Tagging and Technorati

Homework.
I actually quite like the idea of tagging.... but I've never really mastered Library of Congress subject headings. Undoubtedly there is an advantage to consistantly apply a limited range of headings but it takes some time for new headings to be introduced and they do often seem to be based on a linear-discrete view of information which does not really seem to describe some types of content. I suppose the economy in using subject headings is in part a heritage from the old card catalogue and cataloguing resources.... Libraries have been using notes in computer records to provide additional access points and most patrons do use keyword search rather than subject search. Conventional rules limit the number and nature of subject headings assigned to an item making it easy for someone familiar with the particular taxonomy to locate the item in a linear collection. There is no limit to the number or types of tags that can be assigned to an item providing many intuitive access points but at a possible exprense to relevance. Somewhere there is a healthy mean that both libaries and bloggers can share?

Del.icio.us does seem more useful for more than just creating remotely accessable bookmark. In a sense it is providing an online catalogue with the advantage of direct links from one record to another. Information can be clustered as is relevant to the user rather than arranged in a particular, conventional hierachy. The best catalogues and indexes are structured to reflect the cognition and interests of their users. Haven't really had time to investigate Technorati (a search engine for tags rather than text?).

End homework.