Talk:List of timelines

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Articles for deletion This article was nominated for deletion on 24/4/2006. The result of the discussion was keep.

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[edit] Older discussion

I reomved Worf from the "Culture" listing. I don't think a timeline of a fictional character's life fits with this page. -- Stephen Gilbert 17:53 15 Jul 2003 (UTC)

I daresay it does fit, albeit not as "Culture". I took the liberty of adding it to the "Fictional" listing. Very few people would argue otherwise, and those who do are for the most part Klingons. -Itai 14:13, 1 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I think of timeline as being a non-prose text structured similar to the following:

  • 765: Joe attacks Steve
  • 766: Steve cries
  • 767: Joe makes fun of Steve for crying
  • 768: Steve plays Trivial Pursuit with Joe

Some of the articles listed here, such as history of Cyprus, are in prose format and are thus not timelines according to my perception. Do I use an unusual definition or should these be removed? Tuf-Kat 06:31, Dec 17, 2003 (UTC)

Just for the record, I support Joe, who's a decent lad. Never really taken in for Steve. -- Itai 15:40, 4 Mar 2004 (UTC)

An interesting resource for those wanting to add to or fact-check our timelines: The Timeline Index

Links to timelines of every variety on the web.... and it even has a link to our Themed Timelines page here. Catherine 06:13, 1 Mar 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Create a Timeline

This timeline of modern philosophers isn't very complete, but it is an excellent template for making your own horizontal timeline. Feel free to copy the source of the timeline and change it for your own use. Make sure to copy all three files. There are a .html, .js, and .css file.

[edit] Surely not a "history" subheading?

They are all histories. Robin Patterson 23:39, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Create a category for EasyTimeline

Please create a category for EasyTimeline. A mediawiki from User:Erik Zachte. --Saharadesertfox 20:44, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] No, These Aren't Timelines

I've noticed a bad habit by Wikipedia writers of calling their chronology articles "timelines." But a timeline is a graphical representation of history, usually involving a horizontal line crossed by short vertical lines accompanied by dates. Other graphical elements can be involved, such as icons or pictures.

The particular articles linked to here, therefore, aren't timelines. They should each be called a Chronology and be retitled accordingly.

This misuse of the term "timeline" is widespread throughout Wikipedia and needs to be changed. Therefore, unaware of a better way of flagging this problem, I'm posting a notice to this article that there is a dispute over a factual issue, in this case the issue is linguistic: the use of the most correct word for titling the article. I will now set forth my case.

[edit] Definition of Timeline

Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Function: noun
1 : a table listing important events for successive years within a particular historical period
2 usually time·line /'tIm-"lIn/ : a schedule of events and procedures :
TIMETABLE 2

Random House Unabridged Dictionary Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

1. a linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred.
2. a schedule; timetable. Also,time'line".

Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

(plural time lines)
noun
Definitions:
chronology shown pictorially: a linear representation of significant events in a subject area such as the history of art, shown in chronological order

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

time·line ( P ) Pronunciation Key (tmln)
n.
A schedule of activities or events; a timetable.
A chronology.
A representation or exhibit of key events within a particular historical period, often consisting of illustrative visual material accompanied by written commentary, arranged chronologically.

Wikictionary

Noun
timeline or time line
  1. a graphical representation of a chronological sequence of events (past or future); a chronology
  2. a schedule of activities; a timetable

As for the definition of chronology, I don't think that's in dispute. Nonetheless, the Second College Edition, American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines it as:

1. The determination of dates and the sequence of events.
2. The arrangement of events in time.
3. A chronological list or table.

Now, given all this, it is clear that we have two different words for two different things and can therefore, when using them properly, clearly distinguish between the two. But some people will counter that language is a changing thing (which it is) and so, given the definitions provided, the meaning of "timeline" may be in transition. Thus, if "timeline" is used to mean "chronology" frequently enough, such as in hip venues like Wikipedia, it will soon come to actually mean that.

And this hypothetical projection into the future is true enough. But if that were to occur it would be an unfortunate development. We would then have two words for "chronology" and no word that would unambiguously indicate the graphical representation of time in a true timeline. Therefore, when we meant this latter, we would have to add an adjective, as in "true" timeline, "graphical" timeline, or whatever. This is needlessly cumbersome.

Hence I recommend that Wikipedia establish a policy for the correct use of these two terms consistently through the various articles and that editors carry this policy out. -- 68.49.159.131 Fred


Moot point , timeline is commonly used and is clearly understood by users of Wikipedia. --Dewiro 06:20, 22 October 2005 (UTC)


Sorry Dewiro, no quick dismissal of my point will do. I've restored the dispute notice. Of course I understand that Wikipedians grasp the meaning of timeline as it is being used, just as people can easily understand meanings when bad grammar is used or a plethora of other errors of English are in play. Should we, then, adopt a lower standard for Wikipedia just because it's "good enough" and "most people will get it"? -- 68.49.159.131 Fred


By posting "The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
time·line ( P ) Pronunciation Key (tmln)
n.
A schedule of activities or events; a timetable.
A chronology.", you seem to have proved your opponent's point. Rmhermen 23:38, 24 October 2005 (UTC)


As best I can tell, you're arguing against yourself; there seems to be little difference between the various definitions for timeline that you've got there and a cronology. I don't see any problem. Josh Parris # 04:17, 25 October 2005 (UTC)


I concur. I think the time may be approaching to put this "controversy" to rest. -- SCZenz 06:07, 25 October 2005 (UTC)


I will certainly grant that the American Heritage Dictionary doesn't agree with the other dictionaries I cited for "timeline." The other dictionaries, however (and therefore the preponderance of scholarship), support in one way or another the common denominator of a timeline being a chronology shown pictorially. I cited American Heritage for "chronology" only because it didn't deviate from the preponderance of scholarship for that word, not because I considered it the last word in the matter.
Was that a strategic error on my part? Might I have been more prudent to have avoided it altogether so as not to make myself vulnerable to that particular rejoinder? Sure! But so what? The facts remain the same: the preponderance of scholarship doesn't seem to corroborate the definition used in that dictionary.
That said, what do we do now? Let's get down to cases as to how we should resolve this controversy. Instead of relying exclusively on dictionary definitions, perhaps the real test should be to find out what the standard practice is today in encyclopedia writing. I will readily back off from my position in this regard if someone would like to research and post here what the standard practices are among the leading encyclopedias. If they predominantly use "timeline" in titles of chronology articles or sections, then I will consider that an indicator of the state of the art in that field. If they prefer "chronology," however, then my point has been completely made and every effort should be made to bring Wikipedia in line with standard practice. Please understand that my whole intention is to help Wikipedia avoid looking bush league. --68.49.159.131 Fred


timeline is already used as "chronology", and there is nothing wrong with this. What are you talking about? "timeline" refers to the information. It may be represented graphically, along a line, or in a table. As long as the two can be converted isomorphically into each other, there is nothing wrong with using the same word (and even if there were something wrong with that, we shall still stick with common use). So how would you translate Greek chronology into English? timelore? I am not saying the two terms are exactly synonymous. They overlap. You talk about the timeline of a single process, but about the chronology of several events. But this is semantic hair splitting. Baad 17:16, 26 October 2005 (UTC)


The "time" in "timeline" does, indeed, refer to the chronological information itself. But the "line" in "timeline" refers to the graphical representation as either a line or a table. As for the question of translating, that raises an interesting issue, but not the one you were thinking of. I would ask what the non-English Wikipedias do regarding "timeline" or "chronology" articles? What words do they use in their titles? This might be enlightening to know. -- 68.49.159.131 Fred

[edit] motorized bicycle

My recent revert is because: the Timeline of Motorized bicycle history was created here... it is part of this article just as much as any other timeline. It is also been nominated for deletion. I'm sure we can all wait until that's resolved before deleting a perfectly good link. Any constructive comments? --CyclePat 03:12, 21 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is a "themed" timeline?

Or better yet, what is a non-themed timeline? What timelines wouldn't belong here? Is there a reason that this isn't just "List of timelines"? --JeffW 20:41, 21 March 2006 (UTC)

I think it is supposed to mean something like "List of timelines organized by theme". Maybe? Rmhermen 22:09, 21 March 2006 (UTC)
Wouldn't a category with subcategories for each theme do the same job and be more maintainable? --JeffW 23:59, 21 March 2006 (UTC)
This far pre-dates the category system which still has its own problems. Rmhermen 00:49, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] This list should be replaced by a category

There's only a handful of annotated entries and the division of the timelines by theme can be done with subcategories. Therefore I've begun creating subcategories in Category:Timelines to match the subject headings in this list and categorizing each timeline in this list into the appropriate subcategory. When that is done (which will take a while) I'll propose this list for AfD. --JeffW 16:58, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

I agree. This list is a self-reference. Those are okay for categories, not for articles. Snargle 04:46, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Rename

Since this list survived its AFD, can we at least give it a better name? This is not a List of "themed timelines", it's a Themed list of timelines, which seems to just mean that the lists are sorted by "theme" or subject. But there are lots of lists that are sorted in some way or other, but they aren't called themed lists.

So I propose it just be changed to List of timelines (which currently redirects to Category:Timelines which I think is against some policy). I know I could just change it but given the recent history of this list I thought it would be better to try to start a discussion first. --JeffW 19:21, 29 April 2006 (UTC)

List of timelines by theme? john k 22:21, 29 April 2006 (UTC)

Or Themed list of timelines, but I prefer just List of timelines. --JeffW 22:40, 29 April 2006 (UTC)
I concur. Moved. —Nightstallion (?) Seen this already? 13:51, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dates after timelines

I want to list the years covered by each timeline (timetable, chronology or whatever) something like this:

Does anyone object if I do this? Donnie Love 03:04, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] World History timelines

I have today put online as part of TimeSearch a very interactive timeline of more than 8000 events in world history, each linkng to the relevant Wikipedia article. I feel it would be a useful External Link in this article, but it has been created by my colleagues and myself at HistoryWorld and I know the embargo on adding one's own sites as links. If anyone else after checking it out agrees that Wikipedians might find it useful, please add the link. Bamber Gascoigne 11:10, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] nature of this page

the items listed do not appear to be encyclopedic entities, but Wikipedia articles ({{self-reference}}. This page needs to decide whether it is a disambiguation page (timeline (disambiguation)) or a Wikipedia index page (Wikipedia:List of timelines, WP:TIMEL), or perhaps even a stub for a full article on timeline (historical). --dab (𒁳) 10:39, 17 October 2007 (UTC)