METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SEARCHING BY CORRELATING THE QUERY STRUCTURE AND THE DATA STRUCTURE

摘要

Information regarding the structure of information in a content database (CD) is maintained in a structure database (10). The structure database (10) is used to correlate the data structure of a query to the structure of the content database (CD), in order to determine that information in the content database which needs to be provided to a searcher in response to the query. In one embodiment, this search method is used in an online forum, and the forum maintains a reputation score for users with respect to given subject matter. The reputation score is dependent upon the quality of user's participation in the forum. A user's reputation score depends upon the evaluation by other of information he posts and upon the user evaluating information posted by others.