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I think the tags and basically means the same thing.

I suggest we merge one of the tags into the other.

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  • 2
    Which way would you go do you think? I see a good case for a merge and I suspect that 'gpu-drivers' (or 'gpu-driver'?) should be the the remaining tag with 'video-driver' a synonym. I note that 'gpu-drivers' currently has no usage guidance written. Interesting to hear what others think about this, at the moment I see tumbleweeds blowing across this question :).
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 10, 2022 at 22:13
  • Yes, I agree with you that [gpu-driver] would be preferable to me also and [video-driver] can be used as a synonym.
    – Ola Ström
    Apr 11, 2022 at 7:26
  • Nice to get some more input from within the community before such a change. I will poke Chat and hunt out some more opinions...
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 12, 2022 at 4:26
  • @andrew.46 I don't think that we need both tags and I agree with making video-drivers a synonym of gpu-driver. The usage guidance should not be a problem. I can write it in a couple of hours or someone else may do that if they wish. Apr 12, 2022 at 5:33
  • Hmmm... might be stuck with gpu-drivers in the plural otherwise gpu-driver has to be created and 2 synonyms: gpu-drivers and video-driver. Not sure if that starts getting a little silly
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 12, 2022 at 6:21
  • Isn't it possible to rename gpu-drivers to gpu-driver?
    – Ola Ström
    Apr 12, 2022 at 6:24
  • @OlaStröm I believe not. It would have to be: 1. Create a new tag gpu-driver and write up the details for the tag. 2. Merge gpu-drivers into gpu-driver (and allow to create a synonym). 3. Merge video-driver into gpu-driver (and allow to create a synonym),
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 12, 2022 at 6:52
  • 1
    I don't think it's a problem to do that ^
    – Zanna Mod
    Apr 12, 2022 at 7:16
  • Mind you best option would be to actually not use a synonym and then the system would replace the old tag with the new. However the old tag could still be used unless it is kept vacant for 24 hours, then the system will delete it...
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 12, 2022 at 9:35

1 Answer 1

4

I have found a quiet moment to merge the tags and after some thought I did the following:

  1. Created a tag for and as a temporary measure filled the tag details in from the older tag . These details could really do with some editing and updating.
  2. Merged into without creating a synonym. This means that all the older tags are renamed now. However this leaves available for use again. If it is not used and remains empty for 24 hours the system will eat it.
  3. Merged into without creating a synonym. This means that all the older tags are renamed now. Again this means that will be available for use again. If it is not used and remains empty for 24 hours the system will eat it.

Only job for the future is to watch to see if the old tags are reused before the system has a chance to consume them when empty. If they are used it will be simply be a matter of either quietly editing and switching the tags or simply putting a synonym in place.

Thanks Ola Ström for engaging with the community on Meta and getting a change made!!

Thoughts on Merge +/- Synonyms...

@muru asked 'Why not create the synonyms?' so I have added this little section to this answer.

When merging tags there are 2 good choices with some subtle differences: 'Merge with Synonyms' and 'Merge without Synonyms'. A quick description:

  • Merge with Synonyms If this is selected the system does not alter tagging of existing questions but simply ensures that all questions will use the new tag, tag info will redirect to the new tag's info. Safest option and one that would most normally be used but not ideal for our example as 2 existing tags are serving the same function and we want to merge both into a new tag.
  • Merge without Synonyms If this is selected the old tags are removed throughout the entire system and replaced with the new tag. Perfect for our changes here as both tags have the same purpose throughout the system and can logically both be completely replaced by our new tag. This option would not be all that commonly used.

This information and much more available on my very valuable Moderator Cheat Sheet!!

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  • Why not create the synonyms?
    – muru
    Apr 13, 2022 at 0:56
  • Well, thank you Andrew, you had to do all the hard work...
    – Ola Ström
    Apr 13, 2022 at 0:57
  • @muru Great question, I have added some explanatory notes to my answer.
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:08
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    @OlaStröm Would probably never have looked at it without your Meta post, so thank you!
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:11
  • @andrew.46 note that even though the system doesn't alter the tagging of existing questions, (a) you can no longer add the synonmized tag to new posts, (b) any exists posts, when edited, will get the tag replaced with the master, and (c) users can type either video or gpu to get a tag suggestion that ultimately leads to gpu-driver as the tag. I think "merge without synonyms" is only useful for cases where an existing tag needs to be repurposed for something but first you want to move the current posts to another tag. For all normal cases, merging with synonyms is what we should do.
    – muru
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:18
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    At any rate, IMO video-driver should be added as a synonym since people did actually use it, so that name might be more intuitive to a significant fraction of users.
    – muru
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:19
  • 2
    @muru Thanks for your thoughts. I will be watching both of the older tags for some time; both currently with zero posts attached. And certainly if the community starts resurrecting either I will place the synonym.
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:24
  • @muru And I agree completely that merging with synonym creation should be most commonly used and I have altered my answer to make that perfectly clear. What we will have to disagree on is the appropriateness of my use of no synonym in this case; I am quite happy with this decision.
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 13, 2022 at 8:32
  • @andrew.46 Slightly off topic: I didn't know about those differences, but is the moderator cheat sheet public? I'm curious about it... is this it?
    – cocomac
    Apr 18, 2022 at 1:22
  • @cocomac That's the one! Tag references here: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/119111/…
    – andrew.46 Mod
    Apr 18, 2022 at 3:25

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