Template talk:Obsolete

Template for obsolete info

Swept in from the pub

I just created a template to mark articles with obsolete information. Hopefully it might be useful for marking up information which does more harm than good. Tried out in the article Public transport in Stockholm County, which was extracted from Stockholm County and intended to get updated. /Yvwv (talk) 00:29, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I would support this template, just like what I do with every other template. LGTM SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 00:35, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I think {{obsolete}} is useful. However, if information does more harm than good, it should be removed (or commented out, or moved to the talk page, if there still are bits that would be good if adjusted). A parameter for clarifying the problem is sometimes needed, and perhaps a hidden one, for editors (for tips on how to update), could be useful.

I was going to suggest also a {{best before}}, which is in effect the same one, but with a date. For example, I know the railway through Turku will be reworked next year, disrupting traffic, but the specific arrangements are not yet known, and there is no use already telling people that they have to take a connecting bus. I'd like to put in a best before 2021-06, to remind myself and others to update when details are known and people might be planning their transfers.

Then we have {{dubious}}. I suppose there is useful stuff in Brussels#Stay safe, but I wouldn't trust it to be entirely correct.

–LPfi (talk) 05:26, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I worry that {{obsolete}} will encourage editors to post notes telling other editors to remove information rather than removing it themselves. I don't understand why some people do that, but that tendency is strong in this wiki. This template could add clutter in our articles.

{{best before}} would be very useful. Ground Zero (talk) 08:55, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I think it is essemtial that we give readers a clue why the information may be obsolete. "Local businesses may have closed since the closure of the steelworks in 2020" or "public transport in the area may have changed after the high speed rail line opened in 2021". The template should show the date it was added as it doesn't apply to any listings with later last edit dates. AlasdairW (talk) 09:36, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I share Ground Zero's feeling. This is what happens with the English Wikipedia: a few people spam tags all over articles, even for things they could fix in a couple of minutes. The articles don't get improved, but someone enjoyed dumping the tags in the articles. Have you seen this one from the English Wikipedia?

I don't want to encourage this. If you think that an article is significantly outdated, then w:en:WP:SOFIXIT yourself. If you can't, then ask for help. Don't spam in a note saying that some other editors should do things that you won't do yourself. There aren't legions of editors waiting for you to tell them what to do. WhatamIdoing (talk) 20:19, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

I think WhatamIdoing’s proposed template would be a massive improvement, particularly “languish indefinitely,” which indicates the high readership of a page, assures the reader all information is up to date, and better still, leaves everyone baffled as to the problem and clarifies why the original updater hasn’t made the improvement. ;) --Comment by Selfie City (talk | contributions) 00:42, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ I rather just imported the English Wikipedia's Template:Show by date, and this should do the job. e.g. if the tram line is going to open in May 2023, then after May 2023, it should show that it's open. Unfortunately, I rather just copied the entire template's documentation from en.pedia so that will need some updating first. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 00:48, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

It is far better to simply say in text that the tram line will open in May 2023. Using a template is a bad idea beacause a)it adds complexity, b)it will say that the tram line is open in June 2023, when building delays might mean that it doesn't actualy open before July 2023. It is a different matter using this on WP about a solar eclipse that is expected tomorrow. AlasdairW (talk) 07:04, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

Their example (in the template documentation) is really bad: "Mr. Smith will take/took office on ...". What if he died in between, or there was a coup? Really confusing to read that he had taken office later. The sv-wp {{Bäst före}} by default just adds an ^{[Uppdatering behövs]} and a maintenance category. If it is just about a tram line opening on a set date, that can be said in text, but as in the Turku article, the railway works will happen, but little is known about the temporary arrangements, which will be complicated enough that I also don't want them to clutter the article longer than necessary. –LPfi (talk) 08:24, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

As a minor point, you didn't "import" the template. Importing pages involves using Special:Import. You "copied and pasted" it into this wiki. WhatamIdoing (talk) 17:02, 25 September 2021 (UTC)