Wikipedia talk:Silly Things

Silly Things?

Has there been some discussion I am unaware of (ie not here or in the MFD) about renaming this page Silly things? Two attempts to move it back to its correct title (one by me) have been reverted, mine as "per MFD closure". I am not sure what rights a closing admin has in these matters, but I am unaware of previous cases where closure has included making up an arbitrary title and imposing it without further discussion. I propose that this page be put back in its proper place (at Wikipedia:Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Nonsense) or that a fitting new title be agreed upon. -CarelessHair 20:37, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

I think the point was that BJODL is gone, so it needed a new name to say "Hey! We're not going to glorify vandalism anymore, so stop trying!"....Silly Things seems very wrong though, and I agree it should probably get an agreed upon name. No reason we can't work toward that, leaving this for now. ♫ Melodia Chaconne ♫ 20:47, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Where did the move tab go? The Transhumanist 01:20, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

See log. --Quiddity 02:55, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

It doesn't really matter what it's called. The point is, it's been tagged as historical and no longer relevant to Wikipedia, which was what I and the majority of the community wanted and thought was most appropriate to Wikipedia's aims.-h i s ^{s p a c e} _{r e s e a r c h} 12:14, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

For reference, in his addendum to the MFD close, Phil Sandifer, the closing admin, wrote: "I will also note that I, as part of the close, moved the main BJAODN page to Wikipedia:Silly things to emphasize the break from the previous tradition of BJAODN. This is part of the close, and probably shouldn't be edit warred over." —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 13:38, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

How about 'Humor and Other Silly Things'? Keeps the flow of the original. ♫ Melodia Chaconne ♫ 11:02, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

"Silly things" is short, sweet, and to the point. That is good to my mind, and a goal for all page names. The closing admin also mentioned the desire for a clean break from BJAODN. I think he's on the right track there; if it is to be deleted, being different ("flow") is a good thing. Finally, and most important, I think dickering over the title of this page is the past thing we want to do. We need to move on. —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 19:23, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Additional subpages deleted

• Wikipedia:Best of BJAODN
• Wikipedia:More Best of BJAODN
• Wikipedia:Even more Best of BJAODN
• Wikipedia:Yet more Best of BJAODN
• Wikipedia:Still more Best of BJAODN
• Dušan Jocić
• Stuff!
• Wikipedia:Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Helpdesk Emails
• Wikipedia:Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Unblock Emails
• Wikipedia:Wikiality and Other Tripling Elephants

In the MFD close, the closing admin wrote:

I am also persuaded by the claims that the page is an institution. To this end, I have left certain subpages unscathed - things that compile non-encyclopedia edits (Help desk, unblock), deleted articles with freaky titles, two that were just reposts of a discussion, the Colbert page, stupid article ideas, and the best-ofs. I do not close the door to some of these being individually nominated, and would not consider such nominations querrelous or cases of asking the other parent.

— Phil Sandifer

I see that these pages have since been deleted, by a few more admins — Coredesat (7 pages), Alkivar (2 pages), and Ryulong (1 page). There was no new nomination or discussion that I can find. • While I am sure the deleting admins were acting in good faith in their beliefs, it does appear to contradict the closing commentary. I am somewhat concerned that these deletions are unilateral actions without adequate discussion. It may well be (indeed, I suspect it is) consensus that some or all of those should be deleted, too. But I wanted to at least raise my concerns, and give the deleting admins, and others, a chance to comment. • Full disclosure: I was against the bulk BJAODN deletion; Coredesat and Alkivar were for it; Ryulong did not comment (that I can find). —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 14:09, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Which specific pages do you think should not have been deleted? ((1 == 2) ? (('Stop') : ('Go')) 14:17, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

As they have been deleted, most people (myself included) cannot examine them to comment on their content specifically. That is part of the problem with deleting them in this way. • In attempt to address your question, I have added a list of the pages which the closing admin left untouched, but were deleted by others. See the top of this section. —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 14:51, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

I certainly did not delete those in my close - it looks like the deleting admins misunderstood. I'm restoring all. Phil Sandifer 15:39, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Most likely an honest mistake. ((1 == 2) ? (('Stop') : ('Go')) 16:34, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Another website

Can this link to a BJAODN archive be put somewhere on this page? 71.31.145.104 15:50, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

No. Phil Sandifer 15:51, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Is there a reason why? It's on a completely different website. 71.31.145.104 16:01, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Because linking to the content isn't substantively different from hosting it in terms of the message it sends, which is why the content was deleted. Phil Sandifer 16:10, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

BJAODN was deleted mostly because it had become "a monument to vandalism". I expect linking to same would incur the same problems. —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 16:12, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Yes. I'm willing to talk with admins as to implementing such a solution. — Rickyrab | Talk 23:16, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

ha, phony deletion. — Rickyrab | Talk 23:16, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

I disagree, and if you don't put it on the main BJAODN/ Silly Things page, I will put it in boldface here and I am continuing to request it be put on the main Silly Things page. — Rickyrab | Talk 23:14, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Deletion

Much as I disagree with BJAODN's deletion, which I will not harp on about, if it was to be deleted I think it would have been much better if it had been deleted lock stock and barrel rather than leaving this gutted BJAODN under a different name. In effect, all this is is an unupdatable BJAODN with a different name containing the same material, which "glorifies vandalism" to probably much the same degree. If an archived version is to be kept, surely it would be better for it to be stored on an external website? The Sanctuary Sparrow 16:56, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

The closing admin explicitly left open the possibility that any or all of the remaining pages may nominated for deletion separately. Under the spirit of the closing decision, I suspect the "Best of" pages probably also warrant deletion, as they are still a "monument to vandalism", and are fairly random in their selection. "Stuff", the two hoaxes, and the Colbert incident are all, I suspect, sufficiently creative, unique, and focused not to be fuel for additional vandalism. The Colbert incident also has historical value; it's become a real (albeit minor and self-deprecating) part of Wikipedia culture. • This is all my opinion, of course; others can and surely will disagree. • All that being said, I wanted to wait at least a week or two before proposing any course of action. BJAODN MfD #6 attracted a fair bit of passion, and I think giving tempers a chance to cool and people a chance to reflect would be a good thing. —DragonHawk (talk|hist) 19:16, 25 August 2007 (UTC)