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Microsoft no longer produces 9x versions of Windows, and I’ve seen lots of questions tagged that apply to NT-based versions (2000, XP, Vista), so the tag seems a bit redundant. I think it should be merged into with a synonym. Note also that MS got rid of the NT moniker starting with XP.

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2 Answers

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I agree with retagging to , we're talking about only five questions here of which either most just seem to apply to as well or others are just way too localized. I'll be walking through them right after I get this meta answer done.

... getting rid of , it is a meaningless way to tag a question.

I disagree with getting rid of that tag, a lot of others would disagree as well. We've already been through this in the past and the consensus was: When a tag does fit to a big enough majority of Windows questions that it should just be tagged , more specific tags like can then either be used instead of if it's only about that version or can be used in conjunction with if the user wants to denote that his question is aimed at Windows 7 but could apply to other OSes as well.

A "Windows NT" tag would specify a specific windows operating system, that has features and functions that are unlike Windows XP or Windows 7 for example.

Consider when XP was released, now reconsider how old things would be that were released before that. I believe they are going to drop support for Windows XP in the near future, so why should we even be supporting things that came out way before Windows XP? That's just way too localized...

There are huge differances between Windows nt (nt based), and Windows NT (the os)

This by itself is a good reason not to have a tag .

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Agrees, 4 items can be pushed to the arbitrary windows tag. – Psycogeek Feb 15 '12 at 4:50
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I would be all for getting rid of the windows tag, it is a meaningless way to tag a question. The windows tag could be applied to any windows products, it does not define the operating system that the question applies to. Used in combination with other tags, does not help much XP, 7, NT, 8, 98 , 95 , Server8 or whatever else there is.

A "Windows NT" tag would specify a specific windows operating system, that has features and functions that are unlike Windows XP or Windows 7 for example.
"windows nt" it is being applied for "nt" questions as it applies to the whole nt line of windows. It is not Windows NT, it is windows nt. It is not a synonym of win98.

There are huge differances between Windows nt (nt based), and Windows NT (the os), and between Windows Xp , and Windows 7 and Windows 2000. They should never be combined under a Lump.

Getting rid of obsolete, would be done when it is actually obsolete, a manufacture does not determine that something is obsolete for the Users. I am all for getting rid of anything that is obsolete for all users, and keeping anything that users still use. (I have seen situations where a product or software becomming obsolete is just the beginning for it)

I am all for getting rid of using the term windows-nt to define a Line of OSs that are Nt based, and replacing it with the actual OS item used. I do not see that as being a practical effort in cleaning tags.

I am all for , getting users to Stop using the windows tag, even though it is not likly to dissapear, and replacing it with the specific OS.

This is important only for questions that are Just tagged, and the Q does not have the OS written into the question.

What is done with it, I do not know. I am just trying to cover what I see. Again there are thousands of tags , that should not have been made to begin with. This is one tag item.

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If you're stating that the second most used tag on the site is bad after this long (and that has been previously discussed), you're going to have to come up with a way more convincing statement than to say that it is meaningless because of not being an OS. – Tom Wijsman Feb 15 '12 at 3:06
I thought I covered that. The use of the tag Windows, only defines some MS product, it does not say Which one, and they are all Hugely different. – Psycogeek Feb 15 '12 at 3:38
Hugely really means "some big changes" though, but the basic fundamentals (as well as compatibility) remained pretty much solid over the year. Many software works for the majority of OSes, which is why a windows tag fits better in many occasions than a specific product or operating system. If you haven't seen my answer then please read it as part of it is a response to yours. If you however have a good reason not to have such broad tags, feel free to elaborate. But I'm just saying that we've had this second-most popular tag for such long, so it's hard to change it... – Tom Wijsman Feb 15 '12 at 3:45
@TomWijsman Even if we go back 2 years when this site was started , telling any Tech "its windows" would say Nothing to them. I dont doubt that it would be used, and created, and will still be used endlessly, but walk into even the lowest tech location, and when asking What is the OS, even the consumers tell WHAT os. The tech isnt going to proceed to put windows server on the computer and hand it back and say Fixed :-) – Psycogeek Feb 15 '12 at 3:50
@TomWijsman Trying to change it now. The use of arbitrary tags , could only be reduced by having specific ones, we got that. Can't get rid of the way the arbitrary one was used now (to much work). I can see where there ARE situations were tossing up an arbitrary "windows" Duhh tag would be usefull. But most times it would be better that the users define thier question, part of that can be to define the tag. – Psycogeek Feb 15 '12 at 3:56
Tags are meant to be searchable and as an indication to what a question applies for people browsing around, they mostly mean nothing to the user. Asking for tags is like asking to properly categorize the question in the system, if his question applies to multiple Windows family products he'd be better off to categorize it as such if he wants more attention (and to help people in that tag). Anyhow, I'm not going into this further; but feel free to convince others... :) – Tom Wijsman Feb 15 '12 at 4:12
What? what is it that we are not mostly agreeing with? Answering a Windows XP question with a Windows 7 answer only has a precentage chance of being right. I have found situations where a mere upgrade to the same 7 , changes the entire way that they handle memory itself. Providing for another layer of web info that is 50% incorrect for some situations, depending on just an update :-O . now your saying that defining the OS not nessisary? In other areas defining the service pack used, is helpfull in diagnosing problems. – Psycogeek Feb 15 '12 at 4:44
It would help if there were actual statistics on this. – Tom Wijsman Feb 15 '12 at 12:21

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