Merge datatables and datatables.net tags [closed]

Question

I think we need only one tag for Datatables (the plugin), and right now there are two of them, datatables and datatables.net.
I don't know what's the best one, datatables causes some confusion because of c# datatable, datatables.net is tied to a domain and i don't like that much. Anyway, what do you think?

Answer 1

I agree with you completely: as mentioned elsewhere Tag shenanigans: "datatable" vs "datatables", the datatables tag is not exactly clear in what it means.

The tag name that would make the most sense to me, as regards the jquery plugin, would be:

jquery-datatables-plugin

A name like that should hopefully prevent any further confusion. It is also in the same vein as the tag name jquery-forms-plugin, which I suppose had to be so verbose so as to avoid any potential confusion (just having jquery-forms would have been open to all kinds of interpretation).

It also seems respectful to the plug-in author, since the first description on the datatables homepage is:

DataTables is a plug-in for the jQuery Javascript library. It is a highly flexible tool, based upon the foundations of progressive enhancement, which will add advanced interaction controls to any HTML table.

Answer 2

Currently we seem to have: jquery-datatables, datatables.net, datatables and datatable

In the current state of affairs, here's what I think we need to do with them.

Keep these: jquery-datatables and datatable

jquery-datatables should be the jQuery plugin's tag. This follows in line with our convention for jQuery plugin tags: jquery- followed by the plugin's name.

datatable can be used to refer to the .NET DataTable class.

We should not use jquery-forms-plugin for the jQuery plugin's tag, since our convention is to only include -plugin on the end when it's actually a part of the plugin's name - for instance, in the case of jquery-forms-plugin, which is literally named jQuery Forms Plugin.

Retag then blacklist these: datatables.net and datatables

datatables.net is just the domain name of the site, and it's like having a jquery.com tag. We don't need this tag.

As madth3 pointed out, datatables.net also easily confused with the .NET DataTable. It's ambiguous and confusing. datatables is also ambiguous and confusing, but it is much worse.

• People who use datatables.net use it for the jQuery plugin (see this search). However, some also use it alongside the C# tag or alongside the .NET tag.
• datatables gets the same treatment, but even worse. It gets used in a whole lot of other ways. Arguably, it gets misused in almost every circumstance: it's used for HTML tables, and database tables. It also gets used to ask about the jQuery plugin.

If we keep either of these tags around, even as synonyms, people are going to keep confusing and misusing them. We should give these two tags a cleanup and then blacklist them.

Answer 3

This seems to have gotten worse, with now tags for datatable, datatables, and datatables.net - this needs to be cleaned up, with perhaps datatables and datatables.net synonyms of jquery-datatables-plugin ?

Answer 4

The name of the plugin seems to be just "Datatables". I don't see why datatables.net should be used as a tag for the plugin even it's the same as its domain. Particularly since it can generate confusion with the DataTable class of .Net.

I think jquery-datatables should be used for the plugin and maybe leave datatables as a synonym. datatables.net should disappear.