Alternative History:Conventions in use in this wiki
From Alternative History
See How to make articles for general information on using wikis.
The conventions used in this wiki are very, very important. Failure to use them causes great confusion. Please categorize and create your pages as explained below!
Look for existing maps and flags before uploading your own ones (unless they're really original, in that case, show them to us!).
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[edit] Templates
Because there are many timelines on this wiki, a page name such as "Mexico" could create confusion. Which Mexico is referred to? The one in the Toyotomi Japan timeline? The one in the Greater Colombia timeline? One of several others? As a result, a convention has been adopted to mark every article with a tag indicating its timeline. This may be the full name of the timeline, or a shortened form. For example, all files of the Toyotomi Japan timeline are marked by (Toyotomi), thus, Mexico (Toyotomi) indicates Mexico in that timeline.
To make linking easier, templates can be used. For example, if you type {{TJ|X}}, you'll get the equivalent of [[X (Toyotomi)|X]], that is, the wiki will show the link as being "X", but it will take you to the page "X (Toyotomi)".
To create a template for your timeline, create a page "Template:X" and type in:
[[{{{1}}} (Name)|{{{1}}}]]
"Name" will be the tag used for the timeline. To use this template, you merely type {{X|link}}
[edit] Categorizing done the right way
If you plan to make many pages for your TL: Don't throw them all into the same category, like [[Category:X]] (where X is the name of your TL). Use subcategories like [[Category:Nations (X)]], [[Category:Wars (X)]], [[Category:Rulers (X)]] or for pictures [[Category:Images (X)]] or [[Category:Flags (X)]]. These subcategories can be put into [[Category:X]], just like normal wiki pages. A category shouldn't have much more than 30 entries.
[edit] Future History is Not Alt-History
While it's interesting to postulate what will happen if events after our time go different, that is no longer Alternate History, because for it to be history, it must be in the writer's past. This is why Heinlein's future history would not be considered Alternate History now, because when he wrote it, it was in his future.
For that same reason, we won't accept future histories here. It's not because we don't like them, or don't read them, or any such thing. Rather, they don't fall within the scope of our wiki.
The wikis for Fiction or Constructed Worlds would be a more appropriate home to future histories.
[edit] Derivative Works
Derivative works are any timelines based on previously published material. This can take the form of fan fictions ("what if Darth Vader didn't die ?") or fleshing out timelines ("europe in Turtledove's timeline-191"). Derivative Works are not allowed on this Wiki even if only parts (such as characters).