[WikiEN-l] Categories, lists and series boxes (was Ratings again)

Wed Oct 26 10:00:55 UTC 2005

Delirium wrote:
>Stefan Sittler wrote:

>>I have been wondering about this, actually. (I'm newish to WP). Could
>>somebody show me how exactly categories are helpful? A link would be
>>fine. It's hard for me to see the usefulness. A link or three would be
>>fine, maybe an old pertinent discussion. Thanks.

>I see them as fulfilling a lot of the functions that would otherwise
>have to be fulfilled with lists, but in a more maintainable way, since
>they're maintained incrementally on the article side, not centrally on
>the list side (the "list" is then automatically generated).  They don't
>completely replace lists, but they automate a lot of the more tedious
>sorts of lists that would otherwise have to be constructed and maintained.

[[WP:CSL]] is a guideline discussing the use of categories, article
series templates and list articles. The three are complementary.
WP:CSL mentions some advantages and disadvantages of each.

(Originally written by Snowspinner, heavily revised by me, now merrily
instruction-creeping at the hands of the community. I didn't manage to
get my passionate contempt and loathing for article series boxes in
general made into a guideline, but have managed to point out the sort
of problems that will get a series box sent to WP:TFD in short order
;-)

- d.