labels/tags instead of subfora?

[niko]

posted by rjk:

The issue with that plugin is that it allows freeform tags, whereas ideally you would have to choose from a list of predefined tags.

Not sure I understand why it would be an issue -- even using predefined tags, it's going to be like herding cats to get users to use the "right" tags.  There may well be a predefined tag plugin out there, and I'm sure it's possible to modify one of the existing ones to a set list of tags -- just only have experience with the one I mentioned.  Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


Frank

Well in this case, the "right" tags wouldn't matter since there would be a minimum of one tag, and the minimum tag would automatically be applied based on which section the topic was started in. Advanced users could tag a topic with additional sections, and then the topic would show in the tagged sections as well as the one it was started in.

I was thinking tags only, no boards. I come to the forum, and click on "economics" tag, see what's new there. Then I also click on the "speculation" tag (check box) - now I see topics (aka threads) that have both "economics" and "speculation" tags applied. I start a new topic at that moment, it's got automatically those two tags applied to begin with. I can add/remove tags as desired (from the predefined list). There has to be at least one tag.

You come to the forum and choose to view "speculation" topics. You see all topics with that tag, including mine. Then you add "mining" tag, and you are you viewing topics filtered based on that. My topic is not there.

[rjk]

posted by rjk:

The issue with that plugin is that it allows freeform tags, whereas ideally you would have to choose from a list of predefined tags.

Not sure I understand why it would be an issue -- even using predefined tags, it's going to be like herding cats to get users to use the "right" tags.  There may well be a predefined tag plugin out there, and I'm sure it's possible to modify one of the existing ones to a set list of tags -- just only have experience with the one I mentioned.  Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


Frank

Well in this case, the "right" tags wouldn't matter since there would be a minimum of one tag, and the minimum tag would automatically be applied based on which section the topic was started in. Advanced users could tag a topic with additional sections, and then the topic would show in the tagged sections as well as the one it was started in.

I was thinking tags only, no boards. I come to the forum, and click on "economics" tag, see what's new there. Then I also click on the "speculation" tag (check box) - now I see topics (aka threads) that have both "economics" and "speculation" tags applied. I start a new topic at that moment, it's got automatically those two tags applied to begin with. I can add/remove tags as desired (from the predefined list). There has to be at least one tag.

You come to the forum and choose to view "speculation" topics. You see all topics with that tag, including mine. Then you add "mining" tag, and you are you viewing topics filtered based on that. My topic is not there.

That's a possibility as well, I was thinking of something that would bolt on to the existing interface without changing it too much.

[bitcoinbear]

The first thing that came to my mind is there would have to be a limit on the number of tags you could use, possibly based on something like forum rank (like newbies can only add one tag, normal people can add two). I am imagining the most obnoxious people checking every single tag so their drivel will pop up everywhere at once.

[niko]

The first thing that came to my mind is there would have to be a limit on the number of tags you could use, possibly based on something like forum rank (like newbies can only add one tag, normal people can add two). I am imagining the most obnoxious people checking every single tag so their drivel will pop up everywhere at once.

Good point. I suggest newbies can (and must) only use the "newbie" tag, similar to the way it works now.

[dree12]

Maybe instead of tags, we could have a crosspost feature that allows posting a topic in two sections. The full tag system seems like it would be hard to manage, with a load of tags.

[rjk]

Maybe instead of tags, we could have a crosspost feature that allows posting a topic in two sections. The full tag system seems like it would be hard to manage, with a load of tags.

The point of the tag system is so that you don't have to read both crossposted topics. Once you have read a tagged topic, it shows up as already read in the other sections that it is tagged for.

[dree12]

Maybe instead of tags, we could have a crosspost feature that allows posting a topic in two sections. The full tag system seems like it would be hard to manage, with a load of tags.

The point of the tag system is so that you don't have to read both crossposted topics. Once you have read a tagged topic, it shows up as already read in the other sections that it is tagged for.

I think I misstated. I mean that a thread can have up to two sections: a main section, and a crosspost section. The crosspost section will display the thread in grey and thinner, without counting towards the threads on the page (similar to how ignored threads look, but maybe a bit fatter). There could also be an option to turn off viewing of crossposted threads.