Knowledge_Seeker said:
This is fine for something like the ushanka or one of our many specific tags for gun models because the precision is more beneficial than not, and the people who are searching for those tags already know what they want to look for. Not using specific names is harmful in these cases.
Center frills has over 20k posts, meaning it is a rather common tag, compared to either. There's also the issue that placket is a very rare word to come across in everyday speech, unless you happen to like to sew. I repeat: most people don't know what a placket is. I think in this specific instance, using the more "precise and professional" term would be much more harmful than just letting the tag be. Most people searching center frills probably don't know what a placket is, and while I'm sure its irritating to someone who does, its less that I think "placket is a rare word and should be avoided at all costs" and more "in this specific instance, using the proper word 'placket' would cause more problems than it solves, as it is a rare word". I don't expect most users to have the patience to look up what a placket is, especially were we to trade in an already perfectly working name for something like this. There's no need.
You are aware you just shot your own argument in the foot then, right? It's not causing any serious mistagging issues. This means most people understand full well what center frills is for as a tag. I am willing to bet that tag will have mistagging issues if its name gets changed to "frilled placket". Why try to fix something that clearly doesn't need fixing? It would improve consistency like you say, but it certainly wouldn't improve clarity, which I think is far more important here. Center frills is doing just fine without needing the name changed. If anything, I believe your idea will do the exact opposite of what you are striving to do.
Do you know how old your example tag is? topic #8102. I'm fully willing to bet that were someone to try something like the alias in that topic today, you'd run into the exact same arguments here. Hell, if it weren't for the fact that the original name of "puffy shoulder long sleeves" was on the longer side and it being such an old tag, I'd be tempted to argue the alias order should be reversed on that tag.
The reason why I brought those up is because the people searching for them are going to already know the proper name. If a tag for a common article of Western clothing is given a name most people don't understand, you are going to run into issues when people don't know what that tag mean. I'm fully willing to bet most people are only able to use juliet sleeves because of that alias, which means despite being the more "professional" name, most people couldn't find it without an alias. And while I don't think that's always a bad thing (utility alias), in this case, it's a sign that the name probably only survives through utility aliases, making me question the viability of the name.
Yes, yes we should strive for precision and clarity. Center frills is already pretty precise and clear a name, especially compared to placket. If anything, all you have done is further convince me that this name change is a bad idea. We should strive to use the name that is most clear and concise, and if that means not always using the more professionally accepted term because most people are not going to understand what it is for, then so be it. Better a made-up term that is easy to understand for the audience searching that tag than a "professional" name that obfuscates its intended purpose more than clarifies to the average person seeking that type of thing out.
Allow me to address your points:
Regarding the commonality of the tag: While "center_frills" is indeed used on over 20,000 posts, this actually strengthens the argument for using precise terminology. With such widespread use, it's even more important that we use an accurate, industry-standard term.
On the rarity of "placket": Yes, it's not a common word in everyday speech, but neither are many other clothing-related terms we use (e.g., epaulettes with 29k tags, aiguillette with 6.6k tags, and tabard with 21k tags). I have never heard of any those terms prior to using Danbooru. Part of Danbooru's value is in educating users about precise terminology. Over time, users would become familiar with "placket" just as they have with other specialized terms.
Potential for mistagging: You suggest that changing to "frilled_placket" might cause mistagging issues. However, we could mitigate this by keeping "center_frills" as an alias, allowing users to find the tag through either term. This approach preserves searchability while improving accuracy.
On fixing what isn't broken: While the current tag may not be causing obvious problems, there's always room for improvement in our tagging system. Using standardized terminology enhances Danbooru's role as a comprehensive resource for art and fashion terminology.
Regarding the Juliet sleeves example: This actually supports my argument. The fact that we successfully transitioned to a more precise term in the past, even if it required an alias, shows that our community can adapt to more accurate terminology over time.
Clarity vs. professional terminology: I argue that in this case, we can have both. "Frilled_placket" is both clear (it describes exactly what it is - a frilled front panel of a shirt) and professional. With a brief learning curve, it becomes just as intuitive as "center_frills", while being more accurate.
Long-term benefits: While there might be a short adjustment period, the long-term benefits of using precise, industry-standard terminology outweigh the temporary inconvenience. It elevates the quality and professionalism of our tagging system.
I believe that transitioning to "frilled_placket" while keeping "center_frills" as an alias would provide the best of both worlds: improved accuracy and consistency in our tagging system, while maintaining ease of use for those accustomed to the current term. This approach aligns with Danbooru's goals of being both user-friendly and a valuable resource for accurate, specialized terminology.