Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/EdgarBot


 * The following discussion is an archived debate. Please do not modify it. To request review of this BRFA, please start a new section at WT:BRFA. The result of the discussion was Symbol oppose vote.svg Withdrawn by operator.

EdgarBot
Operator:

Automatic or Manually assisted: Automatic

Programming language(s): PHP

Source code available: No, the source code will not be released.

Function overview: This bot will used by WikiProjects to assess articles automatically based on a set criteria defined by the WikiProject.

Links to relevant discussions (where appropriate):

Edit period(s): Continuous

Estimated number of pages affected: EdgarBot is designed to run many tasks (including this one) each tasks creates one or more queries to the Wikipedia these queries are called jobs. To make sure there is no conflicts, jobs are queued in a job queue until they can be processed. This allow limits on number of jobs are done per hour and at certain times of the day, for all tasks.

Exclusion compliant (Y/N): Yes

Already has a bot flag (Y/N): No

Function details: A WikiProject can request the bot to assess a number of articles. The bot will compare each article to the set criteria, and if article fits within that criteria the bot will either mark an article with a parameter (on the WikiProject banner) or put the article into an category. The criteria can include how long the prose of the article is, the number of references, the use or non-use of a template, etc.

Discussion
I don't think all projects would be happy with and/or agree with an automatic assessment of stub articles. You'd probably have to get consensus of individual WikiProject to do this, since different projects have different policies and some might not want their articles automatically assessed. - EdoDodo  talk 12:53, 9 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Good point, I can change the bot to opt-in system instead, where WikiProjects can opt-in to the automatic assessment when there is a consensus from editors of that WikiProject. d'oh! talk 13:07, 9 July 2010 (UTC)

Why "EdgarBot" instead of "GezzzaBot"? After all, "The account's name should identify the operator or bot function." Anomie⚔ 13:29, 9 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Since my name might be changed soon I can't name it after me, and since this bot will be doing more than one task in the future I can't name it after the bot's function. So I named it after the computer in the movie Electric Dreams. d'oh! talk 13:47, 9 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Sure you could name it after you, and you could always have the bot renamed when you are. Anomie⚔ 16:33, 9 July 2010 (UTC)
 * I could, but since on the policy is worded as should not must I didn't go down that path, to void causing more work for the username changing admins and since I am clearly marked as the owner on both bot's page and my page and the bot page will have details on the bot's function, I thought I was within the policy requirement. d'oh! talk 03:47, 10 July 2010 (UTC)

I personally think it matters verry little. Just choose a name that you like, so long as you make an indepth userpage for the bot (describing the task and why it is nesecary, ect). We already have bots with completley unrelated names to their owners/task (DASHBot, SmackBot, ClueBot) Tim  1357  talk  21:41, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

Does the 2000 characters include the whole article (infoboxes, etc.) or just the prose of the article? Because the "Did You Know?" rules state that anything over 1500 characters of prose should not be marked as a stub. Big Dom  07:53, 18 July 2010 (UTC)
 * The bot will just count prose. Although WP:DYK does require articles to be more then 1500 characters and not stubs, but it doesn't say anything articles with over 1500 characters of prose should not be marked as a stub. Unless I missed a policy, there are no set in stone number of characters a stub is. Also I have changing the bot a bit more based on the feedback here and other places. This bot will only do this job for projects who agree to have it. Also how this bot decides what is a stub or not will be on a per project bases, the bot might use character/word counting, refs counting, etc. I will update above shortly. d'oh! talk 15:03, 18 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Perhaps the bot could also be set to inherrit classifications, so if it is already classified for one project, the same class can be used for annother wikiproject. Just an idea. -- Tim 1357  talk  01:57, 7 August 2010 (UTC)


 * . -- Tim 1357  talk  01:57, 7 August 2010 (UTC)
 * OperatorAssistanceNeeded - What's the status of this? Mr.Z-man 03:27, 25 August 2010 (UTC)
 * I got a bit delay, but I will soon finish the coding and start running tests. <b style='color:#948700;'>d'oh!</b> <sub style='color:#888;'>talk 04:18, 25 August 2010 (UTC)
 * I have updated the details on how the bot will be limited to stop over-loading servers. <b style='color:#948700;'>d'oh!</b> <sub style='color:#888;'>talk 06:50, 27 August 2010 (UTC)


 * With my server down and my limited free time I am unable to finish off the bot. I will re-add the bot when I get my server back up and I get more free time. <b style='color:#948700;'>d'oh!</b> <sub style='color:#888;'>talk 03:03, 14 September 2010 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. To request review of this BRFA, please start a new section at WT:BRFA.