Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Microformats/Archive 1

Species discussion

There has been some discussion of the use of the proposed 'species' microformat, on Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Plants. Andy Mabbett 15:37, 30 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Rational?

I see a lot of talk by a limited number of users on how to use it. I don't see anything on why it would be good. I don't see anything where the use has been embraced by the Wikipedia community. Jeepday 14:52, 24 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I trust you mean rationale! I'll try to add some use case example to the project page, but there are already some on the microformats 'wiki' [1]. It's too early for the use to be "embraced", that's what this project is about. Things are starting to happen! Andy Mabbett 15:21, 24 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Watch this space. This a bootstrapping effort at the moment, and you won't see any extra utility in the very short term: but once there's a substantial amount of semantically-tagged content on Wikipedia, some very interesting things will start to happen... -- The Anome 19:10, 31 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I'd like to add a prod here about a better introduction of what these are all about on your projects page. At least define some types and benefits that could accrue for the added complexity. This looks like it may be something to consider incorporating into WP:TSP efforts to create better doc pages and some kind of directory/listing while we're tagging and updating templates and doc pages as we go.

But we're bootstrapping too (and yeah, need to revise our project page too!). I see no reason the many of us focused on templates shouldn't be coordinating better overall, and perhaps we need a template listing and linking the various template oriented sub-projects overall. Something like the MILTHIST links template to their various sub-projects comes to mind. Given that, at the least, we'd all know where to look for information and get a general idea of all that was going on! Best regards // FrankB 17:39, 7 May 2007 (UTC) (with cattle prod in hand! <g>)[reply]

Help

Can anyone help with this Wikipedia:Village_pump_(technical)#Referencing_geo_coordinates. Thanks --^{PlaneMad|YakYak} 15:11, 31 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Naming

Apparently unAPI and COinS are not considered microformats? But they serve similar purposes? Maybe we should make the group more general, like Wikiproject semantic tagging or Wikiproject embedded metadata? — Omegatron 00:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The issue of microformats created outside the self-styled "microformats community" (as exists in the wiki, mailing list and IRC channel accessed via microformats.org is thorny one. Supposedly, they don't adhere to some aspect or other of the "microformats principles" (COinS, for instance, is hidden metadata; my mention of unAPI on the wiki there was swiftly deleted and unAPI declared "not a microformat" and "offtopic". My complaints about such censorship resulted in a threat to ban me from the mailing list). Though I'm heavily involved in that "community", I'm ambivalent about the recognition of such formats (and the governance of that community) and have tried to stay neutral. The issue of whether or not your examples really are "microformats" needs to be addressed elsewhere. Meanwhile, how would you suggest we approach them in this project? I would definitely prefer to keep "microformats" in the title of this project (which could be a child of one of those you suggest). Andy Mabbett 07:35, 4 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I think we should just ignore their squabbles and be as neutral as possible; pick the most appropriate tools for the job. If the word "microformats" is "owned" by that community, and a more generic term can be used, we should use the more generic term. — Omegatron 03:07, 5 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Question

Who makes a microformat and who decides what is the accepted standard for a particular microformat? Remember 02:56, 5 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Apologies for the late response, I've only just noticed your post. See the above discussion, and, in particular microformats.org. Andy Mabbett 15:24, 15 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Tinsley Viaduct

I recently added some coordinates, using hCard and Geo, to Tinsley Viaduct. My work was reverted and there's been some, er, interesting discussion which folks here might want to read. Andy Mabbett 15:22, 15 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

A poll is now being conducted. Andy Mabbett 20:45, 15 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that these coordinates don't belong in the article. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a collection of cartography data. One set of coordinates for the geographic location of the article's topic is sufficient. — Omegatron 16:14, 18 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

COinS

See Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Microformats/COinS

rel="license"

I opened a bug [2] about allowing rel=license. This would be very useful and easy to implement on the free content licenses for images. They are all templated already, and they all link to the license anyway. One concern, and I realize this is a concern for that microformat in general, is how to specify what is under that license when it isn't the entire page. To me, this isn't a huge deal since the image description page doesn't contain a ton of information, and it should be obvious what we're talking about, but the concern exists. - cohesion 00:47, 30 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

A query re microformatting

I have followed various discussions loosely connected to microformatting, often animated, often lengthy, in various locations.

I can see how microformats can be introduced usefully into a page for which a single infobox is appropriate, or where a table is appropriate. I can't see (yet) how you (WikiProject Microformats) are going to treat a page where these are not appropriate - one doesn't need to look far to find examples, eg Dave Whelan, a topical figure, is both an ex-footballer + a notable businessman + notable in ownership both in football and rugby league, so would not fit readily into an info box. An article (say) on the buildings of Sheffield University might include half a dozen buildings. A description of say the Pennine Way might usefully contain 100+ items of geo-data.

Suppose you are not allowed an info box and not allowed any tables, how will it be done? -- roundhouse 11:07, 21 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

In the short term, using inline, HTML spans; as is already used on some pages. In the longer term, by creating appropriate templates to give an in-line display (here's a very rough draft of a spec for an in-line hCard). One day, I expect that there will be wiki syntax for some "microformatable" data. A table would be appropriate for your Pennine Way example, perhaps on a sub-page. {{infobox biography}} is suitable for multi- disciplinarians such as Whelan. Andy Mabbett 11:16, 21 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]