3 ms·

Useless feature: Tagging files 'Home' or 'Work' in Finder Core feature: A filesystem that doesn't get so easily corrupted and need constant Disk Utility scans t

by po 12y ago

Useless feature: Tagging files 'Home' or 'Work' in Finder Core feature: A filesystem that doesn't get so easily corrupted and need constant Disk Utility scans to stay healthy Now, I know some people will really want tags and I remember them spending a bunch of time in the keynote talking about them but I'm pretty sure I've never used them. It's not a bad feature… I guess it's nice and I bet a lot of people use it, but I would prefer if it was built on top of a more solid foundation.

gurkendoktor 12y ago
It was my impression that Tags were just Apple's last attempt to avoid having "Folders" in iCloud. Wisdom on the internet is that the file system is bad and must be hidden from users. But if you add folders to iCloud, then what is it, if not a file system? Then iCloud Drive introduced Folders one version later, and now Tags is kind of a legacy feature. I don't think anyone but management ever really wanted tags.
- fl0wenol 12y ago
  Folders and tags shouldn't be mutually exclusive. Folders allow for a simple hierarchical navigation option and allow you to preserve "structure" when round-tripping resources the rely on nested folders in and out of a cloud service. It allows for strong naming and namespaces. Tags can be user-supplied, crowd-supplied, or even through AI/expert system, and allow for cross-cutting exploration when involving stuff that can't be indexed like text. (Although even documents benefit from tags to ease finding them again when there's a haystack) Tags require more effort to maintain but are essential when you are dealing with a complex collection.
  - gurkendoktor 12y ago
    Yes, I agree, I like tags in theory. But there is no way to implement user-supplied or crowd-supplied tags when you are practically limited to the seven colours used for tagging, and it only works if you can even remember which colour is used for which tag.
    - hjnilsson 12y ago
      Not to mention that the colors change if you move the disk to another mac.

by po 12y ago

gurkendoktor 12y ago

It was my impression that Tags were just Apple's last attempt to avoid having "Folders" in iCloud. Wisdom on the internet is that the file system is bad and must be hidden from users. But if you add folders to iCloud, then what is it, if not a file system? Then iCloud Drive introduced Folders one version later, and now Tags is kind of a legacy feature. I don't think anyone but management ever really wanted tags.

fl0wenol 12y ago
Folders and tags shouldn't be mutually exclusive. Folders allow for a simple hierarchical navigation option and allow you to preserve "structure" when round-tripping resources the rely on nested folders in and out of a cloud service. It allows for strong naming and namespaces. Tags can be user-supplied, crowd-supplied, or even through AI/expert system, and allow for cross-cutting exploration when involving stuff that can't be indexed like text. (Although even documents benefit from tags to ease finding them again when there's a haystack) Tags require more effort to maintain but are essential when you are dealing with a complex collection.
- gurkendoktor 12y ago
  Yes, I agree, I like tags in theory. But there is no way to implement user-supplied or crowd-supplied tags when you are practically limited to the seven colours used for tagging, and it only works if you can even remember which colour is used for which tag.
  - hjnilsson 12y ago
    Not to mention that the colors change if you move the disk to another mac.