User talk:XLinkBot

Administrators: if this bot is malfunctioning, try changing its settings. It can also be shut off there in a server-friendly way.

This is the talkpage of XLinkBot (formerly SquelchBot), a bot designed to revert spamming, or other edits that introduce external links which do not comply with our external links guideline, or with the policy 'What wikipedia is not' (not a repository of links section). Please leave new comments here by clicking this link If your additions were reverted by XLinkBot, please take time to review our external links & spam guidelines, and take note that Wikipedia is not a repository of links, a directory, nor a place to promote your own work. If you feel your addition was within those policies and guidelines and are Reliable and Verifiable, and do not violate Copyright, you may undo the changes made by XLinkBot. Questions are welcome, however this talk page is for civil discussion and is not a complaints department.

FAQs: Why is my external link addition reverted? Why did the bot revert all my edits, and not only the one where I added an external link?

Bot reverted a huge amount of good editing

I added about ten references to Kwame Brathwaite, and made the mistake of adding one bad one (anothermag). The bot reverted ALL of my contributions. This is a heads up that I am going to revert the bot, less anothermag.104.163.147.121 (talk) 23:18, 1 April 2018 (UTC)

I just counted, and the bot removed 9 good references. That's not good. My addition was also clearly not spam, as it was in a reference tag. Almost all of the removed references had been run through REFILL, so they were expanded refs and not bare links. Several were from Cite Books templates for Google books. I'm a bit peeved to be wasting time fighting with a bot, expecially since the algorithm here has said "IP user, oh let's revert everything they added." That's an error. 104.163.147.121 (talk) 23:23, 1 April 2018 (UTC)

@104.163.147.121: Thank you for your remark, and again my apologies for the inconvenience caused. No, it is not an error, it is a choice. We revert completely with the choice to re-revert. Partial reverts have shown to often leave broken pages, residual problems, etc.

Note that XLinkBot does not only revert on spam, it also reverts on material that should not be linked for failing other policies or guidelines. That includes for some material also the reverting of material that is used in references.

I hope you reverted the bot (I will check), and checked the reference that the bot was actually reverting for - it may be that it needs to be replaced. Regards. --Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 03:10, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I have to say, bad programming. 104.163.147.121 (talk) 04:39, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

@104.163.147.121: It is a choice, a setting. This one is the least damaging. --Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 04:43, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

• of course, all programming is a choice. But this is bad programming. You have allowed your bot to remove nine instances of "cite web" or "cite Book" with good references. And the sources you allowed it to remove were sources like the New Yorker, The New York Post, Vogue and other very reputable sources. You could have easily tested the nine removed sources to see if they matched anything on a spam list. It's not a choice, it's bad programming. If a user went in and removed nine good references like that, people would be pissed.104.163.147.121 (talk) 04:51, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
  • @104.163.147.121: You did not read what I said - it is a setting, it is a matter of flipping a bit in User:XLinkBot/Settings. Reverting ALL edits after inclusion of ONE 'bad' link is a choice we made, an intentional action the bot makes. In other words, it is programmed to revert all your edits as that is what it is supposed to do. --Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 06:21, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I found it odd that XLinkBot decided to revert my page due to a link to a Facebook page - when I had simply replaced an extremely out-of-date MySpace page link. What would the actual difference be between an artist's MySpace page and an artist's FB Music page?RexStrother (talk) 02:23, 30 May 2018 (UTC)

A kitten for you!

heres a kitten

CorbinMartin (talk) 20:53, 3 April 2018 (UTC)

@CorbinMartin: Purr (that was the only sound I could translate from the bot - I guess it means thank you). --Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 10:28, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

I need help regarding page protection

Hello there,

I would like to know how can I semi protect a page on living person? The available guidelines seem confusing to me, need a clear instruction. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Emonkhan (talk • contribs) 21:44, 2 May 2018 (UTC)

@Emonkhan: you have to be at WP:RFPP, but that page does not need it, no significant vandalism. —Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 03:46, 3 May 2018 (UTC)

I'm unable to update a logo on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benenden_Health

Hi there,

I'm trying to update the logo shown for Benenden Health on the following page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benenden_Health infobox template.

They've recently updated their logo but when I try to use the update logo form, I don't have the required access as I'm neither Administrator, autoconfirmed or confirmed user status.

Can I ask how this can be done please?

--Newben1905 (talk) 14:22, 14 May 2018 (UTC)

@Newben1905: Please ask at WP:HELPDESK or WP:TEAHOUSE. This page (User talk:XLinkBot) is for discussion of what XLinkBot does. Johnuniq (talk) 00:28, 15 May 2018 (UTC)

Bot reverted edit during RC Patrol

I was editing here: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Game_Grumps&diff=next&oldid=843174480

At this point, I had just reverted some subtle vandalism, as can be seen by the bot's addition to the article (addition by revert). The link was part of the article, and did not violate Wikipedia's "External Links" policy, as it was relevant to the actual article. I also did not add the link, it was simply the product of a revert.

Just wanted to put that out there.

Thanks. EggRoll97 (talk) 11:52, 27 May 2018 (UTC)

New Battle of Leyte Gulf Book and Documentary

I've been adding references to the new book "The Defenders of Taffy 3" by Byron Como and associated documentary "Johnston: The Defenders of Taffy 3"

This book is listed on worldcat.org: http://www.worldcat.org/title/defenders-of-taffy-3/oclc/995848579&referer=brief_results. Also, I can tell you people not only from the U.S., but Japan, Germany and the UK have also purchased copies.

Also by request, copies of the video "Johnston: The Defenders of Taffy 3" have been placed in the collections of The Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI, and The Carnegie Library, MI. Also copies, again by request, have been donated to the Johnston/Hoel Association (contact docstir@msn.com).

The US Naval Historical Foundation is scheduled to publish a review of the Book NLT June 30, 2018.

The book and video represent serious scholarship and skill in multiple disciplines and deserve to be included in the associated wikipedia.org articles.

Additional References:
Tim Nessmith, USS Kidd Museum Ship Manager, tnessmith@usskidd.com
Warren Stirling, Johnston/Hoel Assoc., docstir@msn.com
Dave Winkler, US Naval Historical Foundation, dwinkler@navyhistory.org
Robert Lundgren, NavWeaps.com contributor and author, lundgrenr@nei.nih.gov
Garrett Lynch, US Navy Destroyer Veteran (ret.), gclynch@cox.net

Sincerely,
Byron Como
B.S. LSU
USS Kidd Volunteer