Tag discussion: earbuds and earphones

@NWF_Renim: If we're alias anything it should be in the...

2010-01-13T06:14:17-05:00

If we're alias anything it should be in the direction of earphones -> earbuds if that is what every is trying to make it out, because earphones is too general of a word and there are people who are tagging regular headphones as earphones. At least earbuds is very specific on what is being tagged.

This isn't to say I support an alias, I'm still against it, especially if all you can see is the cords and the ears are completely covered up. In that case you're tagging the cords and not the actual device.

An additional issue over naming things. If you take images like post #408562 and go from tagging it earphones to say clip-on_headphones there is going to be then people tagging it headphones or wanting it to implicate headphones, when it would not follow the headphones tag definition. If you try and use clip-on_earphones and use earphones just for earbuds you'll get the same problem.

@r0d3n7z: I thought the headphones/earphones distinction...

2010-01-13T05:57:55-05:00

I thought the headphones/earphones distinction was already established in forum #13502. Do we really need to go over that again?

Log said:
We should probably make clip-on/behind the neck their own distinct tag

This is probably the best approach, as they are visually distinct from earbuds and warrant a separate tag. earphones can be used to encompass both earbuds and the clip-on variety, or be narrowed down to just earbuds and aliased accordingly.

@NWF_Renim: > Log said: > I think you mean headphone in...

2010-01-13T05:16:58-05:00

Log said:
I think you mean headphone in which case you're correct. I cannot find any location that defines earphones as anything but a device that goes inside the ear.

Then you missed every dictionary and likely every real encyclopedia in existence then. The definition as of the 1920's "a device that converts electrical energy into sound waves and is worn over or inserted into the ear."

Even wikipedia's wiktionary has earphone as "A transducer that converts electric signals into sound and is held near the ear, especially as part of a telephone; an earpiece or headphone."

@Log: We should probably make clip-on/behind the neck...

2010-01-12T20:40:15-05:00

We should probably make clip-on/behind the neck their own distinct tag rather than redefining one of the existing tags to much resistance/disdain to the current users of the tag.

NWF_Renim said:
Anyways an earphone is any device that fits over, around, on the ear and produces sound so earbuds aren't alone the only thing that is an "earphone" by earphones real definition.

I think you mean headphone in which case you're correct. I cannot find any location that defines earphones as anything but a device that goes inside the ear.

@KeliraTelian: Earbud: Goes in the ear Earphones: goes on the...

2010-01-12T20:32:44-05:00

Earbud: Goes in the ear
Earphones: goes on the ear
Headphones: goes around the ear

Somewhat arbitrary, but they are distinct visual concepts, so separating them out would be useful.

@NWF_Renim: I wouldn't label them headphones though, the...

2010-01-12T20:28:19-05:00

I wouldn't label them headphones though, the lack of a headband that fits over the head (or around) makes them visually distinct from real headphones.

Anyways an earphone is any device that fits over, around, on the ear and produces sound so earbuds aren't alone the only thing that is an "earphone" by earphones real definition.

@Log: I've never actually seen those referred to as...

2010-01-12T20:26:47-05:00

I've never actually seen those referred to as anything but clip-on headphones or behind the neck headphones which are indeed another style but I wouldn't ever call them earphones.

@NWF_Renim: Not all earphones look identical to earbuds...

2010-01-12T20:19:32-05:00

Not all earphones look identical to earbuds though. post #408562, post #410773, post #304096, post #271879 to show an example.

@Log: Alias to earphones, they mean the same thing....

2010-01-12T20:04:20-05:00

Alias to earphones, they mean the same thing. Maybe implicate to headphones but it would probably be better to keep them separate unless we want to tag Circumaural and supra-aural. That seems OCD as hell to me, though.

@nanami: Visually, earbuds and earphones look like the...

2010-01-12T19:58:01-05:00

Visually, earbuds and earphones look like the same things when worn in the the ears. So I was thinking that either an alias or an implication either way can be implemented, most probably "earphones." Also, 28 of the images tagged with "earbuds" don't have the "earphones" tag. Do you have any thoughts about this?