https://github.com/taext/meta-tag
Design proposal for general-purpose two-dimensional explicit meta-data format.
https://github.com/taext/meta-tag
design metadata proposal
Last synced: 4 months ago
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Design proposal for general-purpose two-dimensional explicit meta-data format.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/taext/meta-tag
- Owner: taext
- Created: 2018-03-07T14:11:56.000Z (over 8 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2020-05-18T13:02:40.000Z (about 6 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-27T06:30:56.590Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: design, metadata, proposal
- Homepage:
- Size: 16.6 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 1
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Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# Introducing the meta-tag v10.2
### and the meta-data operator
march 3rd 2018 by d@v1d.dk
## scope and value proposition
The meta-tag
1. is an open-source general-purpose explicit meta-data format
2. is a formalization of explicit content tagging #that_is #not_these
3. adds a descriptive dimension to the tagging concept (tag your tags!)
## definition
1. a meta-tag is a tag with optional tags
2. a meta-tag can grow in two dimensions
- sibling, denoted `.`
- child, denoted `..`
For the sake of completeness of definition, only the last sibling can have children.
This follows naturally from the syntax and seems to work nicely in practice.
## 1. the prefix `..` meta-data operator
### 1.1. the basic meta-tag
Here is an example of the basic meta-tag:
**..podcast**
using the `..` prefix meta-data operator to indicate meta-tag format.
While this meta-tag contains only the single word `podcast`, the `..` prefix effectively sets the word in the tag domain context, visually and parsing-wise.
### 1.2. implicit object referencing
The *prefix* `..` meta-data operator is an *implicit* reference. That is to say, the object being described is only implicitly connected to the tag.
E.g. a web page, text paragraph or line of text containing the meta-tag:
+45 31 27 34 66 ..Michael Manboy..mobile.phone.work..Work Harder Inc..
This example of a phone number with explicit meta-data demonstrates the full syntax at work.
Here are the final two syntax components, used in this example, completing the meta-tag definition:
1. by convention, tags with a capital first letter are considered title/text tags
2. the trailing `..` allows for white-space (normally `_` underscore)
## 2. the `.` sibling operator
Here is an example of a meta-tag with multiple tags
**..mp3.podcast.american.tech**
This meta-tag describes an implicit object with the tags
- mp3
- podcast
- american
- tech
All four tags describing the object itself, as if branching out to form a star.
More cerebrally, the `.` single dot operator is a separator of several tags *in the same dimension*, all describing the dimension above/below/around the corner.
But importantly, the `.` single dot operator is just classic tag functionality as known from Evernote tags, Flickr tags etc.
## 3. the in-line `..` meta-data operator
When the `..` meta-data operator occurs in-line, *it signifies a branch*.
The following tags, separated by `.` single dots, will describe the tag preceding the `..` meta-data operator.
Thereby forming a new branch of descriptive dimension.
This is more easily understood visually - here is a more elaborate version of the previous example:
**..mp3..filetype.longform.podcast..american.tech**
or in expanded view
- mp3
- filetype
- longform
- podcast
- american
- tech
Created in real-time simply by asking open questions appropriate to the tag in question
Q. "what kind of a podcast?"
A. "an American podcast", "a tech podcast"
and
Q. "MP3 what?"
A. "MP3 filetype", "long-form MP3", "MP3 podcast"
This kind of *free-form tag type declaration* if you will, is of course only one particular use of the meta-tag.
Though it is my favourite way at the moment of wrapping my head around the concept.
I hope you can think of uses, musings and abuses.
Drop me a mail if you do.