[WikiEN-l] Sourcing "popular culture" items

[Kat Walsh]

On 11/9/06, Phil Sandifer <Snowspinner at gmail.com> wrote:

> The question then becomes how we can help editors who want to write
> good articles on these topics (and there are many) without letting
> articles like this one run amok. The answer has, it seems to me,
> manifestly shown itself NOT to be draconian sourcing policy that
> defies the common sense of anyone familiar with the topic and
> aggressive deletion.

The vast majority of these topics I think would be better suited for a
merge. As for Ms. Mateo, for example, I don't see why it wouldn't be
more appropriate to say whatever there is to say about her in the
Phillipine Idol article. (Should it get too large, Phillippine Idol
contestants or something similar.) If nothing else it brings it to a
wider audience of those who are interested in the show, and so may
have seen her in her only really notable act, rather than those
interested only in her specifically -- probably a much smaller group.
It also gives the information context to start from, which is useful
for minor topics and even more beneficial for fictional subjects.

Merging *improves* these articles for that reason, but people seem to
be offended by the suggestion that their pet topic doesn't deserve an
independent article. I believe in splitting off articles only when you
have to, when it wouldn't make sense not to, rather than independent
articles as the default. Encouraging new writers to add to existing
articles rather than start new ones may help.

But I said something similar a year ago too, on this very list
(reproduced at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mindspillage/mergism
for what it's worth), and I've mostly given up this issue...

-Kat


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