Labels Not Tags, Says Google

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Posted by CowboyNeal on Saturday January 20, 2007 @02:13AM from the a-tag-by-any-other-name dept.

Ashraf Al Shafaki writes "The word 'tags' is the one in common use on the Web today and is one of the distinctive features of Web 2.0. Ever since Gmail came out, Google has decided to use the term 'label' instead of the term 'tag' despite they are basically the exact same thing and have the exact same function. Why is Google using inconsistent terminology in its products for such an important term? Is there a real difference between a tag and a label?"

12 of 284 comments (clear)

It depends.... by Da+Fokka · 2007-01-20 02:17 · Score: 4, Funny

If the service is in the Beta phase it's Label. If it's in Alpha, it would be tag.

And if it's in production... well... how would we know?
1. Re:It depends.... by kfg · 2007-01-20 05:12 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Because in Alpha we might want to change things quite a bit, so we tie them on with a bit of string. By the Beta phase we're more certain and willing to risk adhesive backing.
  
  And if it's in production...
  
  It'll be glossies with "Hello. My Name is" preprinted on them; with your choice of butterflies or ponies.
  
  KFG
google, internet (tagging beta) by RobotRunAmok · 2007-01-20 02:20 · Score: 5, Funny

LABELLING beta!

Get it Right, Dammit!
Re:what is a tag ? by theStorminMormon · 2007-01-20 02:37 · Score: 2, Funny

Stupid commoners.

-stormin

--
The Southern Baptist Convention has creationism. On Slashdot, we have porn.
For Fucks Sake by Colin+Smith · 2007-01-20 02:37 · Score: 5, Funny

That's it I'm off. You've driven me out of the house into the pissing rain where I'm going to get soaking wet... I hope you're happy with yourselves. I'll have to mingle with... "people"... I may catch something, if I do, I'll blame you.

--
Deleted
1. Re:For Fucks Sake by Zadaz · 2007-01-20 03:10 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  +1 Insightful
Re:what is a tag ? by GoofyBoy · 2007-01-20 02:44 · Score: 5, Funny

Must ... fight ... Google monopoly....

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=define%3A+ta g

--
The surprise isn't how often we make bad choices; the surprise is how seldom they defeat us.
The Difference Is Obvious by WrongSizeGlass · 2007-01-20 02:46 · Score: 5, Funny

For anyone who has ever purchased clothing before, the difference between 'label' and 'tag' is obvious.

The 'label' is where the size and washing instructions are.
The 'tag' is where the price is.
Not "yes" by itself, but "yes, Yes, YEs YESSSSSS" by pem · 2007-01-20 03:09 · Score: 5, Funny

...can be an invaluable search term.
Re:Distinctive features? by MustardMan · 2007-01-20 03:19 · Score: 4, Funny

And how, exactly, are people going to abuse the labels you use to organize your own email?
Re:label makes more sense by JFMulder · 2007-01-20 03:33 · Score: 2, Funny

Two words : job security.

Thought, I read once that the surest way to get yourself fired is being irreplaceable, at least when you are a programmer.
Re:A replacement for "folder" by Teresita · 2007-01-20 05:05 · Score: 4, Funny

"The only reason hierarchies seem like a good idea is because we've been using them since the birth of file systems, because computers at the time couldn't handle anything more expressive. It's time to move on."

The heirarchal structure of the file system was imposed by the Patriarchy. The new paradigm promoted by feminists is to group files and file "containers" into an equal but interconnected web of dependencies where they all sit around in a circle and any user (no scratch that, it sounds so oppressive), a participant, if she feels like it, can learn the community consensus reached by all the other background processes.