We already have a “cryptocurrencies” tag, but things on this topic are polluting the “crypto” tag. Let’s rename it to “cryptography” to make that more obvious.
Also, everyone should use tag suggestions to reduce the pollution.
We already have a “cryptocurrencies” tag, but things on this topic are polluting the “crypto” tag. Let’s rename it to “cryptography” to make that more obvious.
Also, everyone should use tag suggestions to reduce the pollution.
Sigh, no please. Crypto means cryptography, not Internet money.
Crypto should be for cryptography.
It should, but in practice it’s also used for cryptocurrencies. Either we have to be diligent about using tag suggestions or rename it to be explicit. The latter seems simpler and less effort on us.
I think it should be okay for newbies to not know what some of the terms mean, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up and throw in the towel immediately and redefine basic terminology. We can treat it as a teaching moment. “Wrong tag: crypto means…” That doesn’t seem like too high a price for people who might have something valuable to offer once they get their footing.
That’s because they are cryptography. The problem is the people using a general label when a specific one exists. Better to just remind them cryptocurrencies is there for that. Also, this is another case where API could be handy to automate the steps of tag suggestion plus sending the message.
I vote we hold the line. Crypto is a perfectly cromulent synonym for cryptography.
A review of https://lobste.rs/t/crypto doesn’t reveal any mistagged stories. Even the one about IOTA was about differential cryptography.
Some of them got retagged because I went through and fixed the tags. Check the mod log.
They’re synonmyms. Might be better to label the crypto tag with “other crypto” or something similar to emphasize cryptocurrencies get their own tag.
I dont support redefining or retiring a common phrase, esp a big on in CompSci, becausr some people are using it wrong. SpiderOak couldve similarly justified their use of ZeroKnowledge for different concept by pointing out how many people they had using it wrong. We didnt let them, though.
Tags serve the purpose of allowing people to categorize and filter the stories posted here on lobste.rs. The correctness or incorrectness of “crypto” aside—even the appilcability of cryptography to cryptocurrencies aside—the present confusion damages the value of the
cryptoandcryptocurrencieslobste.rs tags. Renaming the tag tocryptographywould make the tag more meaningful.This is correct. We’re not talking about definitions of words, but usefulness of tags for filtering.
We are talking about the definitions of words. Cryptography equals crypto. Cryptocurrencies equals… well, you know. The two tags are there for the purposes of highlighting or filtering those. The OP says people are incorrectly labelling tags. Solution is to tell them what they’re doing so they can avoid it or some moderation activity.
You going to ask for admin to change the Windows or Programming tags if a handful of people put them on other activities we have a tag for? We going to get rid of them or make them longer if they’re mislabelled?
We can lead horses to water but we cannot make them drink.
If the world at large is moving toward changing the English language to employ crypto as a shortname for cryptocurrencies, then with all the will in the world we cannot fight against that.
The definition of ‘hacker’ forcibly changing due to sheer weight of incorrect usage is a fine example from our past. Respectfully, your ideals are noble, but if they don’t reflect reality, that’s the end of it. :-)
That right there is the most compelling counter since I’ve given up trying to explain the difference to the general public. Watching people’s faces when I say I read Hacker News is interesting to this day. Always have to follow up with an explanation about the term. So, I just skip the name usually to say what content it has.
“We can lead horses to water but we cannot make them drink.”
This is wrong analogy. There’s a whole sub-field of education with this name plus a super-set called Information Security both of which will be penalizing students for getting it wrong. There’s also tech forums that force correct use of labeling or other rules. On this one, I’d prefer to keep burden low on moderators. Gotta balance that against accuracy. Tag renames plus suggestions on corrective action would imply action against the account if that was ignored. There’s also possibility of scripting it to look for keywords on any items tagged crypto to autosuggest cryptocurrencies.
I support this (for being more complete/explicit).
This sounds like a good idea.
It solves the problem you’re mentioning. For people who “know better” and don’t need the tag rename…. well they’re not going to get confused by the tag rename.
People currently having issues will no longer have it, and people who don’t have issues will suffer a bit of a psychological loss, but no more. Sounds like a net positive to me.
I agree it should be changed to “cryptography”. I’d rather have unambiguous tags. Nevertheless, I am annoyed to see that “crypto” is increasingly hijacked to mean “cryptocurrencies”.
I support this.
I do as well, having a more explicit tag is reasonable.
Gets my vote.
I support this.