[WikiEN-l] Annoying hatnotes

[quiddity]

We do already have on this guideline wording on this, for anyone wondering:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation#Disambiguation_pages
"If there are three or more topics associated with the same term, then
a disambiguation page should normally be created for that term (in
which case disambiguation links may or may not be desirable on the
specific topic articles – see below). If only a primary topic and one
other topic require disambiguation, then disambiguation links are
sufficient, and a disambiguation page is unnecessary."

more at these two:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Hatnote#Examples_of_proper_use
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_(disambiguation_pages)#Disambiguation_pages_with_only_two_entries


I sympathise with the distaste for linking to popular culture entities
from hatnotes (pokemon and beanie babies should all burn in some
spikey hellscape...), but I'm not sure whether creating new disambig
pages just for 2-items is a reasonable solution.


In this particular instance, the new disambig page is also breaking
the guideline about inclusion-criteria.
"Disambiguation is required whenever, for a given word or phrase on
which a reader might use the "Go button", there is more than one
Wikipedia article to which that word or phrase might be expected to
lead."
IAR is a good policy, but it needs rationalisation for usage -- If we
make exceptions at [[Plankton (disambiguation)]] for
[[Electroplankton]] and [[United Plankton Pictures]], then why not
also for [[Zooplankton]] and [[Phytoplankton]] and [[Aeroplankton]]
and [[Continuous Plankton Recorder]], etc? Because, then the guideline
would be pointless, and the mess it is intended to prevent would
proliferate.


Therefor, in my opinion, and according to my limited-understanding of
the disambig guidelines, there doesn't need to be a [[plankton
(disambiguation)]] page at all, and the [[plankton]] article doesn't
need a hatnote at all.

If someone wants to find the Spongebob character, "Sheldon J.
Plankton", they can search for "plankton spongebob", and obtain far
more information on the variety of places the character is mentioned:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/special:search?search=plankton+spongebob&go=go


Seem reasonable?
Quiddity