[tlug] [A] Using [TAGGING] in email subjects

["emiddleton@example.com" <emiddleton@example.com>]

Keith Bawden wrote:
> On 8/7/07, emiddleton@example.com <emiddleton@example.com> wrote:
>   
>> Keith Bawden wrote:
>>     
>>> On 8/7/07, emiddleton@example.com <emiddleton@example.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> Keith Bawden wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> simply encouraging people to use descriptive subject lines should
>>>>> suffice.
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> writing descriptive lines does little for searching.  Just because you
>>>> have a particular word in the subject doesn't mean the subject concerns
>>>> that word.
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> No but a nicely written subject will help more than a cryptic tag. For example:
>>>
>>> [tlug][IME] Done gone been broke, and my foot hurts.
>>>
>>> Or
>>>
>>> [tlug] SCIM is not working on my Debian Etch box
>>>
>>>       
>> but
>>
>> [SCIM] is not working on my Debian Etch box
>>
>> would be even better because it would distinguish the topic as being about SCIM as apposed to
>>
>> could someone recommend an alternative to SCIM
>>     
>
> Then in that case I would suggest the ideal subjects would be:
>
> "could someone recommend an alternative to SCIM"
>
> and
>
> "SCIM is not working on my Debian Etch box"
>
> What is so terribly vague about either subjects that would need a tag?
>   

"could someone recommend an alternative to SCIM"

and

"[SCIM] is not working on my Debian Etch box"


A search, or filter, for SCIM pulls up both but a search for [SCIM]
would only pull up the second because it is actually about SCIM.

>>> If we do not consistently use what ever tags we decide upon then their
>>> effectiveness is limited.
>>>       
>> Yes, if we used [SCIM] to refer to my app named scim as apposed to the
>> input method then this would make the tags less effective.
>>     
>
> So we need to create tags for all applications to decrease ambiguity?
>   

Only the ones that are the subject of messages.  A forksonmy doesn't
have to be exhaustive to be useful.

>>>  If we select tags based on "common sense"
>>> then someone will need to go out and research what is common sense and
>>> who actually has it - if it is found to exist.
>>>
>>>       
>> Common usage not common sense.
>>     
>
> As far as I can see, there is no common usage. The IME, FEP, HENKAN
> issue being a point in case.
>   

Sorry I am not following your point.   Could you explain the relevance
of not having a single word that is commonly associated with input
method has on the use of a tagging in subject headers?

>>> Another way of puting it. If we have to think hard, debate, and
>>> "flesh" out this list of tags and the associated descriptions of the
>>> type of information the represent then it would suggest such a list
>>> would not be immediately useful without everyone doing table lookups
>>> when crafting the subject line to an email.
>>>
>>>       
>> In 'fleshing out' a forksonomy we have found that IME, FEP, HENKAN are
>> not naturally associated with input methods by a number of people, but
>> the direct application reference SCIM is.
>>     
>
> Of course if we all had pull down menus where we could select from and
> add new tags[1] from within our email clients then this *might* work.
>   

Hay it is just two extra keys '[' ']' and they are right next to the
Enter key if you are using a Japanese layout ;)

> Final point on this tomato sauce[2] is that will a newbie be likely to
> know what any of these tags mean, the genre they should choose, or in
> some cases what the name of the problem application is?
>   

They will if we add it to the mail list usage policy and they do as
requested and read it.  If they don't then all bets are off for
everything mailing list policy related.

> Hence the " please help me to type Japanese" type subjects. Being
> difficult for a newbie to rewrite as:
>
> [tlug][scim][athy][henkan][i'm cold and need a hug] please help me to
> type Japanese
>   

[tlug][noob] please help me to type Japanese

would however express that the new user who doesn't know what input
method they should be using needs help setting it up.  Yes it might not
have as much informational content as having IME or something else that
expresses input method but it has a lot more then the status quo.

Edward