Tags Vs Free Text

What differences are associated with a MetaTag Tagsonomy compared to Free Text?

• not just from a Search Engine perspective

• particularly as relates to WikiWord As Tag: is Automatic Linking a feature that will become meaningless as Search Engine-s become faster and smarter (e.g. Devon Think)? (WikiWord Vs Search)

If you won't have a Shared Vocabulary (e.g. instead have Folksonomy), why not just use Free Text and a Search Engine?

• I have sometimes thought that maybe a Wiki was just an excuse not to have a personal Search Engine, but since my interest is either in the Personal Wiki or TeamWiki area, you do have a Shared Vocabulary there, so WikiWord As Tag makes sense (adds value over Free Text).

• or does the FeedBack loop in tag-set-emergence change things? 2004-08-26-UdellKeywordFeedback

Tim Bray on various Meta Data issues. He also asks the meta-question What am I doing categories for? What is anybody doing categories for? What is everybody doing categories for? see Social Network Context