What does "version-specific" mean in "Only use version tag if the question is version-specific"?

Question

For example, 14.04 has the description:

The current LTS (Long Term Support) release of Ubuntu, code-named "Trusty Tahr". Released on 17th April, 2014. Only use this tag if your question is version-specific.

What does "version-specific" mean here?

It could mean things like

• The question makes sense only in relation to version V.
• The question makes sense only in relation to version V or older.
• The question makes sense only in relation to version V or newer.
• The question makes sense in relation to version V.
• The question mentions version V in title or body.
• The question is related to properties of version V.

I expect all of these are used routinely -
Actually, not sure about the last case.

I would really like to understand what to do in edit reviews adding version tags - not just know what to do.

So, for a start, what, specifically, means "version-specific"?

Answer 1

Cor blimey, that one question has been furiously debated back and forth in the last few years. I think whichever definition of "version specific" you subscribe to will depend on how you'd feel about actual examples.

• Should an issue be version tagged if it starts in the current release (but will likely continue in future releases)?

• Should something be version tagged if it's unknown if the question affects other releases?

• Should we version tag things more if we think they are likely to be bugs (that are fixed in a certain time) or leave them untagged?

• Would somebody searching for their problem in an existing question ignore one that had the wrong version on it?

Your opinion on those might waver (here's one of my historical deathmatches on this which I like if nothing else but for the silly diagram near the end), but ultimately I think most of this should rely on pragmatism.

Does it matter if something has an extra tag? Probably not; nowhere near as much as if it was missing a relevant tag. We have space for five tags on a post so I find it very hard to care about removing version tags when the other tags aren't up to scratch. It's wasted effort.

But this is an incredibly subjective topic. Moderators and top users from many sites all have their own take on this. Ultimately, you'll have to make your own mind up not only on what "specific" means in different sitations but how you apply it.