Using ref/note tags is not the only way to do [[Wikipedia:Footnotes|footnotes]]. Some people prefer to use [[m:Cite/Cite.php|Cite.php]]. Cite.php has many advantages, but the use of it is not mandatory. You can use the [[User:Cyde/Ref converter|Ref converter]] to replace ref/note tags with the newer [[m:Cite/Cite.php|Cite.php]] style. Be aware that some articles use both the Note and Ref systems to provide separate Notes and References sections. If you are interested in the discussion, please see the [[Wikipedia_talk:Footnotes|Footnotes talk page]].
