Tame the Tags Blob!

March 18, 2007 3:27 PM

The Front Page Posting page shows a big blob listing ALL the tags I have used on previous posts. Particularly big because I have made 199 posts on at least 175 different topics, including high-tech band-aids (an early NewsFilter with 2 now-dead links), a-list blogs, MetaFilter-related stuff before MetaTalk existed (this post features jessamyn making a suggestion to create something like MetaTalk) Interpol, Steely Dan, ICANN, and Fat People (without a trainwreck in the comments!)... and that was all in my first month participating here. Anyway, that tag blob, as it now exists, does me no benefit and just blocks the way to the "Preview" button. Can we have options to show NO tags or most used tags or tags used more than once ple-e-e-eze?
posted by wendell to feature requests at 3:27 PM (32 comments total)

I can remove it entirely, as I don't use it too often, but the whole point of it is to click the tags to auto-fill the tag form, so that you can use consistent tags between related posts.
posted by mathowie at 3:40 PM on March 18, 2007

(...or we could consider it to be a form of deterrence, a way of punishing people who overpost...)
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 3:50 PM on March 18, 2007

Man, if I ever want to post to the blue again I'm going to constrain my post to something I can represent with consecutive existing tags from my list.

Which pretty much narrows it down to either "advertising amazing anaconda arbuckle" or "elephant fanboy film flick".
posted by cortex at 3:54 PM on March 18, 2007

the whole point of it is to click the tags to auto-fill the tag form

Wow. I never made that connection. Maybe mention that somewhere on the page, like a little "choose tags from list below to auto-fill" next to the tags box? But even then, I think it'd be nicer if the list moved to below the preview button.
posted by mediareport at 3:59 PM on March 18, 2007

Hm, I could make some fine posts with consecutive tags from my list:
ancient animation applet
chuckjones circles cities
corn covers cranks
millipedes mining mitochondria
owl painting parody
science scores scorpions
TourDeFrance translation tricks
posted by Wolfdog at 4:09 PM on March 18, 2007

Fuck the posts, Wolfdog; let's just start some bands.
posted by cortex at 4:20 PM on March 18, 2007

Wendell, thank you for pointing out some of your early posts. As I am writing your biography, they will come in handy. And I'd been somehow unable to find them through the usual means.
posted by Plutor at 4:26 PM on March 18, 2007

I admit I'd be proud to be a member of Wolves Woodwinds.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:35 PM on March 18, 2007

Hey, Plute, my next FPP is going to be my 200th. I expect a cake for that.

And matt, I understand how the tag blob works, but once you've got 300-400 different tags there, it's too hard to find the usefully relevant, which is why I suggested a "most used" or "used more than once" option.
posted by wendell at 4:46 PM on March 18, 2007

I like seeing all those tags on my page, in large part for the reason Matt gave.
posted by caddis at 4:56 PM on March 18, 2007

Yeah I find it a bit unmanagable as well, but then I am a tag slut.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:03 PM on March 18, 2007

I too find it unweildy, but I am also a tag slut.

Maybe place preview/post buttons above the tagblob for easier tab-key navigating and such?

I have used the tagblob once or twice, but I generally try to avoid mousing-clicking, and find it easier to stay on home row and just type my tags in.
posted by loquacious at 5:10 PM on March 18, 2007

I invented MetaTalk!!
posted by jessamyn at 5:11 PM on March 18, 2007

Welcome home!
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:16 PM on March 18, 2007

Do people really post on the same subject that often? That's the only time it would be useful.

Wouldn't it make more sense to list common tags for the entire site?
posted by smackfu at 5:21 PM on March 18, 2007

I expect a cake for that.
Would marmalade be OK?
posted by Wolfdog at 5:25 PM on March 18, 2007

I'd rather see the post page query del.icio.us and recommend tags based on the links in the draft post.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 5:29 PM on March 18, 2007

Wouldn't it make more sense to list common tags for the entire site?

I agree - this makes sense.
posted by dash_slot- at 6:04 PM on March 18, 2007

Both would be the optimal solution. delicious does it right -- no shame in aping their implementation, I'd say.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:11 PM on March 18, 2007

"I invented MetaTalk!!"

You're no Al Gore.
posted by klangklangston at 6:34 PM on March 18, 2007

Senator, I knew You're no Al Gore, I served with You're no Al Gore, and you, sir, are no You're no Al Gore.
posted by cortex at 6:48 PM on March 18, 2007

You're no Al Gore.

That's right...she actually did invent it...
posted by DMan at 6:52 PM on March 18, 2007

Countdown to sockpuppet named You're No Al Gore...
posted by klangklangston at 7:06 PM on March 18, 2007

I'd rather see the post page query del.icio.us and recommend tags based on the links in the draft post.

You know what? That's a great freakin' idea. Leverage the power of delicious to help people tag would cut down on the work of someone posting stuff.
posted by mathowie at 7:17 PM on March 18, 2007

And although I wasn't the one suggesting it, I did initiate the thread where it was suggested. Which makes up for the nostalgia-induced headache I gave myself going through my Feb. 2000 posts...

And jess, is MetaTalk really something to take credit for or blame? Now, I'm No Al Gore, in fact, I'm a lot more like Leslie Gore...
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to,
Cry if I want to,
Cry if I want to,
You would cry too if it happened to yo-o-o-o-o-ou!
posted by wendell at 7:31 PM on March 18, 2007

I vote to bag it.
posted by serazin at 7:54 PM on March 18, 2007

I can remove it entirely, as I don't use it too often, but the whole point of it is to click the tags to auto-fill the tag form, so that you can use consistent tags between related posts.

Wouldn't it kind of be considered a bad thing if people posted about the same thing all the time? I doubt I'll ever post anything under the HOOKERGATE tag again.

Still, I like seeing a list of all the tags I've used, perhaps you could list it somewhere else, and have the links actually go to post you and other people have made with that tag.
posted by delmoi at 9:21 PM on March 18, 2007

I invented MetaTalk!!

The write-up I never submitted to ReFi covered that comment, jessamyn. I felt like Indiana Jones discovering some ancient secrets out of a forgotten text reading that thread.
posted by carsonb at 11:21 PM on March 18, 2007

The last sentence of that comment being a fine example of why the write-up went unsubbed.
posted by carsonb at 11:22 PM on March 18, 2007

I invented MetaTalk!!
At least now we know who to blame.
posted by dg at 3:43 AM on March 19, 2007

The write-up I never submitted to ReFi

Heretic!
posted by cortex at 6:21 AM on March 19, 2007

How about a javascripty bit so the list is hidden by default? Those who want to see their list can click to view.
posted by ardgedee at 8:27 AM on March 19, 2007