4 ms·

There is an external implementation of tags, although most likely it hasn't taken off because no one uses it, and no one uses it because it hasn't taken off. h

There is an external implementation of tags, although most likely it hasn't taken off because no one uses it, and no one uses it because it hasn't taken off. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1069726 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1069726 PG is talking about having multiple flags for items, but that's about appropriateness, not about the semantics of the content: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1006589 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1006589 The problem is always getting the elvel of complexity right. Allowing free-form tags makes it impossible to search for what you want, and makes it hard to decide what tags to make up and apply. Having a limited collection makes it impossible for some submissions to decide what tags to apply. It's hard, but not impossible. It would also prevent me from seeing some of the things I've really appreciated. I would tend to skim over things that don't appear relevant, and sometimes those are the very things that have engaged my interest and expanded my horizons. It's like with these dating agencies, or friend suggesting algorithms. I don't want to meet people with whom I share an interset - I want to meet people who are interesting. Solve that, execute well, and you'll make a fortune.

fragmede 17y ago
Conceptually, what should tags denote? At some level, I'd argue that tags are solely to give the reader a better idea of subject category. Do others agree? I ask because (and especially on a discussion site like HN), usage of (free-form) tags to editorialize is inevitable without heavy moderator monitoring. Would the tags 'yes' 'godyes' and 'hellyes' on a link titled "Is Apple Evil?" add anything other than gasoline to a flame full discussion? (Not that flamebait tends to last long on the frontpage.) Are tags really just for the disillusioned to block all stories tagged with 'ipad'?
- anamax 17y ago
  > At some level, I'd argue that tags are solely to give the reader a better idea of subject category. Do others agree? I want something to help me find "interesting to me". If tags are "solely ... subject category", they can't be very useful because subject is neither necessary nor sufficient when it comes to interesting. Here's a test - are you actually interested in everything in any subject? Are you ever interested in something in a new subject or a subject that you typically don't care about? If your answers are "no, yes", subject category information isn't enough for you.

fragmede 17y ago

Conceptually, what should tags denote? At some level, I'd argue that tags are solely to give the reader a better idea of subject category. Do others agree? I ask because (and especially on a discussion site like HN), usage of (free-form) tags to editorialize is inevitable without heavy moderator monitoring. Would the tags 'yes' 'godyes' and 'hellyes' on a link titled "Is Apple Evil?" add anything other than gasoline to a flame full discussion? (Not that flamebait tends to last long on the frontpage.) Are tags really just for the disillusioned to block all stories tagged with 'ipad'?

anamax 17y ago
> At some level, I'd argue that tags are solely to give the reader a better idea of subject category. Do others agree? I want something to help me find "interesting to me". If tags are "solely ... subject category", they can't be very useful because subject is neither necessary nor sufficient when it comes to interesting. Here's a test - are you actually interested in everything in any subject? Are you ever interested in something in a new subject or a subject that you typically don't care about? If your answers are "no, yes", subject category information isn't enough for you.