[WikiEN-l] Template asymmetry

Wed May 4 23:36:11 UTC 2005

Erik Moeller (erik_moeller at gmx.de) [050505 08:28]:

> The problem with templates is that it is very easy to create them, and 
> very hard to get rid of them. Virtually all problem templates I've seen 
> have survived being listed on "Templates for deletion" because, usually, 
> there are multiple passionate fans -- the people who have been using the 
> template and who don't want to modify their existing workflows.
> This has led to an abundance of pastel colored boxes, as every editor 
> seems to want a template to call their own.
> I believe we have to treat new templates in the same way we treat new 
> policy proposals. We can keep them around as proposals, but before we 
> actually *use* them, there has to be a consensus to do so.
> That way, we fix the current asymmetry: We make it harder to *adopt* 
> templates; then it doesn't matter so much that it's hard to *delete* them.

OH YES PLEASE.

- d.