While i generally agree that its too much templates do have their place. The interface for using a template needs to be easier (see all the recent wysiwy* traffic), but used right they can even make the text easier to edit.
The problem therefore is to make sure they are used right, and that problem isn.t just template overload, its also a symptom of a bigger and closely relatef problem of too much need and no better alternatives. In the end, on a per-project basis maybe we could look at restricting template creation somehow to try to stall template creep where we can. A template creation process that takes a few days would help the problem on a lot of the larger projects and if making a new template takes a request for template there is a good chance that someone will be pointed to an existing one. Further. It mightactually be a good thing in some projects if template space were limited with respect to number of templates per project. This could force some cleanup as well as competition to eliminate overlap if done intelligently. Numbered slots like the editfilter maybe? Grouping templates into pseudonamespaces by context might be more practical than limiting their number globally. The rationale here is that most of the templates serve very specific purposes rather than being for general use. Putting them into namespaces or even into packlages so that the namespace is kept clean of special purpose templates could cut the clutter. As an editing aid and subtle reminder to keep the top namespace clean, after breaking the non-essential ones into packages, start listing the ones thatare in the "global" context on the edit screen. We wont have the problem of too many templates for long if that is done as people will get sick of looking at a long list On 12/28/10, wjhon...@aol.com <wjhon...@aol.com> wrote: > Most of the templates in our project, imho are just more clutter. > > The number of people who know how to use any particular template, can > probably be counted with a box of marbles. However when others see the > templates, they just shy away, they don't bother to try to learn them. > > If we want to make things easier for editors, we should scrape templates > entirely. What they add to the project is not worth, what they detract. > > W > _______________________________________________ > foundation-l mailing list > foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l > -- Faith is about what you really truly believe in, not about what you are taught to believe. _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
