[WikiEN-l] Opinions sought: linking source-access dates per MoS?

[Christopher Thieme]

Howdy y'all

Right now an article I'm working on getting FA-status for is at a point of
complying with ambiguous and contradictory MoS provisions.  A user who
objects to an article undergoing an FA-candidacy does so on the grounds that
dates in citations stating when internet sources are accessed by an article
contributor should be wikilinked.

The two completing MOS provisions are:

1.) That dates consisting of a day and month should be wikilinked to
interface with user preferences.
 (per:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_%28dates_and_numbers%29
)

2.) That things should only be linked if they're relevant to the context (of
the article).
 (per:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Only_make_links_that_are_relevant_to_the_context
)

I think it's ridiculous to link source-access dates as it's just too much
(linking, that is), it adds no understanding to the article, and I don't
think it's relevant to the context of the article.  While I understand the
need to deal with user preferences (which doesn't really add or subtract
information or make it easier to convey or comprehend by transforming 17
August to August 17) Do we really expect a user to sit back and say "Let's
see what happened on the day so-and-so accessed this source he's citing?"

I would appreciate it greatly if you could help resolve this issue and
give your comments on which guideline should win out on the talk pages of
the MoS articles I cited above, or here via e-mail.

While I'm at it, I extend my best wishes to all of you for a happy "Feast of
the Circumcision of Our Lord"...the only reason we celebrate the new year on
January 1st, and hoping that 2007 is better than 2006.

Regards,
Christopher D. Thieme
(User: ExplorerCDT)