Commons:Categories for discussion/2007/07/Category:Maps by theme

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Category:Maps by theme

This category is a subcategory of Category:Maps. This category, Category:Maps by theme, adds nothing. It just confuses people going to Category:Maps. I believe that Category:Maps by theme should be eliminated, and its contents recategorized to Category:Maps.

Category:Maps is where stuff is supposed to be organized by theme. Many people go to Category:Maps to try to get an overall picture of the map categories. They may not even notice Category:Maps by theme. I didn't at first. So I missed many of the available map categories. Category:Maps by theme is a form of over-categorization. --Timeshifter 15:56, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

The reason for why I think Category:Maps by theme is a suitable subcategory is because when it comes to maps the main subdivision is by geography. /Lokal_Profil 16:07, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

All the map categories in both Category:Maps and Category:Maps by theme are geographically based. I checked them all. Non-geographically-based maps have been removed. They are linked from a note at the top of Category:Maps. It says

This category's subcategories are for geographical maps. For other types of maps, such as mathematical mappings, please use another category, such as Category:Architectural plans or Category:Diagrams. For genealogical maps see: Category:Genealogical maps.

Since Category:Maps by theme is just more geographically-based map categories it is very confusing. And why did you do this. History maps are a common geographically-based map subcategory. See w:Category:Maps of Egypt for example. It has a history map subcategory.

See also w:Category:Maps of the Middle East. It has a history map subcategory. See also w:Category:Maps. It also has a history map subcategory. So at all levels history maps are an integral top-level subcategory.

I categorize a lot of maps. Please note the subcategory system at w:Category:Maps. It does not have a "Maps by theme" category. It just puts all the themes (topics) at the top level, and then subdivides from there. It makes a lot more intuitive sense. --Timeshifter 16:58, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Sorry I was a bit uclear. Obviously all of the maps in the category are geographical maps. What I meant was that the main subdivision is by geographical subdivision i.e. Maps by continent, Maps by cities, etc. The by theme maps are different in that they present mor then mere geographical information.

Also not that the en.wiki maps category also doesen't have Maps by cartographer, Maps by century made, Maps by century shown, Maps by language, etc. /Lokal_Profil 17:33, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Please see w:Geography. Geography covers much more than borders, boundaries, and topography. All the topics covered by Category:Maps by theme are also geographical categories. Follow w:Category:Geography down the subcategory tree, and see the vast territory covered by the name "geography".

For example; history maps are oftentimes just old mappings of borders and cities. They would come under your more narrow categorization for geographical maps. But some of the history maps have battles marked, etc.. So how does one categorize history maps, then? At the top level Category:Maps, or by the history theme? How do we categorize Maps by century made, Maps by century shown, etc.. Those are also on the history theme.

They are currently categorized under Category:Maps. See the problem? If geography was a narrow category with a narrow definition, then I would agree with you concerning the need for Category:Maps by theme. But it just adds another confusing layer.

Basically, you are using political geography at the top level. What about Category:Climate maps and Category:Religion maps? Those are also part of the broad definition of geography at w:Geography.--Timeshifter 18:14, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

(Unindent) OK. I can see some benefits from having a "Maps by theme" category. As long as people know to look for it. I edited the introduction of Category:Maps. Here is part of the current introduction:

This category's subcategories are for geographically-based maps. The top level categories are for basic geography maps of countries, cities, continents, regions, seas, etc..

See the subcategory Category:Maps by theme for many additional, geographically-based maps covering history, archaeology, economics, politics, military, battles, flags, linguistics, sports, religion, population, ethnography, geology, geographic features, bio-geography, fisheries, disease, topography, protected areas, site plans, transport, bridges, communications, celestial maps, time zones, weather, music, etc.. See also the Atlas index. Atlases are organized and commented collections of geographical, political and historical maps. See also: Category:Satellite pictures.

So readers can now easily find any type of map. --Timeshifter 19:04, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Although the list of examples might be shortened down a bit I like the way you sorted it out. Especially with Category:Maps of geographical features. =) /Lokal_Profil 15:23, 10 July 2007 (UTC)