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→Links in Capitals: new section
::I have found that it is best not to do any editing at all while one is angry. Anger is not a contribution. [[User:Giles|Giles]] ([[User talk:Giles|talk]]) 16:52, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
::I have found that it is best not to do any editing at all while one is angry. Anger is not a contribution. [[User:Giles|Giles]] ([[User talk:Giles|talk]]) 16:52, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
== Links in Capitals ==
A link serves to identify the Wiki target, usually an article or section of an article. The name of an article is always capitalized, so when the Wiki follows a link, if the link is capitalized, it is a direct identifier of the target. The Wiki does contain some name redirections, as an aid to Wiki users who may be typing in an article name. Many redirections are uncapitalized article names, which allows the user to type in the uncapitalized form as a convenience. The redirection identifies the true article name so that the target can be located anyway.
If uncapitalized links are used within Wiki text, then a redirection is required in the wiki. That introduces a dependency in the wiki text itself, which makes the wiki less robust. If the redirection were to become corrupted or go missing, the link would no longer work. Moreover, the redirection makes more work for the wiki in order to follow the link, burning server time and resource. If enough of that is going on at any time, it could affect response time.
The best practice therefore is to have redirections available for interactive use, with the intent of limiting that use to interactive cases. Links in wiki text should be directly to the article name (in capitals), to minimize the resources required for its automated uses.
In plain article text, it is not required to use capitals to refer to game items themselves. The game uses capitals for its own purposes, but a strawberry is a Strawberry pretty much all the time, for reading and looking at. The same goes for substitution text created in the link. Its only purpose is for the reader. It's rare to find the need to distinguish a conceptual item from a specific game item, which is all a capital might be good for. Besides, the game names, if different from common-language use, are that way simply in order to make the game intent more specific, as in "Unmilled Rice" (the crop), as opposed to "Rice" (the cooking ingredient). Context in language can sometimes be perfectly clear without the need to be mechanical in name application. I prefer uncapitalized names in ordinary text, as it also permits for the formation of plurals or other word grammar without confusing the reader as to whether or not the game name is plural. (Some of those are, some are not.)
Hope this helps you sort out the best way to deal with links. [[User:Giles|Giles]] ([[User talk:Giles|talk]]) 04:46, 1 February 2024 (UTC)