" 
 ::::: I think that the off chance someone else (me) finds the source more readable with redirects trumps the off chance that a hypothetical editor would react differently to a pipe than a redirect.  You presume that such an editor will be familiar with the whole diacritics debate and not with the distinction between North American and non-North American subject matter.  More generally, the guideline doe not give reasons it is unnecessary; it gives reasons it can be detrimental.  It says, ""There should almost never be a reason to replace redirect with redirect. This kind of change is almost never an improvement, and it can actually be detrimental.""  It then gives reasons that the change can be detrimental, not merely unnecessary.  It's my contention that the changes here are indeed detrimental and should be reverted.  If you don't care, then don't care; there's no reason you should privilege the version with pipes over the version with redirects.  And furthermore, if I am guilty of ""disruption to make a point,"" then LaRan is also.  There is absolutely no reason for him to revert in direct violation of the guideline.    "