Deleting the `default` tag?

Question

I'm still a bit new about reviewing posts on SE/SF, but after reading some guidelines, I'd like to suggest the deletion of the default tag.

In the recent posts I've reviewed, I felt this tag was not really interesting. Furthermore, looking at the tag usage, you'll see that it's usually new comers who tend to use this tag and that there are currently only 36 questions using it.

Should we get rid of it? Do I need to edit each and every post using this tag or should someone else take care of that?

Thanks for any advice and guidance.

Answer 1

I have no objection on principle to eliminating the default tag - the 35 questions that were in it when I looked all had better tags (or should have had better tags and now do).

I've retagged or deleted the contents of default, and it will automatically disappear as long as nobody adds new questions to it.

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In answer to the second part of your question (Do I need to edit each and every post using this tag?) - Unfortunately, yes.

Unless they're REALLY bad tags with LOTS of questions in them (in which case we bribe the Stack Exchange community team folks with unicorn products) the general method of handling bad tags is to discuss them briefly on Meta, then remove the tag from all the posts it's on and let the automatic tag-reaping process handle the unused tag.

Answer 2

This seems like it might be more appropriate as an answer to the bad tag thread.

That seems to be the place on meta where we go to bring attention and corrective action to bad tags, though there's nothing wrong with trying to tackle the problem on your own... just be mindful that every edited post gets bumped to the top of the active list, and don't spam up the front page with a whole ton of old posts through editing.