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The Signpost
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WP:POST/1
4 April 2011

 

2011-04-04

1 April activities; RIAA takedown notice; brief news



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2011-04-04

Academic contributions; Jimmy Wales weighs in on murder trial controversy; brief news



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2011-04-04

Fighting the decline by restricting article creation?



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2011-04-04

Out of this world – WikiProject Solar System

WikiProject news
News in brief
Submit your project's news and announcements for next week's WikiProject Report at the Signpost's WikiProject Desk.
Named after the Roman god of war, Mars, often described as the "Red Planet", is a Featured article
This image of the scheme of Uranus' ring-moon system is used to illustrate the Rings of Uranus, a Featured article
The Sun, the star at the centre of the Solar System, is another Featured article of WikiProject Solar System

This week, we venture towards the stars and take a look at WikiProject Solar System. Started in January 2007 by Dvyjones, it has spawned two sub projects. Covering 51 Featured articles, 6 Featured lists, 97 Good articles and 4 Featured topics, the project is also home to a task force covering the scope of Jupiter.

The Signpost interviewed three of the project's members. Serendipodous joined the project in 2007 and is one of the project's assistant coordinators; active WikiProject Solar System member Kheider joined Wikipedia in 2006; and Ckatz is an admin who joined Wikipedia in 2006.

What do you like about volunteering for WikiProject Solar System?

  • Serendipodous: I am not trained in science or in Solar System studies; my main real-world preoccupation is history and archiving. However, I got into Wikipedia completely by accident over a critique of Wikipedia's definition of the word "planet", which eventually evolved into its own article. I have long had an interest in planetary science, which has only intensified with the current golden age of planetary exploration. I find science articles are easier to work with on Wikipedia than historical or literary articles, first because there is less room for interpretation, and second because the most relevant and useful sources, scientific journals, are available online.
  • Kheider: I have had an interest in astronomy since I was in middle school back in the 1980s. It was my interest in astronomy that encouraged me to borrow books from the school library and read for reasons beyond a teacher assigning reading material for a class. On Wikipedia, I enjoy adding to a knowledge base of astronomical subjects. I think it is wonderful to have one place on the internet where people can add and share ideas, knowledge, and references in the form of an overall overview of subject instead of using a general discussion board. Discussion boards are great, but the conversations have a tendency to jump around, making it impractical for a casual reader to follow what the final consensus may be.
  • Ckatz: Many aspects of what I do on Wikipedia involve technical or administrative duties covering a wide range of articles. Astronomy topics, however, have always been a personal passion. Working on these articles is one way to keep on top of the newest discoveries and learn more about space.

How long have you been working on WikiProject Solar System?

  • Serendipodous: I don't think I ever made the conscious decision to become a part of Wikiproject Solar System, it simply flowed naturally from the articles I first wrote. I have honestly only dabbled in other Wikiprojects, so I have really been focusing on this area since I joined in 2005.
  • Kheider: I first start editing Wikipedia in August 2006 when Pluto was being re-classified as a dwarf planet, and quickly opened my Wikipedia account in September. I have always been fascinated by the under-rated small bodies in the Solar System that do not get as much coverage as the dominant planets. When I was young, small objects like Ceres, 4 Vesta, and 2 Pallas were never more than a half page blurb in common textbooks introducing people to the Solar System. I was not even formally part of the WikiProject Solar System in my first few years on Wikipedia, since I was more interested in the article content than I anything to do with wiki-policies and groups.
  • Ckatz: I can't recall when exactly I signed on to the project. I think that at some point I realized that, given the amount of time I was spending on related topics, it just made sense to join up.

What is the most interesting article that you have seen covered by WikiProject Solar System?

  • Serendipodous: I'm an instinctive historian, so my personal favorite articles are those of a historical bent: Definition of planet and Planets beyond Neptune. Those articles combine scientific knowledge with references to Shakespeare, Martian canals, and Roman poetry.
  • Kheider: I found Formation and evolution of the Solar System to be very interesting. Though I did not know it at the time I was editing the article, I think this is the one that really drew me in as a long-term Wikipedia editor. I still passingly wonder if Earth will or will not be swallowed by the Sun during the Sun's red giant phase. Will Mars one day be the closest planet to the Sun? Is Mars' orbit stable enough over the next 5+ billion years to survive to that point? All we really know is that the Solar System is still evolving and trying to accrete.
  • Ckatz: Any of the articles involving the formation and future of the Solar System. I've always been interested in learning about where we came from and where we are going.

WikiProject Solar System has quite a lot of Featured articles. Have you been a main contributor to any of them?

  • Serendipodous: I have co-created 25 Featured articles and 2 Featured lists on Wikiproject Solar System. I'm of the opinion that there's no point in dedicating yourself to an article if you don't plan on getting it featured.
  • Kheider: I have contributed to several of the featured Solar System articles. But I know I could not have done anything better than GA-article quality without a good group of editors to work with, and expand ideas. One editor can make an article good, but it takes several motivated editors to make an article great.
  • Ckatz: I have contributed to many of the Featured articles, although I'd be very reluctant to take credit for them reaching FA status. The vast majority of my work with this project involves helping to maintain and copy-edit articles, as well as keeping a regular watch for vandalism. You'd be amazed at how many people seem to think it is vitally essential to add comments about a certain planet's name.

How can new members contribute to WikiProject Solar System?

  • Serendipodous: I got started on the project in Wikipedia's "Wild West" period, when standards were a lot lower than they are now. I like to think our group is more inclusive than most, but, because this project has so many FAs, simply wandering in off the street is probably not the best way to get involved. The best way to get into our project is to start work on one of the pages that have not been seriously worked on yet. We're a fairly small group, so we're easy to get to know!
  • Kheider: When I first started editing on Wikipedia, I did find it intimidating to follow Wikipedia protocol when editing Featured articles. My advice to anyone starting out on Wikipedia would be to always have a reliable reference (url) for their edits to Featured articles, so that established users can quickly confirm that the edit is in good faith. Another recommendation, is to work on B-class and C-class articles that still have a lot of room for improvement. Since my writing skills are not always the best, I frequently add numbers and references to articles and then allow more experienced writers to give the article a more encyclopedic feel. One simple thing that I have done is to add and edit Start-class articles on select Small Solar System bodies, to help support larger articles such as Scattered disc, List of dwarf planet candidates, Resonant trans-Neptunian object, List of notable asteroids, and List of non-periodic comets. There is always room for new editors and improvement to Wikipedia's articles.
  • Ckatz: Many of the core articles, such as those on the planets, are or have been Featured articles. In addition, given that they are very popular pages, it can be difficult for a new editor to start out there given the expectations for sourcing, verifiability and maintaining the high-profile articles. I'd suggest that a novice editor interested in contributing spend time reading through an article's talk page and archives, as there is a good chance that the issue has been brought up in the past. Also, be sure to state clearly in your edit summary why you made any changes; that goes a long way to helping make sure that your contributions are properly understood. I'll also echo the excellent suggestion above about starting new articles or expanding underdeveloped ones. There is a lot more latitude to learn the ropes if you are helping to expand content at the same time as you are learning. Above all, please don't be afraid of asking for help and suggestions. We love to help!


Next week, we'll visit an island community that knows how to overcome everything Hell can throw at them. Until then, the Earth will tremble under the weight of our previous reports in the archive.

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2011-04-04

The best of the week

New featured picture: User:MrPanyGoff's aerial image of Tartini Square in Piran, in Slovenia on the Adriatic Coast. The square was named after the famous violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, who was born in the town and whose statue, built in 1896, can be seen at the centre of the square.


This week's "Features and admins" covers Saturday 26 March – Saturday 2 April (transition to a new Sunday–Saturday window next week)


New administrators

From the new FA, HMS Speedy (1782): the Speedy was cruising off Barcelona at dawn on 6 May 1801 when this large enemy frigate was sighted. Despite being massively outnumbered in crew and firepower, the British outsmarted the Spanish by raising the US flag as they closed in.
Picture-postcard English countryside shot from the striking topographical feature, Glastonbury Tor; see the new FA, Somerset Levels
The Signpost welcomes two editors as our newest admins.

Eight articles were promoted to featured status:

  • John, King of England (nom), "a fascinating ruler at a critical moment in British mediaeval history", says nominator Hchc2009.
  • 2010 PapaJohns.com Bowl (nom), a post-season college football bowl game between the Connecticut Huskies (UConn) of the Big East Conference and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference in Jannuary 2010 at Birmingham, Alabama; it ended in a 20–7 victory for Connecticut. (Grondemar)
  • Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (nom), a 2010 crossover fighting game developed by Eighting and published by Capcom for the Wii video game console. (FMF)
  • HMS Speedy (1782) (nom), a 14-gun Speedy-class brig of the British Royal Navy. Built during the last years of the American War of Independence, the ship served with distinction during the French Revolutionary Wars. (Kirk)
  • ARA Rivadavia (nom), a battleship of the Argentine Navy. Named after the first Argentine president, the Rivadavia—launched 1911—was the lead ship of its class. (The ed17)
  • Somerset Levels (nom), a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset, South West England, about 650 km2 in area). (Rodw)
  • Numerical weather prediction (nom), which uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. Although first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulations in the 1950s that numerical weather predictions produced realistic results. (Titoxd)
  • Gymnopilus maritimus (nom), a newly described species of mushroom. (J Milburn)


Otto Weidinger of the Waffen-SS; he was one of 688 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in 1944

Three lists were promoted:

One featured list was delisted:


Himalayan Bluetail, photographed by User:JJ Harrison in Thailand
New FP, the Sally Lightfoot crab, eyeing you off. West coast of South America.
Eight images were promoted. Medium-sized images can be viewed by clicking on "nom":


Statue of Gustav Holst at his birthplace, Cheltenham, England.
Baroque splendour: User:Murdockcrc's photograph of the Upper Belvedere palace in Vienna, Austria, now a featured picture
Information about new admins at the top is drawn from their user pages and RfA texts, and occasionally from what they tell us directly.


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2011-04-04

AUSC appointments, new case, proposed decision for Coanda case, and motion regarding CU/OS

The Arbitration Committee opened one new case during the week. Four cases are currently open.

Open cases

Noleander (Week 1)

This case was opened after allegations of misrepresentation of sources, as well as tendentious and antisemitic editing. 106 kilobytes was submitted as on-wiki evidence.

Henri Coanda (Coanda) (Week 2)

During the week, another 8 kilobytes was submitted as on-wiki evidence. Earlier today, drafters Newyorkbrad and Jclemens posted a proposed decision for arbitrators to vote on. The primary proposal being considered is a ruling concerning a single editor.

Arbitration Enforcement sanction handling (AE sanction handling) (Week 4)

During the week, another 16 kilobytes was submitted as on-wiki evidence while proposals and comments were submitted in the workshop by arbitrators and others.

Rodhullandemu (Week 5)

See earlier Signpost coverage; the Committee determined that the subject will remain blocked until further notice.

Motion

During the week, the Committee passed a motion regarding the minimum activity levels expected of CheckUser and Oversight permission holders. Functionaries are also subject to expectations regarding planned prolonged periods of inactivity on the English Wikipedia. Additionally, when the Committee or the Audit Subcommittee contact such functionaries by email about their use of their permissions, those functionaries are expected to reply within seven days. Failure to comply with these expectations may lead to removal of the permissions. Prior to removal of access, two attempts will be made to contact the functionary using the email address they provided to the Committee. Parts or all of this motion do not apply to certain functionaries (such as Wikimedia Foundation Staff).

Other

AUSC appointments

During the week, the Committee appointed three non arbitrators as members of the Wikipedia:Audit Subcommittee (AUSC) (cf. Signpost coverage). The successful candidates of the appointment process were:

Another editor, AGK (talk · contribs), was appointed as an alternate member. Should one of the above three appointed members resign during their term, then AGK will be given CheckUser and Oversight permissions for this role.

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2011-04-04

Bugs, Repairs, and Internal Operational News

March Engineering Report published

The Foundation's Engineering Report for March was published last week on the Wikimedia Techblog, giving a brief overview of all Foundation-sponsored technical operations in the last month. Most of the major developments (Brion Vibber's reappointment, for example), have been covered in previous editions of The Signpost. However, the report also gave details on a number of other projects not covered. For example, it highlighted the publication of a product whitepaper by the strategic product team (and the associated update from Sue Gardner) that will guide future engineering efforts, and the release this week, as expected, of version 1.0 of the new UploadWizard (see previous Signpost coverage).

Also in the report was the first target completion date of the new Virginia data centre (May 2011), and an update on Ryan Lane's efforts to create a virtualisation cluster, now expected sometime this month (see also an update on his blog). Russ Nelson's work on improving the media storage architecture is likewise progressing well; the necessity of this work had been highlighted by recent image thumbnailing failures (see this week's In brief). Work was also done to allow official surveys to pull data about users automatically, in order to shorten the amount of time required to complete them. The Foundation added that a beta release of version 1.17 of the MediaWiki software to external sites is expected "in early April", and a second deployment of the PoolCounter extension, first released last month (as covered by The Signpost) but quickly withdrawn after performance fears. A new project, the integration of a new caching system, known as EHcache, in order to decrease the number of requests that have to be handled directly, was also announced; in a less serious (but perhaps as important) development, the report noted that Ryan Kaldari had written a script to allow users to exchange gifts (including "virtual kittens") and other niceties more easily.

Readers interested in keeping up-to-date with specific projects may also be interested to note that the Foundation is trying harder to allow users to find this information and keep it up-to-date, for the benefit of staff, volunteer developers and users. This includes simplifying and improving the current system of Wikimedia blogs and creating a new page on the wikitech wiki to track recent and upcoming software changes, besides the server admin log.

Wikimedia's Google Summer of Code open for business

This year's MediaWiki Google Summer of Code (GSoC) scheme was announced this week on the Wikimedia Techblog. The blogpost, which served as a call for students and mentors for this year's programme, which is worth up to 5000 USD for budding students.


The post has already attracted a number of proposals in the wikitech-l mailing list and elsewhere.

In brief

Not all fixes may have gone live to WMF sites at the time of writing; some may not be scheduled to go live for many weeks.

  • The Foundation's image thumbnailing infrastructure has taken a battering over the last seven days, as the problems of scaling up the process to handle thousands of requests a day manifested themselves in slowness and frequent crashes. Fortunately, little of the damage was visible to users. Although there are few short-term fixes available to the operations team beyond redistributing the load among more servers, a long-term solution is in the pipeline (Wikimedia Techblog).
  • Administrators will now have to confirm that they actually intended to block themselves (revision #85025).
  • The release of version 2.0 of the article feedback tool was described on the Wikimedia Techblog. This month's report hinted that it could evolve into a more general review tool.
  • The Foundation's copy of the Bugzilla bug report and feature request tracking software has been updated to version 4.0 (wikitech-l mailing list).
  • In response to a discussion about having centralised JavaScript and CSS files, User:Krinkle posted a link to his Tour de Wiki, an initiative to fix JavaScript errors on smaller wikis that requires the attention of those proficient in the programming language (wikitech-l mailing list).
  • In a separate announcement from that quoted above, developer Mark Hershberger noted that PostgresSQL support was no longer considered vital for MediaWiki 1.17 and would instead be added in 1.17.1. This improves the chances of a quick release candidate for 1.17 (wikitech-l mailing list).

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