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Option C or B We should not be linking to templates. It is against usual Misplaced Pages practice. Current links to templates can be dropped, replaced with links to article sections, or, where appropriate, the linked templates can be expanded into standalone articles. Bondegezou (talk) 07:23, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
Comment: +1 to Pbsouthwood, and another question: does the navbox already link to the pages, which transclude these templates? Do these pages have captions and/or prose describing the transcluded content? —andrybak (talk) 09:26, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
I assume that each template is transcluded into at least one article within the scope of the navbox, but have not checked, and it is technically possible that I may be wrong. In most cases I would expect at least two transclusions, into two articles, otherwise why bother to make it a template. · · · Peter Southwood: 10:30, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
Most templates have a single transclusion. One has no transclusions at all. And two templates have more than one transclusion. —andrybak (talk) 14:37, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
Since there seems to be a suitable article using all except one template, I see no added value to the reader in having an extra link from the navbox to each table. I would be interested to know the rationale for having these tables as templates rather than the more usual practice of simply including them in the text. I can see the point when a table is used in more than one article, but not when it is in only one article.· · · Peter Southwood: 18:39, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
Option A or B. These data are extremely valuable. Most readers don't know or care what a MediaWiki namespace is. If someone wants to turn these into articles in mainspace, that's great, but I think a link to the data should be preserved in any case. 72.209.60.95 (talk) 01:14, 4 March 2020 (UTC)
I have not seen anyone contest that the data are valuable, just the way they are being used is unusual and not covered by any manual of style guidance that I am aware of. As tables in a regular article they are plainly encyclopeic. As naked tables without context the case is not clear.
What is the specific usefulness claimed for them as stand-alone tables, beyond their obvious value in articles where they are given context and explained? · · · Peter Southwood: 15:08, 4 March 2020 (UTC)
Option A the navigation to all the relevant pages is useful to quickly jump around to edit or read. I expect our readers will also appreciate it. So WP:IAR is applicable if an rule is an obstacle here. Removing the links does not add to the encyclopedia and would be slightly disruptive. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 03:34, 4 March 2020 (UTC)
Option A. It is useful, WP:IAR. I also cannot find any policies or guidelines that explicitly discourage linking to templates. Darylgolden Ping when replying 03:51, 4 March 2020 (UTC)
Option A The templates provide useful encyclopedic, sourced information and in this context including them in the navbox seems appropriate. The context in each template is provided by the {{main}} headers in the <noinclude> header sections. This context may not make sense for more typical Misplaced Pages navboxes. Obviously, a navbox for functional templates like {{t}} or {{citation needed}} would not make sense in the main namespace. Boud (talk) 01:02, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
Comment. I do not know if you are all aware that transclusions can be done from main space, in the same way that templates are transcluded from template space. If these tables are so generally useful that they should be used as stand-alone content, why are they not in main space as articles? · · · Peter Southwood: 07:40, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
Option B: While there is nothing wrong with option A, I find option B to be a better choice per 72.209.60.95. I just think it would be better to avoid linking to other namespaces as much as possible. It might confuse many newcomers who might think of it as a template with example numbers or something. Side note: I am officially no longer an uninvolved editor in this RfC so I will not be the one closing the discussion. I recommend waiting a week before requesting a closure per WP:ANRFC Bait30 08:42, 5 March 2020 (UTC).
Option A or B I think they are useful as is and provide valuable information, although I would be fine with expanding them into articles as well, particularly if they become larger. ~ HAL33320:42, 10 March 2020 (UTC)
Option B or C. We should not be linking to template namespace from mainspace. Navboxes in mainspace are for navigating between articles. If the template is already transcluded to an article, then the material is already navigable. If it isn't, then it should be, otherwise it defeats the purpose of the template namespace. 212.135.65.247 (talk) 10:31, 11 March 2020 (UTC)
Option B or C. Misplaced Pages often has too much trouble maintaining a firm line between content for readers and maintenance content for editors. My interpretation of WP:TMP is that templates are firmly on the maintenance side of that line, and we should not blur it. If the data is useful, find another way to present it. Sdkb (talk) 06:49, 13 March 2020 (UTC)
Option B. It makes it easier to navigate it for most Internet users. Most users of modern Internet are not interested of technicalities and inners of many services. Fortunny (talk) 12:15, 14 March 2020 (UTC)
Option C. The relevant guideline here is WP:TG which states that Templates should not normally be used to store article text, as this makes it more difficult to edit the content. Additionally, template pages do not show up in search results by default (most users will not use any "Advanced search" option, nor are navboxes visible on mobile, which is at least 50% of our readers. That means that whoever is creating these templates, are creating it for themselves and a small group of editors, and not for the wider community. Option B is irrelevant here, if the topic is notable for an article, expand, if it isn't add it to an article. If both aren't an option, that means that the template has no reason to exist. --Gonnym (talk) 06:52, 18 March 2020 (UTC)
Option B The data are very useful and current the CDC does not publish a daily report of cases and deaths by state. Not like other countries. Link to page with the statistics (table of state cases and deaths) from main page would be fine. Seatto23 (talk) 19:19, 20 March 2020 (UTC)
Option A/C. These templates are used in other articles, if we make standalone articles out of them this gets awkward. We could reduce the number of links here, however. Link to a list of these templates. --mfb (talk) 02:42, 22 March 2020 (UTC)
On the wall, templates are more for the 'behind the scenes' part of WP, as opposed to general reading. However, I still think that we should have the links there... Perhaps I am biased towards what would be more useful to me, as an editor. >>BEANS X211:24, 31 March 2020 (UTC)
I propose removing "East", "Central and North", "South", "Southeast", and "West", and just having subheaders for Mainland China, India, and Philippines. The Africa and Europe sections do not have regional subheaders, and splitting Asia into so many section makes finding specific locations more difficult, especially for editors who may not have a strong sense of geography. Thoughts? ---Another Believer(Talk)15:30, 25 April 2020 (UTC)
I was thinking consistent cell widths would make the template look cleaner. Does someone know how to make the subheaders for Asia, Europe, and North America the same width?
@Mfb: I believe you helped with this before. Do you mind taking another look?
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Comment: +1 to Pbsouthwood, and another question: does the navbox already link to the pages, which transclude these templates? Do these pages have captions and/or prose describing the transcluded content? —andrybak (talk) 09:26, 3 March 2020 (UTC)
