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I think I'm not using tags correctly I was always going for the "how to ask" rule: "be as specific as possible". This edit here: https://superuser.com/review/suggested-edits/775074 the rejection indicate that my understanding is wrong. So I have a few specific questions on how to use tags in my own posts and on how to improve them for past questions.

First thanks to the reviewers to write down specific reasons instead of using "standard" answers. This helps me a lot, thanks!

According to:

The microsoft-excel tag is NOT redundant. It is used so all the excel questions can be tracked. It can be combined with the specific version tag.

So I should always use "microsoft-excel" so it can be tracked as an excel issue. Even if the question is version specific and/or the answer has to work for a specific version (the one I use) is that correct? Does that also hold up for other software as well?

Both tags are OK in cases where it isn't clear to the OP whether the issue or potential solutions are version specific.

So if I don't know if my question is version specific I can and should use both tags. Good to know. What if it becomes clear, should I remove the other tag? If I'm looking for an answer that has to work in my specific excel version which always hast been the case isn't the question/answer always version specific? Right now I actually can not thing of any question that is not version specific. Kinda confused right now.

The help file on tagging doesn't give me an answer and I couldn't find any other question on this type of "redundant tags".

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    If I'm looking for an answer that has to work in my specific excel version which always hast been the case isn't the question/answer always version specific? - But are you really sure that potential answers won't help other versions of excel as well? Any time I go searching around about an excel issue, I never really care much if the link I click from the search result is specifically for my version of excel. Most issues aren't version-specific. Maybe the details of the answers will change slightly depending on version, but you can still usually get what you need from the answer regardless.
    – n8te
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 1:43
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    This kind of tagging guidance has been discussed a lot in the past. Here are some links to relevant discussion (and these links contain more links: meta.superuser.com/questions/12291/the-scope-of-the-windows-tag, meta.superuser.com/questions/9198/…
    – fixer1234
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 1:50
  • Great, thanks. I should have used "redundant" in my search... sigh
    – Albin
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 1:59
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    With certain topics like Excel, people tend to follow the general tag rather than every version tag, so there's value in including both the general tag and the specific version (but not tagging with every version). An additional tag for the OP's version is more important if that is an old version that might not support features or functions offered in solutions, or a new version that might enable a solution that wouldn't work in an old version. It also facilitates testing solutions for validation and diagnostics against the OP's version.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 2:00
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    "how to improve them [tags] for past questions" - Even if there was complete consensus that the general tag should never be used with a version specific one (and the specific one was preferred), an edit that solely removes the general tag is the definitive example of an edit that "…does not make the post even a little bit easier to read, easier to find, more accurate or more accessible. Changes are … completely superfluous …". The word "redundant" by very definition implies that the removal of the tag will have no effect! Nothing could be clearer ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    – robinCTS
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 7:46

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