9

As 10K+ rep user, you get the ability to edit tags inline.

Though wrong or missing tags are rarely ever the only problem with a question. There's always spelling or formatting issues, or there's a title that indicates the actual question better. Sure, Appropriate use of inline tag edits tells us "Tags are important.", but are they important enough to warrant to bump an otherwise bad question to the top of the question queue?

So: when is it appropriate to utilize this option? What is the consensus on tag-only edits, especially when there's a lot more to fix on that question?

3
  • It feels to me that there are two separate topics here: 1) when should I just change the tags and 2) why do tag edits bump (a possibly bad) question to the top of the question queue. Feb 5 '15 at 13:36
  • I'm fine with that, but the title is indicating something slightly different. I'll take the fact that the questions are bumped as just one of the effects of altering tags then. Feb 5 '15 at 16:02
  • Given linked duplicate, the answer to my question is that there is "no reason to avoid fixing obvious problems with a post when you're editing its tags. You don't use the inline tag editor in these cases"? @Martijn
    – CodeCaster
    Feb 6 '15 at 9:33
5

Tag edits are - in my opinion - mainly useful for retagging incorrectly tagged questions where the user just forgot tags or misunderstood the meaning of a tag. For instance, I often retag to or remove for email related signatures. As I'm just looking for myself, I won't edit questions that aren't about digital signatures.

I'm not sure that there is a 1:1 relation between a badly tagged question and a badly written question. I've seen fine questions that just don't contain the tag for the actual language/runtime.

Spelling mistakes by themselves may not be enough reason to edit a question, unless they harm readability to a greater extend. If there is a lot more to fix in a question then it is of course of greater value to fix the question.

Finally, I don't always have the time to do a full edit. In that case it's good to make the question at least visible to the followers of the newly added tags and have them clean the question up instead.

5
  • 2
    Your last sentence is exactly why I asked this question. I see poor questions being bumped without the tag-editor even considering to down- or closevote or fix any other issues with it. Then what's the point in editing the tags? Each time I see that, I think "this question shouldn't be on this site in its current form, let alone in tags I'm following".
    – CodeCaster
    Feb 5 '15 at 13:21
  • 1
    @CodeCaster If nobody sees the question then nobody will fix it. If a question just has a digital-signature set (just to continue my example) then it won't receive much attention - that tag has few followers. If I add a runtime, say java and a "higher up" tag, say cryptography to it then it will at least be seen. Feb 5 '15 at 13:24
  • Well I for one don't like shoving bad-quality post onto a tag, solely to get people interested in those tags to fix it. Fixing a question is first and foremost OP's task, and a mere tag edit just doesn't help much.
    – CodeCaster
    Feb 5 '15 at 15:09
  • 1
    You're adding your interpretation to my answer. Tags should be used according to the information that's in the question, regardless of the quality of the information of the answer. Tag edits make sure that the right people are viewing the information. That may also mean that others, e.g. those interested in method signatures in above example) don't see the question anymore because the tag is removed. It sounds like you think that adjusting the tags is the same as giving a task to other people. It's not, it's just righting something that is wrong... Feb 5 '15 at 16:09
  • Note that it is quite often that I first adjust the tags just to adjust the question when I have time to read it and handle it appropriately. That person that I'm trying to reach may be me. Feb 5 '15 at 16:11

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