Since I just spent all this time writing this already, here is the URL to my work:
-- CortlandHaws
Let's start again, since I have evolved the concept past my prior ideas. First, read the linked document above, as I have been changing it often.
It's broken. Care to offer another reference?
-- offered by DonaldNoyes
The basic idea is that a Tagged Database has the following values:
- ID - string
- Tags - array of strings
- Reference - string
(The ID and the Reference are just glorified tags with special rules and applications.)
More to come later...
I have good news for you... you've just described FacetedAssociation. Take a look at: http://www.techquila.com/tmsinia5.html and http://facetmap.com/glossary/index.jsp
More depth on faceted classification: http://www.kmconnection.com/DOC100100.htm
Also
XFML | http://petervandijck.com/xfml/
XFML Specification | http://petervandijck.com/xfml/spec/1.0.html
You should also take a look at InterTwingle for references to other people who've stumbled on the same concept and are trying to apply it to solve interesting problems.
See also: MultiParadigmDatabase