> Sometimes I manually override a rule-based tag.  If automatic tagging
> operated on old messages, overrides could be superseded.  When I add
> automatic tag rules, I first execute them manually and globally from the
> command line.

Right. With my global automatic tags, I don't want to be able to
override them, (and the fact that I *can* by adding/removing tags is a
bug---since, as you point out, the next run of my script will destroy my
changes). That's one of the reasons I want to switch to saved searches
for my own use of automatic tags.

Meanwhile, Martin has talked about having some machine-learning
algorithm apply tags, and have it notice when the user adds/removes
for feedback to improve its learning. So that kind of use case is
something that definitely isn't covered by saved searches.

> > To do my "global" searches quickly, I do a similar subsetting, but it's
> > much simpler. If I'm adding the "notmuch" tag I do "and not
> > tag:notmuch". We've even had the proposal of making "notmuch tag" do
> > that automatically.
> 
> That sounds like a good idea.  What happened with that proposal?

Like many other proposals, it's simply waiting for someone to implement
it.

> Saved searches is a very good idea.  I look forward to it.

Me too! :-)

-Carl