[Geocoding] [OpenStreetMap] #4770: Prioritize closer results even if only partially matching

[OpenStreetMap]

#4770: Prioritize closer results even if only partially matching
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 Reporter:  The RedBurn  |      Owner:  geocoding@…
     Type:  enhancement  |     Status:  new
 Priority:  minor        |  Milestone:
Component:  nominatim    |    Version:  2.0
 Keywords:               |
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 Currently, Nominatim gives a huge boon to exact matches.

 However, most of the time, the user doesn't know or use the official full
 name of a place. However, if he browses near it, we shouldn't give him
 results about places on the other side of Earth.

 If we still want to give the user the choice to prioritize exact matches,
 a link could be used to switch back to the old behavior. That link could
 be named like "View exact matches for your search". Those would still be
 ordered by distance, but would prioritize exact matches.

 Google Maps actually works like this, trying to show the more useful
 results first (typically, near where the user is).

 Steps to reproduce:
 - Go to SHS Computer
 (http://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search.php?q=shs&viewbox=121.05%2C14.71%2C121.07%2C14.7)
 in Belgium
 - Search for "Computer"

 Expected result:
 SHS Computer (in Belgium) ends up the first result

 Result:
 The first result is located in Philippines

 Note: I added "SHS" in alt_name to make the link work. Before that, "SHS"
 gave the same kind of results.
 We should not expect contributors to guess and specify in alt_name the
 exact name (if there is one) that most users are going to search for.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.openstreetmap.org/ticket/4770>
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