User talk:UBX/Userboxes/General Nav

Please edit this template mercilessly! I claim no ownership of it. —Mira 09:51, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

My reasoning

Just for reference: I got the idea for this template while creating a navbar for my user page. I'm not sure if this is one of those "Bad Things™" or not, so please let me know if it is and I'll make it go poof (definition #3).

I organized the directories alphabetically by username, as that seemed the fairest way to organize things (we don't want edit wars over whose listing comes first). I also added descriptions for those directories that deal with specific topics. Those without descriptions deal with various topics. Now I'm not sure if it should be left how it is, if it should include (various) after all of the more general archives, or if the descriptions should be removed altogether. Your opinion on that, and anything else, is very welcome. —Mira 09:51, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

As long as this is a "short list," this seems fine. Real soon now, I expect someone will create a centralized list page in userspace. Rfrisbie^talk 11:43, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Heh, I may as well put my answer here too, to keep the discussion together: There is a list linked at the top of the template. However, the user hosting it says it is temporary. —Mira 12:08, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

By topic?

We could organise it by topic instead. Of course, most collections are "misc"... —Ashley Y 23:37, 7 June 2006 (UTC)

Yeah. How soon before WP:UBX becomes User:BlaBla/UBX? A navigation template will become unweildy "real soon now" unless we try to get topical. We could use User:GRBerry/Userbox migration as the counterpart to WP:UBX. This could morph into the counterpart to Template:WP:UBS, although with the cooler colors. ;-)

But seriously, (not really) if users put headings on their pages, we still can link them by topic at the main directory. Eventually, the template should link to the main directory subsection or, more likely, subpages. The existing UBX classification structure shouldn't be thrown out, just "mirrored." At some point, I wouldn't be surprised if the original goes bye-bye, at least for what migrates to userspace. Rfrisbie^talk 02:38, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

I started the topical lists at User:GRBerry/Userbox migration. That's probably the best place to start sorting "misc" pages by headings, if they have them. Rfrisbie^talk 03:35, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

I really do like the idea of sorting by topic, I was just using the alphabet because there were so few directories at the time that it seemed silly to divide them into topics. I've put a few example templates at User:MiraLuka/UBX, let me know what you think, mess around with them, or create another example on that page, I don't care. Happy editing. —Mira 07:23, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Cool! As usual, I pick door #3. Why don't you just switch it in & we can putz with it from here. ;-) Rfrisbie^talk 12:15, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Before this template busts a seam, I'd also like to suggest this becomes "Userbox archives by topic in userspace" and that the "Various" pages be removed. We can put a "noinclude" edit note at the bottom of the template showing how to split "mixed topic" pages into subpages and where they can list "mixed" tipics at User:GRBerry/Userbox migration. The note could be laid out like the one at Template:User GUS UBX to. Rfrisbie^talk 12:56, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

My new favorite option is 5. It includes a usage message that does not appear when transcluded. You can see a test of it here. Rfrisbie^talk 16:04, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

I knew you'd come along and make a better one. ;) —Mira 21:17, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for making it so easy to putz around with something already good. :-) Rfrisbie^talk 22:27, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

No problem. I need the practice anyway. —Mira 23:06, 8 June 2006 (UTC)