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Screwed up a report at SPI

Hey Dennis, I've gone screwed up Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Chauchan1192. I realised my typo - the alleged master is Chauhan1192 - but when I began to fix the spelling prior to doing a page move, some automated crap got in there and I'm not sure what to do next. Should I be copying my extensive notes over to the new page name (with appropriate edit summary) or does something happen in due course that involves a bot ... or what? No worries if this is above your "trainee" pay grade because I'll find another clerk if necessary. - Sitush (talk) 19:29, 17 November 2012 (UTC)

Twinkle

OK, so what is this "Twinkle" I keep hearing about? It looks like it's fraught with peril, as I've seen a number of editors get whacked for misuse of it. I'm guessing I might have the right to use it, but I've never used it. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:55, 17 November 2012 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) Twinkle is a set of automated tools that makes some repetitive tasks on Wikipedia more easier. Everyone can use Twinkle. You just need to go and activate it at your preferences. But be careful, as you said, "a number of editors get whacked for misuse of it". Twinkles is very powerfull and useful. — ΛΧΣ21™ 22:01, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
  • (edit conflict) If you go to Special:Preferences, choose Gadgets, you will see the option to use Twinkle. It is a bunch of javascript that lets you send articles to CSD or AFD or editors to SPI, etc. with just one or two clicks. For people who do maintenance tasks, it is virtually required. I've been using it since it was called "Friendly" back in 2006, a different program. Read more about it at WP:Twinkle. And yes, it can get you in trouble if you use it wrong. I can send 100 articles to CSD in about two minutes, for example. They are very powerful scripts, essentially, and like anything power, are dangerous in the wrong hands. If you do new page patrol, vandalism patrol, recent changes patrol, etc. it will save you 90% of the time to do those tasks. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:04, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Thank you for the explanation. Considering how I messed up that one blocked editor's talk page just a little bit ago, in good faith and bumbling idiocy, I think I had better stay away from this Twinkle. I would rather make my mistakes one at a time than on a massive scale. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:02, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
At least you did not revert back to were the page said it was a blocked account of Dennis Darkness Shines (talk) 23:08, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
That's what I was trying to get rid of, but didn't look far enough back. It was vandalism on top of vandalism. That tricky little devil. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:14, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
I would recommend that you give it a try Bugs. There are many functions built into Twinkle including welcome templates and streamlined processes to make things easier. The people that I see get into trouble with Twinkle are those who are moving too fast while playing whac-a-mole and being careless. I've been using it 4+ years without problem.
 — Berean Hunter (talk) 23:17, 17 November 2012 (UTC)
If it is possible for something to be fantastic and imperfect at the same time - and I rather think it is - then Twinkle is an example. Give it a run, Bugs. You are sufficiently experienced to spot the pitfalls as you use it. And the pitfalls are, in my own experience, pretty few. - Sitush (talk) 01:43, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
"If it is possible for something to be fantastic and imperfect at the same time" - Yes, they are called "women". Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:03, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
Oh, shit! Are you deliberately trying to be a target here, Dennis? I am sure that the ladies would claim the same. And that most men would stop reading after the word "fantastic" ;) - Sitush (talk) 02:12, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
I've been married almost 20 years to the same fantastic yet imperfect woman. It is the imperfections that make us unique. I like imperfect. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:22, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
28 to same and perfect woman. (Not sure how often she looks at WP but she knows my account name....) NE Ent 02:26, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

issue with vert skating page

I see that you have requested to delete vert skating I would like to know why. please reply in my talk page XK8ER (talk) 19:17, 18 November 2012 (UTC)

Vandalism (Wikipedia:Route diagram template/Catalog of pictograms/others)

Hello, Dennis Brown. You have new messages at Useddenim's talk page.
You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.

moving on

Closed the Till ANI -- it's really not worth your effort digging through diffs..They'll either stay away, come back and behave, or come back and resume the attacks and folks will get annoyed with the next ANI post. (I'm tempted to make up a "WQA" template to post on all the ANI threads that would have good WQA in the good ol' days. -- but I figure I'd get blocked for disruptive/pointy somewhere between the third and fifth day of using it.NE Ent 02:17, 19 November 2012 (UTC) NE Ent 02:25, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

  • Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Personal_(album) and other issues show there is a pattern, but I'm not sure a block is the right answer yet. I was in the middle of crafted some verbage for Till's talk page when you came here. I will leave a note at the ANI, then you are welcome to close it. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:20, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Well, I disagree with the close but not enough to labor it. I don't expect to agree with every close. Till is a single thread away from a block, and I expected to tell him as much, but will wait. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:22, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
      • You know I'm not going to fuss if you want to roll the close off. However, I'd suggest just posting whatever warning you want on Till's talk page. NE Ent 02:25, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
        • You have as much experience as I do, so I will defer to your judgement. It isn't that far away from what I was going to do, I was just going to be more poetic about it. It is more than just the few things at ANI, he has been on a downward spiral for a while, I've noticed. Stuff like this: [1] and worse. He isn't the only one that deserves a little blame, but he has earned most of it, and caused most of his own pain. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:27, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
          • I went and added a small note. He does need a break for his own good, he is acting stressed out and highly reactive. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:38, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
            • Dennis, just as an outside observation of that thread...I commend you on you patience dealing with those involved in the thread both on ANI and on User:talk pages. As someone who put a bit of nose into ANI shortly after registering an account, I know where that can lead. Your demonstration of good faith (whether it will eventually be proved excessive or not) should be the norm. I doubt that I edited enough to vote this year but please add me to those who believe you would be good for Arb Com. - UnbelievableError (talk) 05:22, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
              • Thank you for the trust. Maybe someday, but it is a serious enough role that I would want to be fully prepared before I would even consider it. Besides, I'm having too much fun doing what I'm doing now to change. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:48, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

Fair use

I doubt it's reasonable to assume a PD aerial or satellite image of a location could be reasonably obtained. Could a google maps overhead of the general area of the mine be fair use? See [2] for the general map. Also see User talk:Marcus Qwertyus#Are you near St. Louis now or will you be?. Finally, do you or any of your talk page stalkers know of someone who could figure out exactly which areas on that google map coincide with the St. Louis and O'Fallon mine here? Ryan Vesey 04:09, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I wouldn't think it would be a good fair use candidate, but you don't need to since you can just link it anyway. You can also use free maps to modify if you want to just geolocate it. I'm a big fan of photos, but these type should be PD. You might check around and see if NASA has any shots of the region. I was peaking at Area 51 and noticed that is where that image came from, making it Public Domain. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 11:54, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

Statistics department (Anguilla)

Dennis, I made some changes to Statistics department (Anguilla); please have a look to see whether it is acceptable now GC (talk) 15:12, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I removed the one tag and left the ref-improv tag. Looks better. Hopefully someone will come along and fine some references that aren't Primary (by the government itself) and add to it, as likely some exist. Nothing wrong with tags, there isn't a likelihood of the article getting deleted since it seems perfectly legit, we just prefer to have at least some references that are by independent sourcing, like newspapers or books talking about the agency. I would go and try to dig some up myself, but I'm about to be gone for a week on holiday. If you find a good article on the agency and incorporate it into the article, you should be fine deleting the tag yourself, we try to assume good faith here. Keep in mind, the purpose of the tag is to put the article in the category Category:All articles needing additional references, which some people patrol simply to go in and fix articles. It isn't a statement on the validity of the article, it is more of a request for help. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:20, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

Till is back

Normal length of rope on Wikipedia
The Brown length. Nice!

Told you it wouldn't take very long. Till has returned, and has nominated Diamonds (Rihanna song), an article Tomica has 260 edits to, to his 30, and nominating it for GA. Is there anymore evidence you would like? Statυs (talk) 23:28, 19 November 2012 (UTC)

He doesn't mind if Tomica helps him with it though. So much for wanting an interaction ban, eh? Statυs (talk) 23:29, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
I asked him why he would want to do that, and he removed my comments. Statυs (talk) 23:59, 19 November 2012 (UTC)
What's wrong with nominating an article for Good article? Surely that's a good thing. IRWolfie- (talk) 00:18, 20 November 2012 (UTC)
In what sense is it "a good thing" to nominate an article the main editors of which do not feel to be stable, complete, or yet meeting the GA criteria? I'd call that a waste of time rather than a good thing. Malleus Fatuorum 00:23, 20 November 2012 (UTC)
To me it looks like jumping on someone you already wanted to be blocked the day before: Wikipedia:ANI#Personal attacks from Till. IRWolfie- (talk) 00:29, 20 November 2012 (UTC)
Wolf, it could be said that Till is antagonizing the situation knowing it would cause friction. This is why I said it best to not jump to conclusions. Just 24 hours Till left in the middle of an ANI. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:31, 20 November 2012 (UTC)
I think you must be mistaking me for someone else IRWolfe, as to the best of my recollection I have never asked for or wanted anyone to be blocked. Malleus Fatuorum 00:34, 20 November 2012 (UTC)
Sorry, I wasn't suggesting you were. I was referring to the ANI case. IRWolfie- (talk) 00:36, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

Editor retention

I would like to see PumpkinSky back to editing, withdrawn since his RfA. I would like to see Dr. Blofeld back to editing. The double standard of one being stressed (politest word I could find) in an RfA while the other observed the bits simply returned to someone after many more years of absence is not without irony. If anyone should have had the bits simply returned it's PumpkinSky, if you ask me, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:58, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

  • The issue that caused Dr. Blofeld to leave has been resolved for the most part. I'm still licking some wounds from that, as it looks like I've upset a few bureaucrats along the way. I would expect he will return soon enough, and talk with him regularly. The Pumpkinsky issue is complicated. I wouldn't have recommended he try for admin so quickly, there are still some concerns by the community. Not a matter of my trusting or not, I just know how the community has reacted at RfA as of late, and it has been ugly. I was thinking about him the other day, but not sure how to approach. We have chatted a few times, but not enough that I could say I really know him. It might be good if a few trusted friends approach him. He is undoubtedly an asset here and I want to see him back, but getting trashed at RfA is painful and some wounds heal slowly. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:54, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
  • He took a little wikibreak, but I think everything is working out. The short version is that an admin returned after 4 years of not editing, left after he had been taken to ANI for abusing the tools, came back and was hastily give the admin bit back even while Dr. Blofeld was expressing concerns. The admin asked for the bit back in the middle of an edit war, something he shouldn't have been doing to begin with. I protested, the crats said they can't do anything, I filed at Arb (it is still there), many people lined up on different sides, one or two crats are pissed at me, the admin finally requested the bit be removed, I withdrew my initial report (just a few minutes ago). An RfC is now ongoing to prevent this from happening in the future. I hasn't been a fun return from wikibreak for me, and I suppose a few others as well. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:01, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
  • I passed at RfA, but it still sucked terribly. It went from 90%+ to almost failing and was an emotional rollercoaster that I still bear the scars from. Yet I can only imagine how it feels to be fully trashed with too little support. No matter how much we think it will not affect us, being judged so callously by our peers, people we know and respect, does damage. There simply is no way someone who hasn't gone through the experience can understand it. Kind of like military boot camp (I've done that, too), it is a transformative experience, and not always a positive transformation takes place. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:29, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

I'd like to see PumpkinSky back as well. I don't want to minimize how one would react to trashing on RfA, but I hope it is nothing more than the understandable pull back after such an incident, followed by a return at some point. I've worked with him on a couple issues, and checked out a fair bit of his work, not enough interaction to call myself a trusted friend, but enough to know that he is an asset and I hope he returns soon.

The Dr. Blofeld incident was unfortunate, but at the risk of being a Pollyanna, some moderate, but project improving enhancements to policy are resulting from it, and if I've read correctly, the content dispute is largely resolved, so I hope this issue is now resolved.

I worry more about MF, as that doesn't have the feel of a long-term resolution.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 14:50, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

Well, a good place to start with that one is to recognise that civility is largely in the eye of the beholder and thus well-nigh impossible to legislate. A lot (not all) of the bad reactions to MF seem to come from people in the US, although when I look at portrayals of New York/Chicago etc life, I kind of wonder why. The demographics of this place make it US-centric in any event & so there is an argument for systemic bias even against the British contingent. I really do think that a civility policy is more or less unenforceable and those who tend to want enforcement should perhaps find better things to do with their on-wiki time. If someone is being wantonly uncivil and they get no response from their target then, eventually, they'll get bored. - Sitush (talk) 15:17, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
Honestly, I think it's entirely the cultural gap. The lightbulb about why MF does what he does didn't go on in my head until he posted a thing recently (forget where) about schoolyard bullying. Schoolyard bullying was not a thing I experienced in my childhood, so the cultural meme of standing up to bullies the way MF does is not something that ever particularly resonated with me. (There was a fight here or there, but I guess I got a reputation as someone not to be trifled with from being captain of the wrestling team, so I never had to deal with it myself beyond once or twice, and certainly nothing like the almost institutionalized bullying he was talking about.) I always had an academic understanding of what he was doing, but it's not until he posted that that I realized what it might mean on a deeper level. I don't know if that's an American vs. British difference or what, but it's definitely a major cultural divide, and realizing that completely changed how I thought about MF's actions. Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 15:28, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
I was bullied pretty severely, although my size meant that if it turned to fisticuffs then things usually went my way. Most of it related to my deafness, but kids will pick on any perceived "weakness". Unpleasant although childhood bullying can seem, it was pretty much a rite of passage in my time and - un-PC as this may seem - it was rather character-forming. Life is rough: learn that early and learn how to deal with it. And when you see a regular bully coming to you, get your hit in first. - Sitush (talk) 15:39, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
And I think that explains a lot of what MF does, and it's perfectly reasonable, but it's hard to understand from someone on my end of the stick until one realizes what the difference is. How can a man who's warm understand a man who's cold? Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 15:47, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
Gosh, that book takes me back nearly 40 years. I read that, Cancer Ward and some other Solzhenitsyn stuff in my early teens. - Sitush (talk) 16:17, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
That post resonated with me, as well. Until that point, my reaction was roughly "he's being unfairly attacked, but why oh why does he do what brings it on"? Now I have a better understanding.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 15:51, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
Sitush has it pretty much right; you don't wait to get hit if you think things are going to kick off, you get your hit in first. Looking back, one of the things I most regret about my time at junior school in particular is that I didn't do more to help others stand up to bullies. Even now I look back in shame at doing nothing to help some poor unfortunate when I could so easily have waded in, just feeling grateful that it wasn't my turn that day. Shameful really. Malleus Fatuorum 15:58, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
Honestly, I wish we could somehow get everyone to read your posts about this subject and meditate on it before they take actions against you or anyone else for these kinds of situations; it might open their eyes. I'm way too wiki-young to be familiar with much of your past issues, but just understanding where you're coming from would solve a lot of problems about fairness, I think. Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 16:11, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
Jclemens was right in a way in saying that I've never been and never will be a Wikipedian, because I'm aggressively fair whatever the cost. It's all very simple for me: if someone comes to my talk page warning me about some crap or other, such as using the word "sycophantic", then they get both barrels. If they come asking for help, they'll likely get help. If they come for a chat, that's good as well. But basically I give back what I get. Call it a moral mirror if you will. Malleus Fatuorum 03:37, 14 November 2012 (UTC)

Thank you all for good reading. "Aggressively fair" could also be allpied to PumpkinSky, I think. I wonder how I would react if a few people told me I was not trustworthy. (But then, I would never ever want to be an admin, and I know enought good ones, like Dennis.) - If you want to simply express your interest in PS returning, click the fist link, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:11, 14 November 2012 (UTC)

Enjoy thanksgiving. When you return please join me in telling the two editors that we miss them. (Both told me I should stop trying to win them back to editing.) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:51, 21 November 2012 (UTC)

Kollyfan

Hello Dennis Brown. We recently met at ANI here regarding Kollyfan (talk · contribs). I seem to have missed out details from diffs as pointed out in the matter. Would it be fine for you to continue the discussion here, since I doubt if re-posting in ANI is a good solution, as it has produced disastrous results for me in the past? Secret of success · talk 14:21, 16 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I have no issue with that as long as you notify Kollyfan of this discussion, so we can all talk and sort out the issues. Just as at ANI, we need to keep it calm and focused on the concerns without getting personal. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:30, 16 November 2012 (UTC)
My apologies. I doubt if I would be able to discuss the issue at the moment, as I am becoming more and more inactive day by day, so please go ahead and archive this whenever possible. Thanks. Secret of success · talk 12:02, 21 November 2012 (UTC)

Retirement - Reply

Hi there DENNIS, VASCO (real name) from Portugal here,

thanks for your input in my talkpage. Final decision has been made though, i think that WP (and its football department) is in very good hands as it is now :) I can't stop feeding the trolls (all my promises to the contrary were true though), and i can't abide by the rules (not necessarily bad, but not good also), so i think i better stop.

All the best to you and yours, happy editing as well - --AL (talk) 19:08, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I respect that. If you ever decide you want to still hang out in the community, maybe doing something different, drop me a line. Your kind of experience is rare and there are plenty of places you can make a difference, some of them more troll-free. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 19:39, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

Notice of Dispute resolution discussion

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EarwigBot operator / talk 19:45, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

Dispute over FA status Microsoft Security Essentials

I have opened a dispute over the decision to award this article FA status which you were to some extent involved. You may wish to comment on the case here. Quantumsilverfish (talk) 19:55, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

My restriction

Hey, do you remember the restriction enacted on me? Well, I just gave it a thought for some days and I would like to hear your opinion. Is it good if I ask it to me lifted? Or should I wait a little more time to ask at ANI? I can wait, but I'd like to know your opinion. — ΛΧΣ21™ 02:03, 21 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I'm literally on the way to bed, gotta get up extra extra early and fly out tomorrow morning, internet access will be spotty for days, and the restriction is escaping my admittedly old and preoccupied mind. I never recommend ANI, so I would say wait or ask another admin before going there. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:25, 21 November 2012 (UTC)



Happy Thanksgiving

I'm on holiday for the next week, thus anything needing immediate attention should be directed to someone else for now. I will check in a little, but only have an old iPad, which is ill suited for old men to type on. For my US friends, I hope you have a great holiday week, surrounded by family, friends and good food. My Canadian friends have already celebrated last month, but those of you in the UK, AU, India, NZ, Thailand, Japan, and all places in between, I wish I could share it with you. It is my favorite of all holidays. A time to be thankful, spend the week with family and friends, feast, drink, watch football (any version will do) and reflect on the past year. Those of you traveling, stay safe. The rest of you, I hope you get to spend time with good friends and family, enjoying some great food and great times, even if it isn't Thanksgiving on your calender. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 12:41, 20 November 2012 (UTC)

Happy Thanksgiving Dennis! AutomaticStrikeout 01:20, 22 November 2012 (UTC)

RfA Review Request

Hello Dennis Brown! I've seen you a few times on Wikipedia and noticed your RfA reviewal program. While I definitely feel I am not yet ready for the mop, I am working towards it and would like a short progress report. I requested one from Kudpung here but I didn't feel I received a complete response on what I need to do. I have Rollback and Reviewer permissions as I said in the thread and can check at least 80% of his criteria. I definetely feel I need to work on my edit count however I don't think several thousand mainspace edits is required (Basalisk, who you nominated, has 1,891 at the moment and his RfA was successful). As to why I need the tools, my work is significantly focused on anti-vandalism efforts and deletion efforts, somewhere admin tools are very helpful. I have noticed a backlog at XfD locations, specifically RfD and FfD. Also, UAA, along with Sockpuppet Investigations and general incidents (Administrator Noticeboard). I can also help at WP:RFPP. I have significantly contributed to these places where I can (obviously not SI and AN) and have a clean record. Any reccomendations, beyond simply more edits, you have? Thank you for your time, Vacationnine 02:40, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

Of late, no editor has passed an RfA with less than 8 months of experience (most probably in last 3 or 2 years). You are active here fairly for 3 months which is way too low to pass an RfA. Candidates are expected to be consistent with editing for nothing less than 8-10 months. I'd advise you to continue what you have been doing for 8 or 9 more months without getting into heavy disputes and to focus a little bit on content creation (few DYKs and 1 or 2 GAs would be wonderful). In short, I'd say that try to work more on the main space and stay here for solid 8-9 more months. Cheers! TheSpecialUser TSU 04:37, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
Yes, I know I need to work on time and count. I have contributed to an article, Minecraft, that was nominated for GA. It was not approved, but we are working on a re-nom. I also have a question. Since admin tools are focused on anti-vandalism, deletion, protection, blocks, etc, why is content creation important? To demonstrate a well rounded user? I'm not saying it's wrong, just asking why. Vacationnine 04:41, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
Because, regardless of the merit of their arguments, many editors feel strongly that content creation is important. You have plenty of time; go create some articles. As an admin who has created few articles, I can tell you that you may find it interesting. If nothing else, it will give you a sense of the difficulties in article creation (unless you're fortunate enough to be gifted) and therefore some empathy with article creators. Best of luck to you.--Bbb23 (talk) 04:49, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
Agreed. Good to know! Vacationnine 04:54, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
  • Admin candidates that mainly focus on vandalism work typically have a rough time at RfA unless they bring something else to the table. We have a lot of vandal fighters, and the community generally rejects them at RfA without other skills. It isn`t about my opinion, that is just the usual outcome. I still have never had a GA or better in 31,000 edits but having several can help. I did have 18k edits, including over 1500 AfD articles and over 5 years experience, and I had a rough go at RfA myself, just this year. I`m on a mobile device half away across America from home, can`t really research for a couple of days, so will have to look later, but I am backlogged on RfA requests right now. I still have one candidate at RfA now as well. Give me a few days to fully respond. Pharmboy (alt. of Dennis Brown) 04:56, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

Happy belated Thanksgiving :)

 TheGeneralUser (talk) wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving and hopes your day is full of good times, good food, good family, good football, a good parade and a good nap...then shopping tomorrow. :) Have a Great Day! :)

Spread the joy of Thanksgiving by adding {{subst:User:Neutralhomer/HappyThanksgiving}} to their talk page with a friendly message.


A Very Happy belated Thanksgiving to you Dennis :) Hope you are greatly enjoying your holidays with friends and family. Best wishes! TheGeneralUser (talk) 19:30, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

The Admin's Barnstar
Gee, I have to say that you a very helpful and insightful admin. You are pretty much one of the voices of reason in hot pages like ANI. I'm just here to tell you that your work is very appreciated.

Hope that didn't come off too spammy/cheesy. Thekillerpenguin (talk) 07:05, 25 November 2012 (UTC)

  • Nothing wrong with spam and cheese, particularly with scrambled eggs ;) I really appreciate the kindness that goes into giving them, I'm a big fan of Wikilove. It always feels good to know others think well of my efforts, and reminds me to stay humble and keep trying. Thank you. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:01, 25 November 2012 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/David Greener

Hello Dennis, I know you are on a holiday right now, but I needed to tell you that I have had this Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/David Greener opened and CU requested for over 2 days with no response from any SPI clerk or CheckUser till now. I believe you can take a look over this interesting case and give your comments and decision accordingly so that the case can be investigated without any further delay. If that can't be possible with your alternate account right now, I'll be happy to inform another SPI clerk for this if you say so. Regards. TheGeneralUser (talk) 19:41, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

No problem, glad to help. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:05, 25 November 2012 (UTC)

SPI case

Hi Dennis! About this case: I thought it was a duck case and will be decided on behavior, even if CU is stale. --SMS Talk 06:50, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

  • The problem was that the edits didn't overlap, and it very well could be that one person does have both accounts, but forgot their password, etc. In order for it to be "socking", there has to be abuse in the use of two accounts, and there were so few edits with each account, I don't see how it could be abuse. Abuse could be in many forms, ie: one account edit wars and gets warned they will get blocked, so they create a new account to make the edits. They could both vote in an AFD. They could both contribute to a talk page to make it look like two people agree on a contentious item when it is really only one. Two people reverting each others edits to avoid 3RR. The fact that there is over 9 months time gap doesn't support those types of abuse claims. So while it is likely the same person, it isn't socking. Berean Hunter requested CU for the purpose of a sleeper check, to look for hidden accounts only, not for socking outright. You are welcome to ask him to review as well, no offense will be taken, but I'm pretty sure you will get the same answer. If there are other problems with his edits, that would be outside of what we focus on at SPI. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 07:14, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Ah! you always look at everything so positively. Something new for me, to how to look to a possible "second" account of an editor. Anyways thanks for increasing my knowledge about socking. --SMS Talk 23:17, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Not a problem, the more we all learn, the more effective we all become. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 23:28, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

Bormalagurski case closing

Checkuser is largely irrelevant for Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Bormalagurski, because we already know that a lot of them are meatpuppets. Are you saying we need to bring this before the Arbitration Committee? --Joy [shallot] (talk) 08:42, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

  • Arb isn't going to take it, it is not really their job. More of an ANI issue, however, it suffers badly from TLDR in its current form. Meatpuppetry isn't the simplest to prove, but requires pretty concise evidence. I didn't do a detailed examination, and instead just closed as a procedure, which is what looks like what happened last time as well. In both investigations, the evidence is difficult to follow and meanders quite a bit, which is likely part of the problem. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 08:54, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
So why didn't you just leave it open until some other admin with more free time came along, one that had the time to weed through the meandering evidence? I believe there's a lot of evidence there, but there's also a lot of accompanying didascalia because it spans 6 years (!). Granted, there's also some chatter. Any submission to WP:ANI is going to get rotated out by the bot within a day, so that doesn't seem likely to help. --Joy [shallot] (talk) 15:40, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
It sat for over a week after the Checkuser had done his investigation, so it wasn't a matter of time as much as either a willingness, ability or utility. It is strikingly similar in many aspects to the previously closed archive. Regardless, I have reverted my close, so it is now open again. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:50, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
It strikes me as odd that Joy would come here to argue that this case should still remain open, considering that the previous case was closed because of insufficient evidence, this case was deemed "Unrelated" by CU, the COI case was closed where it was determined that I had no conflict of interest in regards to editing Malagurski-related articles, etc. but now I'm accused of being someone's "meatpuppet"? And just by coincidence, accused only by editors who have personal or ideological issues against Malagurski and his films, and have issues with me as well, for telling them that they can't let their anti-Malagurski bias affect the quality of the articles (many wanted to add blogs, some of them banned from Wikipedia, and fishy websites as reliable sources, desperately searching for any kind of slander they could find concerning Malagurski), as expressed on the talk pages of the Boris Malagurski, The Weight of Chains and Kosovo: Can You Imagine? articles. Why can't you all just leave me alone and let me edit the articles that are interesting to me? I'm not Boris Malagurski, I'm not his colleague, I'm not on his payroll, I am just an editor who adds sourced information to Wikipedia, have never been blocked and do my best to respect the guidelines of Wikipedia. Why the sudden interest in attempting to prove that I'm someone's sockpuppet or meatpuppet, considering that this User:Bormalagurski, from what I see, stopped editing in, what, 2006? Wow, try connecting me to someone who edited even earlier than that, maybe that was the real Boris Malagurski and he has dozens of sockpuppets and meatpuppets all over the place, adding sourced material to Wikipedia just to screw the system over... I have nothing to do with Malagurski (or Bormalagurski, or whoever), my closest connection to the guy is buying a DVD of his film online, sending him an e-mail regarding some photos on Commons and "Liking" his Facebook page. If you want to continue your crusade against me, be my guest, but I'm going to stop wasting my time and repeating my answers concerning these insane accusations. I'm not on Wikipedia to fight with anyone, I came here to edit and contribute in my free time. I thought that was the point of it all. And that's what I'm going to do, because I know I'm not under anyone's control or supervision, I edit and say what I want on Wikipedia, with respect to the rules of Wikipedia. This is the last time I'm addressing any of this, and I'm going back to editing, instead of going in circles with these pointless arguments. All the best, --UrbanVillager (talk) 17:44, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
I will let you battle it out over at SPI rather than my talk page. As for re-opening the case, it is the same I would have done for any editor who stated a case for further consideration after a purely procedural close. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:19, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
I understand, my comments don't really belong on this talk page, and I apologize for bothering you, but I must say that I'm quite irritated with all these attempts to "remove me" from Wikipedia under false pretenses, as all of the editors who are engaging in this witch-hunt against me have, in fact, tried to go against Wikipedia policies to impose their views on the articles concerning Malagurski, his films, and many Balkans-related topics. When their organized actions don't work, it seems that what's left is to try to get rid of all the resistance by accusing them of being this and that (if I edited the Emir Kusturica article and articles related to his films, I probably would've been accused of being Emir Kusturica himself), and then editing unopposed, as it seems most administrators don't have the time or interest to look over what goes on in those "less popular" article talk pages and edit histories. All in all, I won't write about this on your talk page, Dennis, or anywhere else. I'm here to edit and help make Wikipedia better. --UrbanVillager (talk) 22:29, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Well, admin don't really patrol article talk pages. When it comes to the content of an article, you have the same amount of voice as I have. Admin get no extra "points" in article content. Our job is that of a janitor really. We take care of behavior problems, we help people solve disputes by mediating, we do investigations to see if abuse is taking place. We clean up. But the content of the articles is left to the greater community, based on consensus. That is how it should be. Our job is to try to make the environment a positive one, so editors can do their thing. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 23:32, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

Request to look at an SPI case

Hi, Since you were involved in the previous ANI and SPI cases concerning User:Urklistre and 16:10, could you also take a look at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Urklistre#22 November 2012 if you have a moment? It'd be much appreciated. Indrek (talk) 10:55, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

That was quick. Thanks a lot! Indrek (talk) 13:57, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Actually, I'm afraid I have to bother you again. Another possible sock has shown up - User:Dr. Wilner. SPA, registered less than an hour ago, only two article edits, both ([3][4]) immediately in support of User:Acoriofs' edits, with terse or no edit summaries. Talk page presence likewise limited to a simple "I agree", not unlike how User:Urklistre agreed with his first sock. Could you take a quick look? Alternatively, I can just file a new SPI (or reopen the last one) if you think that's a more appropriate course of action. Thanks! Indrek (talk) 17:48, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Thanks! Since User:Urklistre seems obviously obsessed with that particular article and his edits are disruptive to the point of vandalism, perhaps the article should be protected for a while? Indrek (talk) 18:30, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
 Done Sounds entirely reasonable. I've protected for 30 days, which is about as long as I can justify at this time. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:59, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Great, hopefully they won't be back. I really appreciate you taking the time to help. Indrek (talk) 19:18, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
That's the part of the job I like, helping people. Ping me if he shows up again. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 19:21, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
I responded to a request for a WP:3O and was really quite surprised to see the amount of activity on an article, which, on its face, doesn't seem all that complicated or controversial. Thanks for the intervention. Paulthomas2 (talk) 21:52, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
Hey, thanks for your work at WP:3O. You guys and gals don't get enough credit. That is a very important part of the dispute resolution system and the work may not get the headlines, but I know that many of us truly respect and appreciate the hard work you do. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:56, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
Another probable sock - User:Iiiiiiiiiin, per this edit on my talk page, promising to "be back". Indrek (talk) 07:15, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
Hard to tell or at least be completely sure with so few edits. We should just keep an eye out. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 11:54, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
Alright, will keep an eye out. With no article edits yet there isn't an actual problem anyway with that user. The talk page comment just seemed too much to be a coincidence or random linkspam. Cheers! Indrek (talk) 12:13, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Seeking Justice

Hi, Since you changed talk page to oroginal one for Moeen U Ahmed please do same for the talk page of Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury to original page as both were attacked by Bluesapper12. Justice is expected from you. Thanks. ₧ — Preceding unsigned comment added by The Prekshit (talk • contribs) 14:16, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

Hi Dennis, I've already sorted this. Yunshui 雲‍水 14:29, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

Follow up on Victor Lewis-Smith

As you closed the discussion on possible sock/meatpuppets re the editing of Victor Lewis-Smith (see Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Dora63/Archive) I am coming back to you first. I see a new account has been created recently to make comments and delete material. The editor is User:Snickarious and from the context I think it reasonable to query if one of the previously investigated accounts is back under a new name. What do I need to do to re-open the issue? VLSCheck (talk) 18:27, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

  • You could file a case at WP:SPI but I don't recommend doing so this soon. It is very difficult to justify a Checkuser read the logs with more diffs and edits to compare to first. It might be someone that knows them, but it isn't enough to be the same person or a friend, there has to be a showing of abuse in the relationship, ie: doing each other's bidding. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:32, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

Can you help me?

I CSD'd my user page a few weeks ago (for reasons I cannot remember) and now all the content is gone. Can you please provide me with the revision previous to its deletion? Thankyou in advance. Till 02:54, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

  • I did a select restore (my first), which put the one version before CSD back into the history as the October page, so you can work it from there. Yea, I can see why you wouldn't want to try to dig up all that info again. If you want more version, or all of it restored, just ask. It's easy to do. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 11:47, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Thanks. I just want the revision immediately prior to the one that was CSD'd, because the other revisions contain personal information which I do not want disclosed anymore. Till 11:54, 27 November 2012 (UTC) Nevermind! It's there Lol. Thanks for that. Till 11:55, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Hello!

Please, be so kind, and respond me why did you reverted your self? --WhiteWriterspeaks 18:50, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

  • An editor requested it and presented a plausible case for it to be reopened. My closing was only procedural and not due to my own exhaustive investigation (ie: I closed only because it was left open over a week after a CU found no linkage). Because of this combination, compounded by the possibility that the reason it was overlooked was due to the busy holiday week in the US, simply reverting my own action for a few more days to allow another administrator to review, if they so chose, was the appropriate action. It shouldn't be construed as to my having an opinion as to the merits of the investigation, and only a reflection that there were merits to the request, which can be found a couple of sections above this one. This isn't the first time I've reopened a case to allow further examination under similar circumstances. Had I performed a full investigation and found no merits to the claims in the report, my closing statement would have reflected that and the threshold to reopen would have been somewhat higher. In short, it was a good faith response to a good faith request, so I erred on the conservative side by reverting myself. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:57, 26 November 2012 (UTC)
I think especially in this case (very stale sockmaster), the fact that checkuser came up negative is not very good evidence that there isn't socking. Gigs (talk) 18:14, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Thanks for your support

I wanted to stop by and thank you for your support throughout the RFA process. While many of us, myself included complain of how broken the RFA process is, and despite all the many failed attempts to find fixes, your work with RFA, and potential candidates, is actually doing something about the problems. I hope you keep it up, as it is definitely appreciated. Monty845 21:38, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

  • My pleasure to help. If anything, I owe you a debt of gratitude for letting me nominate you. As I said on your page, you earned the bit on your own after years of hard work, no one gave it to you. I'm very confident that Wikipedia is a better place due to you being an admin, and I'm just happy I could play a small part in helping you realize that goal. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:59, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Request

I was wondering if you could approve me for use of AWB. I would like to use it for something automated (switching out an old file name for a new one on ALOT of pages) and the registration page is seriously backlogged. - Neutralhomer • Talk • 23:45, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

  • Because Drmies is acting as a mentor of sorts, I would prefer you asked him. I would have to before I granted anyway. (I'm not even sure how to grant, for that matter). That said, I have no objection to it, just prefer to follow some protocol. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 23:48, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Not sure if he is online. Posted something to his talk page earlier (so had a couple others) and didn't get a response. He does have a new kid, so that probably takes up some of his time. :) - Neutralhomer • Talk • 23:54, 27 November 2012 (UTC)

Wrong templating

No I was reverting a sock. -DePiep (talk) 00:20, 28 November 2012 (UTC)

btw, it is your job to kill that sock. -DePiep (talk) 00:28, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
I don't get paid here. And the sock is already blocked. Before you get to 3RR, you need to bring the problem to an admin's attention, instead of just reverting them 8x. I could say as an editor, it is your job to let us know they are a sock before it turns into an edit war ;) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:30, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
No you don't get payed. Why patronise me then? -DePiep (talk) 00:38, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
It wasn't mean to be patronizing, it was simply saying that you and I are both volunteers, equals in pay. I'm happy to block the socks, I just need to you first tell me about them before I stumble across a page full of what looks like 3RR violations. Just as you depend on admins cleaning up the place, we depend on editors to tell us where the mess is. Preferably before entering an edit war with them. It is a team effort. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:40, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
Then don't just follow your robot. Take a look. I did report the sock. Not to you of course. Now please tell me, how come we meet here again with you preconclusioned? -DePiep (talk) 01:09, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
I looked and now see the ANI report (not the right place) and the SPI report, but the CU refused the checkuser because you didn't provide diffs. Then you need to not edit war back and forth and wait for someone to look at it. You can also ping an admin if you need. I'm just saying that edit warring with the sockpuppet (who at that point is NOT a known sockpuppet, just a suspected one) isn't the best solution, nor the proper one. I'm not trying to rip you, I'm trying to save you some headaches. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 01:18, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
(bad connection) yes ANI is a bad place, but I needed speed. I did ask SPI, (even preliminary by saying: this IP is suspicious). My bad experience here is that I have to spend serious time to explain, while the sock laughs. -DePiep (talk) 01:56, 28 November 2012 (UTC)
I understand, really I do. That is why I say file the SPI, but before the 4th revert, ping an admin you know works in SPI (like me) or another admin that you know works with socks. Filing the SPI has to be done with diffs if you ask for CU. In cases like this, CU wasn't needed, as he did several edits exactly like the previous sock. you could provide the diffs for that in the SPI. That lets me just go there, look, block, in typically just a few minutes if it is this obvious. I almost just protected the page, because I saw all the reverts. Once you file the SPI, you might try an edit summary that says "Filed at SPI" as well. Again, not ragging on you, just trying to help you get them blocked quicker and avoid hassles. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:32, 28 November 2012 (UTC)

Thanks

Hi Dennis. Thanks for your comment here - it was nice to get a vote of confidence from an admin I respect, especially when I wasn't too sure of myself. Thanks again. — sparklism hey! 15:06, 28 November 2012 (UTC)


Leonard Oprea

This discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

info-en@wikimedia.org

Forwarded Message -----

From: theophil magus 

To: Sue Gardner <donate@wikimedia.org>

Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 7:27 PM 

Subject: Re: Leonard Oprea: PAY ATTENTION: Dear Mrs. Sue Gardner: I am the subject of LIBELOUS info - see "Notes" on my page, please ERASE IT:

Dear Mrs. Sue Gardner, God bless you.

Today I discovered that someone introduced in the Wikipedia article about I, the author Leonard Oprea, a LIBELOUS info, and a LIBELOUS and HARMFUL link at "Notes".

Please - according to the Androscoggin Superior Court of Auburn, Maine, USA - all the charges against me, Leonard Oprea, were dismissed in 6/14/2010 ( Docket no. CR-09-554 ), and I was sentenced only with the very minor : "Reckless Conduct". So, the article from Sun Journal, quoted as info and, also the link to Sun Journal form the "Notes": ^ a b Lewiston "Sun Journal", May 21, 2009, does NOT present the real facts. More, in the present time I put under the lawsuit "Sun Journal" for libelous articles against me.

Please - MUST be erased URGENTLY: - the info from my biography - the link to this infamous insert, form the "Notes", as being both of them: LIBELOUS and HARMFUL to my address as a person and as an author, as well. Otherwise - with all my due respect - I have to call my lawyer to make a legal action against Wikipedia. Please - I hope you will respect your own rules regarding the matter I presented to you now.

Thank you. Yours sincerely, Leonard Oprea. ... From: Sue Gardner <donate@wikimedia.org> To: Leonard Oprea Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 6:48 PM Subject: Thank you from the Wikimedia Foundation

Dear Leonard,

Thank you for donating to the Wikimedia Foundation. You are wonderful!

It's easy to ignore our fundraising banners, and I'm really glad you didn't. This is how Wikipedia pays its bills --- people like you giving us money, so we can keep the site freely available for everyone around the world.

People tell me they donate to Wikipedia because they find it useful, and they trust it because even though it's not perfect, they know it's written for them. Wikipedia isn’t meant to advance somebody's PR agenda or push a particular ideology, or to persuade you to believe something that's not true. We aim to tell the truth, and we can do that because of you. The fact that you fund the site keeps us independent and able to deliver what you need and want from Wikipedia. Exactly as it should be.

You should know: your donation isn’t just covering your own costs. The average donor is paying for his or her own use of Wikipedia, plus the costs of hundreds of other people. Your donation keeps Wikipedia available for an ambitious kid in Bangalore who’s teaching herself computer programming. A middle-aged homemaker in Vienna who’s just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A novelist researching 1850s Britain. A 10-year-old in San Salvador who’s just discovered Carl Sagan.

On behalf of those people, and the half-billion other readers of Wikipedia and its sister sites and projects, I thank you for joining us in our effort to make the sum of all human knowledge available for everyone. Your donation makes the world a better place. Thank you.

Most people don't know Wikipedia's run by a non-profit. Please consider sharing this e-mail with a few of your friends to encourage them to donate too. And if you're interested, you should try adding some new information to Wikipedia. If you see a typo or other small mistake, please fix it, and if you find something missing, please add it. There are resources here that can help you get started. Don't worry about making a mistake: that's normal when people first start editing and if it happens, other Wikipedians will be happy to fix it for you.

I appreciate your trust in us, and I promise you we'll use your money well.

Thanks, 

Sue


Sue Gardner 

Executive Director,
Wikimedia Foundation
https://donate.wikimedia.org/

You can follow us on Twitter, identi.ca or Google+, like us on Facebook and read our blog. Here is the Wikimedia Foundation annual report for 2010-11, the Wikimedia Foundation annual plan for 2012-13 and the Wikimedia Foundation’s five-year strategic plan. You can also now buy Wikipedia merchandise at shop.wikimedia.org.

For your records: Your donation on 2012-11-27 was USD 5.00. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohmygodohmylord (talk • contribs) 01:04, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

WP:ANI Hi! Dennis, THANKS - and, sorry, it's me again, Leonard Oprea. I'm giving you now some info which could help you to understand why I consider LIBELOUS and HARMFUL the info from "Sun Journal" and the link to the article from "Sun Journal", as well / it means, PLEASE, I want firmly BOTH of them (info & link to info, from "Notes") to be erased from the Wikipedia article about me... so, please, look:

from google.com:

Androscoggin County Superior Court | Sun Journal www.sunjournal.com/matters-record/story/959148 Dec 22, 2010 – Leonard C. Oprea, 57, Lewiston, reckless conduct on April 10, 2009, obstructing report of crime, domestic violence assault, domestic violence ...

You visited this page on 11/28/12. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohmygodohmylord (talk • contribs) 01:48, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

  • First of all, you have to stop with the legal threats. This is already being discussed at WP:ANI. I trying to not block you but you aren't making it easy. Stop. The. Legal. Threats. It isn't a request, it is a requirement. Seriously, I would have blocked anyone else by now, I'm being as kind as I can. I am looking at your request now. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 01:54, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
  • If I may add: the information has already been taken out of the article, at least for now. Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 01:56, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
    • I just removed that one source because it did violate WP:BLPCRIME and was only being used to cite a residence, an inappropriate use of that type of inflammatory and outdated source. As I told Leonard, just be polite and talk with us, and we are pretty nice guys. I've hatted the above. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:02, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

WP:OWN

You should see these: [5] [6] [7] [8]. Iluvrihanna24 (talk · contribs) is continually making valid and constructive edits to the articles and is repeatedly reverted for reasons purely based on WP:OWN; "What? your edits are not helpful at all", "The corrections were make-up". He/she was even reverted for fixing spelling, and is receiving inappropriate generic template messages. Till 02:00, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

  • In the middle of a legal problem, but will try to look in a few minutes. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:05, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Okay thanks. Till 02:06, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
      • At a glance, I don't see problems with the edits either, but this isn't something that an admin can decide. ie: it isn't for ANI. It is for WP:DRN, since it is about content. You really don't want admin deciding content anyway. But a polite and calm filing asking for review at DRN, or better yet, on the talk page of a regular (admin or not) that patrols DRN would be your best bet. The key is getting eyes on the situation that are objective, without creating drama or hassles. Normally, they are going to want to see discussion on the talk page first, by the party being reverted. Not trying to be bureaucratic, but this system is in place so admin can't push their content idea over non-admin, as community protection. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:18, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

WP: ANI / Dennis, dear friend - you did a great job. Kindly - thank you so much.

Leonard Oprea: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I understand you perfectly. So, don't worry - I will respect your requests. God bless and Shalom. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohmygodohmylord (talk • contribs) 03:15, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

Many thanks

Your reputation here certainly needs no further endorsement. However, a public thank you is definitely called for. Quite simply, thanks so much for all your help and support. I owe you one; let me know if there's anything you ever need a hand with. Basalisk inspect damage⁄berate 03:57, 24 November 2012 (UTC)

  • Consider the debt paid in full. Just try to always be tolerant, patient, humble, and remember that we chose to serve the community and not to rule it. Be the the first to point out your own mistakes and forgive yourself as quickly as you forgive others. The RfA experience does change you a bit, and everything is different afterwards. Expect around 3 months of adjustment and learning (and bumps on the road), but you will find your own pace. Just never be afraid to ask, or to simply say "I don`t know". The real strength of the admin system is that no one know everything, so we must rely on each other and non-admin alike. Pharmboy (alt. of Dennis Brown) 04:45, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
  • Actually, @Basalisk, what you should really do is every time you have a question or problem, ask Dennis. :-) Seriously, you'll find his support does not end after your nomination is successful. Hope you had a good TG, Dennis. Enjoy the rest of the long weekend.--Bbb23 (talk) 04:53, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
  • Hello!! I'm Mickey Hanson and would like your nomination for adminstrator. I have Associate of Business, Associate of Applied Science in Business, and Accounting Certificate in Applied Science in Business from Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, MI. Also, I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business with an Accounting Major from Western Michigan University. During those years, I have given essays, reviews, and Power Point presentations. Also, I have written numerous letters to the editor in various newspapers. Through these, I have learned how to write anything in a clear presentible manner. I promise not use profanity, vulgar words, poor grammar, or slang words when I edit an existing article or write a new one. I am new to Wikipedia as far as writing or editting, but I am familiar with the website and have read numerous articles from it. If someone is willing to patiently teach me, I'll only have professional written articles, constructive critique of exist articles, and verifible and relevant changes to them. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Godzooky (talk • contribs) 21:30, 29 November 2012 (UTC)
  • Hey, Godzooky! I don't want to speak for Dennis, but I think it's pretty safe to say that you need a bit more experience with Wikipedia itself before becoming an administrator. I've written in a bit more detail on your talk page. Even if you're not an administrator, though, there's still plenty to do, so welcome! Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 21:45, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

Information

I noticed your username commenting at an Arbcom discussion regarding civility. An effort is underway that would likely benifit if your views were included. I hope you will append regards at: Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Civility enforcement/Questionnaire Thank you for considering this request. My76Strat (talk) 10:23, 29 November 2012 (UTC)


Good Afternoon

Our page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_Parking_and_Hotels was deleted on 17th November.

Could you please give me feedback so i know why this has happened. We have had the page live for a number of years and would like to get this reinstated.

Thanks Tahir Laiqat

Tahir@aph.com — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.73.180.36 (talk) 16:18, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

  • The official rationale was "(A7: No explanation of the subject's significance (real person, animal, organization, or web content))". This means that the article didn't provide a reason why this particular subject matter was notable enough to warrant an encyclopedia article. Some one else had placed a tag on the page noting that it failed to mean our criteria for notability regarding corporations (WP:CORP) then as a patrolling admin, I reviewed and confirmed the same, then deleted the article. The vast majority of businesses are not eligible to have an article here (including the company I work for). Only those that have been discussed significantly by multiple reliable sources fit the criteria. IE: They have been the primary topic in books, newspaper articles, etc. and not just mentioned in passing. If you would like to have the article started and considered, you are better by going to Articles for Creation, which allows you to create the article out of main space, develop it, get feedback on the shortcomings, and an ability to overcome these. Once it fits criteria, it will be moved into mainspace (the real encyclopedia), or if it will not be, a reason will be given. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 16:26, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

You got an email!

Hello, Dennis Brown. Please check your email; you've got mail!
It may take a few minutes from the time the email is sent for it to show up in your inbox. You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{You've got mail}} or {{ygm}} template.

-- Luke (Talk) 03:23, 30 November 2012 (UTC)

Note

Just a helpful note. If I read the notice at WP:BN correctly, I think it would be "him", rather than "her". - jc37 23:16, 30 November 2012 (UTC)

Happy December!

The Holidays are coming up... enjoy this lovely brownie as your first treat! Statυs (talk) 02:32, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
You kids get off my lawn. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 07:20, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


Wikipedia Loves Libraries Seattle

Decemmber 8 - Wikipedia Loves Libraries Seattle - You're invited
Seattle Public Library
  • Date Saturday, December 8, 2012
  • Time 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Location Seattle Public Library Meeting Room 1 on Level 4, Central Library, 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle WA, 98104
  • Event An editathon on Seattle-related Wikipedia articles with Wikipedia tutorials and Librarian assistance on hand.
  • Hashtag #wikiloveslib or #glamwiki.
  • Registration http://wll-seattle.eventbrite.com or use on-wiki regsistration.

Yours, Maximilianklein (talk) 04:30, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

Some self-reflection

Dennis, sorry if you are getting frustrated with the comments above! I definitely don't intend on causing more drama here, although in my defense I have kept to myself since being unblocked on the 27th (can look at my contribs for proof) and haven't even interacted with Status or Tomica at all since then. The only problem was Tomica going all WP:OWN on Iluvrihanna24 (talk · contribs) (in which I later removed my comments because I don't want anything to do with him from now on) and this meaningless quarrel with Status (talk · contribs). Just felt the need to get this out of my system. Till 03:51, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

You may not have directly spoken to either of us, but you have discussed both of us on the talk pages of other users. Statυs (talk) 04:26, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
I told him that you were mean in your comments at WP:FLRC which is true. And I told the other user that Tomica is reverting him for no good reasons, which is also true. Till 04:49, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
But you continue to keep going? What happened to your "last reply"? Where was I being "mean"? And I've no comment on the latter. Statυs (talk) 04:54, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
..Which was a different thread...and this is a new one which I didn't want you to comment on. Your comments were mean and unnecessary: "My god Richhoncho, get out of AfD zone because this isn't what this is" and "If you're gonna talk to somebody, actually say something productive." Till 05:08, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
1) He's talking like he's in AfD 2) He never linked, or explaining any policy or essay he might be referring to. Therefore, unproductive. Statυs (talk) 05:39, 1 December 2012 (UTC)


  • Status, I appreciate the brownie but all of you need to just stay away from each other for a bit. No comment on the issues because staying away from each other should solve the problem by itself. Let others deal with those issues, not each other. Lets just end this here. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 17:42, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

RFPP Discussion

Hello Dennis, could you comment at a discussion going on here about a declined PC protection request? Vacationnine 20:12, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Honestly, I am no where near up to speed on PC protection as I should be, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be a good choice to debate the issue. This is something I need to bone up on, but right now, I'm afraid I would be in the way for this current discussion. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 20:16, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
Understood. Vacationnine 22:33, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

A new user with an attitude.

Dennis, could you please take a look at this fella? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:NewGuy1001 He has posted some HMTL code on his user and talk page rendering them inaccessible after a disagreement with User:AbigailAbernathy. Seems very problematic to me. Gtwfan52 (talk) 04:41, 1 December 2012 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) already indef'ed, first appeal declined. --Rschen7754 05:42, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
What we have here is your basic sockpuppet. Of who, I'm not sure, but it pretty obvious this isn't their first indef block. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 07:28, 1 December 2012 (UTC)
Due to a question he asked at Teahouse relating to the Teahouse, and the above users attitude about getting a Teahouse invite and the edit pattern for a supposedly new user who started right after the above mentioned fella was blocked, you might want to take a look at User:Twentyfour-dot-something. I am not anything like an expert in these matters, but it kinda smells to me. Sorry for the run-on sentence, but I think you get my drift. Gtwfan52 (talk) 05:41, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
Oh, wow. I just looked at something he posted at ANI. I am sure it is. He was rambling on about censorship there. Gtwfan52 (talk) 05:45, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
And he also posted at ANI using his IP. WP:ANI#Offensive edit summaries may require action against the summary itself. Gtwfan52 (talk) 05:50, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
You guys have all the fun after I go to bed. Looks handled now. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:46, 2 December 2012 (UTC)
Darn Easterners! Gtwfan52 (talk) 15:19, 2 December 2012 (UTC)

User:Volons creating a different user page. Huh?

Dennis, what do you make of User:Volons creating the page User:Yuvalwig? Simply a mistake by an inexperienced Wikipedia editor? Flyer22 (talk) 00:24, 2 December 2012 (UTC)

File:55 Chevy BelAir.jpg

You've used File:55 Chevy BelAir.jpg in one of your articles; however, I'm concerned about it's copyright status and listed it at Wikipedia:Possibly unfree files/2012 December 2, just thought I'd let you know. Ryan Vesey 23:10, 2 December 2012 (UTC)

Block evasion

Hi Dennis, Tiptoety blocked Akashasr a few hours ago. The rationale was edit warring, stemming from my report at here, and the period was 24 hours. They had a couple of failed appeals but now 106.67.21.191 has appeared, is making stylistically similar edits on broadly similar topics, and has both refactored Akashasr's talk page and also a comment left by Akashasr here. The IP is persisting despite me leaving a note which it seems they have read, even though they have misinterpreted the intent.

Tiptoety is likely not around, it being 0545 or thereabouts wherever they are. What to do next? - Sitush (talk) 00:52, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

  • I've blocked the IP (cell phone, so he can change it in 2 minutes) and lengthened the block on the parent. If you think he is back, file an SPI on him, and also list this ip as already blocked. It is needed for the geolocation and behavioral aspects. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 01:00, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
  • OK, will do. CU won't do anything because it involves linking IPs to registered accounts, but I guess that the behavioural evidence should suffice. Thanks. - Sitush (talk) 01:03, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
  • It isn't about CU, it is about establishing a documented pattern of behavior that is easier to link future IPs or names to. You can't get a CU to run a checkuser on him, but it is the non-CUs that do most of the blocking around WP:SPI anyway. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 01:06, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Question regarding edit filter

I've been poking around, and haven't found an answer, so I figured I'd see if you knew. Is there a way to correct a false positive from the edit filter that preserves attribution? Monty845 21:58, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Very good question. I never mess with the edit filter, never even gave myself the bit to do so. It is something I've always needed to get familiar with since I have a little real life experience with that, but not here. Sorry. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:02, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
Oh well, thanks for the quick response. Trying VPT. Monty845 22:12, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

50s

saw your Mally posts. I have some stuff in sandbox and some moved out over the years in NASCAR. User:Ched/To Do I'll try to get back to after 1st of the year. You're welcome to move or use anything. Also, I have a book: NASCAR, A Fast History by Greg Fielden that may have a thing or two if you want to expand that particular section in the future. (lots of other NASCAR stuff too). If there's anything I can do to help - let me know. Best always. — Ched :  ?  02:45, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Jump in. The primary focus of this article is culture surrounding the era, but I also have other articles of the era I'm working on as well. Actually, I'm not a NASCAR fan per see (I do like motorsports and the old NASCAR when they were stock), but I can see a fresh article on the roots of NASCAR that covers the 50s, or just "the early years" through the early 70s as being a viable article, that covers everything in depth. There is a lot of interesting history that would be too much for the general article but is worth covering for the history aspect. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 06:50, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Charlotte Moore

Hi Dennis. As way of courtesy notification, since you were the nominator at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Charlotte Moore, I wanted to let you know that I've resurrected this article, with sourcing improvements that I believe address the concerns expressed at the AfD. Certainly let me know if you have any concerns. Regards, Paul Erik (talk)(contribs) 03:41, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

  • The new sourcing is better. You must have done some pretty good digging, as I remember it being very difficult to find any information of any kind. Per the discussion at AFD, if this version had been nominated, it would have survived as a keep, so I have no complaints about the current version. I appreciate the heads up. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 07:04, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

HighBeam

Hi Dennis; do you have a HighBeam account? Keri (talk) 15:10, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

FYI: free, full-access, 1-year HighBeam Research account application at WP:HighBeam/Applications. Mojoworker (talk) 19:59, 4 December 2012 (UTC)
Never mind, I see you already added your name to the latest round. Mojoworker (talk) 00:10, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
I thought I had, just hadn't checked. Here lately, I've been spending all my lunch money and allowance on actual dead tree books for a series of articles I'm working on, centered around automobiles and American culture. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:13, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

spa tag

I left a note at User talk:Bbb23#spa, but before I nominate it for deletion, I'm curious as to what you think about it. Care to offer an opinion? Ryan Vesey 15:41, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Editor review

I've started an editor review on myself at Wikipedia:Editor review/Ritchie333. As you seem to give good constructive feedback in editor reviews, your feedback would be appreciated. --Ritchie333 (talk) (cont) 17:31, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Talkback

Hello, Dennis Brown. You have new messages at User_talk:Guðsþegn/Academy.
Message added 19:11, 4 December 2012 (UTC). You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.

Get your thoughts on a Wikipedia Service Academy to coordinate admin prep. Guðsþegn (talk) 19:11, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Get stuffed

Happy Thanksgiving
A big thank you from me to you.   little green rosetta(talk)
central scrutinizer  05:06, 22 November 2012 (UTC)
  • So far, so good. much of the family is here in Texas. The hotel should be sued for false advertisement though, its a bit of a hole, and the internet wifi is literally slower than dial-up. I would go find a hot spot but nothing is open so i wont be able to get onwiki much.. This is also the fist time Ive used an iPad...not bad but odd for a pc guy. Glad I came. Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday. Pharmboy (alt. of Dennis Brown) 12:33, 22 November 2012 (UTC)
Just got back from watching the new James Bond movie, Skyfall...long but quite good. Went with a sister and brother whom I only get to see once a year, which made it better. Another sister texted us, shopping at the early Black Friday sales at Target, they had to call the police in to manage the crowds. Yes, I will be avoiding all shops tomorrow...there is nothing I could want worth dealing with kind of chaos. Time for a cup of tea and some sleep. Pharmboy (alt. of Dennis Brown) 04:10, 23 November 2012 (UTC)
    • Skyfall was somewhat dissapointing. Seemed like a lot of character development to get you used to new actors taking on old Bond roles.   little green rosetta(talk)
      central scrutinizer              00:10, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
      • But you got the backstory, and this time, it was personal. Not the perfect Bond movie, but well worth the 9 bucks spent, at least to me. But then again, I'm the perpetual optimist that tries to find the good in all things. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:12, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
        • Seeing the movie may have been worth nine bucks, but the medium popcorn and small soda was not worth the 11 bucks. Good grief! Go Phightins! 00:17, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
            • USD9? Gosh, with that and your incredibly cheap gas, I'd be tempted to move over. But then I think of wall-to-wall MickyD-type places and my beloved NHS, without which I'd have been dead on quite a few occasions. Nah, I'll stick here, converse with the nice Yanks in writing and watch the movie when it hits the TV schedules. Provided the NHS keeps doing its job on me, of course! Hope y'all enjoyed your break: now get back to fixing the project ;) - Sitush (talk) 00:18, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
              • We saw it. I thought there was a lot of filler but the last 30 minutes was good. We spent $24 on two hot dogs, two large sodas and a large popcorn with a refill....that we had eaten before the first ten minutes of the film. LOL! I enjoyed Lincoln more.--Amadscientist (talk) 01:35, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
                • Good to see you, it's been a while. I've been curious about Lincoln, which I just saw that IMDB gave an 8.4, extraordinarily high. I guess I should drag the wife out to see that. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 01:49, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
                  • I found myself taking a little Wiki break when I had stuff to do around the house to prepare for a coming winter storm and the holiday prep. I usually fall of the net entirely around November and find my way back around January or Febuary. Lincoln was worth the price! But you may need a bank loan for the popcorn. LOL!--Amadscientist (talk) 07:16, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

Oops

Sorry about that. I hit rollback by mistake while stalking your cool automobile sandbox draft. :) Anna Frodesiak (talk) 19:11, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

I'll tell you last week that there is no need. Anna Frodesiak (talk) 19:28, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Why it happens: I've been watching you build User:Dennis Brown/Articles/1950's American automobile culture for some time, so it's on my watchlist. When my watchlist loads, it does a sudden line jump after a pause, which, if at the right moment, causes me to click the wrong line. It happens once every several months if I'm not careful. A thousand pardons to you both. Anna Frodesiak (talk) 19:28, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

The "line jump" thing Anna describes has been going on for at least several years now, and in my case, it happens every time I load my watchlist. The entire list, starting with the first entry will move down. A bad rollback can occur when you try to click a link before the watchlist stops loading, which results in the focus of your mouse click or touch tap missing the link and clicking a rollback instead. It would be helpful to find out if this has already been reported as a bug. Viriditas (talk) 20:17, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

""I'm guessing it relates to Twinkle, which positions the functions differently, and loads last. Just a guess though. I've done the same more than once. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 21:55, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

There might have been some sort of general problem. I lost my nav bar completely for a period of time yesterday. Gtwfan52 (talk) 03:56, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
No, that nav bar thing was different, that was all Writ Keeper's fault. But please don't tell him I said that. The jumping is totally Twinkle, and it bugs the **** out of me. All the geeks are going to correct me, but Twinkle must take some loading after the real shit is already loaded, and then it goes, "oh yeah, me too fatass, so move over a half an inch. Oh, you were too fast. Sucks being you." But I've prevented one future set of occurrences by removing Anna Frodesiak's rollback. Drmies (talk) 07:06, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
Drmies, you're going to smoke a turd in purgatory, you know what right? Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 11:54, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
That beats swimming in shit in the Inferno. (Though flattery is probably not the biggest of my sins.) Drmies (talk) 15:47, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

You might wanna make yourself aware of...

This, this and this. Sadly, I can no longer be part of the project with this user here. Statυs (talk) 03:25, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Looking at my talk page history, it appears it has been handled in part. I don't want to see anyone leave Wikipedia, I just want to see the lot of you playing in different corners. We all need a break every now and then, but it doesn't need to be forever. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:47, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

Friendly review of NAC AfD closure

Since I got bitten the last time I NACed a AfD closure, could you please review Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sagi Haviv and give your thoughts? Thanks Hasteur (talk) 15:35, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

  • No consensus seems the right answer, considering the responses (and weakness thereof). The closing phrase "No prejudice to speedy re-nomination pending a more reasoned nomination rationalle"(sic) might be taken the wrong way, ie: that the nomination wasn't reasonable, although I don't think that is what you meant. Some people get defensive when you end up keeping an article they nominated, so wording is important. Often times, less is more. But that is just an observation, not a "problem" per se. Per consensus, people can always instantly renom a no-consensus close even using the same rationale, so a forward looking statement isn't needed. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 16:03, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

Help

Dennis, quite some time ago, you advised me on how to change my interface so I have special options at the top right of user pages for User and Page history. Since the problems with the UI in the last few days, I've been having problems with that portion of my screen. At first, part of the word "User" and part of the word "Page" were missing. Now, it's even worse as everything except the down arrows themselves is missing (to the right of TW). I can't even remember whether it was a script you pointed me to or something else. I've tried (twice) purging all of my cache (in Firefox), but it doesn't help. I've gotten rid of the worst of the UI problems, which most everyone seemed to experience, but not this one part. Are you experiencing this? Any suggestions on what to do? I've posted at the Pump, but no one has come up with a solution that I'm aware of (the threads go on and on). Thanks much.--Bbb23 (talk) 17:19, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

  • I think I had you install twinkle. Try going to [9], disable Twinkle. Clear your cache, close browser, come back, go there again and re-enable Twinkle. If that doesn't work, then you need to comment out everything in vector.js, reclear cache, then see how it is, and re-enable one at a time, refreshing (F5) each time. Likely it is still just a cache issue, but all this thrashing should clear it up. If not, ping me again. I'm not an expert on this, but will do what I can, and likely, a talk page stalker will jump in with a better answer if these don't work. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 17:26, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
  • I know it wasn't installing Twinkle because I used Twinkle well before I became an admin. It's possible that something in my Twinkle preferences changed my UI, so I did try the steps you noted above re Twinkle. Disabling Twinkle removed the TW tab, but everything else was still messed up, so I doubt it has anything to do with Twinkle. I've looked at my list of scripts, but I'm not sure what each one does. I wish I had commented them when I installed them, but too late for that. I haven't tried removing any yet. I may try simply disabling them all just for grins, but I haven't done that yet.--Bbb23 (talk) 18:35, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
  • I finally figured it out. It's a gadget: "Add page and user options to drop-down menus on the toolbar." Unfortunately, although I now know what's not working right, and I can't fix it. I unchecked the gadget. I cleared my cache (again), closed Firefox, reopened Firefox, and rechecked the gadget. No joy.--Bbb23 (talk) 20:03, 5 December 2012 (UTC)
I see...... Personally, I use Firefox, with Chrome as backup. Thekillerpenguin (talk) 02:01, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
You whippersnappers think you have this technology thing over us old farts. Anyone that doesn't remember how revolutionary ZMODEM was, or know what dropping to door is, get off my lawn ;-) I should actually work on some of those articles, but sources are hard to come by. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:23, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
Easy, Dennis. I don't even own a cellular device. Go Phightins! 02:28, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
hehe, and I don't have a land line. Actually, being 48 is a good age, getting to watch all this stuff develop over the years. The first IBM PC hit the market as I entered the 11th grade, and it has been a fun ride ever since. Lots of this early stuff isn't documented very well, however. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:35, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

My dad isn't that much older than you, but his technological "adeptness" can be expressed on a scale of one to ten as 1.0 x 10-200. Go Phightins! 02:39, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Most people my age are that way, honestly. I was never a wiz kid, but I've worked with Linux for 15 years, and computers in general for 30. I'm a bit of an oddity, particularly since I didn't go to college to study them. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:47, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
    • Well, my dad's only formalized computer training, I suppose, would be a typing class he took his senior year of high school so he knew where the different keys on a typewriter were when he was typing papers for college. Go Phightins! 02:50, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
      • Not sure why the last edit was marked as minor...maybe my track pad was being annoying and I didn't notice I clicked that on my way to the save page button. Go Phightins! 02:51, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
      • I took the same class. IBM Selectric typewriters with blank keys and chart on the wall so you had to learn. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:52, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
        • The only typing instruction I had was in fourth or fifth grade using plastic orange covers to put over the keys; never ceased to amaze me how many people couldn't memorize it especially since most had been texting since first or second grade, but I digress. Go Phightins! 03:18, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
          • I'm the same type of oddity as you, Dennis, regarding working with computers despite never having studied them. Well, in my case "working" is a rather loose term nowadays but it's still my job when the work is there. My first computer was home-built: etched my own circuit board, and used an Intel 8080A with its separate DMA chip etc + DIP switches rather than a keypad. Those were the days.

            I had (still have) a friend who was in the upholstery game. By that point, I was programming in various languages using a keyboard stripped from a Wyse 100. He made me a programmer's hammer: a whopping big cut-out from seating foam that I could bash the screen with when I cocked things up. It got some heavy use!

            Did ya ever hack into a BASIC interpreter? The sort that came on cassette tape, so for example in BASIC one could change the "syntax error" message to read "stupid error" (same number of bytes)? - Sitush (talk) 07:49, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

            • I was more into networking them, optimizing, BBSes, then apache, bind, mail and other linux services, and of course using them to the fullest extent. Back in the day, it was possible to fully saturate a system, but now the OS gets in the way. I was more into pushing limits than programming, although I do dabble with Perl a fair amount. I still do a fair amount of html, mainly by hand, even moderately complex code. I like getting my hands dirty that way. Like I do all things in life, I learned a fair amount about it all, and never mastered any of it. At my core, I'm a generalist, a jack of all trades, master of none. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:38, 6 December 2012 (UTC)
            • Very nice. Never did that. The closest thing I ever did...well, remember when Windows was an application, you would go into Windows, and when you wanted to leave, you clicked on an icon labeled Exit Windows? I changed it so it read Defenestrate.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 23:01, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

SPI help

Hey Dennis, would you be so kind as to lend me a hand? I've just blocked everyone on St Marys Church, Clophill indefinitely. One user, Gwenlen (talk · contribs), can be linked to Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Filmfan1964 (via Bradswanson2010). The other three, Logistics Speaker (talk · contribs), Logistics Speakers (talk · contribs), and Resident Stan (talk · contribs), are one and the same (duck-wise). I don't know what to add Gwenlen to, or what to do with the other three; I guess I'm also interested in CU checking for sleepers. I appreciate your help. Drmies (talk) 20:07, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

User:Snakehands

You blocked this user recently for BLP violations on Diane Abbott. Your one day block probably went unnoticed, as they have returned and are continuing in the same vein. Time for an indef? Delicious carbuncle (talk) 17:42, 7 December 2012 (UTC)

Identifying talk page material from socks?

Hi Dennis (or any talk page stalkers), I was wondering if anything should be done on the Talk:Art Pope page (and an on-going RfC) to clarify what was going on. Most of that talk page is me discussing with those two accounts (and yeah, I feel pretty dumb now for spending so much time trying to discuss and not requesting an SPI sooner). Would it make sense to put a small note at the top of the page about it, or what's the standard procedure here? Thanks, a13ean (talk) 03:43, 8 December 2012 (UTC)

  • Typically, you can strike the messages of the sock, but not the master, unless that master is indef blocked. Here is an example:

<s>'''Support''' Because I can. [[User:Mr. Sock|Mr. Sock]] </s> <small>Blocked sock. ~~~~</small>

Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 03:48, 8 December 2012 (UTC)

Ok, thanks! (PS: I think User:Triplicatio might have ended up with the wrong template). Cheers, a13ean (talk) 03:51, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
No, he gets a different template because he is the "master" (oldest account). The others are socks, he is the master. ie: he is real, they are fake (not really individuals). This is why you keep his comments, and strike theirs. CU found him Likely to Confirmed as abusing multiple accounts, ie: the socks. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 03:54, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
Er sorry -- I was just wondering because the user page says he was indeffed, while the log and his talk page says two weeks. a13ean (talk) 03:56, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
Ah, details help ;) Thank you. Fixed. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 03:58, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
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