Talk:Haystack
 | This article contains a translation of Meule (agriculture) from fr.wikipedia. |
--Mcapdevila (talk) 07:45, 31 August 2025 (UTC)
Reasons for not merging
[edit]- Duplicate: The "haystack" article is not a duplicate of the "hay" article. The article on hay primarily focuses on the plant material itself—its definition, composition, production, and nutritional value. In contrast, the haystack article focuses on the structure and its method of construction. The article's scope covers a specific, distinct subject: the traditional method of storing hay in large, outdoor stacks. This is a separate and notable topic, much like an article on a barn would be distinct from an article on lumber.
- Overlap: While the subjects are related, the overlap is not substantial enough to warrant a merge. The "hay" article can briefly mention haystacks as a form of storage, but it cannot adequately cover the rich details specific to haystacks without becoming bloated and unfocused. 1.-The haystack article delves into unique topics such as:The specific construction techniques for different shapes of stacks (e.g., round vs. rectangular). 2.- The evolution of the haystack from manual to mechanized construction. 3.-The cultural and artistic significance of haystacks, as seen in famous paintings like Monet's series. 4.-The historical importance of haystacks in agricultural communities before the widespread use of modern barns or baling.
- Short text: The page wasn't to short consisting of only one or two sentences, for it is more than 9,000 bytes long. A well-written article on haystacks would need significant space to explore its historical context, construction methods, and cultural relevance. Merging it would force a reduction of this valuable information, creating a superficial and less-than-comprehensive overview for readers.
- Insufficient notability: The subject of haystacks easily meets Wikipedia's General Notability Guideline. It is not a trivial or minor aspect of hay production. Haystacks have been a dominant form of hay storage for centuries and are a culturally significant symbol of rural life and agriculture. They have been extensively documented in historical texts, art, and literature, demonstrating that the subject has received significant coverage from multiple, reliable sources. This level of notability justifies a standalone article..
- Context: The "haystack" article does not require background material from a broader article to be understood. A reader looking for information on haystacks is interested in the structure itself, and the article on haystacks provides all the necessary context. Similarly, a reader looking for information on hay doesn't necessarily need a detailed history of its storage methods. Keeping the articles separate allows readers to find the specific information they are looking for quickly and efficiently.
In summary, a haystack is a distinct and notable topic that goes beyond a simple pile of hay. Merging the article would diminish its unique significance and create a less comprehensive and organized encyclopedia. Mcapdevila (talk) 15:49, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
Multilingual Notability and Interwiki Links
[edit]The existence of a dedicated article for "haystack" in numerous other language Wikipedias is a clear indication that this topic is considered a distinct and notable subject. The article currently has interwiki links to 24 other languages, including but not limited to French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian. The purpose of interwiki links is to help users find the equivalent article in other languages, providing a broader base of knowledge and context. If we were to merge the "haystack" article into the general "hay" page, the interwiki links would be lost. This would disrupt the user experience, forcing readers to search for the "haystack" topic within the broader "hay" article in each of the 24 languages, which is not a feasible or logical solution. The fact that these separate articles were created and maintained in so many different language communities demonstrates a consensus that a haystack is not merely a component of hay, but a topic with its own historical, cultural, and practical significance. This widely accepted distinction among different language projects serves as compelling evidence that a standalone article is justified and necessary for the English Wikipedia as well. Merging would go against the established practice and consensus of the global Wikipedia community. Mcapdevila (talk) 16:40, 30 August 2025 (UTC)