User talk:Rich Farmbrough/Archive/2013 June

ISBN 0-596-00027-8 listed at Redirects for discussion
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Undo button
Greetings Rich, you need to be more careful with your edits. I noticed you used the undo button, some editors may constitute that as "using automation". :-) Seriously though, I hope things are going well for you these days. Kumioko (talk) 01:15, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Coming from anyone else, like some of Rich's 'friends' watching this page and every move Rich makes, the above comment could be construed as either a warning as a prelude to ANI or taking the piss. Of course I know you better than that. Personal computers have changed the world by allowing things to be done much, much faster than purely by the human hand. I guess one might call that invention "automation" in itself, never mind what humans use it for afterwards. ;-) Have a good one! --  Ohc  ¡digame!¿que pasa? 01:32, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * I was of course meaning my comment to be joking sarcasm. :-)Kumioko (talk) 01:42, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Anybody who imposes sanctions on Rich for should themselves be sanctioned, because it is not a crime to revert your own edit. -- Red rose64 (talk) 09:02, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * It shouldn't be a crime to do a lot of things around here. But I have seen some pretty outlandish decisions by Arbcom, AE and even individual editors that somehow don't get overturned. The vagueness of the sanction against Rich is where the crime lies where anything in the judgement of the admin can be construed as automation. Excel, cut and paste, twinkle, etc. have all been identified as automation. Kumioko (talk) 14:52, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Arbcom was very specific in what types of edits Rich was forbidden to engage in, including cutting and pasting. There are many sad things about this situation. Rich's prolificity is lost to us for a year.  But hopefully we can tap his expertise.  After all, he still has this talk page.  The Transhumanist 08:25, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Rich, remind me again, was one of the problems that you were ? -- Red rose64 (talk) 23:05, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 05 June 2013

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Wikidata weekly summary #61
Here's your quick overview of what has been happening around Wikidata over the last week. Read the full report &middot; Unsubscribe &middot; Global message delivery 19:08, 7 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Discussions
 * Please use the next week to review the discussions about sourcing of statements (d:Wikidata:Requests for comment/References and sources and Discussion on the Project Chat)
 * Events/Press
 * Arts, Humanities and Complex Networks
 * SemTechBiz
 * WMF metrics and activities meeting
 * "Exakter und aktueller" Bessere Daten für Wikipedia durch Wikidata
 * Other Noteworthy Stuff
 * Large donation by Yandex for further development of Wikidata (press coverage here and here among others)
 * en:Template:Infobox road and simple:Template:Infobox road now have the ability to use Wikidata for the map field
 * Denny writes about Wikidata and the truth
 * Average edits per page has passed 4
 * Did you know?
 * Newest properties: basionym (P566), hangingwall (P567), footwall (P568), date of birth (P569), date of death (P570), foundation/creation date (P571), date of scientific description (P574), discovery date (P575), date of dissolution (P576), date of publication (P577), Sandbox-TimeValue (P578), IMA status (P579), start date (P580), end date (P582), as of (P585), IPNI author ID (P586), MMSI (P587), coolant (P588), point group (P589), GNIS (P590), EC Number (P591), ChEMBL (P592), Homologene ID (P593), Ensembl ID (P594), IUPHAR ID (P595), in the direction of (P596), WTA ID (P597), commands (P598), ITF ID (P599), Wine AppDB-ID (P600), MedlinePlus ID (P604), NUTS (P605), first flight (P606)
 * Newest task forces: Catalunya task force
 * Development
 * Worked on globe coordinate editing
 * Reviewed and merged code for SetSiteLink special page
 * EditEntity API refactoring (Info: EditEntity API’s EXCLUDE parameter will be dropped - see here)
 * First steps towards being able to add sitelinks for the first sister-project (WikiVoyage)
 * Improved the Travis CI continuous integration setup
 * Made the DataValue component installable via Composer
 * Open Tasks for You
 * Help fix formatting and value issues for a property
 * Respond to a "Request for Comment"
 * Hack on one of these

A barnstar

 * I personally feel jellous, wish I can get one of those, considering purple colour is my favourite!--Mishae (talk) 22:55, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Guidance for people terrified of block
So, at this point, we need to know where to respond to an appeal against the one-year block, or is it some technical loophole to be overturned within a few hours of review? News of this "one-year block" is likely to terrify many other editors. I am an uninvolved editor who is willing to review this case. Meanwhile, I wanted to ask Rich his advice about methods to apply Lua script to massive improvements of Wikipedia, now that the system-wide feasibility of Lua-based templates been demonstrated. Rich's ideas have been instrumental in creating fast-cite markup templates which rival the speed of Lua script, but without the complexity. Anyway, long story short, we need to include Rich in discussions about writing Lua script modules to solve massive quality problems in Wikipedia data. This is not the time to block him, even for 48 hours. So, where do we respond to overturn this block decision? I suggest people repeat the "Hawthorne experiment" for improved productivity, rather than the Milgram experiment. -Wikid77 (talk) 01:36, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
 * My message above points out that—according to the block notice—this block be amended or overturned, "following a clear, substantial, and active consensus of uninvolved editors at a community discussion noticeboard (such as WP:AN or WP:ANI). If consensus in such discussions is hard to judge or unclear, the parties should submit a request for clarification on the proper page". Already several people have posted here supporting Rich. (A discussion has also started here). Surely nobody is perfect; admins. are human and so sometimes make errors. Maybe WP needs a paid full-time Ombudsman/lady who has the power to review overly-hasty admin. or community decisions and send them back for review. LittleBen (talk) 01:50, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I agree, I have spoken with several users who are afraid to even start a bot for fear of being banned. Some don't even want to edit right now. That's part of the reason I came back. A flurry of editors I talk to off wiki that don't like how this and other things are playing out. KumiokoCleanStart (talk) 01:45, 27 March 2013 (UTC)


 * Wikid77, Rich effectively got his indef enwiki site-ban a year ago. The deal agreed was that Rich could instead make pure-manual edits.  Because it is effectively a suspended (delayed) sentence, I think it is likely to be harder to overturn.  —Sladen (talk) 10:24, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
 * And indeed I should have fought that, but I was mortified by the two mis-clicks that caused it. Looking back I should have been far more robust in my own defence - this was really a very human error, which I would never have censured another editor for.  Maybe you feel that two mis-clicks out of several hundreds was too many.  Maybe you feel that ArbCom has (as they seemed to suggest) control over the reading as well as writing of Wikipedia.  Currently this block is somewhat irrelevant while that restriction stands.  Sandstein characterised insertion of a single character as automated - on  that basis any editing is forbidden me.  Somewhat strange that T.Canens should encourage blocking of an editor who has made an appeal to ArbCom, though.  Perhaps he hadn't thought it through, or perhaps that will be the new modus operandi.  Would you do that?  I wouldn't. Rich Farmbrough, 16:15, 27 March 2013 (UTC).


 * Welcome to the Socialist Republic of Wikipedia - The Encyclopedia anyone we like can edit as long as they only post what we tell them too, how we tell them too and when we tell them too!KumiokoCleanStart (talk) 16:44, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Kumioko, per WP:CIVIL, I do not think this is appropriate. —Sladen (talk) 10:45, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
 * There are a lot more uncivil things in Wikipedia every day done by admins and other editors than that comment. Like blocking an editor for a year for simple non automated edits, refusing to follow policies like Harassment, Article ownership, blocking editors due to COI, etc. If that comment seems uncivil then something needs to be done to fix the culture that embodies that comment rather than call me uncivil because it hurts some feelings. KumiokoCleanStart (talk) 10:49, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Rich, I do not think you should have fought it—I do not think it would have helped. It is the fighting that loses credibility. I regret to say, but I don't think it was merely two clicks.  A few months after the automation ban was in place, and before things reared up again, I saw an edit involving removal of trailing whitespace (sequences of  ), but not the removal of trailing whitespace which was a mixture of tabs and spaces .  These are indistinguishable inside the browser textarea editor.  I drew my conclusions at that point, and also kept quiet.  Time took its course anyway.  —Sladen (talk) 11:01, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Considering that I am Rich's friend, I should mention that I agree with user Kumioko CleanStart on his comment about it being Socialist Republic, I should add that its actually worse than that, its actually Fascist Republic to be exact, pardon my French. I will fight for you Rich!!!!!!!!--23:20, 10 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Another thing to mention, and please don't take it the wrong way any of you, I heard somewhere that Wikipedia was founded by liberals, which are socialists, to push their liberal ideas. Now, I am not saying it as either good or bad thing, just trying to get the point across.--Mishae (talk) 17:48, 11 June 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 12 June 2013

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 * EdwardsBot (talk) 07:11, 14 June 2013 (UTC)

Merge discussion for Martini: A Memoir
An article that you have been involved in editing, Martini: A Memoir, has been proposed for a merge with another article. If you are interested in the merge discussion, please participate by going, and adding your comments on the discussion page. Thank you. Rangasyd (talk) 14:17, 14 June 2013 (UTC)

Wikidata weekly summary #62
Here's your quick overview of what has been happening around Wikidata over the last week. Read the full report &middot; Unsubscribe &middot; Global message delivery 20:48, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Noteworthy Stuff
 * Geocoordinates can now be entered in Wikidata and language links can now be edited without JavaScript
 * The folks at OCLC did a great intro video to Wikidata and VIAF/authority files
 * And here's some interesting analysis on the most unique Wikipedias according to Wikidata
 * Magnus updated his tool to add missing properties to an item
 * Did you know?
 * Newest properties: battle/war (P607), exhibition history (P608), terminus location (P609), exhibition history (P608), terminus location (P609), highest point (P610), religious order (P611), mother house (P612), OS grid reference (P613), CHRC (P616), yard number (P617), source of energy (P618), spacecraft launch date (P619), spacecraft landing date (P620), spacecraft decay date (P621), spacecraft docking/undocking dates (P622), crew photo (P623), guidance system (P624), coordinate location (P625), Sandbox-GeoCoordinateValue (P626), IUCN-ID (P627)
 * If you're interested in a specific topic then the task forces are a good place to find like-minded people. Can't find one for your interest? Start one!
 * Development
 * More progress on supporting links to sisterprojects
 * Fixing issues with geocoordinate datatype that popped up after deployment
 * Selenium tests for time and geocoordinate interface
 * EditEntity Refactoring (added parameter “new”)
 * Open Tasks for You
 * Help fix formatting and value issues for a property
 * Respond to a "Request for Comment"
 * Hack on one of these

Oxford Meetup 6
Thank you for attending the fifth Oxford Meetup, and it was a pleasure meeting you. I intended to send this message on Monday, but I've been a bit busy, sorry.

Several of us would like to continue with the monthly plan, since trying to make a two-monthly cycle fit into the University terms doesn't work very well. A page has been created about the sixth Oxford Meetup; please sign up if you think that you are able to attend - if the date or venue are unsuitable, please comment at its discussion page.

Please spread the word to anybody else who you think might be interested. The next UK meetups are at: London, 16 June; Manchester, 22 June; and Coventry, 7 July. -- Red rose64 (talk) 14:15, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Hi, it was pointed out to me that 7 July 2013 collides with Coventry 8, who have a prior claim to the date. Since nobody has (yet) claimed 14 July for any UK meetups, I have decided that Oxford 6 should be held on 14 July 2013, and not 7 July as previously advertised. In this way, those who wish to attend both may do so. I hope the revised Oxford date is convenient for you; and if it isn't, why not give Coventry a try? -- Red rose64 (talk) 15:46, 15 June 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 19 June 2013

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 * EdwardsBot (talk) 21:51, 20 June 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 26 June 2013

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Wikidata weekly summary #64
Here's your quick overview of what has been happening around Wikidata over the last week. Read the full report &middot; Unsubscribe &middot; Global message delivery 23:41, 28 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Discussions
 * Development team published a proposal how to make use of Wikidata for Commons
 * Community proposal for how Wikidata could support Wikisource
 * RfC on source items and supporting Wikipedia sources
 * Other Noteworthy Stuff
 * d:User:Byrial is creating database reports that are useful to find issues in the current data
 * Denny created a map of all geocoordinates currently in Wikidata (normal and huge version - updated daily)
 * Did you know?
 * Newest properties: RTECS number (P657), RefSeq (P656), translator (P655)
 * Development
 * The Wikidata bug report with the most votes was closed (36729 - updating the link on Wikidata automatically when a page on Wikipedia is moved)
 * Wikipedia pages will soon have a link named "Data item" in the toolbox section of the sidebar that links to the Wikidata item that is connected to the page (49105 - You can already see it on the main page of test2.wikipedia.org for example.)
 * Calendar names displayed for time values can now be translated (49080)
 * Added serializers for the Ask query language
 * Buuuugfixes and testing
 * Refactoring
 * Worked on better handling of bad values (= values that don't fit the datatype they should have)
 * Open Tasks for You
 * Update, expand and translate one of the help pages to make it easier for newcomers
 * Help fix formatting and value issues for a property
 * Hack on one of these