[IxDA Discuss] Taxonomy + Folksonomy ?

[Kyle Cooney]

Hi, Christopher -

I believe Buzzillions.com implements a system similar to what you're
describing to great effect:

http://www.buzzillions.com/ResultsController.do?N=4294967010

I've seen similar sites, but this is only one off the top of my head.

As for my thoughts on such a system, my opinion is that it's probably the
optimal solution for most cases.  I've worked with people on both ends of
the spectrum, one being that the taxonomy should be completely fixed (no
user submissions), and one where the person thought the system should be
completely user defined, and that algorithms could be developed to take
advantage of the network effect for accuracy.

kyle


On 4/27/07, Christopher Fahey <chris.fahey at behaviordesign.com> wrote:
>
> Howdy all,
>
> (sorry for cross-posting, I don't know where to go anymore)
>
> I'm imagining a system (for a project) where a fixed taxonomy exists,
> but where each node in the taxonomy is also associatated (editorially,
> by humans) with a series of folksonomy tags.
>
> So, for example, the system's fixed taxonomy might have:
>
> Animals-->Carnivores-->Felines-->DomesticCats
>
> Each node of this taxonomy might then be associated with various free
> folksonomic tags, so the taxonomic "Animals" might also include any data
> object tagged with the folksonomy tag "critters". Objects tagged "meat
> eaters" or "predators" would fall under "Carnivores"
>
> As users create arbitrary new folksonomy tags (for example someone
> spontaneously tags an article about housecats with "kitties"), an editor
> will catch the new tag and then find a close analogue among the fixed
> taxonomy (in this case, "kitties would map to "DomesticCats").
>
> This system implies that much of the content will not marked by the
> taxonomy, either because it is being imported from elsewhere or because
> we don't want to show a complex taxonomy UI to a user, instead just
> letting them tag freely.
>
> Has anyone seen a system like this in place somewhere?
>
> Is this simply a synonym system, or is it something more?
>
> Any thoughts on such a system?
>
> Thanks,
> -Cf
>
> Christopher Fahey
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