View source for VistApedia:Deletion policy

'''&larr; [[OpenVistA Wiki: Policies and Guidelines]]'''

From time to time, it is necessary to delete pages from OpenVistA Wiki's database.  While any user may be able to simply blank a page (i.e. delete all its content), the original text will still be available in the page history for other users to view — and also to restore if they wish.  However, when pages are deleted, all versions, past and present, are removed from the wiki.

Only [[OpenVistA Wiki:administrators|administrators]] have the authority to delete and undelete pages on OpenVistA Wiki.  Administrators are trusted to use their best judgment in determining whether a page should be deleted or not.  However, administrators must also follow the ''process'' described below to help make such decisions.

Deleted pages can also be restored by the administrators, ''if and only if'' support is expressed on [[OpenVistA Wiki:Votes for undeletion|votes for undeletion]].  This is essentially a safeguard against permanently deleting articles.  See [[OpenVistA Wiki:undeletion policy|undeletion policy]] for more information.

Deleting a page is not a step to be taken lightly!

'''See also:''' [[OpenVistA Wiki:Dealing with possible copyright infringements|Dealing with possible copyright infringements]]

== Procedure for deletion ==

=== Requesting deletion ===
To request that a page or image be deleted, place it on the appropriate list. Some of these pages have slightly different procedures — if so, these will be detailed on the page itself:

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Votes for deletion]]:Use this list for all types of articles and suggestions that do not use a special list. This includes standard article pages as well as talk pages, categories and templates.

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Images for deletion]]: Use this list for images and image description pages, not including possible copyright infringements.

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Possible copyright infringements]]:Possible copyright infringements, both images and articles, should be listed here.

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Pages for immediate deletion]]:Use this list for uncontroversial deletion suggestions as detailed below.

Anyone may submit a page for deletion on any of the above listed pages.  When you list a page, include why you think the page should be deleted.  The submission will remain on the page for a specific period of time, during which other contributors will have a chance to vote for or against the deletion. After an appropriate delay (generally five days, but may vary depending on the format), the page may be deleted by an administrator — ''if and only if'' a [[OpenVistA Wiki:Deletion guidelines for administrators#rough_consensus|rough consensus]] for deletion is reached.

:'''''Note:''' If you're not sure that deletion is the best approach, you can also choose to mark the article as a [[OpenVistA Wiki:Pages needing attention|page needing attention]] instead.''

=== Voting format ===
When expressing an opinion, please include ''your opinion'', ''your reasoning'', and sign with ''<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>'' (four consecutive tilde characters). Here are some suggested wordings:
* '''delete'''
* '''keep'''
* '''redirect to <nowiki>[[article]]</nowiki>'''
* '''merge into <nowiki>[[article]]</nowiki> and delete'''
* '''merge into <nowiki>[[article]]</nowiki> and redirect'''
* '''other''' (some other action)
* '''comment''' (not a vote).

=== Lag times ===
The '''lag time''' is the minimal amount of time that an article must be listed as a candidate for deletion before it may be deleted by an administrator.  This gives other contributors the chance to comment on whether they believe that deletion is the appropriate course of action.

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Votes for deletion]]: 5 days

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Images for deletion]]: 7 days

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Possible copyright infringements]]: 7 days

;[[OpenVistA Wiki:Pages for immediate deletion]]: no delay

=== Restrictions, Deletion consensus ===
To request that a page or image be permanently deleted, a user's votes will be considered valid if that user:
*has been in existence at least one week before the listing, and
*has at least 15 non-minor article edits logged at the time of the initial listing

:'''''Note:''' Regardless of the above requirements, the page's initial author may vote once.''

At the end of five days, if '''2/3 majority''' vote to delete, the page will be removed.  '''Otherwise the page remains.''' The page will also remain if it has been improved enough since the initial listing that the reason for listing no longer applies anymore.  This requires that a reason be given initially.

=== Candidates for immediate deletion ===
There are a few, limited, exceptions to the five day rule:

{{pfid-exceptions}}

In these cases, administrators may choose to delete the page without it being listed on [[OpenVistA Wiki:votes for deletion|votes for deletion]], or after it has only been listed on VfD for a couple of days.  If you see a candidate for speedy deletion, and you are not an administrator, add it to [[OpenVistA Wiki:pages for immediate deletion|pages for immediate deletion]].

Remember that possible copyright infringements are ''not'' candidates for fast deletion (in most circumstances).

Ideally, when an administrator deletes a test page or other page with no useful content, it is helpful to put a note on the author's [[Help:talk page|talk page]] explaining things, and preserving the deleted content, pointing them to the [[OpenVistA Wiki:Sandbox|sandbox]] in cases of tests. And remember, [[OpenVistA Wiki:be considerate to new members|be considerate to new members]]!

=== "Listed for deletion" notice ===
When you list a page on [[OpenVistA Wiki:Votes for deletion]] that you think will be listed for the entire 5 days (i.e., a page that won't be deleted immediately) it is courteous to let people know it might be deleted. The suggested way is to place the following or similar notice '''above''' the page's content:

: <nowiki>{{deletion}} ~~~~</nowiki>

: {{deletion}}

Hopefully, this notice will prevent readers and new users from becoming confused as to why a page was removed.  ''Please note: [[OpenVistA Wiki:Possible copyright infringements|possible copyright infringements]] have a different suggested notice.''  Please use the "Copyright infringement notice" (<nowiki>{{copyvio1}}</nowiki>) text from the [[OpenVistA Wiki:Message templates|message templates]] instead.

=== Unlisting a page from VfD ===
If an alternative solution to deletion has been agreed upon, leave the article listed on [[OpenVistA Wiki:votes for deletion|votes for deletion]] for a few days, along with a notice stating why the page was note deleted.  This will help avoid the case of pages being listed for deletion multiple times.

In some cases, the VfD discussion may be useful for developing the article in question, or to prevent the page from being re-listed in the future.  In these cases, you should probably move the VfD debate to the article's [[OpenVistA Wiki:talk page|talk page]] where it can be archived.  (You might want to use a sub-page to preserve the debate, such as <nowiki>[[talk:NAME/deletion]]</nowiki>).

'''Always include a useful [[Help:edit summary|edit summary]]''' when editing the VfD page, especially when unlisting a page, so that the page history of the VfD page can be used as backup archive for discussions that have not been regularly archived.

== What to list on VfD ==
If a page does ''not'' fall into one of the categories for immediate deletion listed above, then the page cannot be deleted without it first being listed on the [[OpenVistA Wiki:votes for deletion|votes for deletion]] page first.  However, some pages should not be listed at all, and should just be kept and developed further.

* '''Don't list stubs for articles that have potential''', but list stubs that are nonsensical. Also, [[Help:Redirect|redirect]] or list stubs that likely will never become more than a simple definition. See [[OpenVistA Wiki:Stub|fix a stub]].
* '''Don't list articles that just need heavy editing'''; instead, list them on [[OpenVistA Wiki:Pages needing attention|Pages needing attention]]. However, consider listing articles that are just [[OpenVistA Wiki:Patent nonsense|patent nonsense]].
* '''[[Help:Redirect|Redirect]] pages should be listed on [[OpenVistA Wiki:pages for immediate deletion|pages for immediate deletion]]''' only if the problems they cause outweigh their advantages. For more info, see our [[Help:Redirect#When_should_we_delete_a_redirect.3F|recommendations on deleting redirects]].
* '''List pages that have no potential as encyclopedia articles'''.  This includes non-[[canon]] topics or content, as well as unverifiable material.
* '''List orphan images''' where you can't think of an article where they might be useful.
* '''If a page has ''some'' useful content''' but is too small to even be a [[OpenVistA Wiki:stub|stub]], try moving that content to a different, larger article and change the page into a redirect. However, do list a page if turning it into a redirect would cause problems - see [[OpenVistA Wiki:Redirect#When_should_we_delete_a_redirect.3F|recommendations on deleting redirects]].

==See also==
* [[OpenVistA Wiki:Deletion guidelines for administrators]]