Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/User:Desmond Hobson/sandbox


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the miscellaneous page below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the page's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.  

The result of the discussion was keep. — A itias  //  discussion  20:40, 20 May 2009 (UTC)

User:Desmond Hobson/sandbox and User:Desmond Hobson/sandbox2
Totally fictional stuffs in userspace, serves no purpose. Violates WP:WEBHOST, could easily be misleading to some new users. Ten Pound Hammer and his otters • (Many otters • One hammer • HELP) 14:06, 8 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Keep - fictional placeholder text seems like an entirely appropriate way to sandbox. I would urge TPH to cease nominating active users' sandboxen at MFD, instead taking it up with them directly on their talk page. –xeno talk 14:13, 8 May 2009 (UTC)
 * It seems very long for placeholder text wouldn't you think? It reads more like a huge made-up something-or-other. Ten Pound Hammer  and his otters • (Many otters • One hammer • HELP) 14:19, 8 May 2009 (UTC)
 * MADEUP is for the mainspace. This is a sandbox. –xeno talk 12:44, 15 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Here is my take. First of all, sandbox pages are supposed to be safe from deletion, unlike actual pages.  I am a recovering vandal and know this all too well.  The only reason I can think of for TPH going after this page is that there are namesakes of Britney Spears, Blondie, and Barenaked Ladies on the first page and that somehow this insulted him/her.  Then again, these are meant to be alternate reality characters I created in response to what I thought were significant flaws in the real performers.  Britney strayed from her small-town roots in Louisiana to become a sexually-charged pop star.  Deborah Harry is not Blondie, but is so up-front that it's hard for the casual eye to tell.  And the "Barenaked Ladies" are four men!  To add to the intrigue, the band members of my version of BNL have real or re-spelled names of other celebrities: Vicky Lynn Hogan (Anna Nicole Smith), Brandy Roderick (Brande Roderick), Tara Patrick (Carmen Electra), and Michelle Mitchell (Michele Mitchell, the Olympic diver not the reporter named on the Wiki page).

Then again, the contest's similarity to American Idol could have been another problem for TPH. My response to that is: Why not? Idol has strayed from its roots as a family-friendly show this season with performances from Flo Rida, Lady GaGa, and Jamie Foxx ("blame it on the alcohol") and mentors Slash and Quentin Tarantino. My proposed show is what Idol used to be - and in my eyes should be again.

Even if one wishes to remove pages that more resemble novel treatments, the sandboxes serve a good purpose. If someone is not sure of the status of a link or if a chart or other element should work on a Wiki page, the sandbox is a way to test it. If you get rid of the sandboxes, there's no way to practice any of this before going to a main page.

Finally, the sandbox pages do not have deceptive names like "Buddy Wayne Barefoot," "Brittany Spears," or "Singing Showdown." It is under our names. Therefore, the chances for these pages to be deliberate hoaxes are just about nil.

Thank you for your attention. - Desmond Hobson (talk) 16:06, 8 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Keep as an acceptable use of a sandbox. "serves no purpose" is convenient but insufficient as a reason for deletion. Collect (talk) 18:34, 8 May 2009 (UTC)


 * I plan to get rid of the sandbox contents on the first page within two weeks, once my fake competition is over. As I wrote, this was meant to be a page with ever-changing content and this happened to stay on longer than most of my previous edits.  As for sandbox2, I'm not as sure. - Desmond Hobson (talk) 16:17, 10 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Keep. Acceptable sandbox use for a productive contributor, well within reasonable leeway.  --SmokeyJoe (talk) 09:04, 15 May 2009 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the page's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.