Would it be interesting to have a tag to mark the questions that led to creating new CTAN packages? Something like a new-package tag?
4 Answers
Edit: We ended up using the first variant of the box, so please use
> **This question led to a new package:** > [`packagename`](http://www.ctan.org/pkg/packagename)
This question led to a new package:
packagename
If there's a post about it on the tex.sx blog:
> **This question led to a new package:** > [`packagename`](http://www.ctan.org/pkg/packagename) — Blog: [Blog entry title](http://tex.blogoverflow.com/...)
This question led to a new package:
packagename— Blog: Blog entry title
As an addition to Andrew's answer:
Just a comment might not be very striking, I propose using a box like the "possible duplicate" box, e.g.:
This question led to a new package:
babyloniannum
> **This question led to a new package:**
> [`babyloniannum`](http://www.ctan.org/pkg/babyloniannum)
or
This question led to a new package:
babyloniannum
> This question led to a new package:
> [**`babyloniannum`**](http://www.ctan.org/pkg/babyloniannum)
I generally like the idea of being able to see which packages originated at tex.se. With these boxes, you could just search for led to a new package.
As for the general disapproval of meta-tags: I see how best-practices might not be useful on Stackoverflow because there are questions on scores of different programming languages. On tex.sx, however, it's likely that an advanced LaTeX user will actually come across many matters discussed in questions tagged best-practices at some point or the other. Hence, it might be enlightening to read through them.
beginner, subjective, or soft-question don't seem as sensible to me because there's no real point in gathering all these questions; but they're not really used a lot on tex.sx anyway (0-4-0 questions).
answered Aug 31, 2011 at 13:15
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Just added such a tag to tex.stackexchange.com/questions/22272/… What do you think?– raphinkCommented Sep 7, 2011 at 10:47
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@Raphink: I like it! While after all, it's the answers who end up in a package (and the answerers who should be honored), I'd still put the box in the question simply for better visibility, just like you did. Since we're editing the question and "destroying its chronological unity" at any rate , I'd place the box at the very top of the question, just like the "possible duplicate" box. Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 11:00
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1@doncherry: Good idea. Done, also for tex.stackexchange.com/questions/25939/….– raphinkCommented Sep 7, 2011 at 11:02
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1And you can now search for such questions: tex.stackexchange.com/search?q=%22led+to+a+new+package%22– raphinkCommented Sep 7, 2011 at 11:03
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@Raphink: Now that I asked the question as Stefan suggested, we could even add a link to it to the box? To keep it subtle, perhaps just make the word "package" a link? meta.tex.stackexchange.com/questions/1721/… Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 11:43
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@doncherry: that's an idea, maybe linking the "This question led to a new package" part to meta.tex.sx ?– raphinkCommented Sep 9, 2011 at 8:55
I think that this would find a better place on the blog. Everyone who publishes a package to CTAN that started on this site should write a (short!) blog post about it (I know I'm guilty of not doing so yet ...). We can then link from the question to the relevant blog post.
Or we can just put a comment "This question led to this package now on CTAN" which is a little more relevant and understandable than a tag. I think that a new-package tag would be a little confusing as it is open to several interpretations. (I don't share Jeff's hatred of meta tags for their own sake, but I despise and deplore ambiguous tags, which meta tags often are.)
answered Aug 31, 2011 at 9:53
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2OK. When I did the
babyloniannumpackage, @N.N also suggested I mentionned the question on TeX.SX in the introduction of the package doc.– raphinkCommented Aug 31, 2011 at 11:37 -
2@Raphink: Absolutely! That counts as "advertising" and is a Good Thing. If you look at my braids package (ctan.org/pkg/braids) then you'll see that I did the same thing. Commented Aug 31, 2011 at 11:39
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3Let me absolutely clear. I think that linking in both directions is good and useful. I just think that a tag is not the right way to do it. Commented Aug 31, 2011 at 11:39
I suggest posting a question on meta and encouraging community-wiki answers.
Which question led to creating a new package?
A package author may respond himself, or any user, writing and editing a package description, the link to CTAN, an example, perhaps supported by a screenshot, and links to relevant questions on the main site.
So there's a place to sum up the information, no need for meta tags. If you like just place a comment with a link. Linked questions are shown on the right sidebar.
answered Sep 1, 2011 at 20:28
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A meta-question is a great place to collect all the questions/packages. How about meta-question and text box (which links to the meta-question as well)? I consider questions that led to a package something really special and valuable, and the packaging answers something to be encouraged! A lot of users don't look at meta too much, I suppose. This way, meta might get more attention. Commented Sep 1, 2011 at 23:43
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question asked: meta.tex.stackexchange.com/questions/1721/…. I just noticed I didn't follow your recommendation about the one package per answer, description etc. Hmm. It might be harder to get a complete overview of the packages this way. I thought of it more in terms of a complete overview of the published "fruits" of tex.sx. Real-life applications could be found in the questions where the packages originated. Commented Sep 8, 2011 at 17:33
Here's a link to a query for finding such question on the TeX.SX data explorer:
answered Oct 7, 2011 at 22:28
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Nice. Now I'm also using "This question led to a new feature in a package".– raphinkCommented Oct 9, 2011 at 17:19
babyloniannum: Raphaël Pinson (Raphink) [tex.sx package]"