Forum:CT:Wookieepedia - Reference Desk

Forums > Consensus track archive > CT:Wookieepedia - Reference Desk


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The result of the debate was create a reference desk; the name is to be discussed at Forum:Reference desk name. - Sikon 07:59, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

The idea of creating something similar to the Wikipedia Reference Desk has come up before, but nothing has ever come of it. And yet we persist in trying to stifle what we perceive as "irrelevant" topics on the Senate Hall and article talk pages. I think it may be time to create a reference desk of our own.

Obviously, it would need rules, and it would need a Star-Warsy name.

I'm opening this Consensus Track thread to determine if there is support for this idea. If there is, this thread will serve as a brainstorming topic for the format, rules, and name for this area.

So first, let's see if we all feel like we need this. -- Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 14:26, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

Create a reference desk?

Support

  1. Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 14:26, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  2. I heartily endorse this service or product. —Silly Dan (talk) 14:33, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  3. Some articles are very hard to come by. This could be very useful. .... 21:41, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  4. Sounds koovy - \\Captain Kwenn// — Ahoy! 21:48, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  5. Conditional support. The condition being that those who staff the Desk will need to have infinite patience, because they will need it. Gonk 00:43, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
  6. Support - if Memory Alpha can do this, so can we. QuentinGeorge 06:27, 7 February 2007 (UTC)
  7. I reserve the right to change my vote and/or never visit the Reference Desk. —Xwing328(Talk) 04:37, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  8. After careful consideration, I'll support this measure if only to help the wiki. -- Riffsyphon1024 06:10, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  9. Agreed, as per Riff. Of course, I think a few people need to take it on as one of their pet projects. Cutch 06:36, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  10. Per Xwing. Green Tentacle (Talk) 13:12, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  11. Re-adding my vote and name suggestions. Don't know why the server didn't save it last time I did it. - JMAS 19:11, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  12. Yay! A reference desk! - Patricknoddy The Jedi Council 00:47, 6 March 2007 (UTC)
  13. Support. —Mirlen 04:39, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
  14. LtNOWIS 05:42, 8 March 2007 (UTC)

Oppose

  1. Strong oppose. This is not Wikipedia, and we don't have many, many users with college-level and above knowledge like they do. Not to mention all the totally random and perverted stuff we'll be getting. Atarumaster88 Jedi Order (Audience Chamber) 16:24, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  2. Strong oppose. Let's work on continuing to get the encyclopedia in order and continuing to shout at people in the Senate to shut the hell up. Let's not divide our efforts on something that can be better done by searching the articles or asking on TFN. Havac 18:46, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
    Oppose. It'd be another thing to police. I think an FAQ page would be better. -Fnlayson 19:39, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  3. Imp 11:14, 8 March 2007 (UTC)

Neutral

Possible names?

Ideas

  • "Ask Wuher". :) -- Riffsyphon1024 06:53, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  • "Wookieepedia Data Vault" or "The Wookieepedia Holocron" or even "WookieepediaCron" - JMAS 19:11, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  • "The Super Happy Friendly Reference Desk of Star Wars Hyperinclusionist Fanwankery." .... 06:18, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
  • "WWKD? What Would Kyle Do?" -- Riffsyphon1024 06:23, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
  • Ask the Analysis Droids ... or Jocasta's Desk. I think it should come from the movies, but that's about all I can think of at the moment. Gonk 18:58, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
  • The Advisory Council or Stump the Jedi. :) -Fnlayson 06:25, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
  • Continuing our proud tradition of adopting comically stupid stuff, I suggest we call it the Knowledge Bank. Havac 08:31, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

Comments

  • Let's avoid names already used by other SW sites or publications. For example, LFL themselves have already used "Ask the Jedi Council."
  • "Ask the Wookiee . . . nicely ( or he'll tear your arm off ). Ok, that was a joke. Atarumaster88 Jedi Order (Audience Chamber) 17:55, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

Proposed rules

  • These are all I can think of at the moment:
    1. No versus threads. Meaning no "Palpatine vs Nihilus" or "Executor vs Viscount" or anything like that.
    2. No questions about other universes. In some ways an extension of the previous rule. No "Death Star vs Borg."
    3. Answers must be independently verifiable. With page numbers, if possible.
    4. No wild fan theories. I'm not naming names, but you all know what I'm talking about. -- Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 14:26, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • More rules:
    1. No ahem biology-related questions (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more). OK, we'll be more specific and technical when we actually write the rules.
    2. Questions may or may not be answered in a reasonable amount of time.
    3. All talk-page questions not directly related to improving an article will be directed here.
    4. The Exile is female. Shut up about it.
    5. All standard rules of Wiki/Wookiee decorum apply (NPA, NOR, DBD, etc.).
  • Come on, people. Refine the idea, don't just reject it. -- Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 20:36, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

Comments

  • So, anybody else want to throw in their two credits? -- Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 14:26, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
    • Two credits: 1) This idea would take a lot of time and detract from our purpose- to make a complete SW encyclopedia. 2) I don't even want to think of the garbage we'll collect that we don't want to see. Atarumaster88 Jedi Order (Audience Chamber) 16:21, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • It's not like this would be a mandatory thing. In fact, we'd have a disclaimer saying the question may or may not be answered in a reasonable amount of time. This would just give us a specific place to tell people to go when they have a question rather than simply saying "STFU and RTFA!" Some people might actually enjoy answering questions here, and it would also point out weaknesses in specific articles that might be incomplete and/or hard to understand. -- Darth Culator (Talk)(Kills) 19:54, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • This could be the precursor to the "Stump the Wookieepedians" at Celebration IV. Maybe a good idea, but Ataru is rather set on his goals. -- Riffsyphon1024 20:05, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • I think a FAQ page as part of this would help with basic questions, especially given the poor search function here. -Fnlayson 21:02, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • What about just laxing the rules on asking question in the Senate Hall and handling them here? jSarek 23:32, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
    • Yea, or apply the rules above to there. -Fnlayson 23:45, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
  • I might support this, but only after <80% of our articles are sourced. Since we implemented the new policy, we need to have our own house of 50,000 articles in order before we start this. Atarumaster88 Jedi Order (Audience Chamber) 05:42, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
    • Less than 80%? We're already there. I think you mean >80% :P —Xwing328(Talk) 17:00, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
  • We've consensused this enough haven't we? -- Riffsyphon1024 05:38, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.