Board Thread:Support Requests - Getting Started/@comment-5280383-20140808153216/@comment-25263848-20140826124912

[..] build a custom search form which i'm currently doing.Thus allowing users to search for categories like they where tags.

[..] most of our new users are coming from more 'modern' communities that allow to tag content and are therefore often confused by hirachical structures. That form sounds like a great idea, and I am sure you are better aware of your wikia needs. Still on general note, couple of things:

1. While your form is great, even if placed in notable place like the top navigation, the majority of people will be using wikia search and bottom categories bar. Also form implies static options, and if so you can do the same thing with categories, minus resource hog.

2. I think you confuse your terms. As far as wikia goes, "tags" are just categories without hierarchy. It is intended to aid navigation by grouping together pages on similar subjects, hierarchy can further aid navigation by linking similar groups. (as well as give an admin a very good overview of the content) I honestly can't figure out how hierarchy can confuse anyone, the cats\tags are located in the same place, works the same way, the only difference is the extra link to top cat... Its like saying that wikipidea navboxes confuse things, and they should move more 'modern' tags. Everything has its pro\use.

Also while today tags are more common in certain places, its mostly because how search engines work. For example here where I can post on whatever topic I want, tags are more flexible qualifier and will result in better google results. However to navigate on site, the forum has an hierarchical structure.

Sure hierarchy requires a little more planing and organizing but IMO that is exactly what needed for most wikis and collaborative effort in general. That horse thing looks like a kid show, how will you decide if someone put some kind of frivolous tag? and if you have a structure why not link it.. Like I said its not OR proposition, take the best of both.

anyway good luck.