No edit summary |
|||
Line 342:
But my example with the quiz at [[Computer#External_links]] illustrates the need for this flexibility.
Yours truly --[[User:Guy vandegrift|guyvan52]] ([[User talk:Guy vandegrift|talk]]) 03:53, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
{{tb|Mckmckmt}}
|
Revision as of 07:37, 27 January 2015
|
|
This page has archives. Sections older than 15 days may be automatically archived by Lowercase sigmabot III when more than 1 section is present. |
Welcome, Codename Lisa!
Hello, Codename Lisa, and welcome to Wikipedia! I'm Mr. Stradivarius, one of the thousands of editors here at Wikipedia. Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:
- The five pillars of Wikipedia
- How to edit a page
- Help pages
- Tutorial
- How to write a great article
- Manual of Style
- Fun stuff...
{{helpme}}
here on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome! — Mr. Stradivarius ♫ 18:59, 19 May 2012 (UTC)
TemplateData
Hi Codename Lisa,
Would you be interested in helping Marielle for the next six weeks with a mentorship project to help teenage students create TemplateData? Some information about the work and the sign-up process is is available here: mw:Google Code-in 2014#Mentors' corner. Mostly what's required is showing a few young people how to create TemplateData. The new volunteers we've had on similar projects in the past have proven to be pretty good, and several of them stuck around and kept working on it after the program officially ended.
Marielle doesn't think she can do this by herself, but she'd really like to have this added to the list. When the talk turned to great editors with both the technical and social skills to be successful mentors, I thought of you first. I know it's super-short notice, but I really hope you will be able to help out with this. (Andre can help you if you have any questions; he's the main organizer. Otherwise, you can just leave a note for Marielle—maybe at her MediaWiki.org talk page, since she's usually easier to find over there.) Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 14:59, 3 December 2014 (UTC)
- That would be cool indeed! --AKlapper (WMF) (talk) 15:21, 3 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Whatamidoing (WMF) and AKlapper (WMF): Hi. I have many questions. I start with two.
- First, what kind of Internet connection am I supposed to have? Am I supposed to spend hours in a live audio and video session? Or is my participation forum-like, i.e. asynchronous responses? Or is it something in between, like IRC? (Please explain the nature.)
- Second, I have read the article to which you linked but I still don't have a picture. Can I know more?
- As for my answer, it is definitely a "yes". All my life, I was afraid of social situations, teamwork and teaching. Signing up with Wikipedia and nominating an article for Featured Article shortly thereafter was a colossal step for me; it appears God really favors the bold. Right now, I am both excited and sweating. I am telling you this so that there is no doubt about who you are dealing with.
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 18:53, 4 December 2014 (UTC)
- Hi Codename Lisa, thanks for your reply! Google Code-in tasks are tracked and managed on a website called "Google Melange" - as Google is running this contest (and Wikimedia is one of those organizations who provide tasks) they have their own platform and rules for it. I'm on a rather slow internet connection and it's not been a problem so far. It's up to the mentor of a task to define the preferred communication channels in the task description (and timezone the mentor is available in). The better and more explicit the task description (guidelines of steps a student has to perform, what exactly is expected as outcome from the student to let the student pass, where to provide that outcome), the less misunderstandings or misexpectations. :) For example, last year we had mentors who defined in the GCI tasks which they mentored that the entire communication between student and mentor should happen on wikipages, and Google Melange was only used for the student to claim the task, the mentor to assign it, and the mentor to close it as either "resolved" or "needs more work" after a student has provided the requested wotk. For me as a mentor, communication has been mostly asynchronous in the Google Melange system and on bug reports in Wikimedia Phabricator, though sometimes combined with IRC chats. When it comes to time, the only requirement that Google sets us is that we are expected to reply to students within 36 hours (when they have questions or reviewing their contributions for a GCI task) but others are often around to help. Does this reply help a little bit? Sorry if this is a long unstructured answer, it's past midnight and a long day... Please don't hesitate to ask more questions if something on mw:Google Code-in 2014 is unclear - I am very happy to answer (and of course I am also always happy to have more mentors in GCI who help 14-17yr old students to get an idea of ways to contribute to free software). :) --AKlapper (WMF) (talk) 00:58, 5 December 2014 (UTC)
- Yay! Marielle will be so happy, too.
- I've looked at several of the tasks, and the better-written ones tend to have numbered steps, with the last being something like "report that you did this". The more cookbook-style the approach, the better. You might imagine that you were writing instructions for a new editor to help you as you're working on TemplateData. Perhaps step 1 would be to read the docs, step 2 would be to pick a template off a given list, etc. Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 15:07, 5 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Whatamidoing (WMF) and AKlapper (WMF): Uh, guys, I seem to have hit a snag. I cannot sign up with Google Code-in; apparently, Google Code does not serve in my region because of local jurisdiction. They are requesting real-world name, address and phone number and won't accept mine.
- Hi Codename Lisa, thanks for your reply! Google Code-in tasks are tracked and managed on a website called "Google Melange" - as Google is running this contest (and Wikimedia is one of those organizations who provide tasks) they have their own platform and rules for it. I'm on a rather slow internet connection and it's not been a problem so far. It's up to the mentor of a task to define the preferred communication channels in the task description (and timezone the mentor is available in). The better and more explicit the task description (guidelines of steps a student has to perform, what exactly is expected as outcome from the student to let the student pass, where to provide that outcome), the less misunderstandings or misexpectations. :) For example, last year we had mentors who defined in the GCI tasks which they mentored that the entire communication between student and mentor should happen on wikipages, and Google Melange was only used for the student to claim the task, the mentor to assign it, and the mentor to close it as either "resolved" or "needs more work" after a student has provided the requested wotk. For me as a mentor, communication has been mostly asynchronous in the Google Melange system and on bug reports in Wikimedia Phabricator, though sometimes combined with IRC chats. When it comes to time, the only requirement that Google sets us is that we are expected to reply to students within 36 hours (when they have questions or reviewing their contributions for a GCI task) but others are often around to help. Does this reply help a little bit? Sorry if this is a long unstructured answer, it's past midnight and a long day... Please don't hesitate to ask more questions if something on mw:Google Code-in 2014 is unclear - I am very happy to answer (and of course I am also always happy to have more mentors in GCI who help 14-17yr old students to get an idea of ways to contribute to free software). :) --AKlapper (WMF) (talk) 00:58, 5 December 2014 (UTC)
- Perhaps there is another way I can help?
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 00:52, 6 December 2014 (UTC)
- Lie your ass off. As long as they don't try to contact you... Fleet Command (talk) 13:11, 6 December 2014 (UTC)
- Hi Codename Lisa, last year we had a very similar problem in GCI - we "solved" that by defining in the GCI task description that all communication with the mentor must happen on some wikipage etc. So basically either the org admins or a co-mentor of the task could "proxy" for you and you don't touch Google Melange at all - but of course that requires some timely communication between the actual mentor outside of Google Melange and the "proxy". As said, that could either be a co-mentor or really an org admin who will "forward" and create tasks for you into Google Melange (with clear instructions where to contact the actual mentor instead), assign such tasks to students once they claim a task, receive a message from you when you are satisfied with the result, and close the task in Google Melange for you. Note that you should be able to follow tasks in Google Melange even if you are not logged in - it's just that they would be reas-only. :) --Malyacko (talk) 13:36, 6 December 2014 (UTC) (that's AKlapper (WMF) from his personal account because he didn't remember that password while travelling with another computer)
- I hear you, Andre. I believe the "org admin" would be you and Federico Leva, and the co-mentor would be Marielle. Am I correct? If so, let's get it started. (We've been talking for three days already.) In a few hours (judging by the time zone), I'll contact Marielle and will notify her that I am available to assist. In the mean time, are you willing to act as one of the proxies?
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 02:14, 7 December 2014 (UTC)
- Org admins are Nemo (Federico), Quim and me so far, correct. So I guess we could set Marielle as the mentor in Google Melange (and I can be set as co-mentor in Code-in just for the paper and to also receive notifications), and you'd need to "draft" a task description (it could be even generic so we can create the very same task several times in Google Melange and make it available to several students): A sentence explaining what TemplateData is and why we have it, a link to more information about that, instructions like "What you are supposed to do: go to page X and pick two items from that list that you plan to work on. You must mention these items on this Google Melange task when you are claiming this task. You must also paste these two items on wikipage YZ where the entire communication with your mentors will happen. If you have questions about this task, you must ask your questions on YZ instead of Google Melange!" followed by the generic footer. (I guess something like that - I'm personally clueless about TemplateData and "two items" is just a placeholder for whatever makes sense.) And I guess I have linked to mw:Google Code-in 2014#Mentors.27_corner already for a list of other data we need for a task, like tags or hours to complete (be generous), and that reviews are expected within 36h.
- So either Marielle could create such a task in Melange (and then any admin would review it and afterwards "publish" it so it will become available for students in the system) or I'm very happy to do that (once there is a task description you have agreed on). I'm also happy to "clone" such a task in case you come up with a generic description. And it's up to Marielle and you where exactly you want to "draft" and agree on the task description. :) Last but not least, I might repeat myself but: Thank you! --Malyacko (talk) 02:58, 7 December 2014 (UTC)
Have you started writing a task description? I have an idea for a beginner-level task, which is to write TemplateData for all of the dated maintenance templates listed at Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/Dated templates. The instructions could be to pick one (a beginner's task is supposed to take less than 30 minutes), read the /doc page, determine whether the TemplateData exists, and whether it's complete (all parameters present), and whether the |date=
uses the new autovalue feature, and maybe a guess at whether fixing it would be a large/complex task (a couple of links should help them figure out what we mean, or we could do something arbitrary like, "five parameters or less is small, six parameters or more is large"). The task is "complete" when answers to those questions are reported and/or the link is placed in a useful list (e.g., the correct section of Wikipedia:TemplateData#Commonly_used_templates with a brief note or code about what it needs, vs a note to you if the template is correct and complete).
Then (using that information) you could make both "basic" and "advanced" tasks of creating, correcting (e.g., adding autovalue), or expanding (e.g., adding missing parameters) to TemplateData for the ones that need it.
What do you think? Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 03:39, 8 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Whatamidoing (WMF) and AKlapper (WMF): Hi guys. I am back after four days in UTC time. (Mission; short notice; see the tag on the top; hopefully won't happen in another month.) Anyway, I posted task descriptions to Ms. Volz's talk page on MediaWiki.org. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 11:04, 12 December 2014 (UTC)
I've entered 3 of the tasks to both Google Melange and here: User:Mvolz/GCI TemplateData Tasks. Two of the tasks I folded in with another, as they seemed somewhat sequential and could be rolled into one (for instance, finding 10 templates, and adding TD for 10 is now one tasks) Feel free to add tasks to that page. @Whatamidoing (WMF) and AKlapper (WMF): — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mvolz (talk • contribs) 14:59, 12 December 2014
- This sounds great. I'm looking at it now. Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 18:22, 15 December 2014 (UTC)
- I added links to a couple of lists of templates that contain (mostly) simpler templates. I think it will make it easier for them to find simpler templates, and thus they'll spend more time writing TD and less time searching for a template.
- It's probably worth asking the participants if they need more detailed instructions, or if they're having fun figuring it all out. Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 18:32, 15 December 2014 (UTC)
- @AKlapper (WMF) and Mvolz: Hi. Of the three tasks listed on User:Mvolz/GCI TemplateData Tasks, I can only find two on Google Melange. Also, I sumbitted a fourth task for review to mw:User talk:Mvolz (WMF) (assuming that it is the fastest comm. channel with Ms. Volz) but I am yet to receive any response. I am in a bit of dilemma as to whether I can submit more tasks or not. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 22:35, 17 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Codename Lisa: Hi. Hmm, weird... I see three tasks on Google Melange: 1, 2, 3. Unfortunately I cannot help with reviewing the proposals on MVolz' talk page as I'm pretty clueless when it comes to template data. :) If you feel comfortable enough mentoring them and if MVolz doesn't find time to respond soon (let's give her a little bit more time) I'll be happy to act as a proxy in Google Melange if you tell me which exact tasks to enter in Melange. The existing tasks looked pretty cool and "well-written" to me as far as I can judge, congrats. And of course thanks to you both for mentoring! --AKlapper (WMF) (talk) 07:24, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
- @AKlapper (WMF) and Mvolz: Hi. Of the three tasks listed on User:Mvolz/GCI TemplateData Tasks, I can only find two on Google Melange. Also, I sumbitted a fourth task for review to mw:User talk:Mvolz (WMF) (assuming that it is the fastest comm. channel with Ms. Volz) but I am yet to receive any response. I am in a bit of dilemma as to whether I can submit more tasks or not. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 22:35, 17 December 2014 (UTC)
@Codename Lisa: The reason that only two show up may be because one has been completed. Of the two other tasks, one is currently being worked on (although I have not have had any further communication with the person working on it other than that they claimed the task) and one is unclaimed. I had a look at the new task you created- I am not sure what the benefit of finding templates of a particular type with no TemplateData is, but then not doing anything with them? Mvolz (talk) 16:17, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
- I thought the benefit is education, but you certainly know better than I do, Ms. Mvolz, at least because of having previous GCI experience. You can escalate it to "...and write TemplateData for them" but then, I advise setting the level to "Super-advanced". They require Lua knowledge, deciphering code and consolidation. Writing TemplateData for Module-based templates is the most advanced task in Templates area of Wikipedia and second most advanced task in the area of Wikipedia coding. (The first is creating the Modules.) This grueling task, however, can only be significantly offset by striking a template that already has ample documentation but not TemplateData.
- Now, as for more tasks, you can create tasks for writing TemplateData for {{Infobox file format}}, {{Infobox file system}}. {{Infobox character encoding}}, {{Infobox networking protocol}}, {{Infobox software license}}, {{Infobox computing standard}}, {{Infobox OS component}} and {{System requirements}}. That would be 8 tasks. Any student in doubt about what to write in the description field can contact me (preferably) with a ping or (alternatively) via this page or via email.
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 00:27, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Mvolz, AKlapper (WMF), and Whatamidoing (WMF): Did anyone receive my last message? Codename Lisa (talk) 14:44, 23 December 2014 (UTC)
- My thinking for the "make a list" task was that it would be something that even a non-technical person could do, and that once the list existed, a task could be created to add the TemplateData (and/or the list could be posted to the usual place, where the lists are seriously out of date). Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 19:05, 23 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Whatamidoing (WMF): I've said this myself a hundred times elsewhere, but my verb has always been "understand" not "do". Does "non-technical person" and "Google Code-in" not sound like polar opposites? (You yourself emphasized that these kids are rather brilliant.) In addition, there is not such thing as non-technical "To Do" in Wikipedia; only, there are options for a choice of technicality. i.e. one must be technical in the fields of physics, sport, cuisine, fashion, computing, fiction, copyright laws, history, carpentry, etc. Last but not least, the name of these templates might be technical but the job of doing their TemplateData isn't. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 00:45, 24 December 2014 (UTC)
- I think what I was getting at re:list (which I'm not sure I was very clear about) is that students are supposed to be making a contribution to an open source project. We're not looking for purely educational tasks. Research definitely can be a contribution, but it just wasn't clear to me that this was useful to anyone as I couldn't think of any good use cases for that information (and could probably be done more efficiently programmatically). I could definitely be wrong about that though! Mvolz (talk) 13:32, 26 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Whatamidoing (WMF): I've said this myself a hundred times elsewhere, but my verb has always been "understand" not "do". Does "non-technical person" and "Google Code-in" not sound like polar opposites? (You yourself emphasized that these kids are rather brilliant.) In addition, there is not such thing as non-technical "To Do" in Wikipedia; only, there are options for a choice of technicality. i.e. one must be technical in the fields of physics, sport, cuisine, fashion, computing, fiction, copyright laws, history, carpentry, etc. Last but not least, the name of these templates might be technical but the job of doing their TemplateData isn't. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 00:45, 24 December 2014 (UTC)
- My thinking for the "make a list" task was that it would be something that even a non-technical person could do, and that once the list existed, a task could be created to add the TemplateData (and/or the list could be posted to the usual place, where the lists are seriously out of date). Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk) 19:05, 23 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Mvolz, AKlapper (WMF), and Whatamidoing (WMF): Did anyone receive my last message? Codename Lisa (talk) 14:44, 23 December 2014 (UTC)
- @Codename Lisa: Thanks Lisa! I've added the latest task for review. I wasn't sure which 10 templates the student was going to pick for the "choose any" task, so I didn't want to list any specific templates until he'd finished choosing. Looks like no overlap though, so I'll put those up presently. Mvolz (talk) 13:32, 26 December 2014 (UTC)
Microsoft Outreach Newsletter Issue 5, December 2014
WikiProject Microsoft Newsletter - Want to opt-out?
| ||||
The current article we are working to improve is Microsoft, and the aim for this page is to expand it, revert vandalisim, and verify certain information that has become inaccurate over the years. The editor that has the most edits and improvements to this page will earn a barnstar of their choice. The second and third person will also earn one, but one that is pre decided.
Help is needed for the job of putting future Newsletters together. The present incumbent is finding it difficult to reflect the breadth of the Project, focusing on much the same individuals and articles each month, and has decided to beg for contributions from other individuals. Interested persons need only start working on next months issue to qualify. It really is that simple! If you've just joined, add your name to the Participants section of Wikipedia:WikiProject Microsoft. You'll get a mention in the next issue of the Newsletter and get it delivered as desired. Also, please include your own promotions and awards in future issues. Don't be shy! Lastly, this is your newsletter and you can be involved in the creation of the next issue. Any and all contributions are welcome. Simply let yourself be known to any of the undersigned, or just start editing!
Edit This Page At Wikipedia:WikiProject Microsoft/Outreach/Newsletter
| ||||
|
- Thanks to Wikipedia: WikiProject The Beatles for the design.
I'm not sure if I remember right, but I think you were the other editor that was also fighting off some COI editing on Comodo Group, which originally was put on my radar due to some promotional cleanup I was doing on the founder's article Melih Abdulhayoğlu. In particular, the company was being very aggressive about creating almost a dozen articles about each of its individual products. user:Palmbeachguy seems to be their latest account and has recently created yet another one: Comodo Endpoint Security Manager, primarily using short blurbs in niche trade magazines as sources. I was going to take it to AfD per the usual, however I was realizing that I should not, because I now have a COI with some other IT security companies that may compete with them, so I'll be dialing off of these. However, I wanted to let you know in case you hadn't spotted it; I'm taking them off my watchlist. CorporateM (Talk) 18:22, 6 January 2015 (UTC)
- Busy right now. No time. Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 23:47, 6 January 2015 (UTC)
- I'm there. DGG ( talk ) 00:29, 19 January 2015 (UTC)
I disagree with your removal of the {{ShadowsCommons}} tag here. The file on Commons has more pixels and the local file prevents people from accessing the high-resolution file on Commons. --Stefan2 (talk) 20:58, 12 January 2015 (UTC)
File talk:Montgomery Alabama.jpg listed at Redirects for discussion
An editor has asked for a discussion to address the redirect File talk:Montgomery Alabama.jpg. Since you had some involvement with the File talk:Montgomery Alabama.jpg redirect, you might want to participate in the redirect discussion if you have not already done so. Stefan2 (talk) 21:04, 12 January 2015 (UTC)
Please comment on Talk:Euclidean algorithm
Hello! You have been randomly selected to receive an invitation to participate in the request for comment on Talk:Euclidean algorithm. Should you wish to respond, your contribution to this discussion will be appreciated.
For tips, please see Wikipedia:Requests for comment § Suggestions for responding. If you wish to change the frequency or topics of these notices, or do not wish to receive them any longer, please adjust your entries at WP:Feedback request service. — Legobot (talk) 00:02, 13 January 2015 (UTC)
Just gotta say ...
... That edit of yours I just thanked makes perfect sense; I don't know why I didn't think of that. Steel1943 (talk) 08:45, 13 January 2015 (UTC)
- ...But the error I see, "This image talk page is not orphaned! It is the talk page of an image from Commons." ... I'm guessing that is built into {{Db-g8}} somehow, but with the way it looks, if I were an administrator, I would honestly not be sure if that means I can delete it or not ... Steel1943 (talk) 08:48, 13 January 2015 (UTC)
- Hi. The actual thanks must go to RHaworth for giving me the idea. Stefan2 made another similar FFD nomination but even I knew FFD was overkill. Ordinarily, when an admin speedy deletes the file, if the talk page is empty, it must be speedy deleted too. (After all, its creation is a byproduct of us file movers not being able to prevent their creation during a file move.)
- Don't worry about that error: Talk pages of images that go to Commons are not deleted but this one should have not existed in the first place. I believe there is another CSD criteria for deleting these too.
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 08:53, 13 January 2015 (UTC)
- G8 does not apply if there is a file with that name, even if the file is on Commons (see WP:CSD#G8). I'm not sure whether some other criterion applies, which is why I'm listing them on RFD.
- When I move away a file which shadows Commons, I tag the redirect as F2 as I consider the redirect as a local file information page for the Commons file, but you seem to use G6. Not sure if one of us is wrong or if both criteria are correct. --Stefan2 (talk) 16:13, 13 January 2015 (UTC)
- (talk page stalker) I can only guess what you three are talking about but here is my two cents:
- G8 applies to "redirects to invalid targets" excluding "plausible redirects that can be changed to valid targets". So, if the "File talk" page in question has no talk history, then G8 applies. I think you could add an invisible note for the attending admin too. (Or maybe a visible one.)
- G6 is uncontroversial housekeeping. If it is housekeeping and uncontroversial, then it is correct. No questions asked.
- F2? Corrupt of empty image? I thought you guys were talking about a redirect to a local file. Without an explanation that asserts the redirect is not a plausible deliberate one, I say F2 does not apply. Fleet Command (talk) 05:17, 14 January 2015 (UTC)
- User:FleetCommand, you need to read the entire description of F2, not only the header. In particular, you need to read the second sentence under the header. --Stefan2 (talk) 17:15, 19 January 2015 (UTC)
- @Stefan2: "Redirect" ≠ "image description pages for Commons images". Fleet Command (talk) 09:10, 21 January 2015 (UTC)
- User:FleetCommand, you need to read the entire description of F2, not only the header. In particular, you need to read the second sentence under the header. --Stefan2 (talk) 17:15, 19 January 2015 (UTC)
Disambiguation link notification for January 14
Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Comparison of screencasting software, you added links pointing to the disambiguation pages MKV and PNG (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.
It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 08:59, 14 January 2015 (UTC)
A discussion on the Linux distribution talk page
Hello! There's a somewhat lengthy content-related discussion in Talk:Linux distribution § Information on GNU/Linux that would really need input from more editors. It's about an ongoing disagreement on how should a Linux distribution be described, required level of coverage by references, and partially about the way article's lead section should reflect the article content. If you could provide any input there, I'd really appreciate it! — Dsimic (talk | contribs) 03:01, 15 January 2015 (UTC)
My apologies on the format change. I thought it could be considered a response to Dsimic's to Nigelj's, as it was along the same lines of a request for more contributors input. But, you are correct it would seem to be a response to the latter. Just attempting to keep the section organized, it's getting so long! —Lightgodsy(TALKCONT) 14:03, 15 January 2015 (UTC)
- Hello. Thanks for dropping by. Yes, I appreciate your concern. It is valid. Thanks. Codename Lisa (talk) 14:09, 15 January 2015 (UTC)
Please comment on Talk:G. Edward Griffin
Hello! You have been randomly selected to receive an invitation to participate in the request for comment on Talk:G. Edward Griffin. Should you wish to respond, your contribution to this discussion will be appreciated.
For tips, please see Wikipedia:Requests for comment § Suggestions for responding. If you wish to change the frequency or topics of these notices, or do not wish to receive them any longer, please adjust your entries at WP:Feedback request service. — Legobot (talk) 00:04, 16 January 2015 (UTC)
Outlook.com infobox link
Hi, I've been watching the recent edits to the Outlook.com infobox, specifically the URLs. Can you clarify what exactly you mean by "microformat", and where the two links are emitted as one URL (as you mentioned in your edit summaries)? As far as I can see, the infobox in the article shows both URLs as separately clickable links. I'm not saying there should be two URLs, mind, just curious as to why exactly it isn't valid.
Pinging @WildElf as well.
Thanks, Indrek (talk) 11:43, 16 January 2015 (UTC)
- Hi. I have a couple of research tools (RepSec and .Whirl) that have internal Wikipedia apps. They all preview an article's lead and show information that comes directly from infoboxes. I am almost sure that they acquire this info from the same API, (seeing as how both looks the same) most probably from the microformats that the template propagates. For Outlook.com, the links goes to http://outlook.com and the display text is
outlook.com, http://hotmail.comhotmail.com
. It is not two separate links. It is one link only.
- So, am I to understand that you and WildElf contend that it is not because of microformat?
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 11:57, 16 January 2015 (UTC)
- I'm not contending anything. I'm not familiar with the research tools you mentioned, nor with the formats they use. I was merely curious as to why you said two URLs was not valid when they rendered fine in the article's infobox. Thank you for the explanation.
- If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say the problem seems to stem from the research tools (or the API they use) not accounting properly for multiple URLs. If so, you may want to report that as a bug to whoever maintains those tools, as it might cause problems with other articles as well.
- That said, in this case I don't think there's any particular reason to list the hotmail.com URL, given that it's now merely a redirect to the primary URL. Hotmail as a brand has been deprecated, and the primary URL for Outlook.com is http://outlook.com. In my opinion, that's all the infobox needs to include.
- Regards, Indrek (talk) 13:21, 16 January 2015 (UTC)
- @Indrek: Well, I agree with the last conclusion.
- I was so far acting under the impression that the microformat issue is cut-and-dried. Now I see it isn't. Well, I'll leave the microformat POV out of this until I research and gain some insight. As for the apps, I can't contact the authors unless I reach certainty that it is their fault. If the apps are acting based on a contract or protocol, then he who breaks the protocol or contract format is to blame, not an author who implements them.
- Best regards, Codename Lisa (talk) 17:11, 16 January 2015 (UTC)
- Thanks for hashing it out @Codename Lisa: and @Indrek:. It sounds like you came to the conclusion I would have agreed with as well.
- The main reasoning I have for including the outdated hotmail.com brand is that it actually has not been deprecated, just avoided by Microsoft. The brand still exists for older email addresses (such as one I have), without a conversion or redirect to or from an equivalent Outlook.com email address (probably to preserve user names for new Outlook users, and to avoid copying over untold numbers of temporary spam addresses). Someone with email @ hotmail does not also have email @ outlook, and so regardless of Microsoft scouring Hotmail from everything they own, it's still an active brand that many people engage with.
- Additionally, since Wikipedia is a catalog of information, and not a mirror for the current branding choices of corporations and governments, I don't see how a link being a redirect would be sufficient reason to avoid linking it (especially since it's safe and not held by anyone with potentially malicious results). It's still an active URL that's part of the history of what is only currently being called Outlook.com.
- In an ideal world, it would have a note of "deprecated" or "outdated" along side the URL link, however the template did not support notations as far as I could discern, so such notation had to be dropped in favor of clean links. In another ten or twenty years, it's likely to have another name again, and I would think Outlook.com would also be an important part of the history, especially if it's maintained as an active redirect.
- Since the Wiki page for "Hotmail" was effectively destroyed to go with the current brand re-naming, this page is not just the page for Outlook.com as it is now, but also Hotmail.com as it was up until just a couple of years ago, and for anything in the future as it may be when whatever company decides Outlook is no longer a brand name worth having.
- For now, with the limitations of the templates (or perhaps just my limited knowledge of the URL micro-format), I'll have to be content with only the current link, and the history of Outlook described, though I think it does Wikipedia's potential as a cultural record a disservice, it's hardly that important.
- Cheers, WildElf (talk) 23:26, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
Cmd.exe
Hi Codename Lisa, I noticed that you reverted my edit saying that it's inaccurate. I'd be grateful if you can explain how it's inaccurate. I want to prevent from making the same mistake anywhere else. Having false knowledge is "tragic" like you said . Would you be kind enough to help me out? Thank you.--Chamith (talk) 10:39, 18 January 2015 (UTC)
- Hello, ChamithN
- Thanks for dropping by. And welcome to my talk page.
- You had extended "DOS" into "disk operating system" and has asserted that Cmd.exe is based on a text user interface.
- You assumed that because "DOS" is a valid acronym of "disk operating system", they are interchangeable. Well, no. Nowadays, "DOS" is taken to mean "a command-line operating system whose name has 'DOS'; e.g. MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS." But "disk operating system" refers to 90% of existing operating systems. You can find many acronyms that no longer mean what their expanded for meant. "BIOS" is no longer a basic input/output system; it is pretty advanced nowadays. CD is no longer compact disc (although it is "Compact Disc") because every disc or disk is compact. "PC" is no longer personal computer. It is used a form of personal computer that is not a "Mac". See Get a Mac and I'm a PC.
- Cmd.exe's user interface is a command-line interface (CLI), not text user interface (TUI). Both use text characters but CLI stays within the boundaries of one line while TUI even supports mouse.
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 10:51, 18 January 2015 (UTC)
- Thank you Codename Lisa for such a detailed explanation. Now I have a perfect idea about the mistakes I made. This would help me to prevent repeating the same mistakes again. You were kind enough to waste some of your time to write everything above. Once again I'm really grateful for your clarifications. Cheers!--Chamith (talk) 11:48, 18 January 2015 (UTC)
- You are welcome. I do not think I have "wasted" my time. It is spent but well spent; definitely not wasted.
- Best regards,
- Codename Lisa (talk) 11:49, 18 January 2015 (UTC)
- Thank you Codename Lisa for such a detailed explanation. Now I have a perfect idea about the mistakes I made. This would help me to prevent repeating the same mistakes again. You were kind enough to waste some of your time to write everything above. Once again I'm really grateful for your clarifications. Cheers!--Chamith (talk) 11:48, 18 January 2015 (UTC)
Please comment on Talk:Traditional Chinese medicine
Hello! You have been randomly selected to receive an invitation to participate in the request for comment on Talk:Traditional Chinese medicine. Should you wish to respond, your contribution to this discussion will be appreciated.
For tips, please see Wikipedia:Requests for comment § Suggestions for responding. If you wish to change the frequency or topics of these notices, or do not wish to receive them any longer, please adjust your entries at WP:Feedback request service. — Legobot (talk) 00:02, 19 January 2015 (UTC)
It takes me hours to cite references on my Kindle, and sometimes I need people to do it for me,not just undo the edits.
All of the information I get is from reliable sources. I find information on The Verge, Neowin, Windows IT Pro, SuperSite for Windows, and Thurrott.com. As far as I can tell, these are reliable resources. That Fourth Start Menu edit you made undoing that "joke" was changed back, albeit being a little different and with citations. That Windows 10 revision with Build 9918 and tghe Windows Update bug? I found it on Neowin! Remember when you told me to wait until I get to a computer? I can only do that on weekends, and even then, I have limited time! If you undo my edits, unless you say you can't find reliable sources for my edits, Ipromise you, I WILL UDO ANY EDITS YOU DO, REGARDLESS OF WHICH PAGE IT IS! Oh, and sorry about saying that I hate you in one of my edits. 75.68.89.137 (talk) 12:18, 20 January 2015 (UTC)
- @75.68.89.137: (by talk page stalker) At the top of the edit window it says "Work submitted to Wikipedia can be edited, used, and redistributed—by anyone". You say "I found it on Neowin!" as if that should automatically mean something. Many of the sites you mention are not considered reliable sources here, at least not for everything they say, because much of the information they post consists of rumors, rephrases of press releases, and opinion, with little to distinguish them. And most of what they post as claims of fact is not much fact-checked; it's not much more trustable than a personal blog. In the early days of WP such sources were accepted, but our standards are higher these days. It took me quite a while, in my early days here, to "get" this.
- You should probably read WP:RS. All of it, not just the first few paragraphs.
- We do have a project page where you can ask if a source would be considered reliable, before you spend "hours" citing it. Reliable sources noticeboard. And before you make edits that will take you "hours", maybe you should discuss them on the article talk page first? re "I need people to do it for me" (in your edit comment), that reads to me like you're making edits that you know other people will need to fix up. i.e. you're knowingly making work for other editors. Not the best sort of collaboration.
- And by the way, "I will undo any edit you do" is a declaration of not just edit warring but also wikistalking and a battleground mentality. That's at least one step toward a block for WP:NOTHERE. Nice start. Jeh (talk) 19:33, 20 January 2015 (UTC)
Please comment on Talk:Creation–evolution controversy
Hello! You have been randomly selected to receive an invitation to participate in the request for comment on Talk:Creation–evolution controversy. Should you wish to respond, your contribution to this discussion will be appreciated.
For tips, please see Wikipedia:Requests for comment § Suggestions for responding. If you wish to change the frequency or topics of these notices, or do not wish to receive them any longer, please adjust your entries at WP:Feedback request service. — Legobot (talk) 00:06, 22 January 2015 (UTC)
Disambiguation link notification for January 22
Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Je suis Charlie, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Persian (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.
It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 08:56, 22 January 2015 (UTC)
"{{ShadowsCommons}} issue resolved by renaming the file on Commons"
That doesn't really solve the problem fully, though. There is Bugzilla:28299 which tells that redirects on Commons are scary. It is also confusing if the same file name means one thing on Wikipedia and a different thing on Commons. I'm not sure what to do in this situation, though. Maybe the local file still needs to be renamed. I'm trying to solve this file (File:Field2.jpg) by nominating it for deletion. --Stefan2 (talk) 17:45, 22 January 2015 (UTC)
- @Stefan2: (by talk page stalker) Delete the redirect on Commons then. Aren't you an admin there? Fleet Command (talk) 18:19, 23 January 2015 (UTC)
Dangerous edit to Template:Sister-inline/doc?
I am confused about your revert of my edit to Template:Sister-inline/doc. If your concern was my misuse of the semicolon, I copied it from the previous example (which you corrected). Perhaps your concern was the wording that I chose for the example. It would indeed be unwise to use the phrase, Click here for a link to "Dog" on commons. But four months ago, I made a link to a quiz at Computer#External_links that has never been reverted. The sister-link was awkwardly written because I did not know how to override the template's default language. It also occurred to me that you considered the edit "dangerous" because it would encourage all sorts of "odd" and amateurish sister-interlinks. I can't resist the temptation to illustrate your concern with another example of inappropriate use of this flexibility:
Wikiversity quizzes that have been placed on Wikipedia
But my example with the quiz at Computer#External_links illustrates the need for this flexibility. Yours truly --guyvan52 (talk) 03:53, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.