Talk:Boethius (disambiguation)

Move request

Main discussion can be found at Talk:Anicius_Manlius_Severinus_Boethius#Redirect_Boethius_to_this_article. Below is a previous older discussion. Please note - once this page is renamed to Boethius (disambiguation), Boethius will be redirected to Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, per the consensus at the above talk page. -- Stbalbach 17:24, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

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Given that there is nothing in the "Boethius" namespace, there is little point creating a new disambiguation page. --Mel Etitis (Μελ Ετητης) 18:01, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

Huh? See "What links here" for Boethius, there are 50+ articles pointing there, and they are almost all for "the" Boethius. You could fix those links, but the problem won't go away, "Boethius" is a term of its own synonomous with the 6th c philosopher, people will continue to use it, and when they do, they almost always mean "the" boethius -- there is no reason for Boethius to point to a dab page, it should go straight to the person, it is by far the most common usage. The reason I created the Boethius (disambiguation) page is that people often misspell the name, which is what dab pages are for, close spellings or confusions. If someone ends up at the Philosophers page and didn't meant to go there, there is a direction at the top of the article pointing to the dab page. All of this is standard article naming and dab page procedure. --Stbalbach 00:34, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

I fixed the links; they shouldn't have been going to a dab page in any case (redirects are there for mistakes or slips or confusion, but not for everyday ease of typing a link in an article).

Personally I think that it can be more useful and interesting for people who simply type in "Boethius" to be taken to a page that tells them that there's more than one — informative and educational.

I don't really follow your other point. How is the misspelling of the name solved by changing the disambiguation page from "Boethius" to "Boethius (disambiguation)"? Also, dab pages are there for various purposes, but mainly to disambiguate between two or more uses of the same term or name, as here. --Mel Etitis (Μελ Ετητης) 15:57, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

Now that the links are fixed, the remaining issue is that "Boethius" almost always means "the" Boethius, so it should point to that page, if someone types in "Boethius" they should go straight there -- then that page should have a Boethius (disambiguation) link at the top, for those who are curious, or need to know what other Boethius's exist. It's the "most common usage" reason in naming pages and redirects. This is commonly done throughout Wikipedia for pages where there is a name that usually means one thing. -- Stbalbach 19:53, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

Mel, since you are an admin, you can rename Boethius to Boethius (disambiguation) -- this is simply following the rules of article naming. 99 times out of 100, a user who types in "Boethius" means to go to the philosopher, there is no reason to force people through a dab page. Your justification that you think it would be "informative and educational" to show people that there are other Boethius's is not supported by the Wikipedia rules, and further proves you are aware that the philosopher is the most common usage. As an admin you need to handle this correctly. Please rename the articles accordingly to preserve the article history (it can only be done by an admin, per your own doing). -- Stbalbach 14:26, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

BTW if your unwilling to do so, than I will put a request in to have someone else do it -- but I can't do it if you keep running interference and changing it back and not discussing it here on the talk page. I've posted two times and here and once on your own talk page and you have not responded. -- Stbalbach 14:29, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

• I have responded, warning you not to move pages by cutting and pasting; you reacted by doing the same thing again. Note that if you continue you may well be blocked from editing for a period. I've also explained how you go about suggesting a page move at the "Requests" page. --Mel Etitis (Μελ Ετητης) 16:49, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

It was to get your attention, since you ignored the comment I made above about why this should redirect to the philosopher. No admin will move the page while there is no consensus, and you are refusing to engage in discussion about it, or work to achieve consensus. Why is that? What's your problem that you can't engage in discussion and address the point I made above? Wikipedia is about working issues out on talk pages, with votes and RfC's as a last resort. You made a single pronouncement and then have refused any further discussion. Frankly that's a bigger problem with you and Wikipedia in general that is well documented. -- Stbalbach 18:42, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

You twice moved pages against Wikipedia policy in order simply to get my attention? I strongly suggest that you find some other way; risking an editing block isn't worth it

I explained why I think that it makes sense for the unused "Boethius" to act as the disambiguation page; you explained why you think that it ought not, but you didn't respond to my points. Until they're answered, there's not much for me to say. I disagree with the policy of basing these things on second-guessing readers; I may well be in a minority, in which case suggesting the page moves will allow you to ascertain that. --Mel Etitis (Μελ Ετητης) 21:57, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

If you read Wikipedia:Disambiguation it's pretty clear what is the purpose of a dab page is. While I commend your desire to educate readers and understand what you are saying it creates a new problem, which is that when someone types in "Boethius", they actually mean the 6thC philosopher, and don't need to extra navigation steps, which is what the dab rules say. That Boethius would go directly to the 6thc philosopher is educational in its own right for most people. -- Stbalbach 01:56, 5 April 2006 (UTC)

Redirect this article

In an effort to build consensus I have set up a proposal and straw poll. Since it involves three articles, it is being done at the main article. Please see Talk:Anicius_Manlius_Severinus_Boethius#Redirect_Boethius_to_this_article to register your views or vote. -- Stbalbach 19:31, 4 April 2006 (UTC)