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