Wikipedia talk:Requests for permissions

Non-admin comments on a request

Is it appropriate, and if so, how should a non-admin comment be added to a request for permissions, NPP in particular. I have not dived to far, but see only admin or bot commentators. ☾Loriendrew☽ ☏(ring-ring) 17:53, 17 October 2022 (UTC)

It's allowed. You can just reply normally. Some frown on non-admin "perm clerking", so maybe make sure your comments are few and add enough value to balance that out. Hope that helps. –Novem Linguae (talk) 19:02, 17 October 2022 (UTC)

I keep an eye on autopatrolled and appreciate non-admin comments when they add value. Things like "experienced user" are useless, but comments drawing attention to aspects that might lead to a decline are helpful. Schwede66 02:13, 18 October 2022 (UTC)

It was not a clerking–type issue, had grave concerns over one specific requestor. Denials were issued so there was no need for a comment. Should there be another similar situation, I shan’t hesitate to comment.--☾Loriendrew☽ ☏(ring-ring) 23:03, 18 October 2022 (UTC)

Can AWB be granted...

...for talk page banner edits? I've been changing talk page banners such as Talk:1812 in South Africa to Talk:1810 in South Africa. Is this permission even granted for such edits? — Nythar (💬-🎃) 08:31, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

Sounds like you want to use AWB for these kinds of edits? Looks fine to me. It's a good tool for any search and replace affecting multiple articles. Just be careful to be smart with your search and replaces, e.g. don't tag articles with the wrong WikiProjects. WP:PERM/AWB. –Novem Linguae (talk) 10:16, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

@Nythar That seems like a good use of AWB although not a trivial one. You will likely either need to learn to use decently complicated regular expressions or do significant manual cleanup for each edit. I've granted you access, but make sure to familiarize yourself with WP:AWBRULES before editing if you haven't already. If you have any questions at all about the tool feel free to visit my talk page. --Trialpears (talk) 12:06, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

Editnotice wording

The editnotice in every perm request page has a point Fill in the form below, replacing "Reason for requesting <perm> rights" with a brief reason for requesting the right. Do not make any other changes. Do not sign the request – your signature will be added automatically. However this point is relevant only if someone had clicked the "add request" button. If they try to add a request by editing the page directly, no form is shown and this will be confusing, causing them to search where on earth is this form... (Just happened to me!). ಮಲ್ನಾಡಾಚ್ ಕೊಂಕ್ಣೊ (talk) 17:37, 4 December 2022 (UTC)

I added a note that if you skipped the form you should go back and use it. — xaosflux ^Talk 18:38, 4 December 2022 (UTC)

Bar for joining the NPP team

It is often mentioned that there are not enough reviewers for NPP and maybe lowering the bar would help? At least in my case it was rather time consuming and also a bit discouraging to join it. I was only definitely accepted in November 2022 after I mentioned that I received an award for the most active fresh reviewer for September and two awards in the October Backlog drive. Before I was granted the rights twice temporarily for a month, with both times not being made aware of significant mistakes but me approaching other more experienced NPP members when I became aware of some uncertainty.

The very first time I applied in May 2020 I didn't feel confident enough and then withdrew after an encouraging answer didn't follow after three days. Maybe a bit impatient that time, but a first encouragement to go to NPP school might have helped adding members to the NPP team. The second time in 2020 I was more patient, but I was declined after more than 15 days after my request and this good faith edit as an answer to what I have learned and you'd probably have received just that, as I am currently reviewing in about the pace mentioned in the request.

I believe formalizing the NPP process, like granting the rights automatically after editors reached a certain bar of experience like passing the NPP school (great that this exists), having created an considerable amount of undeleted articles or made 5'000-10'000 edits would help.Paradise Chronicle (talk) 10:46, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

Good food for thought. I went ahead and added your idea to my NPP reform notes. I think passing NPP school is currently a de facto auto assign (these folks are always accepted when they apply). Consider cross-posting this to WT:NPPR if you'd like wider discussion -- I'm not sure lots of NPPs have this talk page watchlisted. –Novem Linguae (talk) 11:06, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

When I am aware of someone passing NPP School, often by Atsme if it's not my own student, I am very happy to grant the PERM. Best, Barkeep49 (talk) 11:28, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

While I empathize with the general sentiment, I'm not sure we have a problem right now as far as being too stingy--the NPP backlog is solidly under control right now, so I don't think there's a desperate need to lower the bar or make the application process easier. It's also a permission that is frequently sought out by editors trying to game the system for UPE (or to pad out their super-user resume for a future admin bid). As for the specific suggestions, I don't think it's realistic to expect all queries to receive a response in under a week. Setting auto-grant guidelines for it is also difficult, as a lot of normal editing activity doesn't clearly demonstrate a general knowledge of notability requirements, even when it includes significant new article contributions, but often just shows familiarity with a handful of subjects. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 16:01, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

I agree with everything Rosguill has written. Especially the part about the need to safeguard against determined UPE editors with this PERM. Best, Barkeep49 (talk) 18:45, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

Yet we have a NPP coordinator as a RfA candidate who mentions the lack of active reviewers in an answer to Q12. MB More reviewers will likely also provide with some more time to observe WP:BEFORE which was one of the most cited concerns during the RfC. Also, editors who assemble 10'000 edits throughout a year, create a GA, or are known to save articles from deletion are hardly to game the system for UPE. Paradise Chronicle (talk) 19:24, 5 January 2023 (UTC)

(edit conflict)*@Novem Linguae, Barkeep49, and MB:, and Atsme out of courtesy because she was mentioned here without being pinged. As one of the initiators in 2011 of today's NPP system and creator in late 2016 of the much needed New Page Reviewer right I'll say this – though more modern ideas may disagree:

Over 750 users have been granted access to the NPP tools. The vast majority of them (around 97%) are inactive and we do not have enough sufficiently qualified ones. The few active ones do 90% of the patrols between them, and many of them are admins who have the right anyway and are not counted in that 750.

The assumption is that the round 700 inactive ones either found NPP to challenging, or they were hat collectors. Access to NPP is already governed by the policy I wrote (AfD by contrast, is not). Based on the first assumption therefore, the bar to NPP should be raised, not lowered, and heaven forbid that it should be automatically granted - several reviewers have already been exposed for abuse of it for their own agenda and the undetected ones are possibly many more.

Not to slight the admins who work the PERM pages nowadays and generally make good use of the new probationary period process, If I were still active (and I will be leaving Wikipedia for good very soon because after 17 years of it I've had enough of the drama, the toxic environment, and unresearched comments on various RfC for improvement), I would even propose a system like RfA for appointing patrollers. It's that important, not only due the required near-admin knowledge of notability and deletion, and the need to sift hat collectors out, but also because it's totally unfair to hold the NPP coordinators accountable for the deficiencies in the system. The coords are constantly striving to improve the software and its other tools and it's shameful how they get insulted and are targets for WP:PA with impunity for their efforts. That said, Paradise Chronicle, and your suggestions are noted, but sorry to say, I do not think it is appropriate to use this venue to attract more attention to a RfA which you have opposed. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 21:45, 5 January 2023 (UTC)