Mobilesventek

Flotilla

Please don't get carried away putting in links to the novel Flotilla - it doesn't deserve a mention in articles about locations in the book. Just imagine if every book that took place in Paris added themselves to that article! - DavidWBrooks (talk) 20:08, 16 October 2012 (UTC)

--Mobilesventek (talk) 20:41, 16 October 2012 (UTC)I appeal this decision - I was not, and did not get 'carried away.' I disagree with the characterization and request that my reference in Something Wicked This Way Comes subsection 'The Novel in Pop Culture' be restored.

--Mobilesventek (talk) 20:12, 16 October 2012 (UTC)DavidW ... your point is well-taken, I was/am very careful to make sure the reference is relevant and valuable. Some persons who learn about seasteading or mariculture or about locations on the SoCal coast, may be interested in a novel that goes to great lengths to talk about them.

Several hundred thousand novels are published each year, many of which go to great lengths to talk about different topics. Imagine if every single one of them was mentioned in every single article about every single topic they discussed! David Foster Wallace's books alone would fill an entire wikipedia. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 20:14, 16 October 2012 (UTC)

--Mobilesventek (talk) 20:16, 16 October 2012 (UTC)What would you suggest then - removing the links?

--Mobilesventek Wow, you dumped every reference I made, including the one in 'Something Wicked.' Why didn't you dump the one right above it, then?

--Mobilesventek (talk) 20:30, 16 October 2012 (UTC)Adding from other Talk Page - Mr. Brooks - request explanation for removal of reference to Flotilla in Something Wicked This Way Comes subsection 'The Novel in Pop Culture.' There are no fewer than 19 other references to this novel from other arenas, some of them more popular than others. Why was my reference to Flotilla removed?

You're right - that list was full of piffle that didn't belong. I hadn't noticed that. I have removed all references that don't use the title as a title or a major theme (King). Nothing personal, by the way; your links seemed too peripheral for wikipedia and, frankly, were a classic example of somebody trying to use wikipedia as a publicity agent for their work, which is very frowned upon (for obvious reasons). So, yes, I did dump almost all the references you made; when I saw what you were doing, I checked them all. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 00:24, 17 October 2012 (UTC)

--Mobilesventek (talk) 00:40, 17 October 2012 (UTC)Well that's projecting a bit, isn't it? Look at how many things Pixar references in Wall-E - Wikipedia doesn't have a problem with that. If I talk about a novel or a movie, and it references other things, at exactly what point does it cross the threshold between 'pop culture' reference and 'classic example of somebody trying to use wikipedia as a publicity agent for their work.' Are we allowed to talk about pop culture or not? Have you looked at how often the average movie references something else in its work? Those references get cited and nobody turns a hair. I really think this is a bit arbitrary and weighted against new contributors.

Well, it's arbitrary, in a way, because there are no rigid algorithms for this kind of thing - if there were, then crowdsourcing like wikipedia wouldn't be necessary. There is no single line of "exaclty at what point does it cross the threshhold" - it's a discussion. As you noted, the list of references was full of peripheral items; even reducing it to the use of the actual title or major characteristics in the work's title still leaves a ton of stuff. Just imagine how many novels make reference or passing use, as yours seems to do, to aspects of a famous book like this - I bet there are 50 of them. What's the point of a long list of 50 items? We're not a trivia pit. That's the thinking. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 00:53, 17 October 2012 (UTC)

Well, nice to see we can agree on that. I still disagree with your reasoning - I think people enjoy references like that and I think that's why the author did it. I called it out, you knocked it out, the power's on your side so ... there it is.

There's no power - we're all editors; you're welcome to replace it. I might remove it again! Perhaps somebody else will join in - that's how wikipedia works. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 01:44, 17 October 2012 (UTC)

Nomination of Flotilla (novel) for deletion

A discussion is taking place as to whether the article Flotilla (novel) is suitable for inclusion in Wikipedia according to Wikipedia's policies and guidelines or whether it should be deleted.

The article will be discussed at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Flotilla (novel) until a consensus is reached, and anyone is welcome to contribute to the discussion. The nomination will explain the policies and guidelines which are of concern. The discussion focuses on high-quality evidence and our policies and guidelines.

Users may edit the article during the discussion, including to improve the article to address concerns raised in the discussion. However, do not remove the article-for-deletion template from the top of the article. Tokyogirl79 (talk) 05:10, 5 November 2012 (UTC)