Wikipedia:Don't template the regulars

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This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it.
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This page in a nutshell: When dealing with established users, it is generally more effective to write them a short personal message than to apply a standardized template.
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WP:DTTR

Wikipedia offers many user talk templates to warn users about possible violations of vandalism ({{uw-vandalism3}}), the three-revert rule ({{uw-3rr}}), and other policies and guidelines. You should use these templates carefully.

These templates serve to explain the respective rule to new editors. When novice editors break rules, it is quite possible that they are unaware of it, and educating them is helpful. On the other hand, most editors that have been around for a while are familiar with these rules. If they break (or are about to break) one, it is frequently the result of some dispute, or temporarily heated tempers. In such situations, sticking to "did you know we had a rule against this" mentality tends to be counterproductive in resolving the issue, as it can be misconstrued as being patronising and uncivil.

A personal message tends to work better in these situations. If you have a question, why not ask the experienced user your question? You may begin a dialogue that will prove much more effective than a template.

Note, however, that templating at all — to regulars or newcomers — may be taken as rude by being impersonal (biting the newbies). No one likes to feel they are being bureaucratically processed. Writing what the template says in your own words, with reference to the particular situation, is more likely to communicate well if the editor is amenable to reason. Failing that, you can append a personal message immediately after the template.

Having said this, those who receive a template message should not assume bad faith regarding the user of said template. They may not be aware how familiar the user is with policy, or may not consider it rude themselves. They may also simply be trying to save time by avoiding writing out a lengthy message that basically says the same thing as the template, which is, after all, the purpose of a template.

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