3 ms·

Folders are simple, even if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Tags are a good fit for items that naturally fall into several categories

Folders are simple, even if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Tags are a good fit for items that naturally fall into several categories, like music or books, but not for general file systems.

Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago
Agree. They both have a place. I use Zotero to keep track of my references and also just interesting things I find. It uses folders and tags. Fantastic!
- throwoutway 5y ago
  Could you describe your Zotero folder & tag strategy? I don’t know where to start with this and it’s a hot mess
  - 24thofjan 5y ago
    Here you can see uses of folders and tags. It's from an academic context but you'll get the idea. https://youtu.be/efLOqgS4jzA https://youtu.be/efLOqgS4jzA
  - Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago
    I start with the folders. Create ones on broad categories like "Math", "Physics", "Politics", and each of those could have subfolders (folders are called collections in zotero). An entry can be copied to multiple folders but its copy-by-reference so you see the same file and notes and so on in whatever folder ever you view it. Tags are added as meta-data and I use them for searching the library for things. In a given collection you can select a keyword/tag and it will highlight all items with that tag. I've been using zotero now for years and many 1000s of entries. It's by far the best tool I've used for organizing my stuff.
tablespoon 5y ago
> Folders are simple, even if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Tags are a good fit for items that naturally fall into several categories, like music or books, but not for general file systems. This. They're different tools for different jobs. Being a dogmatist and trying to win an us vs them competition on which is the ONE TRUE SOLUTION is stupid. That's like trying to argue which is a better tool, a screwdriver or a pair of pliers, and saying it's stupid to keep a screwdriver in a toolbox. Honestly, in a lot of cases both should be implemented and available. Stupid reasons pliers are better than screwdrivers: * There are so many different kinds of screwdrivers; it's too confusing to users. * Pliers can be used to drive screws, so there's no need for a dedicated screw-driving tool. We've had a lot of success gripping the screw head with pliers and turning. * Pliers are beautiful and modern, and lots of popular influencers are using pliers now. Screwdrivers are old tech and ugly.
- jdechko 5y ago
  Your toolbox analogy is great for another reason. I can “tag” my screwdrivers with multiple items: Philips, flat, Torx, Square, short, long, ratcheting… Each screwdriver can have multiple tags. But I store them all in the same drawer in my toolbox.
politician 5y ago
And yet, folders are tags.
- mro_name 5y ago
  just veeery shy ones.
- ASalazarMX 5y ago
  In the sense that a staircase can be used to seat guests. Folders are not like tags, tags are like flat folders. Folders are better at separating, tags are better at mixing.
munificent 5y ago
> if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Technically, they can. A "folder" is just a tag whose name is the entire directory path up to root. All files with that same tag are in the same folder.
alpaca128 5y ago
Assuming the tags cannot be linked in hierarchies/graphs.
whywhywhywhy 5y ago
Yeah tags can imitate them on some level. But what about folder workflows like “I want to copy this whole project across 100+ files exactly so I start changing it without losing anything” With folders it’s just copy the base folder. Now I know as devs some of us would suggest version control as the solution but keep in mind with folders my non-technical 70 year old dad can do this action and understand it completely because of the tactility a folder provides.

Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago

Agree. They both have a place. I use Zotero to keep track of my references and also just interesting things I find. It uses folders and tags. Fantastic!

throwoutway 5y ago
Could you describe your Zotero folder & tag strategy? I don’t know where to start with this and it’s a hot mess
- 24thofjan 5y ago
  Here you can see uses of folders and tags. It's from an academic context but you'll get the idea. https://youtu.be/efLOqgS4jzA https://youtu.be/efLOqgS4jzA
- Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago
  I start with the folders. Create ones on broad categories like "Math", "Physics", "Politics", and each of those could have subfolders (folders are called collections in zotero). An entry can be copied to multiple folders but its copy-by-reference so you see the same file and notes and so on in whatever folder ever you view it. Tags are added as meta-data and I use them for searching the library for things. In a given collection you can select a keyword/tag and it will highlight all items with that tag. I've been using zotero now for years and many 1000s of entries. It's by far the best tool I've used for organizing my stuff.

tablespoon 5y ago

> Folders are simple, even if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Tags are a good fit for items that naturally fall into several categories, like music or books, but not for general file systems. This. They're different tools for different jobs. Being a dogmatist and trying to win an us vs them competition on which is the ONE TRUE SOLUTION is stupid. That's like trying to argue which is a better tool, a screwdriver or a pair of pliers, and saying it's stupid to keep a screwdriver in a toolbox. Honestly, in a lot of cases both should be implemented and available. Stupid reasons pliers are better than screwdrivers: * There are so many different kinds of screwdrivers; it's too confusing to users. * Pliers can be used to drive screws, so there's no need for a dedicated screw-driving tool. We've had a lot of success gripping the screw head with pliers and turning. * Pliers are beautiful and modern, and lots of popular influencers are using pliers now. Screwdrivers are old tech and ugly.

jdechko 5y ago
Your toolbox analogy is great for another reason. I can “tag” my screwdrivers with multiple items: Philips, flat, Torx, Square, short, long, ratcheting… Each screwdriver can have multiple tags. But I store them all in the same drawer in my toolbox.

politician 5y ago

And yet, folders are tags.

mro_name 5y ago
just veeery shy ones.
ASalazarMX 5y ago
In the sense that a staircase can be used to seat guests. Folders are not like tags, tags are like flat folders. Folders are better at separating, tags are better at mixing.

munificent 5y ago

> if tags can imitate them, they can't replace their structure. Technically, they can. A "folder" is just a tag whose name is the entire directory path up to root. All files with that same tag are in the same folder.

alpaca128 5y ago

Assuming the tags cannot be linked in hierarchies/graphs.

whywhywhywhy 5y ago

Yeah tags can imitate them on some level. But what about folder workflows like “I want to copy this whole project across 100+ files exactly so I start changing it without losing anything” With folders it’s just copy the base folder. Now I know as devs some of us would suggest version control as the solution but keep in mind with folders my non-technical 70 year old dad can do this action and understand it completely because of the tactility a folder provides.