[WikiEN-l] "Exclusion" essay

[Alphax (Wikipedia email)]

Steve Bennett wrote:
> On 7/20/06, Steve Bennett <stevagewp at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The status quo, as I understand it, is that for seriously popular
>> series/books etc, each major character can have its own article,
>> otherwise they should be grouped. Each instalment/book/episode can
>> have its own article. However, except for rare examples, *places* in
>> fictional universes do not get articles, nor do events, types of
>> vehicles (Star Wars is exceptional here) However, even still, minor
> 
> Incidentally, how not to write a Wikipedia article on a fictional spacecraft:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-wing
> 
> How to write a Wikipedia article on fictional spacecraft:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dwarf_ships
> 
> (note the massive difference in tone and focus)
> 

I can't agree strongly enough. Another comparison (which you've picked
up on before):

Mark Gallagher wrote:
> I think a lot of our fiction articles could be dramatically improved 
> by taking a real-world approach: "here is what this fictional entity 
> should look like to people who aren't wrapped up in the fictional 
> universe".  Our /Doctor Who/ articles largely get this right; our 
> /Star Wars/ and particularly /Gundam/ articles often don't.  As a 
> Trekkie, I haven't bothered looking at our /Star Trek/ collection, 
> for fear it would only depress me.
> 
> Compare [[Light saber]] with [[Dalek]].  Then choose any Gundam 
> article at random, and marvel at the statistics presented therein, 
> instantly forgetting any criticisms you may have had for [[Light 
> saber]].

But, better than just saying "oh yes, it's such a shame that some of our
articles are complete crap" and doing nothing, we need to look at /why/
this happens. Here is a short true/false quiz which you should fill out
and submit (and pass!) before you will be allowed to continue this thread:

1. Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are cooler than Star Wars and Gundam

2. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are cooler than people who
watch Star Wars and Gundam

3. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are smarter than people who
watch Star Wars and Gundam

4. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are older than people who
watch Star Wars and Gundam

5. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are more mature than people
who watch Star Wars and Gundam

6. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who have a greater sense of
perspective than people who watch Star Wars and Gundam

7. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are more likely to live in
the real worlds than people who watch Star Wars and Gundam

8. People who watch Red Dwarf and Doctor Who are more attractive, make
better friends, and smell nicer than people who watch Star Wars and Gundam

-- 
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