This is an archive of past discussions with User:SMasters. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page.
Question from One of Your Public Policy Students
Hi there, I am one of the students in Prof. Weil's public policy class. I just created a new page for my topic because the previous mentor suggested it and I thought it was a good idea. Unfortunately, I was just informed that you can lose your page history by creating a new one. Is this true? Is there anything I can do about it? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Sorry for the late reply - I have been away. The redirect is incorrect. There should not be a redirect on the article itself. You should use the template {{main}} instead on the old article. You should also put a short summary of the redirected article on the old article. That way, all the page history remains. I hope this makes sense. Let me know how you get on. If I have time later this week, I will fix it for you if it is not done. Cheers. - SMasters (talk) 09:23, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
IRC?
Hey SMasters, do you use IRC? If so, could you tell me which of the umpteen things I need to download to use IRC and if any of them is better? If not, could you point me to someone who could help me out on this? It's all very confusing. Thanks, BronsonboyHQ.
02:51, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
Hi, good to hear from you. Most of us use mIRC (Google for website), but you can use others if you think it is better. Once you are using it, you can connect to freenode and there are many Wikipedia channels there. I'm kind of away at the moment but will be back later this week. I will guide you through this. I'm relatively new at IRC myself so I know how you feel. I had to work it all out myself and it was daunting to say the least. Let me know how you get on. Cheers. - SMasters (talk) 09:18, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
Question on article that was "copy edited"
Hey there. Thanks again for those awards in the last drive I did. I noticed that List of Zatch Bell! episodes (season 3) was on the list of articles needing to be copyedited a few days prior to the start of the current drive but then it has been taken off by someone who merely edited the introductory paragraph but none of the content. Okay that I go ahead and work on the rest and you guys can count the article as an article when I'm done? --Aichikawa (talk) 16:21, 2 May 2011 (UTC)
I think in this instance, we can accept this. Just list it in your work list as per normal. Cheers. - SMasters (talk) 09:19, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
Sorry to hear about your grandma. My best wishes to you and your family. Swapping the interviews will be fine. -Mabeenot (talk) 22:15, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
The Guild of Copy Editors – May 2011 Backlog Elimination Drive
The Guild of Copy Editors invite you to participate in the May 2011 Backlog Elimination Drive, a month-long effort to reduce the backlog of articles that require copy-editing. The drive began on May 1 at 00:00 (UTC) and will end on May 31 at 23:59 (UTC). The goals of this backlog elimination drive are to eliminate as many articles as possible from the 2009 backlog and to reduce the overall backlog by 15%. ! NEW ! In an effort to encourage the final elimination of all 2009 articles, we will be tracking them on the leaderboard for this drive.
Awards and barnstars
A range of barnstars will be awarded to active participants. Some are exclusive to GOCE drives. More information on awards can be found on the main drive page.
You are receiving a copy of this newsletter as you are a member of the Guild of Copy Editors, or have participated in one of our drives. If you do not wish to receive future newsletters, please add you name here.
We're the group working on the Media cross-ownership page. We've all been very busy and didn't work on this article for a few weeks - sorry.
Anyway, we need to get it done in a week or two. I made a table for some of the information, but I'd also like to add a picture of the corporations logos next to their names - how would I do that? Zorantb (talk) 18:02, 27 April 2011 (UTC)
Sorry for the late reply. I have been away and did not have internet access. You can click on Upload file, and it will guide you through the process. Alternatively, you can email me the picture and I will do it for you. I will try to review your work later this week. Let me know how it goes. Cheers. - SMasters (talk) 09:15, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
No worries. I just finished the article. It's due to be turned on Thursday, so if you can go over it before then that'd be great - I've added the pictures in the table as "logo; fair use", however it's asking me to include rationales as to why it's fair use - can you help me with that? - Zorantb (talk) 21:25, 3 May 2011 (UTC)
I have had a look at your upload log, and all of the logos which you have uploaded already exists in Wikipedia. Is there any reason why you can't use the existing files? If you are OK with them, I suggest that you link them to the existing files and have the new ones deleted. If not, someone will come along and do that anyway. – SMasters (talk) 14:09, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
No, it came from his bibliography page on his website. For logos in the table - they're the perfect size, all same shape - and they came from the Free Press article where I got the information from. - Zorantb (talk) 23:12, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Zorantb, I think you will soon run into copyright issues with that image and it will soon be deleted. We cannot take pictures from websites and post them here unless we get copyright clearance. Just leave it for the moment and see what happens. As for the logos, it doesn't matter so much about the size, as the table will re-size them accordingly. I will consult someone who is more familiar with images to see what they think. Cheers, and good work! – SMasters (talk) 06:59, 5 May 2011 (UTC)
GOCE newsletter
Hi SMasters --
Don't know if you were using a script that malfunctioned or something, but for some reason you dropped two copies of the GOCE newsletter on my talk page. Just thought I'd let you know, in case it was an AWB script bug or something.
Sorry about that. I'm using AWB and my internet connection is sluggish today, so it might have malfunctioned somewhat. Thanks for letting me know and hope to see you at the drive. – SMasters (talk) 08:53, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Hi, for the next time you deliver a newsletter, is it possible to configure AWB to not make the edit if the associated user is indef blocked? Cheers, Amalthea09:08, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Sorry it does not have this option. Please tell me who it is so that I can remove them from our mailing list. Thanks! – SMasters (talk) 09:10, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
I've added a feature request. Adding the username to your blacklist would of course help here, but this happens for all kinds of newsletters, an option to avoid this would I think be best. Thanks, Amalthea10:11, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Hello SMasters. I see that User:YellowMonkey is still receiving the GOCE newsletter, though he has left Wikipedia. His last edit was November, 2010. Is it OK if I add his name to the 'exclude' list for newsletter delivery? Thanks, EdJohnston (talk) 18:04, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Yes, please do. He is probably found on one of our membership lists. When I have time, I will put down where we get the names for our mailing list from. People signup and then forget they have done so. We do not use any lists outside of the GOCE pages to compile our mailing list. If someone has left or resigned, we will not know unless they remove themselves from those pages. Thanks for spotting this. Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 07:02, 5 May 2011 (UTC)
Triple crown
Thank you for the unexpected triple crown. That was kind of you, and I'm sure the others in the Oregon Project appreciate it as well. Finetooth (talk) 18:04, 4 May 2011 (UTC)
Please help assess articles for Public Policy Initiative research
Hi SMasters/Archives/2011/May,
Your work as an Online Ambassador is making a big contribution to Wikipedia. Right now, we're trying to measure just how much student work improves the quality of Wikipedia. If you'd like contribute to this research and get a firsthand look at the quality improvement that is happening through the project, please sign up to assess articles. Assessment is happening now, just use the quantitative metric and start assessing! Your help would be hugely appreciated!
GOCE May 2011 backlog elimination drive progress graphs
So far, 54 people have signed up for the drive, and 33 are actively participating. If you signed up for the drive but have not participated yet, it's not too late! Try to copy edit at least a few articles. Remember, if you have rollover words from the last drive, you will lose them if you do not participate in this drive. If you have not signed up for the drive yet, you can sign up now. If you have questions about getting started, feel free to talk to us. Many thanks to those editors who have been helping out at the Requests page. We currently have 17 articles awaiting edit.
Progress report
We are making slow progress on achieving our target of reducing the overall backlog by 15%; in order to accomplish this goal we will need to complete about 400 more articles. However, we are making good progress on the 2009 backlog, as we have eliminated over half of the articles from 2009 that were present at the start of the drive. Let's concentrate our fire power on the remaining months from 2009; leaderboard awards will be handed out for 2009 articles this drive. Thank you for participating in the May 2011 drive. We hope it will be another success!
Just wanted to let you know that after receiving duplicate May backlog drive notices (I changed my username from Wi2g about a month ago), I added my old username to the exclusion list; however, I just received two mid-drive updates. How often does the bot update the mailing list?--Miniapolis (talk) 15:05, 15 May 2011 (UTC)
Sorry, I did not use a bot this time. It was sent using AWB manually, but I did not check the exclusion list this time round as I assumed that all names from the current drive page would not have been a problem. Will do a check next time I do this. Thanks for letting me know. Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 16:05, 15 May 2011 (UTC)
Hi Cirt, yes, it can, but please nominate it at WP:CROWN/NOM together with evidence (as per instructions). We need it there so that there is a record of the nomination and its associated evidence. Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 00:32, 10 May 2011 (UTC)
Hi! This is the last call for signing on for a Wikipedia Ambassador hooded sweatshirt (in case you missed the earlier message in one of the program newsletters about it). If you would like one, please email me with your name, mailing address, and (US) sweatshirt size. We have a limited number left, so it will be first-come, first-served. (If more than one size would work for you, note that as well.)
The newest version of the May Drive graphs on the clickthrough only shows through the 17th, not the 20th...no idea why the graphs on the Drive Page are through the 20th. I saw your revision hist. of the file, and it must be some sort of bug, because I know you were there. I just would like to see the higher-quality blowup, and it only shows through the 17th for some reason. You'll probably understand it better if you just click on the graph image. BronsonboyHQ20:19, 21 May 2011 (UTC)
Thanks for the note. I'm aware that there are some problems with Commons at the moment. I have updated it again today but the main image is still not working. I'll try to see if anyone in IRC knows anything. By the way, did you manage to setup your IRC? – SMasters (talk) 04:10, 22 May 2011 (UTC)
You don't need to register the software. Just need to wait for a bit for their ad, and then you can still use the software. Under "Servers", add "Freenode IRC". That is the server that we use. If I'm on, I usually hang around #wikipedia-en #wikipedia-en-ambassadors #wikipedia-en-classroom and #WikiSignpost. If you have problems, try to get on #wikipedia-en online and someone there should be able to help you out while you do your setup. Hope to catch you around there sometime. Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 03:48, 24 May 2011 (UTC)
Wikibreak
I SMasters. Just a note to let you know that I will be out of town from Thurs May 26 through Sun May 29. Would you be able to update the daily chart for the drive while I am away? I may get the chance to pop in now and then but I don't know what times of day I will be available. Thanks. --Diannaa(Talk)18:31, 23 May 2011 (UTC)
Thanks for letting me know, and thanks so much for the daily updates. I'm around but have been up to my eyeballs in work. Sure, I will do the daily updates and will keep an eye on things. Thanks for all your help so far, and have a nice wikibreak! Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 01:03, 24 May 2011 (UTC)
Please take the Wikipedia Ambassador Program survey
Hi Ambassador,
We are at a pivotal point in the development of the Wikipedia Ambassador Program. Your feedback will help shape the program and role of Ambassadors in the future. Please take this 10 minute survey to help inform and improve the Wikipedia Ambassadors.
WMF will de-identify results and make them available to you. According to KwikSurveys' privacy policy: "Data and email addresses will not be sold, rented, leased or disclosed to 3rd parties." This link takes you to the online survey: http://kwiksurveys.com?u=WPAmbassador_talk
Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments, Thank You!
Yes for the first, because nominators of FPs count. And yes to the second, because it is an edit of your file, which you uploaded. If the alternative was a completely different file, then it would not count. Cheers. – SMasters (talk) 05:05, 25 May 2011 (UTC)
Oh, sorry, I was confused with the 80s bit. For your other question, unfortunately, all FCs have to be current at the time of submission to WP:CROWN. If they lose their FC status after, that's OK. But they need to be Featured at the time of application. That's my understanding. – SMasters (talk) 15:31, 25 May 2011 (UTC)
WHy do the instructions say "For the Regular triple crown, the Imperial triple crown jewel, the Imperial Napoleonic triple crown and the Alexander the Great edition triple laurel crown nominations," but not Genghis Khan?--TonyTheTiger (T/C/BIO/WP:CHICAGO/WP:FOUR) 14:38, 26 May 2011 (UTC)
I apologize. I have been referencing the wrong name. I hope to go for the The ultimate triple crown next month. You will have to create a new one for 250 or something.
WikiProject Report
Thomas888b had to pull out of his scheduled articles, so I've tentatively moved them to June 13 and 20. I can handle both of them, but you're welcome to take one if you'd like. There is also an opening on June 27. -Mabeenot (talk) 21:17, 25 May 2011 (UTC)
I've started the aircraft interview, but June 20 and June 27 are still up for grabs. Also, don't forget that you're scheduled for Wikipedia-Books next week. Cheers! -Mabeenot (talk) 14:25, 29 May 2011 (UTC)