On 12/22/10 11:36 PM, Carcharoth wrote:
I tend to try and not leave the public-facing page
incomplete, but
sometimes that is inevitable (not enough sources or an incomplete
list), but put requests for help and suggestions for further editing
on the talk page. A plea to future readers and Wikipedians that pass
by. Though, sadly, I get the impression not many people actually read
the talk page notes I leave behind, and they end up being more notes
for myself to refer back to months or years later.
True enough about the prognosis for talk page notes. A discrete help
marker on the public page would still be worthwhile. It could perhaps
link directly to an explanation of the problem. An ordinary reader is
unlikely to view the talk page otherwise. An effective way to lose
volunteers is to leave them sitting around with nothing to do. If you
want help from new blood make it obvious where the help is needed, and
abandon this notion of polished articles written to impossible standards.
Ec