Template talk:ISBN

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Nice idea but doomed to failure because, instead of a link to another article, this will spatchcock an ungainly bullet list of options into an article. For example, rather than ISBN 0-330-41161-6, try ISBN 0-330-41161-6: ugly as all heck isn't it? --Phil | Talk 08:39, 14 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Yes, we should have the possibility to link to a template, transferring a parameter.--Patrick 08:58, 14 Jul 2004 (UTC)

I agree with you that if you make sure to keep the template on a separate line like this:
ISBN 0-330-41161-6 then it will display properly, but this won't work when you just want to annotate a book description like Limbo (2003, ISBN 0-330-41161-6) as in this example. What we need is to have the ISBN-substitution mechanism extended to the general case. Which will then engender another round of "I want this syntax—well, I hate it—I want this syntax—your stupid syntax sucks" childishness :-( --Phil | Talk 09:25, 14 Jul 2004 (UTC)