When I save a page on del.icio.us I include a quick sentence to describe the page--otherwise I'd probably forget why I saved it in the first place. But in addition to writing a description I also assign tags.
A tag is just a word (or short phrase) used to describe or categorize content, in this case my bookmarks. These tags act as filters which, when clicked as links, list all my bookmarks that carry that tag. In contrast, browser-based bookmarking tools provide folders for organization. Folders are fine, but tags are better since any number of different tags can be applied to a single bookmark. Folders are hierarchical, tags are organic. Folders are rigid, tags are flexible.
Tags mark a significant improvement in managing and organizing information. For example, when I write my newsletters my tags make it easy to recall the insights and information I've encountered over time.
Now if tags were merely an improved mechanism for organization I wouldn't be writing this newsletter, and I certainly wouldn't call myself a tagging junkie. But there are greater forces at work behind tagging.
I am invdstigating ways to index an electronic newsletter I am invovled with. We need to archive some of the articles and make it searchable. Would tagging work for that activity? How would it work?
claranne.vogel@dese.mo.gov
Claranne,
Tagging probably wouldn't do the trick. Tagging would be helpful for organizing this content by concepts or categories, and using something like Del.icio.us, you could let other people see it if they have common tags. Is this content already part of a website that you maintain?
Chris