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User:Calinou/Style guide

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< User:Calinou
Revision as of 15:08, 9 August 2014 by Calinou (Talk | contribs)

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This is the style I use and recommend for the entries, feel free to also use it. It doesn't try to look similar to currently present entries and instead tries to look better and more readable. If an entry is in italic, it means I'm not entirely sure of whether it's a good idea or not, but it probably is.

If you have a concern, you can use the discussion page.


  • Write the first sentence of a description in bold, using '''.
  • Write the compatible operating systems in the version comment, not in the description.
  • Keep the description short, especially since it doesn't span over all the page.
  • Keep the entries up to date! Nothing worse than seeing a page where the version download is several years old.
  • Write the list of related programs carefully, better have a few software that's similar or actually related than dozens of programs which have nothing to do.
  • Use wikicode and HTML. Remember you can use bold, italic, colours, fixed-width text, lists… in descriptions.
  • Use irc:// links for IRC channels, not webchat links. Proper IRC clients are never banned or quieted from channels, unlike webchat which sometimes is due to abuse.
  • Write “OS X”, “Windows”, “GNU/Linux”. Stick to these, as “Mac OS X” is obsolete, “Microsoft Windows” is redundant, “Linux” isn't what you want.
  • Write the description based on what is done for the end user, not what it technically does.


  • Don't write out the obvious. No need to say a program is free/libre, this is the Free Software Directory.



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