On 6/2/06, Brion Vibber brion@pobox.com wrote:
Is it possible to count template links only once ?
That would be very harmful, as it would under-report the actual impact of the breakage.
Does this discussion apply to images as well? If so, I can think of times it would be useful to see how many times the image is applied directly, rather than through a template such as a userbox. For example, the "file links" for the Picture of the Day is always totally useless, due to the number of people who transclude it via a template on their user page. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Monument_Valley_2.jpg).
Perhaps what is really needed is simply to be able to better distinguish in lists such as "what links here" "genuine links" from transcluded links, as they have different meanings:
Number of direct links: how many topics refer to this one, how many people like this image, is this image actually being used in any articles, and not just in userboxes. Number of transcluded links: what is the impact of making a change, how many people will see it...
Steve