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In my opinion, the latter is OK. I propose we make an effort to clean these tags up or leave comments to OPs so they can clarify their meanings. is too nebulous to be used without context.

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I think the database tag should be deleted. I'd be surprised if there were any questions that were tagged only by the database tag. –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 12:35

3 Answers 3

up vote 4 down vote accepted

How can you tell you’re using a meta-tag?



Although the database tag is broad, IMO it can work as the only tag on a question, and it only means one thing. It therefore is suitable as a tag on SO.

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The issue I have is when the tags read: sql mysql database .. well, mysql is a database so it is redundant. It can be a meta tag. –  staticx Aug 28 '10 at 20:25
yes, it is suitable because it can work as the only tag. –  Jeff Atwood Aug 29 '10 at 6:38
@JeffAtwood: Disagree. That's like saying "language" works as a tag in addition to "Java", "C" and "PHP", and can stand alone. In practice, it would rarely if ever stand alone. –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 12:39
@ChrisGerken Just because a tag is sometimes, or even misused, doesn't mean it's a meta tag. One can have a question about databases that isn't specific to any particular database, just like one can have questions about programming languages that aren't specific to any particular programming language. Now, if we find that, in practice a tag is abused vastly more than it is used properly it may be decided that it has a net negative value, but that still doesn't make it a meta tag. –  Servy Oct 30 '12 at 14:05
@Servy: I disagree. If the question is too general to apply to any one database vendor then it very likely doesn't belong in SO. The only exception might be questions about SQL, but that's what the sql tag is for. –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 14:20
@ChrisGerken That's different than calling it a meta tag though. You're using the rules for applying a meta tag to try to make your argument. It possible that the tag doesn't belong despite not being a meta tag, for example because it's overly broad and therefore doesn't have enough added value to be worthwhile, but that's a separate argument. –  Servy Oct 30 '12 at 14:24
@Servy: metatag or not, it the database tag should be nuked. –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 14:38

But which one would you follow for database questions?

I would almost want a [database-agnostic] tag instead of just [database] because right now [database] is so generic that it applys to everything. If it was [database-agnostic] then the amount of mistagged questions would go down since they have nothing to do with each other.

On a related note, should [mysql] questions be tagged [sql] as well? It seems a bit redundant and is just tag farming. [mysql] implies [sql] but there are probably more people following the generic [sql] to keep sanity.

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that's my point. Unless you have a question about SQL use on MYSQL, I guess it is ok, but the point is that you are targeting MYSQL not SQL. The only time I'd expect it to be OK is if you were database-agnostic, as you suggested. Then you could do sql database-agnostic as your tags. –  staticx Aug 28 '10 at 20:47
I believe in practice folks follow vendor-specific tags. For example, I'll follow Cassandra and Hive, but have no interest in MySQL, Oracle or DB2. –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 12:33

I Disagree:

database tag is fine for general database questions like:

  1. "Which database works well with PHP?"
  2. Top 3 database used in Industry?
  3. Benefits of Database Backups?

The list is endless...

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why not php-database, industry-databases, and database-backups ? –  staticx Aug 28 '10 at 20:46
@Changeling I don't know about those tags... a generic tag like [database] is meant to encompass all those topics –  TheLQ Aug 28 '10 at 21:22
I'd flag each of those for deletion as product comparison questions –  Chris Gerken Oct 30 '12 at 12:33

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