Wikipedia talk:How to add geocodes to articles

Precision

"Please don't be overly precise." exhorts the how-to. Does this need clarifying? Unless specified to the arc-second or at least .001 degree, markers for even quite large villages (I'm thinking about in the UK, here) can be way off the mark when plotted on a map - the Wikipedia layer in Google Earth, for instance. Look, for example, at 51°13′N 3°49′W where there is a Wikipedia marker for the village of Lynmouth which is in a field about a mile south-east of the actual place. I think the problem is that even a coarsely-defined pair of coordinates still defines a point, not an area, as far as the current range of mapping software is concerned anyway. Comments?  —SMALLJIM  16:48, 22 October 2008 (UTC)

This would be better discussed at WT:GEO. Andy Mabbett (User:Pigsonthewing); Andy's talk; Andy's edits 17:07, 22 October 2008 (UTC)

Well OK, I'll raise it there too, but I'm sure it's something that visitors to this project page need to be aware of. Do you not consider it an important issue, since the project is actively encouraging editors to add these coords? Maybe adding seconds to the "quick how-to" box would be a good idea: there are a lot more small features than large ones. And it won't do Wikipedia's image any good if lots of markers in Google Earth are in the wrong place.  —SMALLJIM  21:10, 22 October 2008 (UTC)

I've directed you to a better place to raise the issue because I think it's important. Andy Mabbett (User:Pigsonthewing); Andy's talk; Andy's edits 21:18, 22 October 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, but your concern was not apparent from your short comment, Andy. Now raised there.  —SMALLJIM  23:06, 22 October 2008 (UTC)