Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Newsroom/Suggestions

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Suggestion by PAC2 (2022-07-30)

The Signpost should write about... https://observablehq.com/@pac02/actress-singers-and-actor-singers-do-actresses-become-sing?collection=@pac02/wikidata

In this notebook I posit an intuition and use Wikidata to test if my assumption is wrong or false. It's not directly using Wikipedia as such but it show how data from the sister project Wikidata can be used to test various assumptions. PAC2 (talk) 20:58, 30 July 2022 (UTC)

Hi @PAC2! Would you be comfortable with writing something up for this, for the September issue? Thanks, 🐶 EpicPupper ^{(he/him | talk)} 16:14, 31 July 2022 (UTC)

Of course. PAC2 (talk) 20:16, 31 July 2022 (UTC)

Hello, I'm sorry but I won't be able to finish my piece for tomorrow. PAC2 (talk) 20:47, 27 August 2022 (UTC)

@PAC2, that's totally fine! Our publication deadline is actually on the 31st, but we'd also be happy to accept something later than that. Cheers, 🥒 EpicPickle ^{(they/them | talk)} 21:30, 27 August 2022 (UTC)

@PAC2: If you are still interested, so are we -- let us know if you want to circle back on this. jp×g 09:14, 14 January 2023 (UTC)

Thanks for your ping. Here is my draft User:PAC2/How to use Wikidata to test your intuitions. PAC2 (talk) 09:52, 15 January 2023 (UTC)

After some moves and redirect deletions, it looks like this is now at Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Drafts/Wikidata. @JPxG: Still planning to publish it? Regards, HaeB (talk) 22:30, 3 June 2023 (UTC)

Are you still planning to publish this article? PAC2 (talk) 04:10, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

It's a bit on the short side for an article, especially compared to your treatment of actors on the French Wikipedia. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 20:33, 2 August 2023 (UTC)

Yes, sorry about this -- many moves indeed (there was another in the meantime). It is quite short now but if you expand this out I will publish it; ping me when it is done. jp×g 06:43, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

Another en.wikipedia editor is noticed

In case it has missed anyone's radar, Diff has an article about Johnny Au for setting the longest consecutive days of editing. Article Also check out this tool for measuring strings of consecutive days of editing. (It'd be nice if Diff recognized quality of edits, rather than quantity.) -- llywrch (talk) 16:50, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Thank you so much for recognizing my longtime contributions to the English Wikipedia! Johnny Au (talk/contributions) 00:09, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

Wasn't covered at the time, is now in the draft for this issue's N&N. jp×g 06:42, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by The Herald (2023-08-05)

The Signpost should write about

Obsidian Soul (talk · contribs · global contribs · page moves · user creation · block log)

I came across this user today during my regular RTRC patrolling who did blanking and unexplained content removals. After 4im warnings, I reported them and they got blocked indefinitely. After that, I did some digging and they've been active for 14 years in Wikipedia with over 52,000 edits. Impressive track record, all down the drain in a day. I'm not sure what went wrong or why, but this is Signpost worthy, right?

The Herald (Benison) (talk) 07:15, 5 August 2023 (UTC)

Depends on the reason I suppose. Some accounts get hacked. Others go through a rough patch for whatever reasons. For the first, it sucks but there's not much to say. For the second... giving them space seems a better solution than placing them in the spotlight. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 12:45, 5 August 2023 (UTC)

It is strange and rather unfortunate. It happens every once in a while. Others I can remember are Special:Contributions/54nd60x and Special:Contributions/FacetsOfNonStickPans -- people who were very productive editors and either got compromised or went berserk one day seemingly out of nowhere and getting themselves indeffed, and then never heard from again. It's hard to say what the deal is on this. If anyone finds out, it'd definitely be newsworthy. jp×g 06:45, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Oltrepier (2023-08-17)

The Signpost should write about... Il Post's apparent "love" for Wikipedia!

At this point, it's likely no surprise I rate this Italian newspaper very highly, as I think it has established itself as one of the most respected and reliable news sources in my country. Still, I didn't notice how much care they've put into the coverage of Wikipedia-related news until now: they published many articles involving both en.wiki and it.wiki, reported from the 2016 edition of Wikimania in Esino Lario, and even cited Wiki pages as sources in some instances, including here and here.

What if you tried to reach out to someone from their editorial staff for a mini-interview about what they think about the platform and when, why and how they write about it? Obviously, I know it's incredibly difficult to even arrange something like this, but boy, would it be interesting to read what they have to say!

Oltrepier (talk) 17:31, 17 August 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Zippybonzo (2023-08-29)

The Signpost should write about... The Requested Articles process and the Attempted Revival of WikiProject Requested Articles Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Requested articles#Revival Basically my idea is to cover the state of the requested articles process, and how some requests are decades old, and how there are attempts to revive WikiProject Requested articles to help with maintaining the request pages and encouraging people to create some of the oldest requests.

Zippybonzo | Talk (he|him) 11:29, 29 August 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Ssr (2023-09-25)

The Signpost should write about m:Requests for comment/Hiding the number of Russian/Belorussian/Kazakh contributors on the statistics map − Russian users protest against WMF's "censorship" ssr (talk) 16:01, 25 September 2023 (UTC)

In briefs for N&N for this issue -- we will see how it develops. jp×g 06:52, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Ssr (2023-09-29)

The Signpost should write about... n:ru:European Wikimedians gathered in Tbilisi ssr (talk) 10:57, 29 September 2023 (UTC)

In N&N for this issue, will be in briefs, maybe more. Thanks! jp×g 06:52, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Gråbergs Gråa Sång (2023-10-11)

The Signpost should write about...

• Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Chris Bell (British Army officer)
• Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Indira Raman

Two well-attended afd:s with WP:BLPREQUESTDELETE aspects. Perhaps something could be written on how the community deals with cases like these when there is disagreement on where to draw the line. More discussion at Wikipedia:Village_pump_(policy)#Should_Wikipedia_offer_article_protection_as_a_compromise_between_deletion_on_request_and_causing_needless_distress?. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 08:53, 11 October 2023 (UTC)

• Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Deen K. Chatterjee

Another AfD that falls into this area by a different path. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:52, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

• Wikipedia:Deletion review/Log/2023 October 15#Chris Bell (British Army officer) --Tryptofish (talk) 15:40, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

  Interesting. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 18:19, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by GoingBatty (2023-10-16)

The Signpost should write about... I was watching "How Counterfeit Money Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider" on YouTube, and the counterfeiter gave credit to Wikipedia for having "pretty high resolution photos in their stock" for him to work with. Are there any anti-counterfeiting measures being taken (or should be taken) regarding the images? I posted this question at commons:File talk:Obverse of the series 2009 $100 Federal Reserve Note.jpg since that's the file shown in the video. Thanks! GoingBatty (talk) 22:51, 16 October 2023 (UTC)

Much to think about! Have put it in ITM. jp×g 06:54, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Another suggestion by llywrch (2023-10-20)

Just saw this mention of Wikipedia in our old friend Nature: "AI tidies up Wikipedia's references -- and boosts reliability" (published 19 October 2023) -- llywrch (talk) 06:07, 21 October 2023 (UTC)

In ITM -- may also work for recent research as well. Thanks! jp×g 06:53, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Scope creep (2023-10-24)

The Signpost should write about... the discussion currently taking place at VPP regarding secret clients who have paid an admin, (Cullen328) for advice and the associated RFC. The whole thing stinks as there is a potential for corruption and subversion.

scope_creepTalk 11:03, 24 October 2023 (UTC)

Yes, this will make it somewhere in this issue. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:01, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:24, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Ham II (2023-10-26)

The Signpost should write about... this piece in the Financial Times: New book from shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves lifts from Wikipedia. Ham II (talk) 07:55, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

• Thanks, will be in In the media. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:02, 2 November 2023 (UTC)
•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by Cabayi (2023-10-26)

The Signpost should write about... Williams, Zoe (23 October 2023). "Why is Elon Musk attacking Wikipedia? Because its very existence offends him". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

Cabayi (talk) 10:16, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

• Lots of Elon in this issue. Thanks! 21:02, 2 November 2023 (UTC)
•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Another suggestion by llywrch (2023-10-28)

I saw a report in the Wikimedia General Chat channel on Telegram that Hiba Abu Nada, a Palestinian writer & Wikipedian, was killed during the bombing in Gaza. According to the Spanish Wikipedia she participated in the WikiWrites campaign. NOTE: Before this report I had never heard of her, nor of "WikiWrites", so I don't know just how prominent of a Wikipedian she was. But it cannot be denied that civilians on both sides are dying in this latest conflict. -- llywrch (talk) 23:33, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

• This would need to be very carefully done and may be difficult. Is there a user name? Otherwise it'll be even more difficult. But, at least we know something about where to get started. Thanks. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:05, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

English Wikipedia actually has an article about her too (as do many other languages), citing the same Spanish-language source for her having been a Wikimedian, and in the Wikipedia Weekly FB group, someone confirmed this ("Heba was proofreading articles translated from English to Arabic. This journey began in 2021"). That should already suffice for a brief item in N&N. Of course, as other news media have found out, one needs to be careful in reporting death causes in this context, but in this case it should be fine as long as we attribute such information to the sources cited in the mainspace article.

That said, yes, some more details would be nice including her user name if she had one. I asked about this last week in the linked discussion, but nobody there seemed to know.

Regards, HaeB (talk) 21:07, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion from Shadestar474

The topic of Elon Musk wanting to change Wikipedia’s name. For example:

”Elon Musk has offered to donate 1 billion dollars to the Wikipedia Foundation if we change Wikipedia’s name to Dickipedia. Jimmy Wales thinks ‘insert quote from Jimbo about how we are not going to do that here.’” Shadestar474 ^(talk) 22:43, 31 October 2023 (UTC)

• got it! Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:06, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Suggestion by QuicoleJR (2023-11-02)

The Signpost should write about... Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case#Lourdes. Lourdes admitted that they are Wifione and has been indefinitely blocked.

QuicoleJR (talk) 13:51, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

• Thanks (twice). @Bri: is on it and thinks it is super important. I agree. 21:07, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:07, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

•  Done jp×g🗯️ 20:25, 5 November 2023 (UTC)