[Tagdb] Single and multi-word tags / swarming and spreading

[Juan Cristian Vera]

Chris wrote(paraphrased);
- Naive users want multiple word tags more than experienced users.
- Seasoning involves understanding the power of intersections, hence seasoned users prefer single word tags and are happy with the organizational advantages of intersection.

I agree wholeheartedly. I think the core of this thread amounts to two separate discussions:

1. Structuralism: Is it desirable to cater to a naive user's concept of multiple word tags to lower the barriers to access, even if we suspect they will, as they become more experienced users, drop that habit altogether. i.e. should one equate the short attention span, that gives folksonomies their agility in classification, with usage naivite?

2. Boolean logic represented implicitly though UI - What is most intuitive?: here are four SQL statements that result from the same search expressed using the two approaches

a. 
select i.header from item i, tag t where i.item_id = t.item_id and (t.tag = "san" and t.tag = "diego" and t.tag = "california")

b. 
select i.header from item i, tag t where i.item_id = t.item_id and (t.tag = "san diego" and t.tag = "california")

c. 
select i.header from item i, tag t where i.item_id = t.item_id and (t.tag = "san" or t.tag = "diego" or t.tag = "california") group by r.header order by sum(1) desc

d. 
select i.header from item i, tag t where i.item_id = t.item_id and (t.tag = "san diego" or t.tag = "california") order by sum(1) desc


3. Metadata: If there is enough richness in metadata captured about an individual tag, there is  a lot more opportunity to refine this behavior without the need for multiple word tags. If we tag something as san diego california and the tagging engine captures, for example, the tag instance, the proximity, and the relative order of tags, then a search for "san diego" can return all appropriate results with those that have the tag "san" in front of "diego" ranked higher than otherwise, and those that have "san" next to "diego" ranked higher than otherwise. This amounts to search algorithms and doubtless has side-effects that would need to be considered, but I think it addresses the concern of the implicit AND that may be at the root of the desire for multiple word tags.

best,

Juan Cristián