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Forums: Index > The Wizengamot > Suggestions for the Site - Quite Major, Sorry


Hello all! I've been looking for quality HP information for some time on the web, and I must confess I haven't been satisfied with a site yet. The Lexicon is obviously a fantastic resource, but on their profile pages and such, they don't follow an established template like you do, and they are remarkably slow on updates (I doubt they will get new information from Pottermore in the database for some time now.)

This site probably comes the closest after that. However, several things need improvement. First off, the movies, games, etc., should not be considered canon. Though sanctioned by Rowling, they were not her brainchild, and in some cases, such as the contents of Quidditch Training Pitch (which directly contradicts the books, which place practices on the one - and only - true Quidditch pitch) or Secret room near the Training Grounds stretch the reality of the Harry Potter series, and I highly doubt Ms. Rowling - and many of her fans - would want Harry to go around finding Chocolate Frog cards in secret rooms. The Lexicon has a foot over you in this respect: it only allows for J.K. Rowling approved content to enter its pages. I know deleting this would mean a lot of work, but its necessary to create a less cluttered and more fully realized site.

This being said, I fully support images from the Harry Potter films used to illustrate the books - most readers think of the "look" and "feel" of the movies when they read the books, but very few consider the two to be in the same continuity. However, less pictures need to be used in articles. Using so many pictures of numerous different sizes in such a close proximity to each other creates a cluttered, aesthetically unpleasing look.

As far as the writing of your articles go, they are in-depth and top-notch save one respect. Unknown information and speculation need to be removed. Readers like myself wish to see all the information they can, not three paragraphs telling them that a character's relationship with another character or their future or house, whatever it may be, is not known. This, even if you can't help it, reveals your ignorance of said facts more to the reader than if you simply do not state anything about them.

Furthermore, saying "probably" is speculation. In Rolanda Hooch's article, for instance, it indicates that she said 'hello' to a student (in the film) and that "she probably had a personal acquaintance with [the] student named Amanda." We have no way of knowing this to be true, and additionally, it bogs down your articles. Readers of encyclopedias wish to read insightful articles that are detailed without straying from the big picture. I don't want to read a replication of the Harry Potter books - and definitely not the scripts, regardless of my high opinion of the adaptations of the books - I want to read summaries.

This site is great, but it could definitely use some work to become the premiere resource for Harry Potter. I am sorry if I offend anyone, these are merely suggestions, and I in no way attempt to undermine the incredible amount of work users on this site have contributed. I hope I can edit here for a long time regardless of if changes are made, but I hope they are to ensure a better future for this site. LuciusMalfoy777Ministry Notices 22:49, October 15, 2011 (UTC)

According to our canon policy the movies and games are canon because J. K. Rowling was involved with the movies and because the games are part of the official Harry Potter universe. Book canon outweighs all other sources of canon, if there is a contradiction between something in the books and the movies/games the book is considered official. If something in the movies/games doesn't contradict the books then it is considered canon. -Shorty1982 22:17, October 15, 2011 (UTC)
I realize that, but obviously there are contradictions on the site, and while she sanctioned and OK-ed devations from the plot, she wasn't on set making sure each shot was exactly like it was in the books. If J.K. Rowling would've wanted Flora and Hestia Carrow in the Harry Potter franchise, she would've written them into the books. The movies and the games serve to better interpret and add to the franchise's power, not its story. Besides, I believe this is the only Harry Potter encyclopedia out there that recognizes sources other than the books and J.K.R. interviews, websites, etc. as canonical. [[User:LuciusMalfoy777|LuciusMalfoy777Ministry Notices 22:49, October 15, 2011 (UTC)]]
The canon policy will remain as it is. We've had this discussion before, and the overwhelming majority was to keep the canon policy as it is. Officially licensed material will still be considered canonical on this wiki. To your second point, I agree. Speculation is quite rife throughout the articles, although usually the edits are made in good faith. We try and keep on top of it, but it is a large job. Feel free to remove such speculative information in articles. - Cavalier OneGryffindorcrest(Wizarding Wireless Network) 23:29, October 15, 2011 (UTC)
Thank you. I still think that J.K. Rowling would disagree, but I won't press the point any further - unless it happens to be on specific cases, such as the case of Quidditch Training Pitch, which I find especially ridiculous, as it contradicts the books. Yes, I'll definitely remove any speculation I come across. Thanks for listening and replying to my long (but hopefully helpful and polite) rant, LuciusMalfoy777Ministry Notifications 23:52, October 15, 2011 (UTC)
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