User talk:RPekař

New categories
Hi. Please don't create categories for things that have only a few members. Please see this guideline: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Overcategorization#Small_with_no_potential_for_growth  Thanks! -- Ssilvers (talk) 22:34, 5 October 2010 (UTC)
 * Thank you, I won't then. But even before I started, more than half of the existing subcategories under "Operas by composer" had one or two members: I thought that was the accepted standard. The rule you refer to mentiones "Songs by artists" as an accepted exception, the opera categorisation seems completely analogous to me. As a user, I would find it very useful to have a list of Wikipedia opera articles by author, for which purpose categorisation seemed the best tool for me.RPekař (talk) 09:00, 6 October 2010 (UTC)

Hi. Well, the guideline says not to do it unless there is a "large scheme" already set up for categories in the topic area. As you say, some opera composers already were catted like this, even if they only composed a few operas. I left a query over at the Categories for discussion talk page, and opinion is mixed. Generally, I don't think it's a good idea for one editor to make category changes that affect multiple articles without discussing it first with the relevant project, in this case WP:OPERA. I asked the question over there, and at lease one editor didn't mind what you had done, so I guess it's no big deal (I see you also posted over there). Personally, though, I don't see how it helps. If I am looking for Beethoven's only opera, but I can't remember the name, I can just look at his article, and there will be a link. It seems to me the category tree would be cleaner if it only contained subcats that had, say, more than half a dozen members. But, in any case, I think it is worth asking first, before going ahead with a project like this. Sorry if I overreacted. All the best, -- Ssilvers (talk) 16:01, 6 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Thank you, no offence taken. I honestly thought I just followed a standard already established, that's why I hadn't thought of asking.RPekař (talk) 16:21, 6 October 2010 (UTC)

Even so, whenever I do anything that will affect a large number of articles (more than 3?) I try to poke around a little and see if the people editing in that topic area have a problem with my plan. Sometimes they have already discussed the idea and have a good reason not to do it. If I don't see any reason to wait, then I go ahead. Just my 2 cents. Happy editing! -- Ssilvers (talk) 16:34, 6 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Just wanted to to thank you RPekař for your very useful help in improving the opera categories. If you are interested in editing opera articles, you may want to consider joining us at WP:WikiProject Opera. I have placed a welcome template below as well to help get you more acclamaited to wikipedia. Welcome!4meter4 (talk) 20:18, 6 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Thank you. Ssilvers has, however, a valid point that I should not have started before discussion. I am active in the field of opera in my own (Czech) language version, which needs much more work on than this one, but I will certainly follow the "mother" Wikipedia.RPekař (talk) 20:50, 6 October 2010 (UTC)

Hi. Just another note to say that everyone at the Opera Project has now confirmed that what you were doing was right, so I was wrong, and I apologize. Please do go ahead with it, as 4meter4 suggested. All the best! -- Ssilvers (talk) 22:04, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

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