Last modified: 2011-03-13 18:06:45 UTC
Template redirects have been causing a stir recently. There are important points in favor of them (ease-of-use mostly) and points against them (server performance issues that might or might not be a problem, the fact that template redirects are handled completely transparently combined with the fact that there's some naming guidelines for templates emerging, at least at a local level). A complete solution to this would be to substitute a redirected template automatically with its redirect target once the page is saved (i.ed {{template which redirects to other template}} would become {{other template}}). This is a suggestion by Caerwine ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Caerwine ), to be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Redirects_for_deletion#Post-Christmas_Refactoring , cited below: "That said, perhaps rather than human engineering, we should be focussing our efforts on software engineering, since the later is usually easier to accomplish. It shouldn't be that difficult to have the software be able to automatically substitute in the reference from a redirect instead of keeping it when saving an edit. That would have the benefit of reducing both server load when the template or article link is refered to in the future and in the case of stub templates, reduce the number of undesirable examples followed by novice stub creators. In cases where it is desirable to retain the redirects as redirects because they are redirects with possibilities, it wouldn't be difficult to have it differentiate this based on something such as having #REDIRECT [[Y]] and #REDIRECT [[Template:Y]] be links that do get auto-dereferenced while #REDIRECT [[:Y]] and #REDIRECT [[:Template:Y]] don't get auto-dereferenced, as currently the syntax allows for either form and they seem to be treated the same, so I don't think the change wouldn't break anything. Caerwine Caerwhine 22:02, 26 December 2005 (UTC)"
Note that there are complications with the English Wiktionary template context, which makes extensive use of redirects using #ifexists and will do so even when it is greatly simplified with string functions. I don't think this suggestion conflicts, but please don't break anything! ~~~~
Hmm. Well, what's the problem that needs solving? There isn't really a performance issue. Transparent handling and the ongoing evolution of naming patterns both point in favor of functioning redirects. Generally, changing page text on save or automatically gives me the willies. It smells like confusion (violation of principle of least surprise).
I'm bold and closing this as WONTFIX. There is no consensus to "substitute a redirected template automatically with its redirect target once the page is saved". Especially not as side effect of saving a page. Some template redirects are deliberately created for editorial reasons. Template redirects are a feature (of course it should be used wisely, as every feature ;-).
If bug 2003 is fixed, this could be done on a per-redirect basis if desired, too.
