User:Kildor/templates

This page in a nutshell: Current and future event templates should not be used in articles. The templates do not add any useful information, and all articles are already covered by a general disclaimer.

Many articles that feature some kind of information on current events or future plans often have a temporal template, like {{current}} or {{future}}, at the top of the article. The contents of these templates vary, but in general there are two or three types of messages provided:

The article contains information on a current or future event
The content may change as more information becomes available
The content may be speculative

These messages more or less duplicate information in the general disclaimer at the bottom of every page, and information that is typically located in the article lead. The templates fails to add any useful information to the article and should therefore not be used. Wikipedia is not a crystal ball, and a future tag should never be used as an excuse for adding unverifiable content. A cleanup template is more suitable for addressing such concerns.

Problems

There are a number of problems related to the use of current and future event templates.

Stating the obvious

First of all, these templates states the obvious. An article on 2010 FIFA World Cup is clearly about the future, and there is no need to highlight that fact at the most prominent position in the article. The lead of the article is also capable of indicating the current or contingent nature of the topic (i.e. ...is scheduled to take place..., ...is an ongoing..., ...is the current...).

Disclaimer

The message that the content of an article may change or is not up-to-date is a disclaimer. But that fact is true for every article on Wikipedia. Any page can change at any time, and there is no need pointing out that for a small subset of articles. The Wikipedia:General disclaimer also clearly says that Wikipedia cannot guarantee the validity of the information found here.

Unconsistent use

If these templates were to be used consistently, we would need to add similar tags to articles like Republic of China, George W. Bush, and 22nd century.

Bad layout

Unencyclopedic

not in other encyclopedies, newspapers or websites

Exceptions

many edits

Future events

100+ Template:Future
0 Template:Future UK radio station
50+ Template:Future aircraft
20+ Template:Future airline
20+ Template:Future airport
20+ Template:Future airport expansion
250+ Template:Future album
8 Template:Future amusement ride
50+ Template:Future arena
1 Template:Future article
100+ Template:Future automobile
0 Template:Future awards show
100+ Template:Future book
20+ Template:Future bridge
500+ Template:Future building
0 Template:Future canal
20+ Template:Future channel
20+ Template:Future chip
50+ Template:Future comic
0 Template:Future dam
100+ Template:Future election
100+ Template:Future election candidate
100+ Template:Future election in the United States
20+ Template:Future energy infrastructure
500+ Template:Future film
500+ Template:Future game
50+ Template:Future infrastructure
1 Template:Future mine
20+ Template:Future motor sport
4 Template:Future motorcycle
19 Template:Future museum
0 Template:Future music festival
20+ Template:Future pipeline
5 Template:Future play article
2 Template:Future play section
50+ Template:Future power plant
50+ Template:Future product
0 Template:Future product small
10+ Template:Future radio
250+ Template:Future road
10+ Template:Future scientific facility
10+ Template:Future ship
10+ Template:Future single
50+ Template:Future software
50+ Template:Future spaceflight
500+ Template:Future sport
10+ Template:Future sports venue
100+ Template:Future stadium
100+ Template:Future television
20+ Template:Future television episode
50+ Template:Future television series
20+ Template:Future tunnel
0 Template:Future webcomic
0 Template:Future zoo exhibit