User talk:Pointillist/Archive 2010

91.109.242.63

I don't know who you think you are but I would prefer it if you didn't refer to the comments I added about Xchanging as vandalism. I thought Wikipedia was interested in factual information about the subjects it contains. What I entered was factual information about the company and therefore cannot be considered as vandalism. Admittedly, what I entered was not positive about the company, but then there are lots of companies in the world that do negative things. So I don't think you are in any position to state that what I entered was vandalism!!!!!!!!!!! The trouble with people like you is that you think you're right an nobody else is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.109.219.131 (talk) 09:19, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for getting back to me. Actually when you started pasting that text I did leave you a neutral note (at User talk:91.111.90.136) saying:

“ The text that you keep adding to the Xchanging article isn't suitable for Wikipedia in its current form. Please find a reliable source that shows how these allegations are notable and allows readers to verify the story. - Pointillist (talk) 09:50, 17 May 2010 (UTC) ”

However, you've now added the same text fourteen times and you've been reverted by half a dozen different editors, not just me. I suggest you apply your admirable persistence and energy to getting a local newspaper to report the story. Once it has been published in a reliable source, it will be verifiable and can (if it is sufficiently notable) be added to the article. Good luck - Pointillist (talk) 13:58, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Unreferenced

I don't appreciate what you did just now. I have all 52,000 BLPs on my todo list and I have my eyes on that list!!. Please don't spam my talk page again otherwise I'll have you eliminated and eaten by one of my deadly piranhas that can strip a man to the bone in 30 seconds. Grrrrr.... Dr. Blofeld ^{White cat} 23:15, 9 January 2010 (UTC)

I've replied on your talk page (diff). Let's discuss there? - Pointillist (talk) 23:21, 9 January 2010 (UTC) Or, if you are serious about your recent task listing, thanks and how can I help? - Pointillist (talk) 23:33, 9 January 2010 (UTC)

I was kidding yesterday LOL although the piranha tank trap door is only a foot away...., but I do have the entire list on my to do list and I have been working through that list at times but I have a tremendous amount to do on here with geographical content... I will try to work through that list gradually but any help would be appreciated... Thanks... P.S. I very mkuch like your outlook on wikipedia "if you think we can improve Wikipedia by collaborating. ". This is what we should be about and I'm glad you genuinely want to improve the whole encyclopedia (unlike some of the other time wasters on here...) Dr. Blofeld ^{White cat} 11:16, 10 January 2010 (UTC)

Icke

The books cited at the end of the paragraph discuss it, as do several others e.g. his In the Light of Experience, p. 44. SlimVirgin ^{TALK contribs} 01:31, 16 January 2010 (UTC)

In case it's not online anywhere, the last book I cited above says, "In the 1960s when you reached the end of your time at junior school you took an exam called the eleven plus which most people in Britain will remember. If you passed you went on to the academically superior grammar school and if you failed you went to the so-called secondary modern. I failed and so did most of the junior school football team ... we went to Crown Hills Secondary Modern" (p. 44). SlimVirgin ^{TALK contribs} 01:34, 16 January 2010 (UTC)

Someone added the football website for Icke's football career. It's subscription only so I've never seen it, and I'm inclined to remove it because everything we need about his football is in his books, I believe. SlimVirgin ^{TALK contribs} 01:39, 16 January 2010 (UTC)

Barnstar

Thanks! Much appreciated. Bencherlite^Talk 20:42, 6 February 2010 (UTC)

Thank you

thank you for the notification last week :) Okip 02:37, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Final discussion for Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Biographies of living people

Hello, I note that you have commented on the first phase of Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Biographies of living people

As this RFC closes, there are two proposals being considered:

1. Proposal to Close This RfC
2. Alternate proposal to close this RFC: we don't need a whole new layer of bureaucracy

Your opinion on this is welcome. Okip 03:25, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Talkback

Hello, Pointillist. You have new messages at Wikipedia_talk:Vandalism#Temporary_Autoblocking_of_probable_.27vandalism-only.27_IP_addresses.
You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.

And here, too:

Hello, Pointillist. You have new messages at Wikipedia_talk:Village_pump_(technical)/Annotate.
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ManishEarth^{Talk • Stalk} 02:06, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

• Many thanks for the tip about Credo - it sounds quite useful and interesting. Colonel Warden (talk) 22:27, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

Happy Pointillist's Day!

User:Pointillist has been identified as an Awesome Wikipedian, and therefore, I've officially declared today as Pointillist's day! For being such a beautiful person and great Wikipedian, enjoy being the Star of the day, dear Pointillist! Peace, Rlevse 01:05, 14 April 2010 (UTC) A record of your Day will always be kept here.

For a userbox you can add to your userbox page, see User:Rlevse/Today/Happy Me Day! and my own userpage for a sample of how to use it. — Rlevse • Talk • 01:05, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Golden Age of Sci Fi

Hey Pointillist, long time no chat. Anyway, some time ago, 6 months to be precise, you answered a comment of mine on Talk:The Golden Age of Science Fiction (anthology), then asked me on my Talk page what I was looking for. I got distracted by some other Wiki matters, but I am back looking for this sci fi textbook that I had in HS way back in the early to mid 80's. It was black in color, I am 99% certain of that, and a paperback. It had some of the great classics, some of which are in the Amis anthology (Nine Billion Names of God and Harrison Bergeron are the only two that I recognize). But it also had some other great stories that don't appear in the Amis volume, most of which I have forgotten the titles of. A Sound of Thunder was one. Another one, I am fairly certain, was called "The Gun"- a space explorer gets stranded on another planet, he has what is supposed to be the perfect gun which also happens to be completely soundless. When finally rescued, he is discovered using an improvised bow and arrows to combat local wildlife and using the Gun instead as a hammer. Another was written entirely as a series of letters to the editor of various (fake) sci fi mags in which the letter writer constantly complains of the magazines rejecting his submissions as plagiarisms of some other writer (whom the letter writer claims never to have heard of). In the final letter of this story, the letter writer complains to an editor that his latest story, about a man who travels through time in order to steal another mans sci fi manuscripts and submit them himself, is original and not the work of the other guy. There are several other stories: one about oil being the blood of the earth; another about a small box in which two scientists can view a tiny world (only to turn out that the world in question is their own, with fatal consequences); one about a future where violence has been weaned out of the human psyche by a tyrannical government, but a cabal of rebel scientists have raised a child with the ability to use weapons using a child's talking bear toy. These are the only ones that I can think of right now. It is entirely possible- given how much time has elapsed- that all or some of these other stories were not in the same book, but I seriously doubt it. Anyway, if you know of any books that contain stories such as these, or can think of somewhere for me to look, I greatly appreciate it. Or, if you recognize any of these stories and know the authors, even better. Thanks for any help. The Original Historygeek (talk) 07:30, 10 May 2010 (UTC)

Hi there and apologies for the delay replying. I've done some ferreting around but no luck so far. The nearest I've got might be the "Science Fact/Fiction" anthology published in 1974 (contents listed here). It does contain both The Gun Without a Bang and A Sound of Thunder. Maybe you will have better luck searching? FYI I started at www.philsp.com but unfortunately according to Wikipedia A Sound of Thunder is the most anthologized SF short story ever.... Good luck anyway - Pointillist (talk) 21:32, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

You sir are a God among men. I do believe that is the very book in question!! I have the vice principal of my old HS looking through the records, but going through the list of stories (and I recognized several of the others too, ones that I didn't even mention above), I do believe that is it! Now, to find the book! The Original Historygeek (talk) 01:40, 18 May 2010 (UTC)

I went through the list some more- The Ifth of Oofth, I Always Do What Teddy Wants, and The Wound are the three stories that I mentioned above but couldn't remember the titles, in addition to The Gun (The Gun Without a Bang, as it turns out) and A Sound of Thunder. I also remember The Sound Machine. Curiously, neither Harrison Bergeron nor Nine Billion Names of God are there, but I could have sworn they were in the book I had. Then again, There Will Come Soft Rains is on this list, but I thought I remembered it from an entirely different literature book, so my memory is definitely not 100% on this one. No matter, I am highly pleased because this book that you have found (and I am 99% certain it is indeed my old HS textbook) has the very stories that I have been looking for. Thanks again! The Original Historygeek (talk) 04:23, 18 May 2010 (UTC)

Glad to help. I see that ABE books has a copy for sale (here). - Pointillist (talk) 10:09, 18 May 2010 (UTC)

I've deleted my entire watchlist...

...so if you want me to do, undo, explain or apologise for something, please leave a message here, as I won't see messages on other talk pages. Thanks - Pointillist (talk) 13:08, 14 June 2010 (UTC)

Minor requests to add descriptions to my uploaded cc-by-sa-3.0 images, etc

[collapsed for brevity]

{{ File:Boat Race 1st Milestone and bust.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race 1st Milestone and bust.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 22:07, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Memorial to Charles Parnell.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Memorial to Charles Parnell.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 22:49, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race 1st Milestone.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race 1st Milestone.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:06, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Steve Fairbairn memorial.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Steve Fairbairn memorial.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:10, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Steve Fairbairn bust.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Steve Fairbairn bust.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:14, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Craven Cottage.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Craven Cottage.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:17, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Putney Bridge.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Putney Bridge.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:21, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Harrod's Depositary.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Harrod's Depositary.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:24, 19 July 2010 (UTC) Possibly unfree File:Whistle and Flute pub sign.jpg A file that you uploaded or altered, File:Whistle and Flute pub sign.jpg, has been listed at Wikipedia:Possibly unfree files because its copyright status is unclear or disputed. If the file's copyright status cannot be verified, it may be deleted. You may find more information on the file description page. You are welcome to add comments to its entry at the discussion if you are interested in it not being deleted. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:41, 19 July 2010 (UTC) Image tagged to support deletion (diff). - Pointillist (talk) 22:07, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race St Paul's.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race St Paul's.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Finish post.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Finish post.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Crabtree Reach.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Crabtree Reach.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Fullers Brewery.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Fullers Brewery.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race start section.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race start section.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:44, 19 July 2010 (UTC) File source problem with File:Margaret Eliot cropped for infobox.jpg Thank you for uploading File:Margaret Eliot cropped for infobox.jpg. I noticed that the file's description page currently doesn't specify who created the content, so the copyright status is unclear. If you did not create this file yourself, you will need to specify the owner of the copyright. If you obtained it from a website, please add a link to the website from which it was taken, together with a brief restatement of that website's terms of use of its content. However, if the copyright holder is a party unaffiliated from the website's publisher, that copyright should also be acknowledged. If you have uploaded other files, consider verifying that you have specified sources for those files as well. You can find a list of files you have created in your upload log. Unsourced and untagged images may be deleted one week after they have been tagged per Wikipedia's criteria for speedy deletion, F4. If the image is copyrighted and non-free, the image will be deleted 48 hours after 00:07, 20 July 2010 (UTC) per speedy deletion criterion F7. If you have any questions or are in need of assistance please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:07, 20 July 2010 (UTC) Clarified source per OTRS ticket 1495641 - Pointillist (talk) 22:08, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Bandstand.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Bandstand.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Barnes Railway Bridge centre span.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Barnes Railway Bridge centre span.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Mortlake Brewery.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Mortlake Brewery.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Westminster School Boat Club early morning.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Westminster School Boat Club early morning.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC) File:Boat Race Start stone.jpg missing description details Dear uploader: The media file you uploaded as File:Boat Race Start stone.jpg is missing a description and/or other details on its image description page. If possible, please add this information. This will help other editors to make better use of the image, and it will be more informative for readers. If the information is not provided, the image may eventually be proposed for deletion, a situation which is not desirable, and which can easily be avoided. If you have any questions please see Help:Image page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:17, 20 July 2010 (UTC) Fair use rationale for File:Roche cartoon in Spare Rib 48.png Thanks for uploading or contributing to File:Roche cartoon in Spare Rib 48.png. I notice the file page specifies that the file is being used under fair use but there is not a suitable explanation or rationale as to why each specific use in Wikipedia constitutes fair use. Please go to the file description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. If you have uploaded other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on those pages too. You can find a list of 'file' pages you have edited by clicking on the "my contributions" link (it is located at the very top of any Wikipedia page when you are logged in), and then selecting "File" from the dropdown box. Note that any non-free media lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you. Sfan00 IMG (talk) 00:36, 20 July 2010 (UTC) }}

Courtesy note

You are receiving this message because of your participation in this discussion, now continued at Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Microformats. –xeno^talk 13:44, 10 August 2010 (UTC)

Talk page edit

Hello, I've removed the RFA link. While it's not hard to find the information if somebody wants to, I did change my username for a reason. Esteffect (talk) 21:49, 21 August 2010 (UTC)

OK, perhaps you could redirect Wikipedia:Requests_for_adminship/Esteffect to your RFA instead? - Pointillist (talk) 21:52, 21 August 2010 (UTC)

A

nd lo, there was a great edit war over minutiae... (I think this A is better, no? I don't want to edit your thingee again, since you reverted me once, but that "modern-type" A looks really out of place!) –xeno^talk 23:23, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

Cheers. Displacement-indeed! heh. –xeno^talk 23:30, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

Your new proposal trumped everything and is now the official version. I had searched commons, wondered about creating a custom svg (as you do when you have sold your first-born son into slavery to pay for Adobe Creative Suite upgrades) and even considered trying to install my early renaissance edition of Fontographer under Windows 7 64-bit, just to get something a good as yours. It is just what I wanted: how did you find it so quickly? - Pointillist (talk) 23:33, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

'Twasn't far down the page commons:Category:A =) –xeno^talk 03:41, 25 August 2010 (UTC)

Barnstar

		The Surreal Barnstar
		Because I saw this post and thought "I have to give that guy a barnstar!" HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 09:55, 25 August 2010 (UTC)

Thanks a million for that! - Pointillist (talk) 10:42, 25 August 2010 (UTC)

Talkback

Hello, Pointillist. You have new messages at Wikipedia talk:Requests for Adminship.
Message added 02:06, 4 September 2010 (UTC). You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.

I've replied to your response at WT:RFA. Tyrol5 [Talk] 20:31, 4 September 2010 (UTC)

Filter out the ugliest ducklings (proposals)

Hi Guy - I thought you might take the time to view the 10 ugliest random ducklings I listed there, plus descriptions, and make firther comment. Regards Mark^Dask 17:30, 5 September 2010 (UTC)

Many thanks. I've left comments in the ugliest ducklings section, though about the general principle rather than your specific examples. Cheers - Pointillist (talk) 00:29, 6 September 2010 (UTC)

IB Diploma Programme

Hi Pointillist, I don't know whether you still have this article on you watchlist, but as it was such a difficult situation, thought everyone involved deserves recognition. Best, Truthkeeper88 (talk) 00:13, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

This user helped promote IB Diploma Programme to good article status.

Thanks very much! - Pointillist (talk) 12:05, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Pending changes/Straw poll on interim usage

Hi. As you recently commented in the straw poll regarding the ongoing usage and trial of Pending changes, this is to notify you that there is an interim straw poll with regard to keeping the tool switched on or switching it off while improvements are worked on and due for release on November 9, 2010. This new poll is only in regard to this issue and sets no precedent for any future usage. Your input on this issue is greatly appreciated. Off2riorob (talk) 23:45, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

closing AFD on House organ

Hey, I saw you tried to close the AFD on House organ, but forgot to do the actual closing of the discussion. Please see WP:DPR#AFD for the procedure to follow when closing a discussion. Also I am sure you acted in good faith, but per WP:NAC you are not allowed to close any discussion you voted in. Should be all fixed now, but please keep this in mind next time you do a non-admin closure. Yoenit (talk) 22:37, 4 October 2010 (UTC)

Sorry about that: I thought that when an AfD had been withdrawn by the nominator anyone could close it, even the nom. I'll be more careful in future. - Pointillist (talk) 07:30, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

Going down under

You may be interested in the history of an NZ institution which was based upon the Oxbridge equivalents. See Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Otago University Debating Society. Colonel Warden (talk) 23:13, 10 October 2010 (UTC)

Done. There's an open issue about canvassing editors in Category:Wikipedians by alma mater: University of Otago. Perhaps you could take care of that question? - Pointillist (talk) 11:44, 13 October 2010 (UTC)

• Here's another academic topic FYI: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences. There are some points of principle which make this an interesting case. Colonel Warden (talk) 00:40, 17 October 2010 (UTC)

DGG is a good judge, as you'd expect from his academic librarian roots. Personally, I'm not that keen on points of principle having dived into the Otago AfD at your suggestion (shudders). Despite UCL's early leadership in chemical engineering, I couldn't find any mentions in the index of Aftalion's History of the Chemical Industry. I suspect the problem is that academic sources tend to index contributions by people rather than by specific institutional units, e.g. you typically hear "researchers at Oxford University have discovered...", rather than "some mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists and a former chemist who is now a quantum something expert have discovered...". OK, I haven't explicitly named departments in that example but you know what I mean. Anyway, good luck tilting at windmills but I'm not going to be editing for a week or so anyway and by then it will all be over. - Pointillist (talk) 22:21, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

BTW, I just dropped by the Tiger vs lion AfD and it struck me that you are essentially treating Articles for deletion as being "Titles for deletion", which would imply that you decide in principle whether a title should have an article before considering whether the current text demonstrates notability using reliable sources etc. Have I got that right? - Pointillist (talk) 23:18, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

Verifiability vs readability of Wikipedia

Re this section on your user page, please note that it is worse than you suggest. A big problem with heavy citation is that it doesn't just make the article more difficult to read; it also makes it almost impossible for a naive editor to edit. When they click the edit button to edit a piece of text, the footnotes dominate the raw source code and the markup language is quite inpenetrable to anyone but mathematicians and computer scientists. I feel sure that this is the reason that such types are found in undue numbers amongst active editors (me too). This then has an unfortunate effect upon the nature of the community because computer geeks are notorious for their poor social skills and so Wikipedians resemble the cast of The Big Bang Theory.

I gather from Sue Gardner that the Foundation is aware of the problem and a WYSIWYG interface is a high priority for them. But this is easier said than done...

Colonel Warden (talk) 13:53, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

It would be interesting to move all the references into a database, so when you want to find a source you can start from the list of all sources that have ever been used on wikipedia, with smart filtering according to the sorts of articles that cite them. When you try to add something to the database, the system tells you what's already there (e.g. other issues of the same newspaper, or other pages from the same website). If you want to cite something that's already known to the database, all you have to add is the detailed location info (e.g. page/chapter, url/accessdate etc) so you don;t have to enter redundant information about publisher, location etc. This approach would make it easy for novice editors to generate citations and could automate archiving of fragile web sources. We could assess the reliability of sources at the author, periodical or website level; bulk maintenance issues like url changes, translations, copyright violations, NPOV and paywalls could be addressed systematically rather than piecemeal, and expert contributors could quickly check that the most authoritative sources are being used. Best of all, because the bulk of citations would be transcluded from the database (rather that generated from complex templates and markup), pages would preview more quickly and footnote display could be much more flexible. Win+win+win+win+win IMO - Pointillist (talk) 16:38, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

Query

Thanks for the helpful advice. Except for responding to questions posted on my talk page, I've dropped the issue entirely, since I don't feel like bothering with the situation. Nyttend (talk) 22:02, 30 October 2010 (UTC)