<<In a message dated 12/29/2008 9:33:08 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, andrew.gray@dunelm.org.uk writes:
In many ways, the most effective solution would be a hard-and-bright line like the DNB uses - no-one who is alive, end of story, and we could deal with living people as tangential notes in their work. But it certainly wouldn't be popular!>>
Oh silly that would never fly! No article on George Bush? No article on John Major? No article on Brad Pitt?
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On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 7:15 PM, WJhonson@aol.com wrote:
<<In a message dated 12/29/2008 9:33:08 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, andrew.gray@dunelm.org.uk writes:
In many ways, the most effective solution would be a hard-and-bright line like the DNB uses - no-one who is alive, end of story, and we could deal with living people as tangential notes in their work. But it certainly wouldn't be popular!>>
Oh silly that would never fly! No article on George Bush? No article on John Major? No article on Brad Pitt?
That might look odd but it could certainly be justified. However, the real problem with only including biographies after the deaths of the subjects is that this is a general encyclopaedia and not a specific list of biographies; biographical information is found in a very wide range of articles. Hence it is no use having a rule which prohibits a biography of (for example) Bill Clinton until he dies, which then permits an article about the impeachment in 1998 which must discuss other claimed examples of his infidelity in order to be comprehensive.