Tagging no longer gives you points

What constitutes a good tag?

Example:
Say there's a thread on Area 51....would tagging it with alien, UFO and E.T. be a good tag...or is that too broad?

Is it cool to tag a thread about WTC-7 with tags like bomb, demo, pull it and explosion? Or should we keep it to specifics of the thread and not have broad tags that can apply to every other thread on ATS?

I really haven't tagged much in the past, but I guess I'll step it up a notch. Just want to make sure my tags are good to go







[edit on 22/6/2006 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by SportyMB

What constitutes a good tag?

The tags you can see at the bottom of tagged threads are clickable. Then you'll see all the threads with that particular tag (or similar). I think good tags would be i.e. names of key persons in that thread (Not members but like i.e. Donald Rumsfeld) or countries or other good keywords which can apply to more than just one thread.

Here's an example of what you can see when clicking a tag:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

You get a list (clickable) of all threads tagged with "earthquakes" or similar


Or

www.abovetopsecret.com...

You get a list (clickable) of all threads tagged with "norway" or similar


Maybe these examples will give you an idea on what keywords would be useful to tag threads with.


Here's a list of all tags (all clickable) : www.abovetopsecret.com...

Dear Tag

Originally posted by SportyMB
What constitutes a good tag?

Any tag you can walk away from is a good tag.

Obviously opinions vary, but mine is that a tag which reasonably describes a key attribute of a thread and doesn't violate the T&C is a good tag.

Well, good enough, anyway.

Originally posted by SportyMB
What constitutes a good tag?

Example:
Say there's a thread on Area 51....would tagging it with alien, UFO and E.T. be a good tag...or is that too broad?

Is it cool to tag a thread about WTC-7 with tags like bomb, demo, pull it and explosion? Or should we keep it to specifics of the thread ...

Descriptive of and/or relevant to the topic of discussion, to include the title, individuals involved, or that which would encapsulate the sum of all. In short, it's pretty much about relevance.

Proper tagging is pertinent tagging. IMO

$.02

I fully agree with the above descriptions of good tags.

As for bad ones...?

ATS members' names, ATS Forum/Sub forum names, personal opinions on the thread, the thread title, ANYTHING MISSPELLED.

Those are just a short list of tags that do not fit the intended purpose of tagging.

I totally misunderstood the reason for tagging. I thought it was to improve the search function. I tagged using words that I would type in to a search engine if I was looking for a particular thread.

Imagine my surprise when I typed one of my own tags into the search engine and received nada. I didn't realize it was for finding related threads.

I thought of tagging as a good way to identify and group similiar discussion topics that you would not necessarily be able to find unless someone tagged it. For example if you type in the tag s.l.i.d.e.r.s. to find threads on the sliding phenomena, you would find a number of discussion topics about it. I really thought the word slider or sliders would have been better but I didn't want to complain since I thought I might slowly add those tags as I stumbled upon such a discussion topic. I still use www.abovetopsecret.com...
when searching for tagged threads. I still think it's a very useful feature if people take care to read the discussions and post relevant tags.

Lettin' It S.L.I.D.E.

Some members might type "S.L.I.D.E.R.S.", some might type "sliders" and some might even type "slyders" -- and all hoping to find the same thing.

The terms people use to find things vary as much as people do, and some typos are common, which is why (except for basic relevance and T&C compliance) I don't see much value in imposing strict regulations on how threads should be tagged.

But of course, that's just one opinion among many.

and of course there are the heathen foreign peasants who cannot even grasp correct english

you know the ones -- who spell Armour as " armor " and other such indignities .

what is thier major numbnuts malfunction -- did they not get a full allocation of vowels

APE < DUCK AND COVER >

Rancourous Candour

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
what is thier major numbnuts malfunction -- did they not get a full allocation of vowels

In their defence, the connexion appears to centre on a singular abscence of propre dipthong keys which should othrewise be fitted on the scrammy keyboards those bloody mediaeval Yanks employ.

I found this analogue catalogued near the baque during a cheque of my encyclopaedia, which I thoroughly analysed and memorised.

A dashed skilful and clevre manoeuvre on their part, taking licence with the programme and changing civilisation in the process, in my judgement.

There are many different ways to spell and misspell "Al Qaeda". It can make it hard to search sometimes. Al Qaeda, Al-Qaeda, Al Qaida, Al-Qaida, Al quaeda, al-CIA-da, etc. Now if person "A" tags threads with one version and person "B" tags the same threads with another version and so on. If such threads had multiple tags with different spellings, you will find more threads no matter which way you spell it when you search. Just an idea...

Originally posted by Djarums
ANYTHING MISSPELLED

I've misspelled a few myself but there's no edit function for tags so you forever look like a schmuck.

Peace

I love the tagging system, the points bonanza helped solidify it. The tagging system really allows you to keep track of a topic, which can come up in lots of different threads.

For example, The Iran War:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The upcoming iran war pops up in lots of different threads that a simple ATS search might not reveal, but the tag lets you get at the meat of the substance.

Or this this one, Misunderstood Earth
www.abovetopsecret.com...

This one, there is no way to get those threads on their own, even though they are all related in that way.


Or how about this, Domestic Spying

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It'd be difficult to search for domestic spying, and then 'wiretapping scandal', and then any of the other terms that would be related to that, but here, in one location, a continuously updated list of threads that are relevant.


Tagging is a really great concept, the Overlord deserves much applause for comming up with it and implementing it in a consistent way. Its a shame that peopel were wasting their time tagging things as "stupid liberals" or "moron bushies' and otherwise using the tags to respond to people's claims in the thread.

I was thinking more along the lines of blatant and silly misspellings.

Such as someone spelling "Aria 51" or "Nooklear Misles". Stuff along those lines.

Frankly, no one is going to look using terms like that, so they're effectively useless and taking up space.

I wasn't talking about my British friends and their habit of throwing U's every which way. (Love you guys!)

aria 51 ???

is that the one where the fat lady sings

APE < RUNS AWAY >

Originally posted by ignorant_ape

is that the one where the fat lady sings

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

And you are one of the Main abusers. One of the main people to get it taken away for all.

I've posted my thoughts in the private "Complaints/Suggestions Forum" for the staff to see a couple days ago, but didn't get a reply. So now I bring it to a public forum.

I don't know if you have reviewed the tags I've place on the ATS boards, but my tags are per the topic of the thread, or are relevant to a post in that thread.
I spent many hours working to make the tagging system a viable search feature for other members to cross reference threads of a simular subject.


I was never after ATS points, face it, they become worthless after you have a few thousand, and I even offered up my points as a prize for other members that tagged. Though that was turned down.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The entire intent behind my tagging was to contribute to a forum that I get so much enjoyment from. It was a way to give back something to the community.

I have never been warned or recieved a point deduction for the tags I've placed other than a note from SkepticOverlord in the first weeks the project started, and some of what I was doing was wrong. And I corrected that........
I have also advised other members about what the rules are concerning tags, and the penalties imposed for improper tags.

This was a system that I really wanted to see work, and I feel you've sullied my good reputation on these boards by making the above statement.

I'm glad the points for tagging are gone because it should make a better system in the long run, and it was a good way to get the project started.
I would like you to review the tags I've placed over the last few months to see if any of them have been in error, but I don't think you'll find anything wrong in how I tag, and hopfully you'll see my point.


It was a lot of hard work on my part in an effort to make ATS a better place for everyone, and I'm dissapointed in your reply to this thread.

I tried my best, and contributed as much as I could per the instructions of SkepticOverlord, and now that's been dragged through the mud for other member to see.

Strip me of the points I made tagging if you want, they gained me nothing, my other contributions to these boards give me more than enough points for anything the store has to offer because I've been around here for a while.

I just want you to know it was an honest effort to contribute...............


Edit: add link



[edit on 23/6/2006 by anxietydisorder]

WHat is tagging? How do I tag? I am lost.

Originally posted by Gigram

WHat is tagging? How do I tag? I am lost.

See below in the bottom right corner of this page.

NEW THREAD TAG
Add a new tag or tags (any word or phrase up to 30 characters) to help classify this thread.
(Use commas to separate up to five unique tags.)

There's also a link there:
Rules and info about thread tagging.

[edit on 2006/6/23 by Hellmutt]

A good way to get points is to post your own photos in the Photography of ATS members thread. If they are liked enough, or subjectively considered really good by the people that can dish out points, then you'll probably get 'applauded' and get 250 points for each applause.