<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<topic>
  <id>663117</id>
  <title>Auto-link glitches</title>
  <published_at>Wed Oct 28 15:29:42 -0700 2009</published_at>
  <post_count>92</post_count>
  <board>
    <id>40</id>
    <name>Technical Help</name>
  </board>
  <posts>
    <post>
      <post>
        <level>0</level>
        <id>5138483</id>
        <content>This is a slick feature, but there are some places with generic names that need to be excluded.

E.g. the link to the unmentioned "1 Restaurant" in this topic, which is appearing in response to the "1" in "about 1 quart":

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662793

Another one is "wine bar".</content>
        <published_at>Wed Oct 28 15:29:43 -0700 2009</published_at>
        <parent_id></parent_id>
        <user>
          <id>11369</id>
          <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
        </user>
      </post>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138485</id>
      <content>And "my favorites": http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662793#5138278</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 15:30:21 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5138626</id>
      <content>Another one: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/660274</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 16:11:58 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138485</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138501</id>
      <content>And "pho": http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/447839#5138482</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 15:33:38 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138572</id>
      <content>It's also not smart about unrelated restaurants that have the same name:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663094</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 15:56:17 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5138642</id>
      <content>Thanks for this feedback, we're aware of the problem and working on a fix. It's very helpful if you can continue to point out the ones that are linking in error so we can catch all of the various cases. 



</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 16:16:38 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138572</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>227280</id>
        <name>CHOW HQ</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138647</id>
      <content>"ice cream" http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661550#5138098</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 16:17:22 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138664</id>
      <content>"Camino"; also "El Camino"

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661254#5121095</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 16:25:31 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138722</id>
      <content>"on the corner" http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661388#5138688</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 16:41:43 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5138813</id>
      <content>"Frascati" - I capitalized it, but when I saved and the system created the link, it changed to lowercase. If I click Edit, it returns to uppercase.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663070#5138760</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 17:15:12 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139089</id>
      <content>On the Boston board, any reference to the North End neighborhood becomes a link for a particular restaurant, the North End Cafe:     
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663152</content>
      <published_at>Wed Oct 28 19:09:20 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139486</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663201

The words Sonoma and san Francisco both pull up links for like-named restaurants.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 00:56:48 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10039</id>
        <name>Melanie Wong</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139757</id>
      <content>This person talks about being a little full.  The stupid "auto link" feature links to a place called Little Cafe in an entirely different state.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662979

C'mon, Chow Team, fix this already.  Or at least stop it from working until you've gotten the glitches out.  Really now.

ETA: and later in that same thread someone mentions a "dairy barn ambiance" and the stupid function links to a restaurant name.  Unbelievable.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 06:44:45 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139775</id>
      <content>see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663215

Half the map postings from this thread are wrong.  Zip code 10003 is now in the Rockaways - I think not.

Also, the person was referring to Arte Cafe, not Arte Restaurant.  I think some of your restaurant listings are wrong.

And why would they list the same address twice for for 10009 showing one in Manhattan and one 10009 in Brooklyn.  Your map-making contractor needs some help.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 06:52:02 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139783</id>
      <content>see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/616045

One responder mentions cava -- as in the drink.  Not some restaurant in CT according to the moronic auto link.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 06:53:52 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139859</id>
      <content>hey check it out ... the Four Seasons is now in Brownsville.  I bet they'll love knowing that.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/657895</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 07:22:32 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139895</id>
      <content>Any mention of the North End (a neighborhood) on the Boston board brings up a link to the North End Cafe.  I would think that place names in general would create this sort of problem.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 07:35:32 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>14386</id>
        <name>BobB</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139896</id>
      <content>"delicious food" links to a restaurant
"bleu" as in cheese links to something else
both in this thread http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/660651</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 07:35:47 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>142362</id>
        <name>sibeats</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139936</id>
      <content>So this is getting fun (not really) since every thread I look at has problems.

See http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662960 .  Zip codes 10022 and 10019 are both in Manhattan, not Red Hook Brooklyn.  

Oh and by the way, what is "Frnt 1" that's written after most addresses?  Who writes an address that way?  Boy all this stuff is making me skeptical of ever using Google Maps.  They can't seem to get anything right.  Or maybe it is your restaurant-listing contractor?  Terrible, just terrible.

Edit : Same thread.  Why are some places linked to and not all the others mentioned in the same thread?</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 07:47:02 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5140134</id>
      <content>The links appear only in new posts and only when the auto-link feature is turned on.

Also, people can delete them manually.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:54:07 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5139936</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>3</level>
      <id>5144615</id>
      <content>I haven't been able to delete them manually. I also tried to add a reply post with the correct links, and although it showed them as being added, when I hit save they were gone.</content>
      <published_at>Sat Oct 31 00:27:28 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140134</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10159</id>
        <name>Ruth Lafler</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>4</level>
      <id>5145377</id>
      <content>I've been able to delete them from the "Manage Your Links" widget before posting.</content>
      <published_at>Sat Oct 31 12:46:40 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5144615</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>5</level>
      <id>5145440</id>
      <content>I tried that, and it didn't work. It showed them as deleted, but they still showed up on the side bar.</content>
      <published_at>Sat Oct 31 13:28:19 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5145377</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10159</id>
        <name>Ruth Lafler</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>6</level>
      <id>5147571</id>
      <content>Another poster said something about the links showing at the bottom of the page on a particular post, and I said I didn't see them. So I decided to try a different brower and voila! there they are -- sort of. On Firefox 3.5, I can't see any of the autolinking features at all today: no names showing in blue in the posts, no list of links or map on the, right column, no links in the posts themselves. Nada. Which is odd, because I could see the blue highlights and the link/map on the right column yesterday when I wrote this post:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663662#5144607
and then this post:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663662#5144607.
The second post says I hate the linking feature, because I'd added a bunch of manual links, and then when I posted it, they appeared to be completely gone. In other words, yesterday on this computer with this browser I could see the blue highlights and the links/map on the right column, but not the red bubble links at the bottom. Today I can't see any elements of the autolinking feature.

In IE (I'm not sure which version), the links in the posts are half loading -- I can see half the red bubble, but not the link itself, and there's nothing when I mouse over it; no map in right column, either. In other words, when I pull up the same post on IE (I'm looking at the Firefox and IE versions at the same time), I can see that the links that do not show (there isn't even blank space in the post window) on Firefox are there, but can't read or access them (and yes, I tried reloading the page).</content>
      <published_at>Sun Nov 01 15:27:17 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5145440</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10159</id>
        <name>Ruth Lafler</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>7</level>
      <id>5149250</id>
      <content>Wow, that's pretty weird. Firefox 3.5.4, I see no links at all anywhere in the following topic, though I saw them yesterday, and added some myself, and see them in other topics. In MSIE 7.0.5730.13, I see icons where the links should be, but no text. This is on Windows XP SP3.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663662

Looks to me like some sort of data corruption.</content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 02 10:00:26 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5147571</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>8</level>
      <id>5150923</id>
      <content>They're all visible now on Firefox. How much of the linking feature shows up seems to vary from thread to thread.</content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 02 19:15:21 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5149250</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10159</id>
        <name>Ruth Lafler</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>9</level>
      <id>5150952</id>
      <content>Yeah, seems like it's turned off or broken on some threads. Pretty random behavior.</content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 02 19:28:37 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5150923</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5142070</id>
      <content>&gt;what is "Frnt 1" that's written after most addresses?

That's robo-listings talk from Chow's outside listings provider. I agree, no one uses that verbiage in conversation. Paid Chow staff should be assigned to look over the incoming records and delete that stuff. </content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 22:03:00 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5139936</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5139941</id>
      <content>see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662788
The person is referring to TJ's as in Trader Joe's.  NOT a bar called TJ's.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 07:49:59 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140015</id>
      <content>On the main restaurant page for New York City is headline "Highest Rated".  Included in this is a restaurant in Hartford, CT.  Is this like one of those old SAT type questions ... you know, which one of these is not like the other???

http://www.chow.com/restaurants/regions/18/new-york-city</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:14:58 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140018</id>
      <content>Listing for Tulcingo has a Manhattan address.  Your map shows it to be located in Brooklyn.
http://www.chow.com/restaurants/14059/tulcingo-del-valle

Listing for Mole has a Manhattan address.  Your map shows it to be located in Brooklyn.
http://www.chow.com/restaurants/1869/mole</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:16:23 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140056</id>
      <content>Just came here because I was also confused about this new feature.  Read replies quickly, but don't think my question came up:  Some replies are getting autolinks attached and some aren't, and the ones that  aren't should be in the database.  Here's the thread where I noticed this:  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662394#5140029</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:27:09 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>112104</id>
        <name>mselectra</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5140701</id>
      <content>ChowHQ -- are you also interested in places that are NOT appearing, I think because their names are such regular words?  One of most recommended places on DC/Balt is Central -- which I just figured out will only link if written as "Central Michel Richard," which no one ever writes.  Another example of a DC restaurant is Corduroy, which I could link to manually, but didn't auto-link.

I don't usually check the tech stuff, not on often enough to really notice, so I might just be behind in understanding this.  Thanks!

And, is there a way, that I'm too spacey to see, to correct inaccurate info in a link.  (Blue Duck Tavern, also in DC, has incorrect location info.)</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:35:08 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140056</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>112104</id>
        <name>mselectra</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>3</level>
      <id>5140729</id>
      <content>You are lucky that in DC/Balt the new "feature" isn't picking up ordinary words.  Over on Manhattan and other boards, the stupid thing is picking up "cava" (the wine) as a restaurant, "wine by the glass" as Glass Restaurant, and other ridiculous things.  It is simply abysmal.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:43:22 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140701</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>4</level>
      <id>5140779</id>
      <content>yes, I read through this thread -- I don't think that's happening in DC/Balt, but maybe I haven't noticed (it was only one thread that I was on that got me obsessing about it) -- and like many places we do indeed have a restaurant called Cava....  Definitely a lot worse than what I was talking about.

ETA:  OK, I found one: the phrase "United States" autolinked, and I don't think it's even to a restaurant, but to a federal building in DC, funny:  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663261</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:58:29 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140729</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>112104</id>
        <name>mselectra</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>3</level>
      <id>5140769</id>
      <content>Places with such generic names really need to be excluded from the auto-link feature. People can always add them manually.

Does this feature have a list of "stop" words?</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:56:07 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140701</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>4</level>
      <id>5140839</id>
      <content>Yes, of course you're right about the generic words -- I was a little slow to figure out what was going on.  But I still wonder (not enough that anyone needs to write me back) why they're not auto-linking when other common words are. I guess it's luck.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 12:19:27 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140769</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>112104</id>
        <name>mselectra</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140070</id>
      <content>see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663219
This post linked to EJ's Luncheonette but only the one on the east side and did not include the one on the west side.  Also, some restaurants got links and a bunch of others did not.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:31:13 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140128</id>
      <content>"one-star restaurant" &gt; Star Restaurant
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661388#5139408</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:52:40 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140150</id>
      <content>"shiso" &gt; Shiso Restaurant. 

Same topic, "San Francisco Restaurant" is coming from somewhere. Maybe "San Francisco" in the title?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663192</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 08:58:41 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140226</id>
      <content>"maki" &gt; Maki Restaurant 
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/594730#5139508</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 09:21:38 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140251</id>
      <content>"tacos al pastor" 
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663098#5139466</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 09:28:53 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140255</id>
      <content>"super burrito"
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662568#5140136</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 09:29:42 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5140403</id>
      <content>"chinese food"

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/659082

seriously, this 'feature' is way way more problematic than it is helpful.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 10:10:22 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140255</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>12064</id>
        <name>david sprague</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140657</id>
      <content>This is really getting tiresome.

See http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/659082 .  "Chinese food" refers to the cuisine, not to a restaurant name.

&lt;&lt;this feature is way more problematic than is helpful&gt;&gt;  YOU SAID IT!</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:26:04 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140665</id>
      <content>Okay, I'm voting for this one for REALLY RIDICULOUS -- someone has "no idea" what's in the neighborhood and poof -- "no idea" is a restaurant link.  Good job, folks.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663178</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:27:42 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5140680</id>
      <content>I knew I'd have to eat my words.  This one is sooooo much better.

wines by the glass is now "Glass" the restaurant.  Gotcha!  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663257</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:29:28 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140665</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140774</id>
      <content>"sonoma" &gt; Sonoma's (in San Leandro)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663313</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 11:57:05 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140894</id>
      <content>Union Square Cafe is now located in Brooklyn as well.  Unbelievable.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663178</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 12:40:27 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140896</id>
      <content>10011 and 10002 are both in Manhattan, not Brooklyn.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663298</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 12:41:42 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5140926</id>
      <content>To reiterate what I've said on a related thread:   This is an inherently awkward feature. Limit auto-linking to references that spell out the entire name of a place exactly as it appears in the database (and spell it correctly!) and you miss all the ones that use shorthand (Hamersley's instead of Hamersley's Bistro, for example). Go looser and you end up linking every common word and place name to restaurants that have nothing to do with the thread.

Maybe, over time, with lots of hands-on massaging (do link this, don't link that) it could be useful. But do the Chow techs have the time to do all that tweaking? Given the bigger issues they're constantly dealing with on the site I rather doubt it.

Seems to me like it's just something that is enabled by the site software they're using so they decided to implement it. But not all things that can be done should be done (I have this same problem with the Web site admins for my company).   This particular "feature" is producing much more noise than useful information.
</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 12:53:25 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>14386</id>
        <name>BobB</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5140932</id>
      <content>I wholeheartedly agree.  Besides linking to common words, the software for the restaurants and addresses/maps has so many problems and errors that even that part of the "feature" is woefully wrong.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 12:56:22 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140926</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5141059</id>
      <content>Features like this need a list of "stop words." Unless they neglected to include that, I don't think getting it working right should take long.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 13:43:24 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5140926</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5141042</id>
      <content>In this case "Lex" refers to Lexington Avenue, not to a restaurant named Lex.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663339</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 13:39:39 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5141054</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661913 -- Hundred Acres is in the Village not in Brooklyn.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 13:42:27 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5141770</id>
      <content>Oh how much fun this is doing the Chow Team's job.

Apparently, maybe having to "stop on the way" home is now the On The Way Cafe.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/662979</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 18:43:36 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5142078</id>
      <content>&gt;Oh how much fun this is doing the Chow Team's job.

They're paid to do it; we users are not. So let's give 'em room and let 'em work.

If you spot a clueless auto-link, I'd say report the post if you have time. Let Chow staff take care of it. But if it's a real howler, consider sharing it here for entertainment value :)</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 22:09:14 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5141770</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>3</level>
      <id>5142896</id>
      <content>CBS Interactive doesn't have the staff to read all the topics.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 09:05:16 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5142078</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>4</level>
      <id>5143023</id>
      <content>Then it needs more staff, or it needs to test these changes more thoroughly before release.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 09:49:31 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5142896</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>3</level>
      <id>5143049</id>
      <content>I saw a post you put on Site Talk about this, and I thought Jacquilynne answered you, and everyone else, about this already. The moderators are volunteers. Maybe the response should be read again, and if you missed it on Site Talk, here it is:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663169#5142383
</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 09:57:51 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5142078</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>80937</id>
        <name>danhole</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>4</level>
      <id>5143141</id>
      <content>You're suggesting I posted without reading what Jacquilynne would write more than seven hours later? You're right :)</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 10:22:35 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143049</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>5</level>
      <id>5143278</id>
      <content>Oops! Sorry about that!</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:01:05 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143141</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>80937</id>
        <name>danhole</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>6</level>
      <id>5143297</id>
      <content>No problem. I take your point: the mods are volunteers and shouldn't have to take on any more stuff to do.

What I think the site bosses lose sight of at times is that we users are volunteers too - and the recent site glitches are putting more of the burden on us to clean up problems that weren't of our making.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:07:10 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143278</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>7</level>
      <id>5143336</id>
      <content>Squid,

As volunteers, you just do what you can, but you don't have to do anything at all if you don't want to. I am not too pleased with all the glitches myself. On the Texas board someone said that they tried "to go to a place" and it put a link up at the top for a To Go Cafe! And it was nowhere near the location the poster was talking about. It's been fixed now, but I was scratching my head at first. I would hate to be in the bosses seat in this situation. It is chaos, but hopefully it will be cleared up soon.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:16:33 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143297</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>80937</id>
        <name>danhole</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>8</level>
      <id>5143464</id>
      <content>&gt;It is chaos, but hopefully it will be cleared up soon.

Agreed. The thing about this latest glitch is that it makes the OP look clueless - until you see a few more examples and realize what's going on.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:55:59 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143336</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10496</id>
        <name>squid kun</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5142109</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/40849#5141743

The restaurant under discussion is Ramen Halu in San Jose.  The autolink in this post is a restaurant in San Francisco called Halu.</content>
      <published_at>Thu Oct 29 22:47:24 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10039</id>
        <name>Melanie Wong</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5142898</id>
      <content>"good friend" !
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663277#5142197</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 09:05:45 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5142914</id>
      <content>"all day"
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663444

"SFO" - link is useful but it's putting it in lowercase
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663444#5142908</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 09:10:39 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143288</id>
      <content>glenwood http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/658069

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/608659
tandoor points to an ATL restaurant, not the chapel hill one
chapel hill restaurant isn't a restaurant!

and my favorite - i don't know  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663223</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:04:50 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>13959</id>
        <name>cervisiam</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143388</id>
      <content>Seriously, please make it stop.  Now it's automatically making a lot of restaurants not capitalized, including The French Laundry.  Couldn't there have been a beta test of this?</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:31:02 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>13525</id>
        <name>JasmineG</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5143469</id>
      <content>We're beta-testing it right now.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 12:00:12 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143388</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143414</id>
      <content>Three different bad auto-links in this post:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/581717#5143256

Engineering:  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just pull the plug on this project.  It doesn't work, it is providing you with WORSE data then when users did their own tagging, and it's making us crazy.  </content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 11:39:45 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143474</id>
      <content>"San Franciscans" http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/660018#5143401

I'm starting to think this may be unworkable.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 12:02:20 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>2</level>
      <id>5143561</id>
      <content>Logically, I don't see how it can be made to work, at least not how they intend it to, which is to provide some semblance of an accurate record of when people are talking about which restaurants.

Far too many restaurants have common words or places in their names, and users often abbreviate and/or misspell names.  I challenge even a hot-shot programmer to come up with an algorithm that can successfully pick out the correct restaurant names from the chaff even 50% of the time without human intervention, let alone anywhere near 100%.

I say to Chow, cut your losses on this and put the techs back to working on something important like improving the speed and reliability of page access.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 12:40:04 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5143474</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>14386</id>
        <name>BobB</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143630</id>
      <content>"fusion restaurant"
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663505#5143590

Man, there are some stupid restaurant names out there.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 13:11:55 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5143713</id>
      <content>"Fleur de Lys" here is an example of bad handling of two places with the same name:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663505

Also, the one in San Rafael is a house-cleaning service.</content>
      <published_at>Fri Oct 30 13:38:51 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5145501</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663542#5145150

Auto-link to Fish Market Sushi in Allston instead of the actual FISHMONGER being discussed in the post.  </content>
      <published_at>Sat Oct 31 13:55:16 -0700 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5147490</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/581717#5147057

Three restaurants mentioned in this post (one of which has two locations.)  Auto-tagging offers only one of the two locations of Wisteria House and fails to tag Jo Jo Taipei at all.  </content>
      <published_at>Sun Nov 01 14:56:31 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5149001</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/581717#5148751

Post refers to the dish Pad That; auto-link links to Pad Thai Cafe.  </content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 02 09:02:51 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5149582</id>
      <content>http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663756#5147684

There is, in fact, a restaurant in Allston called The Kells, but it is NOT the place referred to in this post, which is actually a soft-serve ice cream shop in Revere called Kell's Kreme.  Please delete auto-link.  </content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 02 11:48:43 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5151573</id>
      <content>"downtown"
</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 03 06:34:07 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>36312</id>
        <name>HillJ</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5152746</id>
      <content>Here's a new twist: "Binh Minh Quan" triggered links to both Binh Minh Quan and Minh's Restaurant.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663400#5151766</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 03 12:43:33 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5153031</id>
      <content>A review &amp; conversation about Del Posto generates hits for both "del posto" (correct!) and "posto" (NOT!).  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664223  

Oh and by the way, neither are in Brooklyn, despite what your google map says.</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 03 13:57:25 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5153542</id>
      <content>A mention of Cirque du Soleil brings up a reference to Soleil restaurant. Meanwhile, two restaurants mentioned in the post that should have brought up links (Fringale, Waterbar) didn't (a third restaurant didn't link because it was misspelled). I've seen this happen on quite a few posts: things linked that shouldn't be while others that should be aren't. There are really too many bugs to bother listing, and I don't think it's possible to list all the possible ways the program can generate the wrong links. Why not just dump the automatic linking and go with the (somewhat improved) manual places linking?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664504#5153465</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 03 16:47:00 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>10159</id>
        <name>Ruth Lafler</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5153872</id>
      <content>"san miguel" http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663989#5153693</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 03 19:13:23 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5156412</id>
      <content>This one is very odd - nothing in the two new posts (bumping a SEVEN-year-old thread) got auto-flagged, but for no reason at all a "Places" link and map got added for a cafe that is not mentioned at all in either post (and was not in business at the time of the original thread.)  

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/143333</content>
      <published_at>Wed Nov 04 15:28:40 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5156523</id>
      <content>"delfin" generates two wrong links but not the right one
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664782</content>
      <published_at>Wed Nov 04 16:04:32 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5159623</id>
      <content>another ... a mention of the Union Square greenmarket generates a map-post for Union Square Cafe.  Seriously not the same thing.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663879</content>
      <published_at>Thu Nov 05 17:32:13 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5165729</id>
      <content>Auto-link to the wrong restaurant (Tremont Cafe) - poster has actually added their own link to the correct restaurant (Tremont 647.)  </content>
      <published_at>Sun Nov 08 16:15:06 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>18512</id>
        <name>Allstonian</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5167101</id>
      <content>This links to the wrong Shake Shack.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664719

When there are multiple locations with the same name, some check off box or other ought to pop up so that the correct location becomes the link (or some other method that would insure the correct location).</content>
      <published_at>Mon Nov 09 09:15:42 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5170686</id>
      <content>yet another one ...
A reference to the Home Cooking board produces an autolink for a "Home Cooking Cafe".  Ugh.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/666121</content>
      <published_at>Tue Nov 10 12:31:50 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5173447</id>
      <content>References to the Union Square Greenmarket are still generating autolinks to Union Square Cafe.  Please fix this problem.  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/666390</content>
      <published_at>Wed Nov 11 12:51:33 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>104084</id>
        <name>LNG212</name>
      </user>
    </post>
    <post>
      <level>1</level>
      <id>5196708</id>
      <content>"main street" http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/666766#5180596</content>
      <published_at>Fri Nov 20 11:45:55 -0800 2009</published_at>
      <parent_id>5138483</parent_id>
      <user>
        <id>11369</id>
        <name>Robert Lauriston</name>
      </user>
    </post>
  </posts>
</topic>
