User talk:Lightmouse/Archives/2008/January

Monobook Script
Thank you for answering. ✓ Kanġi Oĥanko (talk) 14:26, 10 January 2008 (UTC)

Unit links
Hi LM, Can you adjust your script to leave the first occurrence of a linked unit linked and removed any multiple linked units? I noticed your edit to Toronto which removed all unit links. Regards &mdash; MJC detroit  (yak) 14:00, 11 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I can answer that as follows:
 * I do not know how to make the code aware of first, second, nth. I wish I did.
 * I think it is a good thing to remove links to plain english terms. I regard common units as plain english. Thus I will leave a link to nautical mile, but not statute mile or kilometre.
 * The convert template allows the input to be linked but not the output (and vice versa). Thus where an uncommon unit is converted to a common unit, it is possible to have a link for one but not the other.
 * Part of the reason for linking units is to allow the reader to convert. If the conversion is provided, then that reason for the link is superceded by the converted value. There are other reasons for linking that will remain, of course.
 * It is not the biggest deal for me but Wikipedia is generally overlinked when it comes to common units. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Lightmouse (talk) 14:21, 11 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree that it is generally over linked, especially in the area of multiple links of the same thing in the same article (not just units). I guess it is a catch-22, for units, I would like to see only the first time linked because I think it does help, but if your script removes the seven linkings of square kilometer in the article, I'm cool with it.  I'll just have faith that hopefully somewhere down the road someone will link only the first occurrence of it.  &mdash;  MJC detroit  (yak) 14:54, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

Spaces between numbers and units
Hi Lightmouse,

Thanks for your script-assisted editing on dates and units. I noticed from this edit to Paddy field that you changed 3000km to 3000 km, inserting a space. Would it be possible to adjust the script to insert a non-breaking space rather than an ordinary space? This prevents line breaks that leave the number at the right end of one line and its unit at the beginning of the next. For more information see Manual of style and Manual of style. The talk page has extensive discussion about the matter.

Best regards,

Fg2 (talk) 21:28, 11 January 2008 (UTC)


 * My main concern is that there is a space. I am aware of the non-breaking space guidance but I do not agree with it because I think line wrapping in units is not a problem (or one that outways the ugliness of the nbsp code). There are one or two other people that share this heretical view. However, I have no objection to others adding a nbsp character if they want. Furthermore, I would be happy to support anyone that took the metrication script and modified it to add non-breaking spaces. The more people that make use of the script, the better. Lightmouse (talk) 14:56, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

Barnstar

 * Thank you very much. Lightmouse (talk) 14:57, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

A post with a question regarding your edits
Hello Lightmouse. I wanted to let you know that I posted a question about the edits that you are making converting units of weight and measurment to metric here. Please understand that I am not upset or trying to cause an edit conflict. I just wanted clarification on this re US articles. Also, I hoped to save you time and effort if there are some articles where these conversions should not be made. If a consensus was reached to change these that I was unaware of I apologize for taking up your time. Happy editing. MarnetteD | Talk 15:48, 13 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Update. Please disregard my post above. I did not look closely enough to see that your conversion did not replace the weights and measures. It simply enhanced the articles by giving both US and metric numbers. Let me compliment you for making wikipedia vastly better through your efforts and, again, apologize for wasting your time. MarnetteD | Talk 16:00, 13 January 2008 (UTC)


 * That is ok. I am glad that you resolved the issue to your satisfaction and updated your comment here. Keep up the good work. Lightmouse (talk) 16:57, 13 January 2008 (UTC)

Question regarding edit to Slavic peoples
Hi! I saw you took out two wikilinks and wrote "Script assisted. Units/dates/other". I'm sure this is perfectly order, I would just want to know what it means so that I'm aware of it in the future. :) Cheers JdeJ (talk) 14:01, 17 January 2008 (UTC)


 * There is a lot of confusion about dates and linking. This confusion is partly because of a badly designed 'autoformatting' mechanism that uses square brackets around *full* dates (a full date contains a month and a day) that look like links. Those dates are not full dates and do not need the brackets for autoformatting. If you want to read the gory facts, it is all in the manual of style.


 * I hope that helps. Lightmouse (talk) 14:19, 17 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Perfect, thanks! JdeJ (talk) 14:25, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

thanks for edit - but!
Hi, I noticed that you have edited my contributions in the Appley Bridge page to provide additional metric values to the quoted imperial values. Whilst I can see the value in this it does contradict the quote element of the piece. The piece is a quote from a document that didn't have the metric conversion within it. Is it correct to misquote a quote? I think it does add to it for non imperial readers but it's a discussion point I think. thanksWikipeebee (talk)


 * Thanks for spotting that and telling me. I have put the conversion into square brackets. I would not have minded if you had edited it to however you think is best. In fact, I still don't mind. Take a look at how it is now and if that is not quite right to you, just do whatever you think is best. Keep up the good work. Lightmouse (talk) 17:44, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

bhp convert
Hi have you noticed that 170 Bhp doesnt work with capital B, same goes to Hp , I fixed Audi 80 and Toyota Sports 800

weird that sign doesnt work. --&mdash; Typ932T 20:32, 25 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Can you tell me who you are (your signature did not work)? I have made a change so that 170 Bhp should work now. Tell me which page you are looking at so that I can check. Thanks for the feedback. Lightmouse (talk)


 * I have now updated the script. It now forces Bhp, Hp, and other permutations to lower case when inside the convert template. That should fix it. Lightmouse (talk)

note for convert old cars articles
Hi, be careful when converting very old cars articles, because they can have hp in the name of model. (old tax classification). see: Talk:Morris Ten, Im also wondering if its necessary to convert displays and tyre/tire/wheel sizes, can those be excluded somehow? I think usual way to express those are only inches?, im not 100% sure of it thoug. --&mdash; Typ932T 15:19, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I am aware of the old car issue. I try to avoid them but one or two may have slipped through. I will watch more carefully.


 * I am not sure what to do about tyre sizes. I have no idea what you mean by 'displays'. Can you explain? Lightmouse (talk) 16:41, 26 January 2008 (UTC)
 * With displays I mean there is in many car articles written like 9-inch CRT display in Buick Riviera article --&mdash; Typ932T 17:11, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * H'mm. Typ932, why do you feel it would be inappropriate to convert a video display size to metric units? Wheel sizes are in inches all over the world, but video displays...? --Scheinwerfermann (talk) 17:16, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Im not sure but we use here inches when speaking monitors... maybe others dont?... --&mdash; Typ932T 18:34, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

Interesting. Where is "here"? --Scheinwerfermann (talk) 18:43, 26 January 2008 (UTC)
 * See my user page ,) we use inches for televisions, PC LCD/monitors, Im not sure how is the other european countries...   --&mdash; Typ932T  18:46, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * What Typ932 is saying is that tyre & wheel size nomenclature is overwhelmingly still in inches round the world, and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Even the metric tyre sizing system that's been in nearly exclusive use globally since at least the mid 1980s designates the wheel size in inches. I see Wikipedia's tyre article utterly lacks information on tyre sizing, which is odd; perhaps I will work on that. A metric tyre size looks like P205/70R14 (P = tyre for passenger vehicle, 205mm tread width, sidewall height 70% of the tread width...14 inch wheel). In colloquial conversation, "fourteen-inch wheels and tyres" is common, though of course it is encyclopædically preferable to specify the exact tyre size. It would not be appropriate to convert the wheel size to metric units; they simply aren't measured that way. --Scheinwerfermann (talk) 16:57, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I think I understand what you are saying. I did not set out to change the tyre sizes in articles, that was secondary. Lightmouse (talk) 17:07, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

Migration of templates
I think we should get all templates converted to the convert template, its now missing for example PS (horsepower), and btw we have some differencies in Auto templates vs convert template, we have in project automobiles conventions instruction to use XXXX mm and not X,XXX (no comma)  see WikiProject Automobiles/Conventions --&mdash; Typ932T 18:42, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Indeed. The migration of templates from 'Auto' to 'convert', is a popular idea. Please lend your support at Template talk:Convert. If you want have a wishlist item (such as 'no comma'), feel free to mention that in the same place. Lightmouse (talk) 18:48, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

Incorrect conversion of 3.5 inch disk
I notice that your script is being on occurrences of the term "3.5 inch disk" thereby converting the text to read "3.5 inch (89 mm) disk." This is not correct and should be stopped immediately. The disks in question are exactly 90 mm in diameter (to manufacturing tolerances). "3.5 inch" is a nominal size and should not be mechanically converted. --agr (talk) 23:00, 26 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree. Can you tell me where you saw this done and I will investigate. Lightmouse (talk) 10:50, 27 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Early IBM disk storage Note that I have cleaned the text up. Also note that the conversion was applied to both occurrences of "3.5 inch disk." I think only one conversion is needed.--agr (talk) 18:29, 27 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Thank you. I will have a look at the script to see if I can automatically avoid such references. I am fairly sure it can be done. In the meantime, I will watch more closely. Lightmouse (talk) 19:47, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

Conversion for American Football
Lightmouse, I think that your script is a really great idea for adding conversion units for SI. However, one particular subject, American Football is a "game of inches" and the field is marked in yards. Statistics are kept in yards. Although this is not international, this is the way the subject handles the measures. While I question whether the script should be used at all on North American sports subjects, I do understand the need for international audiences to grasp the concept of yards, feet and inches in terms of their own measurement systems. The script results for the 1947 Rose Bowl article are inappropriate in a number of instances, introducing a 9% error. A four yard run is more appropriately 366 centimeters, not four meters. and a 1 yard run is 91 centimeters, not 1 meter. My opinion is that in the subject, the most appropriate place for conversion was on the particular DYK statment: "UCLA's Al Hoisch returned Illinois kicker Don Maechtle’s kickoff 103 yards (94 m), establishing a Rose Bowl and UCLA team record". This establishes the length of the run in any context. Otherwise my opinion is that the conversion adds very little value in articles on this subject and should not be modified by an automated script. Thanks, Group29 (talk) 16:34, 28 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree almost entirely with your analysis. I do not mind any reverts or amendments you make. I will try to avoid most measures American Football. Lightmouse (talk) 19:49, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

Unimog
One article that definitely would benefit from this script is the Unimog article. Thanks Group29 (talk) 16:34, 28 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Done. Lightmouse (talk) 19:56, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

possible bad conversion
see ... I think the article is talking about a shoe size. ++Lar: t/c 16:35, 29 January 2008 (UTC)


 * You are right. Thanks for letting me know. I will watch out for that in future. Regards Lightmouse (talk) 18:15, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Kilometres
Can you tell me why you have removed the kilometres link from so many Sydney suburbs articles? We spent a lot of time adding those links to all teh articles, after an editor explained that a link was required for users who are not familiar with the metric system.J Bar (talk) 04:06, 30 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I believe that it is excessive to link common terms. Do you share that editors opinion that kilometre should be linked in each article? If so, a good place to raise it would be at: Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style (dates and numbers). I would be interested to see what other people think the policy should be. Lightmouse (talk) 21:07, 30 January 2008 (UTC)