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Ok, I'm here so people can point me out where my logic is wrong. I'm talking about the version specific tags.

Every time I create, see, modify, processes a question or answer using the queues, looking at the front page, etc. I verify the tags. Why? Because that's the main stream for me to answer questions in all SE. For me, tags are vital, that's why I go around taking care of them so much.

Part of my process of verification of the tags includes the following rule:

tags that cannot stand alone as the only tag on a question, are not allowed.

So, each time I see a tag I evaluate the face value1 of the tag, each time there are tags that still haven't quite fit withing all the evaluations I do over them, specifically the version specific tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . They fail one of the rules that I cannot be lax about, the ones contained in the help center which every member should follow and enforce.

Now, and here is where someone should help me, which question I can ask that could have any of these tags as single tag that is not included in another tag?

I've racking my brains out several times looking where it should be used (in fact each time I see them) and still doesn't fit the criteria of "tags that cannot stand alone as the only tag on a question, are not allowed". I've asked for examples of when the tag could be alone in the question and sadly nobody offered one that could not be refuted. So, I ask you, please, provide an example of when this tag could be alone so I can use it as reference whenever I see these tags.

Bonus points: if the tag doesn't exist tomorrow, what's the worse could happen?

1 Face Value: No more or less than what is stated; a literal or direct meaning or interpretation.

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  • 2
    I agree that version tags can't stand alone but I foresee a lot of "which version are you running" comments if they are dropped which clutter AU more than the tags.
    – KodduX
    Commented Feb 25, 2014 at 20:31
  • @Tim people most of the time just use the suggested tag that the system offers and some of them already have the version of Ubuntu somewhere in the question already. Try asking a few questions ;)
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 25, 2014 at 20:43
  • My questions would be off-topic, I'm always running Ubuntu +1 ;)
    – KodduX
    Commented Feb 25, 2014 at 20:54
  • @Tim you naughty guy... :P
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 25, 2014 at 21:01
  • See also: meta.sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/153/…
    – Shog9
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 2:25
  • @Shog9 interesting, the first phrase of the accepted answer talk about abuse. I´ve seen people editing quesitons just to add the tag and also the proporcion of the tags itself is worring (about 20% has any of this tags).
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 12:48
  • The pitfall you want to watch out for, @Braiam, is where folks add one of these as the only tag on their question. See the discussions leading up to that one as well.
    – Shog9
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 17:26
  • @Shog9 I think we are already in the pitfall. Most reviewers doesn't check that a question has the correct tag, which I have raised awareness several times (first paragraph) and members had even said that they "don't care" whenever a question is correctly tagged. I'm going to run some checks in the SEDE later on and will see exactly how many users actually correct a tag when they see them wrong.
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 22:56
  • Don't speculate, @Braiam - find and fix
    – Shog9
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 23:25
  • @Shog9 I didn't data.stackexchange.com/askubuntu/query/171157/… ;)
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 23:47
  • Good job then! We might want to discuss options for identifying these questions more readily then.
    – Shog9
    Commented Feb 26, 2014 at 23:49
  • @Shog9 so, where we start? Teaching users how to tag or correct incorrectly tagged questions, fixing everything at the same time? How could we coordinate efforts for a better tagging?
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 1:17
  • The query I linked will pull up a handy list of single-version-tag questions - why not kick off a little group event & see if you can get folks involved retagging them?
    – Shog9
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 1:20
  • @Shog9 I did try but it didn't got traction, maybe a featured could help it wink wink
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 1:27
  • You left out actual instructions for what to do with them, @Braiam. Y'know, something like, "add additional tags to better describe the context for the question beyond just the version of the OS". Take a page from Oli's book.
    – Shog9
    Commented Apr 14, 2014 at 4:19

1 Answer 1

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I think you need to convert your rules into guidelines. This is editorial stuff and that's really subjective. Chances are by nuking a ton of tags you might be causing a moderator to pull out hair.

I will concede that a tag that can't stand alone probably isn't the best tag. But it's not neccessarily evil and by extension, removing it might not improve the question or the site. A tag is a layer of information about a question. As long as it's relevant, and it's about the question and not the post (a meta tag) more information is always better.

I understand that somebody only picking one version tag for their question is crappy. I get your frustration there... But that doesn't mean the version tag is at fault, it means the user has tagged poorly. Want to fix it? Add more, relevant tags.

And if I had dev access I'd make it so some tags can't be used on their own. Version tags would fall into this group.

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  • I was, since small, grilled that when something said "this is not allowed" there must be a good reason why it isn't, and more if I understand the reason behind it. I am sure that's what the rules are for, to be followed.
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 1:18
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    Nobody is saying "this is not allowed" though. Version tags aren't against the rules or even against what tags are designed to do, it's just that on their own, they're not great tags. I've no problem with wanting to add other tags to questions that only have version tags; I care if your editing means trying to purge them from the system completely.
    – Oli Mod
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 13:50
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    You are not understanding... "tags that can't be alone are against the rules". You reckon that version tags alone doesn't tell me anything about how can I solve the question nor if it's interesting to me at all, hence they are not allowed. I will say the same against the toshiba tag or any other. I want they removed not because I want them removed but because they are abused and overused in non-version agnostic questions. I'm using the help center (rules) to help as only weapon. I know you guys love that tag, but I don't see why they are keep apart of the fact that you want them here.
    – Braiam
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 14:00
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    Where are you pulling that rule from? If it's "If the tag can’t work as the only tag on a question, it’s probably a meta-tag", as I've already explained a few times, these can be used on their own (it's just better if they're not) and you need to focus on the "probably" because the Death of Meta Tags post does enumerate that "meta tags" are things that describe the post and not its content (like beginner, best-practices). A version tag is describing part of the problem.
    – Oli Mod
    Commented Feb 27, 2014 at 15:02

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