[WikiEN-l] Templates for the masses

[Charlotte Webb]

On 10/7/07, Zoney <zoney.ie at gmail.com> wrote:
> Does it not drive anyone else up the wall the incessant templates jammed
> onto the top of our articles?

Well, the new color scheme sucks.

> Sure some of the articles have issues that readers as well as editors should
> be aware of, but it's really ridiculous having these Vogonic bureaucratic
> Wiki-speak instructions/jargon stamped before the article text for all and
> sundry to enjoy.

...and hopefully act upon.

> Half the time the templates aren't even warranted, or at the least the issue
> is not important enough to demand anything other than a note on the talk
> page.

Diminishing returns. Maybe the server folks could give us some numbers
on how many (few) people actually read talk pages anymore.

> It's far too easy for people just to slap on templates onto articles in a sort
> of wiki-process-allowed defacement of content.

{{fact}}!

> I mean the trivia section warning for one thing. I consider myself firmly in
> the anti-trivia camp, and indeed I'd nearly support removing offending
> sections to talk pages as well when asking people to integrate the brainless
> factoids;

I don't have a problem with extra information, as long it's
verifiable. How to arrange it is of secondary concern to me.

> but really, there's no need to give instructions on the situation
> to all our readers. It's just not that important!

Naturally I agree. If I disliked trivia, I would skip to the next
section when reading an article.

> Templates in fact compound the problem by highlighting the trivia
> sections! It makes no sense!

This of course assumes that the trivia creates a problem. I'll use the
less controversial example of spelling errors. The fact that they are
automatically highlighted in my web browser delights me to no end. If
there is a real problem to fix, it should be made more conspicuous,
not less.

> As regards the templates that are somewhat necessary (don't use our
> second-hand info about hurricanes in your area, etc) can a specific area
> separate from the article content be used for the message? Something like
> how the fundraising message is displayed?

Well, once again I disagree with you as per [1]. {{HurricaneWarning}}
should have been deleted a long time ago, but it somehow survived TFD.
Short of deletion I would welcome any attempt to make its appearance
more subtle but it's protected for no apparent reason.

—C.W.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_disclaimers_in_articles