What tags should we use here?

Question

Now that we can follow tags it's more important to standardize them, especially for established user groups and projects.

For example, if everyone uses the same "euroaristo" tag for European aristocracy-related discussions we don't need to all follow euroaristos, euro_aristo, euro_aristos, european_aristocrats, and every other possible variation. We can just follow euroaristo.

I've started this draft list: http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tags

Thoughts? First, what general naming conventions should we use? Are there conventions for tags used elsewhere?

Comments

Never mind.  I see that tags are "categories" for g2g

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Jillaine,

I think we do need to give serious consideration to the relationship between categories for WikiTree profiles and tags for G2G discussions.

There would be a lot of advantages in keeping them consistent, or at least in making sure that any G2G tag is also a category. That is, maybe every G2G tag should be a category but not every category should be a G2G tag.

Part of the significance of categories is that they can and should be subcategorized in logical ways. Tags cannot be subcategorized and there is value in using fewer of them, and keeping them simple and intuitive.

Chris

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Are these same tags to be used on profiles? I would like to have the syntax explained - maybe as examples and if there are different syntax for different types of tags.

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Hi Becky,

This relates to Jillaine's comment, but she edited it to "never mind." :-)

Tags and categories are distinct. Tags organize G2G questions. Categories organize WikiTree profiles and pages.

But, generically speaking, categorizing a profile is the same "tagging" it, and tagging a question is the same as categorizing it.

The distinction will confuse everyone. We need to think this through. I don't know the answer yet.

Chris

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As I say to my clients: start with the desired outcome and work backwards from there. What is the desired outcome from using, in this case, tags? From what I've seen on related questions, tagging g2g posts help volunteers find questions they are most likely to be able to answer (e.g., England, Germany, Poland; colonial, civil_war). A related desired outcome is that people who ask questions attract those most able to answer them.

What other desired outcomes are sought by the use of tags?

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Looking at http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tags and the section on Project Tags. Sometimes the prefix "Category:" is used; other times the prefix "Project:" is used.

For example, Puritan Great Migration User Group is a category, but Mayflower Ancestors User Group is a Project.

I would find this confusing.

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We're going to consolidate user groups into projects.

Here's a new question on the difference between tags, categories, and projects: 

What is the relationship between categories, tags, and projects on WikiTree?

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Thanks, Chris; I responded above before I read the exchange among supervisors.