For subproject page: use freespace or category?

Question

I was surprised to see that the individual canton project pages for the Switzerland project are setup as category pages rather than as freespace profiles linking between the main project freespace profile (with appropriate categories added to it).

For clarity, here is the main Switzerland page and the Canton Basel subpage:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Switzerland
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Canton_of_Basel

Since the category pages have to be created anyway, I guess it makes some sense just to use those pages as the main page for subprojects.The text I would expect to see in a subproject page, like links to related resources, is just placed at the top of the category page.

My question: does Wikitree prefer one method over another? -- just using the category page for a subproject as the main subproject page versus setting up a separate freespace profile for a subproject? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods?

Comments

add Switzerland as tag.  And does each Canton require a sub-project in fact, or does the existing project not cover them?

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The main project covers all of the cantons, I am sure. I don't know that there needs to be subprojects by canton -- I should have been explicit that I am surprised there were not sub*pages* created as freespace profiles. There are pages being used in this way, but they are category pages, which is why I asked the question.

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ah, well, categorization has its own purpose.  You can always create a free-space page if you feel there is need of such and put the category of the relevant canton on the page so there is a direct link between the two.  Categories are not supposed to contain a whole lot of text, they are either containers for the relevant profiles links or sub-categories.

Answer 1

WikiTree policy (as I understand it, at least) is to limit the content on Category pages. The content on those pages should describe the purpose and scope of the category, which typically needs to include some information about the topic.  Informational pages about the topic should be created as free-space profiles.

That Canton of Basel category page does not have a lot of content, and most of it is reasonable to include on a category page. Ideally, however, there would be a separate free-space profile about the Canton of Basel, to include content on  the History of Basel and other topics. A link to the free-space page should appear prominently in the descriptive section of the category page. It peeves me when a category page for a place features prominent links to Wikipedia and other non-WikiTree websites, but is silent regarding the existence of a WikiTree free-space page where one of our volunteers has assembled and presented information specifically relevant to the genealogical aspects of the place.

Comments

Thanks, Ellen. I am going to work on Canton Valais, so I will go ahead and setup a separate freespace page. I guess I'll also post a link to this question on the Switzerland page, and people involved with other cantons can then create others as they find time and inclination.

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Addendum to my answer: WikiTree is, of course, a work in progress. Most topics get categories before free-space pages are created, and the category is where bits of good information get recorded, but sooner or later we are supposed to transition the informational content to a Space page.

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Oops, there is no way to comment on the Switzerland project page. And I guess when I became a member of the project, I was not added to the Google group. There is currently no project leader to add me to the group, so I guess I will just work on Valais and leave it at that.

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Just try contacting the Europe project, Barry. I'm not sure Switzerland has a functioning Google group? I was never added to it either. It's been leader-less for a long time.

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I'll check on this.

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Thanks, Eowyn.