Policy Posted for Comment

[meri_oddities]

We've posted the Fandoms as Category policy change to the policies section of Fanlore. We'd like to open it up for comment. You can find it here.

We, the wiki committee, don't work in a vacuum and would like your input on this. If possible, We'd like to have the discussion here on Dreamwidth. It's easy to answer questions and respond to comments. If discussion becomes unwieldy, we can schedule a chat in the Fanlore chat room.

This is only the first of several policies we're working on and are planning to put out for comment in the next few months. So, let us know what you think.

Comments

[aethel]

>We're trying to decide how to do it. Do you have any suggestions?

If you have a "Harry Potter" fandom page and a "Harry Potter" category, there shouldn't be a problem with the page names from a technical point of view, right? Aren't they in different namespaces? So you would create a new HP category, apply it to the HP page and all the subpages and related pages that might be hiding elsewhere. Then subpages would be moved to top-level pages (and some would have to be renamed because they're too generic). Then all the redirects can be edited. Then, I think we should call out to HP fans to come in and review the new page structure to see if content should be rearranged or what-have-you. And it'll be easier to review because we can just look at the category page!

Am I missing a step?

>No Buffy and Angel would be separate categories.

So are you making separate categories for Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis?? It's a parallel situation; different setting, same universe, some of the same characters.

[arduinna]

This is what I was envisioning for the new fandom-category structure, as well: a category page that functions like all the existing category pages, as strictly a listing of other pages (or maybe a quick definition/whatever of the fandom at the top, but nothing more than a paragraph at most), and then a primary fandom page that's included in that category, along with all the other fandom-related pages. And yes, pulling existing subpages up into top-level pages, for the most part (I think things like Fandom Glossary or List of Communities, etc., should stay as subpages of the main fandom page, just to keep things tidy, but YMMV).

So you'd have [[Category: Harry Potter]], and also (pretend all of these have brackets) within that category, you'd have Harry Potter (Fandom) (or maybe (Source)? what should be the standard there?), Harry Potter (Character), Hermione Granger, Harry Potter/Severus Snape, etc. etc., all of them categorized as [[Category: Harry Potter]] (as well as whatever other categories are appropriate).

I think putting actual fandom information per se on a category page is going to be confusing, and actually, now that I've checked, I'm going to strongly advise against it, because category pages aren't included in searches (you need to check a ticky box to include them). So someone searching on Harry Potter will see related pages (characters, pairings, challenges...), but not the fandom-information page, if that information is put into the category page. I think that will wind up being a nightmare - we'll have people recreating fandom pages all over the place because they'll think they're missing.

This comment has nothing to do with being a gardener; I just wanted to use this spiffy new icon because I got such a kick out of making it *g*

[aethel]

I'd go with "Harry Potter (Fandom)". Cute icon, btw!