[WikiEN-l] Re: WikiEN-l Digest, Vol 11, Issue 31

[Robert Graham Merkel]

On Tue, Jun 08, 2004 at 06:39:43AM -0800, wikien-l-request at Wikipedia.org wrote:
> I would really like to see that article divided into two articles, one
> called Danzig, one Gdansk, with the Danzig article about the long German
> heritage, the article Gdansk about the present Polish city with historical
> emphasis on Polish matters. I know this is Wikinfo philosopy but why can't
> we try it out here in this one case?

Isn't that just going to wedge the door open for every disputed article to
end up with multiple versions?

While I can see the benefits of the Wikinfo philosophy to article
writers, I think it does readers a disservice.

For $deity's sake, the major dispute seems to be over what period the city, for
the purposes of the article, should be called Gdansk, and when it should
be called Danzig.  There appear to be a couple of sensible compromises
that User:Halibutt has proposed.  Why can't people choose one of those, 
note in the article that naming is an emotional issue, for the purposes
purposes of writing the article a particular convention has been
adopted, and this convention is purely a notational convenience and should
not be taken for anything else?

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Robert Merkel
                                     robert.merkel at benambra.org
                                        http://benambra.org

Lyle Lanley: Well there's nothing on Earth like a genuine bonified,
             electrified six-car monorail
What'd I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle: What's it called
Patty & Selma: Monorail!
Lyle: That's right, monorail
All(chant): Monorail, monorail, monorail..
Ms Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud
Lyle: It glides as softly as a cloud
Apu: Any chance the track could bend?
Lyle: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about all us braindead slobs?
Lyle: You'll be given cushy jobs
Granpa: Were you sent here by the Devil?
Lyle: No good sir, I'm on the level.
Chief Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can
Lyle: Take my penknife, my good man.
I swear it's Sprinfield's only choice
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
Monorail!
What's it called?
Monorail!
Once again
Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken
All: Monorail..Monorail..Monorail!  Monorail!
Homer:Mono..'doh!
  --The Simpsons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------