its entrenched now.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
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Can we somehow blame all this on Bill Gates or Microsoft?
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Whatever you do, if you're ever working in the EU, do not under any circumstances do a Google Search.
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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I prefer Find to Search.
Ctrl + F - Find.
Ctrl + S - Save.
Cheers,
विक्रम
"We have already been through this, I am not going to repeat myself." - fat_boy, in a global warming thread 
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Ctrl + H - search and replace
Ctrl + X - cut
Ctrl + V - paste
Ctrl + Esc - Start menu/Start screen
Ctrl + Shift + Esc - task manager
Ctrl + F4 - close all (MDI)
Ctrl + Tab - switch window (MDI)
Ctrl + Z Undo
Ctrl + Y redo
Yeah, I see what you mean.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Too deep.
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
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Indivara wrote: Is there a reason why find is used more extensively in applications?
Fewer keystrokes and less screen real estate.
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Nothing has gone right so far. Nothing.
Still, at least Villa beat Liverpool yesterday 
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Well... You have managed to post here without getting your account closed.
That's something that had gone right, isn't it?
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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only because I am too knackered to thing of something overly insulting that would get me banned {erk}
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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Maxxx wrote: Nothing has gone right so far. Nothing.
Yeah same here.
And Villa beating Liverpool did not help either. It would not matter if Villa beat Brazil!! Oh wait...
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Abhinav S wrote: It would not matter if Villa beat Brazil!!
I see what you did there!
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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