Forum:Obsoletion policy

Forums: Index → Proposals → Obsoletion policy

This discussion is in regards to a proposed change on SmashWiki. The discussion must first meet with a consensus before it is implemented.

Hi, I’m proposing a new policy regarding use of the {{Obsolete}} template. What makes me propose this policy is that the conditions change depending on the namespace. Good obsoletion candidates include:

• Pages or sections that include obsolete information (e.g. outdated information that could not be possibly updated).
• Unused categories or templates that have been decided against deleting. These types of candidates must have explicit proof that they will never be used on the wiki.
• Project pages (e.g. policies) that are no longer effective.
• Outdated help pages that could not be possibly updated or useful.
• Beta images. This will help clean up the “High quality unavailable” category.

I don’t want to clutter up meta categories that contain obsolete pages. This is the biggest reason why I’m proposing this policy and why I created the template in the first place. Jordan2009, the Sora Main Talk here 16:00, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

Comments

Some things right off the bat:

• Using this on mainspace pages is a complete no go; pages about subjects that are no longer relevant are already explicitly written on a historical basis, this template does nothing but permanently marks them with an ugly unnecessary template box and bloats their categories with a pointless meta category.

• Slapping this on beta images is a complete no go as well. They are not "obsoleted" when the pages they're on is typically about explicitly showing off unused/beta content in the Smash games, and {{HighQualityUnavailable}} is far more appropriate when said images are of poor quality, when the purpose of that template is exactly what it says, letting people know we most likely can't get a better quality image of the thing being shown and so don't put {{Lowquality}} on them.

• Unused categories and templates that no longer serve a purpose should just be deleted, we don't keep unused categories and templates around that have no possible valid purpose to be used.

• As for the pages of policies we no longer enforce and other SmashWiki/Help space pages that no longer apply, we already have {{Repealed policy}} for that.

I'm not seeing much of a valid use case for this template, I suppose it works on the IRC page, but if that's the only page it's going to be used on, then there's not much purpose to creating a template for one page when the custom message box on it already does the job. Omega Tyrant 19:53, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

What about the fourth point I listed about help pages? Is that valid? Jordan2009, the Sora Main Talk here 20:29, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

"As for the pages of policies we no longer enforce and other SmashWiki/Help space pages that no longer apply, we already have {{Repealed policy}} for that." Omega Tyrant 20:33, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

Should we just cancel this and delete the template and category? Jordan2009, the Sora Main Talk here 20:39, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

I already alerted the Discord server about this, if you or anyone else can come up with a valid use case that isn't better done by already existing templates and that won't only apply to one or two pages, then maybe there will be something. Omega Tyrant 20:43, June 6, 2023 (EDT)

I see no other uses. Jordan2009, the Sora Main Talk here 20:45, June 6, 2023 (EDT)