It is very disconcerting to see that very simple tag synonyms were not being recognized for a long time. Is it possible to lower the tag synonym submission barrier so that more people can help identify them for voting?
I know that the minimum reputation for synonym suggestion is there because there is a potential issue of disputes about whether two tags are true synonyms, which at times can become subjective and contentious. However there is a much larger class of tag synonyms which are rarely contentious.
Instead of setting a high barrier on submission, I'd suggest the following:
- Lower submission barrier
- Allow multiple conflicting submissions and automatically list them together so that voters can choose the best interpretation
- A vote requirement that requires all of:
- A certain number (20?) of upvotes from everyone
- A certain number (5?) of upvotes from users active in either tag
- A certain number (1?) of upvotes from users active in both tags
- Or, a certain number of moderator votes
An alternative suggestion is to allow people of similar reputation to flag a suggestion as "likely to be contentious". When flagged, the upvote requirements will be raised so as to avoid premature decision. When not flagged, that means most people do not consider it as contentious, such that the lower upvote requirements can be used.
