From the webpage:
OpenSearch is a collection of simple formats for the sharing of search results.
The OpenSearch description document format can be used to describe a search engine so that it can be used by search client applications.
The OpenSearch response elements can be used to extend existing syndication formats, such as RSS and Atom, with the extra metadata needed to return search results.
I like this line from the FAQ:
Different types of content require different types of search engines. The best search engine for a particular type of content is frequently the search engine written by the people that know the content the best.
Not a lot of people using the OpenSearch description document but I wonder if you could write something similar for websites? That is declare for a website ((your own or someone else’s), what is to be found there. Or what vocabulary is used there.
With just a small boost from their users, search engines could do a lot better in terms of producing sane results.
Will have to think about a way to test the declaration of a vocabulary for a website or even group of websites and comparing that to a search without the benefit of such a vocabulary. Suggestions welcome!