I've been trying to find information on 'Azure Import/Export' in the Microsoft documentation, and I'm really frustrated. When I search for it on Google, I get the main documentation link right away, but when I use the search bar in the documentation itself, I get over 5,000 results, and none of the first 30 entries even mention the page I found on Google. Can someone explain why their search feature is so ineffective?
5 Answers
Have any of you tried their other search products? I wonder if those are better. Thanks for bringing this up!
From what I gather, a lot of the documentation is generated or influenced by AI. Even the people who work there find it hard to navigate sometimes. It sounds like they’re constantly updating things without a clear sense of organization, adding to the confusion.
It seems like Microsoft's documentation system is super fragmented. Different teams handle feature development, writing, and search optimization, and they often don’t communicate well. It’s like each group is stuck in their own bubble and doesn't have a full view of what others are doing. I've even had better luck getting answers from AI tools about Microsoft products than the official documentation.
I've found that the prioritization system for their docs can be off, too. Sometimes a recently updated page with vague terms like 'import data' will show up before the actual relevant overview of the Import/Export service. It's frustrating when you're looking for something specific.
I've noticed that Microsoft's search has been pretty rough for years. A good trick is to just Google with 'site:learn.microsoft.com' followed by your search term. It gives way better results than their own search feature. It's pretty wild that a major tech company still struggles with their documentation search.
Exactly! And since we can use those docs during exams, it feels like their search should really reflect real-world usage.