User:SOTO/Forum Archive/The Panopticon/@comment-24894325-20170121220436/@comment-24894325-20170121222627

I have started this discussion to prevent an ad hoc change that could have far-reaching effects. Pluto2 and NateBumber believe that TARDISes are not objects, that they are living beings. I will let them argue their point for themselves.

In practical terms, they propose to change the infobox for The Doctor's TARDIS from Template:Infobox Object to Template:Infobox Individual. The immediate consequence is that the type of the TARDIS has no place in the infobox. NateBumber's suggestion to use the "species" field for the type of TARDIS is questionable at best.

Before arguing the heart of the matter, I would like to point out that this cannot be an isolated change to The Doctor's TARDIS as was initially done. There are 36 members of Category:Individual TARDISes. They all (or at least most of them, given the timey-wimey nature of DWU) should have the same infobox type. Thus, such a significant change should first be carefully discussed by the community.

Secondly, at first sight, it appears that this change was precipitated by the desire to announce Lolita to be the sister of the Doctor's TARDIS. In other words, this change is prompted by the inclusion of the Faction Paradox into valid sources. This strengthens by belief that this matter requires discussion. The inclusion of the Faction Paradox should not lead to tensions with other valid sources. More precisely, information from Faction Paradox should not rewrite information that has been used on the Wiki before its inclusion.