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From the editor

Today's young adults don't know a world without Wikipedia

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By Kudpung

Keep straight on – there are trolls in the hedgerows

Photograph of a long trail with grass and forestry at either side; a green arrow sign with a white border is at the forefront, attached to a wooden post and pointing left, informing the reader that "Byway" is that way
You are on the right route. Keep going straight.

In this, The Signpost's last issue with me in my short tenure as Editor-in-Chief, we offer yet another fact-packed issue. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF)'s Executive Director appears to be blithely unaware of what goes on in the office, yet the WMF – again – has lots of money and gets a new website, but curbs spending on essential tools for volunteers; a Wikimania volunteer gets fired from his help (by the WMF); our English Wikipedia experiences one of the worst Requests for Adminship (RfA) in history; and, despite our series of articles on RfA, the drama continues. Additionally, due to a topic ban, a regular columnist withdraws her harmless humour contribution.

Although The Signpost's reporting is based on facts, like all news media it does not promise to be entirely neutral in its content. Some of it is indeed tongue-in-cheek and we are sure our readers will understand the difference.

Topping the usual average number of page views by almost double, the article "Death knell sounding for The Signpost?" in our March issue still remains the most read contribution to the magazine so far this year. It raised awareness of the importance of the publication. Read by thousands of editors and readers, not only on Wikipedia but also in the world at large, The Signpost is our organ for all things Wikipedia and Wikimedia in English. However, it can only survive through your comments and contributions.

This editor, at least, has no interest in following or even visiting the Wikipedia criticism and hate sites, and never has. By all accounts these sites appear to be significantly populated by people who have been blocked or banned by those committed to keeping the encyclopedia free from POV pushing, financial exploitation, vandalism, disruption, trolling, and other divisive behaviour that is contrary to what Wikipedia is. With the encyclopedia's extraordinary policy of open, collaborative compilation, these are no easy tasks. The Signpost rises above the cheap innuendos and not-so-vague slander in those fora even if some of our readers' comments sink to those same low levels. Wikipedia is a large collaborative endeavour and needs a newsletter; The Signpost is that newsletter. The trolls are not welcome.

As I approach my eighth decade on this planet, there is now already a generation of literate people that has never known a world without Wikipedia. In this 21st-century technological era, despite differences of opinion amongst its editors and with the Wikimedia Foundation as its corporate owner, I remain convinced that Wikipedia is an amazing achievement – not only in its content, but also having become the world's Number 1 knowledge resource. I am not abashed to admit that I am proud to have been a small part of it.

Let us, The Signpost, and you – the volunteers who have made it all possible – continue in this goal and keep collaboration and comments as friendly as possible, and based on some recent experience, beware of 'joe job' emails. My very best wishes and thanks to all who have supported and encouraged this quasi-relaunch of the magazine.

Animation of the Wikipedia logo's omega puzzle piece circling the globe
The Signpost is hiring!
More of a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle than a bung for a hole in the sinking ship that the periodical once was, The Signpost is now looking for a permanent Editor-in-Chief to fill a vacant slot in the editorial team. Start 1 September or as soon as possible. Candidates should expect to work in excess of their contracted 30 hours per month for no additional remuneration. Salary $00.00 commensurate with age and experience.


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Not necessarily; in my state, "Minors under 16 may be paid 85% ($9.78) of the state minimum wage". However, minors may be disappointed in this case that 0.85 * $0.00 = $0.00 ☆ Bri (talk) 03:10, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Logically they should be happy - their employer isn't actually reducing their wage by anything! Nosebagbear (talk) 10:30, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • I myself as a teenager agree and accept the fact Kudpung said about the young people like me. I am fortunate to be a part of this amazing knowledge website Wikipedia. I think people like me are reluctant to contribute to Wikipedia in an appropriate manner in order to serve the demand for updates, information towards the modern society. But the only worry for the teenagers is that they use social media platforms only for the sake of fun and entertainment and they sometimes don't care about the Wikipedia encyclopedia. I actually developed my duties and responsibilities in a well maintained manner by being part of Wikipedia for one and a half years. I personally learnt from my mistakes during my early part of Wikipedia career because I was a novice teenage boy. I also went onto observe the news around the world mainly thorough the knowledge of Wikipedia. Personally I feel that modern youth don't know a world without Wikipedia. I also understood this as I am preparing myself for Advanced Level examinations on August 2019. Abishe (talk) 03:13, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • I agree with concerns of younger folks not being aware where their information comes from (and as equally important how they can contribute!). After all it's the new generation that replace the old in any healthy ecosystem. But let's not considered awareness solved! :) The concerns are wider than just those youngins'. New Readers research from 2016 found that awareness of Wikipedia was staggeringly low in many countries. Entire swaths of humanity are yet to be reached by the efforts of the movement. How we meet those needs over the coming years will, optimistically, have an significant impact on future generations. Let's keep at it. Ckoerner (talk) 17:53, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]

As one of the aforementioned youth who has never known life without Wikipedia, I hadn't taken much time to consider the diversity of the experiences of editors we have working on this project. I have nothing but respect and appreciation for all the amazing people who came before me. Thank you Kudpung for your work on the Signpost! Hopefully sometime soon I'll have more time and energy and I can contribute too. ♥Acorimori♦ 18:22, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]


  • So people you disagree with are trolls. Great, plenty of useful volunteers have been pushed away and how the entire site is a cesspool of non-neutral, agenda-driven articles that have absolutely no chance of reaching a neutral point of view because nobody is allowed express a disagreeing opinion. 71.197.186.255 (talk) 18:43, 1 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]


Can any one help me understand the context?

If this was a WP page, I will add a "citation_needed" to it, but I don't know if that would be appropriate to put on an Sigpost article. Xinbenlv (talk) 21:45, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

See "Friendly space" section of this issue's Special report. ☆ Bri (talk) 22:02, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]
The Signpost needs your help putting together the next issue.
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