Comments on: Stupidest Web Feature Ever Created: Tag Clouds http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/ web entrepreneur | obsessed music fan | b-lo forever! Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:32:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: schmildo http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-20759 schmildo Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:23:48 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-20759 I'm on a war-path, i'm going to paste in my response from another website about tag-clouds, and how much I hate them. I only sleep well at night because I know they will in time, become uncool. --------------- I hate tagclouds with white-hot passion. I hate them even more than I hate blog sites. (no personal offence intended, I'm relieved you too are sceptical of this new 'fad') Blog sites are the bane of the internet, they are the digital equivalent of the scrawl on the back of a public toilet door, except they are less intersting, more difficult to read and filled with inappropriately utilised 'plug and play' web2 features. So it is of no surprise to me that blog sites have taken up tagclouds. Tagclouds are naturally the digital equivalent of thought-maps. Thought maps are only relevant to the creator of the map. To others the information is often disjoint and irrelevant. This holds true of tagclouds. The data displayed is only relevant to the designer of the site's metadata. It is digital vomit. I wanted to leave a comment because I struggled to find anyone else online who thought tagclouds were impractical, and i needed to vent. LOL There should be an international site where everyone can go and complain about specific internet trends. Rock on. Schmildo. ------------- I’m on a war-path, i’m going to paste in my response from another website about tag-clouds, and how much I hate them.
I only sleep well at night because I know they will in time, become uncool.

—————
I hate tagclouds with white-hot passion.
I hate them even more than I hate blog sites. (no personal offence intended, I’m relieved you too are sceptical of this new ‘fad’)

Blog sites are the bane of the internet, they are the digital equivalent of the scrawl on the back of a public toilet door, except they are less intersting, more difficult to read and filled with inappropriately utilised ‘plug and play’ web2 features. So it is of no surprise to me that blog sites have taken up tagclouds.

Tagclouds are naturally the digital equivalent of thought-maps. Thought maps are only relevant to the creator of the map. To others the information is often disjoint and irrelevant. This holds true of tagclouds. The data displayed is only relevant to the designer of the site’s metadata. It is digital vomit.

I wanted to leave a comment because I struggled to find anyone else online who thought tagclouds were impractical, and i needed to vent. LOL

There should be an international site where everyone can go and complain about specific internet trends.

Rock on.

Schmildo.
————-

]]> By: Michael Lacy http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-735 Michael Lacy Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:51:34 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-735 You just haven't seen tag clouds done well. You can filter mine by date, category, content type, site, time, etc. http://neurokinetikz.com/user/tags/66 You just haven’t seen tag clouds done well. You can filter mine by date, category, content type, site, time, etc.

http://neurokinetikz.com/user/tags/66

]]> By: Jake http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-734 Jake Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:46:20 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-734 I think tag clouds, if used correctly, are much like other mind-mapping tools. It helps to put, for example, the topics you are blogging about into a cluster of more and less important topics symbolized by words... nice post btw! I think tag clouds, if used correctly, are much like other mind-mapping tools. It helps to put, for example, the topics you are blogging about into a cluster of more and less important topics symbolized by words…

nice post btw!

]]> By: Adam http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-733 Adam Sun, 22 Apr 2007 19:14:19 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-733 I like the tag clouds on last.fm I like the tag clouds on last.fm

]]> By: The Pageman http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-732 The Pageman Sun, 22 Apr 2007 05:24:05 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-732 I heard somewhere that you can put *your* own tag cloud at the back of your business card so that people would have a quick idea of what you're into and give them a context :) I heard somewhere that you can put *your* own tag cloud at the back of your business card so that people would have a quick idea of what you’re into and give them a context :)

]]> By: Zviki Cohen http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-728 Zviki Cohen Tue, 10 Apr 2007 14:38:33 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-728 I agree. Tag clouds are just a total mess. We were taught over the years to think in hierarchy, so don't try to fix us... I agree. Tag clouds are just a total mess. We were taught over the years to think in hierarchy, so don’t try to fix us…

]]> By: Stan Schroeder http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-731 Stan Schroeder Thu, 05 Apr 2007 13:26:50 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-731 I use a tag cloud on my site, but I'm not a huge proponent (or opponent) of them. I just thought it might be a nice addition to the site, to let people see what topics I cover most often. However, in your article you give absolutely no arguments against the use of tag clouds. You just claim they're useless. Well, how about that Twitter badge you have in your sidebar? Is it useful? Not for me. Still, I wouldn't go so far as to trash it as a stupid/useless feature. I use a tag cloud on my site, but I’m not a huge proponent (or opponent) of them. I just thought it might be a nice addition to the site, to let people see what topics I cover most often.

However, in your article you give absolutely no arguments against the use of tag clouds. You just claim they’re useless. Well, how about that Twitter badge you have in your sidebar? Is it useful? Not for me. Still, I wouldn’t go so far as to trash it as a stupid/useless feature.

]]> By: Gregg http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-730 Gregg Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:20:39 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-730 If we didn't have tag clouds what the heck would we do with all these tags? Actually, I am split on this as I agree with their utilized in the wrong spot on pages, or are presented in an overwhelming fashion. The birds eye view comment by Marc is spot on, as they help the viewer quickly evaluate the theme of the site and content there-in. I also agree a good tag cloud has an order that is easily recognizable(alphabetical, popularity). I agree with Tom, Flickr has the right idea. If we didn’t have tag clouds what the heck would we do with all these tags? Actually, I am split on this as I agree with their utilized in the wrong spot on pages, or are presented in an overwhelming fashion.
The birds eye view comment by Marc is spot on, as they help the viewer quickly evaluate the theme of the site and content there-in. I also agree a good tag cloud has an order that is easily recognizable(alphabetical, popularity). I agree with Tom, Flickr has the right idea.

]]> By: matt http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-729 matt Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:42:31 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-729 I like tag clouds when they are set up in an aesthetically pleasing way... The sad thing is so many people love to recreate a trend and contrive their own version of "quality" so the mass of examples is clouded with bad execution.... (yeah, pun intended). I like tag clouds when they are set up in an aesthetically pleasing way…

The sad thing is so many people love to recreate a trend and contrive their own version of “quality” so the mass of examples is clouded with bad execution….

(yeah, pun intended).

]]> By: Nathan http://blog.stevepoland.com/stupidest-web-feature-ever-created-tag-clouds/comment-page-1/#comment-727 Nathan Tue, 03 Apr 2007 13:53:24 +0000 http://stevepoland.com/?p=192#comment-727 I think the general idea of tag clouds is an interesting one, although that could potentially even be created. I wonder about an optimized tag cloud. Instead of jumbling them together, put them in a list. This could be the difference of use between a nimbos cloud (current design) and a cumulos cloud (vertical design). Eg: The size of the text could still be variabe, to some degree, but have the list automatically sorted with the most common (largest) at the top. Otherwise I find tag clouds obnoxious. One of the things I hate most about ma.gnolia is that it tag clouds vs. del.icio.us which doesn't tag cloud automatically (if i recall). I think the general idea of tag clouds is an interesting one, although that could potentially even be created.

I wonder about an optimized tag cloud. Instead of jumbling them together, put them in a list. This could be the difference of use between a nimbos cloud (current design) and a cumulos cloud (vertical design). Eg: The size of the text could still be variabe, to some degree, but have the list automatically sorted with the most common (largest) at the top.

Otherwise I find tag clouds obnoxious. One of the things I hate most about ma.gnolia is that it tag clouds vs. del.icio.us which doesn’t tag cloud automatically (if i recall).

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