随着Windows 8.1的发布，Microsoft引入了一种名为Smart Search的新搜索方式。它旨在使用户更轻松、更好地进行搜索。执行搜索时，结果列表不仅包括本地结果，如您自己的文件和应用程序，还包括来自Internet的结果，由Bing提供。在最近通过Windows Update发布的更新中，微软(Microsoft)通过添加一项新功能改进了他们的搜索算法：理解自然语言搜索的能力，或者用技术术语来说，“自然语言理解”("Natural Language Understanding")。让我们看看这意味着什么以及如何从中受益视窗 8.1(Windows 8.1)。
重要提示：(IMPORTANT:)在继续尝试本教程中显示的内容之前，请确保您的 Windows 8.1 安装是最新的。您不应该有任何重要的更新需要安装。
什么是自然语言理解(Language Understanding)？
在我们的设备或Internet上执行搜索时，我们使用搜索关键字来查找我们感兴趣的内容。例如，您输入您在计算机上查找的文件的名称，或者您输入您最喜欢的乐队的名称当您想查找有关它的信息时。
自然语言理解(Natural Language Understanding)是从自然上下文中分离重要关键字并使用它们返回适当搜索结果的过程。以下面的句子为例：“我今晚想煮点新东西”。一个自然的反应是显示新的晚餐食谱，而不是你过去看过的那些。自然语言理解(Natural Language Understanding)将这句话从“I”或“to”等不相关的术语中剔除，并使用相关术语、它们的同义词和预期用途，并尝试(use and tries)提供更好的搜索结果。对于程序员来说这是一项相当艰巨的任务，但它为用户提供了更好的搜索体验(search experience)。
Windows 8.1中的自然语言理解(Language Understanding)
首先，我想提醒您，智能搜索(Smart Search)会从您的文件、已安装的应用程序、系统设置、联系人、互联网和应用(Internet and apps)商店(Store)中的应用程序中返回结果。如果您想了解有关其工作原理的基础知识，请阅读本指南：Windows 8.1 简介：搜索如何工作以及如何(Search Work & How)使用它？。
由于这种新的自然语言理解(Natural Language Understanding)功能，您现在可以在搜索内容时使用句子。在尝试使用Windows 8.1中的新搜索方式时，我了解到一些搜索可以被操作系统(operating system)正确理解，并且我收到了正确的搜索结果，而另一些则没有，即使它们对我来说是“自然的”。
如何在Windows 8.1中执行(Windows 8.1)自然语言搜索(Natural Language Searches)
假设您搜索“如何更改颜色”("how to change colors")。在“开始(Start)”屏幕上或使用“搜索(Search)”超级按钮时，会立即返回“更改开始时的背景和颜色”("Change the background and colors on Start")的链接。
如果您想学习如何打开笔记本电脑或平板电脑(laptop or tablet)上的无线功能怎么办？就像问Windows 8.1 “如何打开wifi？”一样简单。("how to turn on wifi?"). 显示的搜索结果是“连接到网络”("Connect to a network")。
如果您想听音乐，请搜索“听音乐”("listen to music")，Windows 8.1会建议您启动音乐(Music)应用程序。
如果您想了解如何删除安装在Windows 8.1中的应用程序，请键入“如何删除应用程序”("how to remove apps")，Windows 8.1将共享相应的链接。
当你不想被各种通知打扰时，搜索“关闭通知”("turn off notifications")，Windows 8.1会显示所有可以关闭的通知。
不幸的是， Microsoft尚未发布完整的列表，其中包含适用于Windows 8.1的自然语言搜索类型。因此，您将不得不自己进行实验和学习。
某些自然语言搜索(Natural Language Searches Wo)在Windows 8.1中(Work)不起作用
正如我之前提到的，有些自然搜索查询不起作用，即使您希望它们起作用。在前面的示例中，我搜索了“听音乐”("listen to music")，Windows 8.1 将我指向了音乐(Music)应用程序，这很棒。但是，如果您执行更复杂的搜索，例如“听摇滚音乐”("listen to rock music")，智能搜索(Smart Search)将无法提供有意义的结果。在此示例中，我希望Windows 8.1能够让我选择加载包含所有包含“摇滚”("rock")标签的音乐的播放列表。作为回报，我只收到了一些关于在Internet上搜索的建议。
例如，如果您说要听自己喜欢的乐队，也会遇到同样的问题。
结论
智能搜索(Smart Search)功能的这些增强功能很有前景，并且在某些情况下确实提供了有用的搜索结果。我希望微软(Microsoft)能够继续改进其搜索算法(search algorithms)并提高其处理自然语言搜索的效率。
但在下一次重要更新之前，我想请您尝试一下，看看Smart Search如何在(Smart Search)Windows 8.1中处理您自己的自然语言搜索。另外，请在使用此功能后分享您的发现和印象。
How to Perform Natural Language Searches in Windows 8.1
With the release of Windows 8.1, Microsоft has intrоduced a new way of searсhing, namеd Smart Search. It is designed to make search easier and better for users. When performing a search, the list of results includes not only local results like your own files and apps but also results from the Internet, provided by Bing. In a very recent update that is distributed via Windows Update, Microsoft has made their search algorithms better by adding a new feature: the capability to understand natural language searches or, in technical terms, "Natural Language Understanding". Let's see what this means and how you can benefit from it in Windows 8.1.
IMPORTANT: Before you go ahead and experiment with what is shown in this tutorial, please make sure that your Windows 8.1 installation is up-to-date. You should not have any important updates left to install.
What Is Natural Language Understanding?
When performing a search on our devices or on the Internet, we use search keywords to find what we are interested in. For example, you enter the name of a file your are looking for on your computer or you type the name of your favorite band when you want to find information about it.
Natural Language Understanding is the process of separating the important keywords from a natural context and using them to return appropriate search results. Take for example the following sentence: "I want to cook something new tonight". A natural response would be to display new dinner recipes and not those that you have viewed in the past. Natural Language Understanding strips this sentence from its non-relevant terms like "I" or "to" and uses the relevant terms, their synonyms and their expected use and tries to provide better search results. It's a rather hard task to do for programmers but it provides a better search experience for users.
Natural Language Understanding in Windows 8.1
First, I would like to remind you that Smart Search returns results from your files, installed apps, system settings, contacts, the Internet and apps from the Store. If you would like to learn the basics about how it works, please read this guide: Introducing Windows 8.1: How Does Search Work & How to Use It?.
Due to this new Natural Language Understanding capability, you can now use sentences when searching for something. While experimenting with the new way of searching in Windows 8.1, I have learned that some searches were correctly understood by the operating system and I received the correct search results while others were not, even if they felt "natural" to me.
How to Perform Natural Language Searches in Windows 8.1
Let's assume that you search for "how to change colors". Writing this on the Start screen or when using the Search charm, immediately returns the link for "Change the background and colors on Start".
What if you want to learn how to turn on the wireless on your laptop or tablet? It's as simple as asking Windows 8.1 "how to turn on wifi?". The search result displayed is "Connect to a network".
In case you want to listen to music, search for "listen to music" and Windows 8.1 will suggest that you to launch the Music app.
If you would like to learn how to remove the apps installed in Windows 8.1, type "how to remove apps" and Windows 8.1 shares the appropriate link.
When you don't want to be bothered by all kinds of notifications, search for "turn off notifications" and Windows 8.1 displays all the notifications that can be turned off.
Unfortunately Microsoft has not published a complete list with the types of natural language searches that work in Windows 8.1. Therefore you will have to experiment and learn more on your own.
Some Natural Language Searches Won't Work in Windows 8.1
As I mentioned before, there are some natural search queries that don't work, even if you expect them to work. In a previous example, I have searched for "listen to music" and Windows 8.1 pointed me to the Music app, which is great. However, if you perform more complex searches like "listen to rock music", Smart Search fails to provide meaningful results. In this example, I expected Windows 8.1 to give me the option to load a playlist containing all the music that contains the "rock" tag. In return, I received only some suggestions for searches on the Internet.
The same problem is encountered if you say that you want to listen your favorite band, for example.
Conclusion
These enhancements to the Smart Search feature are promising and they do provide helpful search results in some scenarios. I expect Microsoft to continue to improve its search algorithms and increase their effectiveness in dealing with natural language searches.
But until the next important update, I would like to ask you to experiment and see how Smart Search deals with your own natural language searches in Windows 8.1. Also, please share your findings and impressions after using this feature.
