User talk:Jethro B/Archive 4
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The Signpost: 01 April 2013
- Special report: Who reads which Wikipedia?
The Wikimedia Foundation has released its latest report card for the movement's hundreds of sites. The WMF has published statistics about the sites since 2009, but only recently have these been expanded in scope and depth to provide a rich source of data for investigating the movement and the world it serves. Dutch-born Erik Zachte is the driver of the WMF's statistical output, and he writes that the report card and accompanying traffic statistics comprise "enough tables, bar charts and plots to keep you busy for a while".
- WikiProject report: Special: FAQs
This week's Report is dedicated to answering our readers' questions about WikiProjects. The following Frequently Asked Questions came from feedback at the WikiProject Report's talk page, the WikiProject Council's talk page, and from previous lists of FAQs.
- Featured content: What the ?
The Signpost interviewed prolific featured content creator and former Signpost "featured content" report writer Crisco 1492 about ? and Indonesian cinema. ? was the "Today's featured article" for 1 April 2013. 1 April is popularly known as April Fools' Day in many countries.
- News and notes: Grants given for Wikipedia Library, six others; April Fool's Day ructions
The first round of individual engagement grants (IEGs) have been awarded, disbursing about $55.6k (€42.7k) to seven applicants.
- Arbitration report: Three open cases
A case brought by Lecen involves several articles about former Argentinian president Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793–1877).
- Technology report: Wikidata phase 2 deployment timetable in doubt
Users of ten Wikipedias got access to phase 2 of Wikidata following its first rollout to production wikis.
The Signpost: 08 April 2013
- Wikizine: WMF scales back feature after outcry
Numerous Wikimedia Commons editors have chimed in on the Wikimedia Foundation's deployment of a new feature to its mobile website. Allowing anonymous users to register and upload pictures for use in an article, the feature was placed prominently at the top of Wikipedia articles in multiple languages.
- WikiProject report: Earthshattering WikiProject Earthquakes
This week, we felt the world tremble in the presence of WikiProject Earthquakes. The project was started in May 2008 to deal with articles about earthquakes, aftershocks, seismology, seismologists, plate tectonics, and related articles. While the project has seen success building 14 Featured Articles, one A-class Article, and 21 Good Articles, a fairly heavy workload remains, with a relative WikiWork rating of 4.94. WikiProject Earthquakes maintains a portal, a list of open tasks, a popular pages listing, and an article alerts watchlist.
- News and notes: French intelligence agents threaten Wikimedia volunteer
Last Friday, the Wikimedia movement awoke to news that one of their number—Rémi Mathis, a French volunteer editor—had been summoned to the offices of the interior intelligence service DCRI and threatened with criminal charges and fines if he did not delete an article on the French Wikipedia about a radio station used by the French military.
- Arbitration report: Subject experts needed for Argentine History
The arbitration committee is looking for expertise in Argentina and the Spanish language for a case involving former Argentinean president Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793–1877).
- Featured content: Wikipedia loves poetry
Four articles and two pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia this week.
- Technology report: Testing week
The deployment of phase 2 of Wikidata to the English Wikipedia, originally scheduled for 8 April but delayed due to technical problems, may be rescheduled again as the result of community resistance.
The Signpost: 15 April 2013
- Op-ed: How do we fix RfA inactivity?
The RfA process is widely discussed here on the English Wikipedia and it has been well documented that less and less new Requests for adminship are being filed. There are an abundance of bytes devoted to the discussion and analysis of this situation and plenty of hands have been wrung over the matter. Various RfCs have attempted to find a way to fix the problem. Many proposals have been made offering solutions, some more potentially drastic than others, with the goal of making the changes necessary to kick–start RfA back into regular action. However, Wikipedia operates based on consensus and, to this point, there are have simply been too many disagreeing views for us to reach a consensus on how to increase RfA activity.
- WikiProject report: Unity in Diversity: South Africa
This week, we ventured to WikiProject South Africa. The project was started in February 2005 and is home to thirteen pieces of featured material, two A-class articles, and twenty-one good articles.
- News and notes: Another admin reform attempt flops
The most recent move to reform the requests for adminship process on the English Wikipedia has failed, after a complex and drawn-out three-step procedure for community input was subject to decreasing participation as time wore on and came up with no clear consensus.
- Featured content: The featured process swings into high gear
Four articles, twelve lists, and seven pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia this week.
The Signpost: 22 April 2013
- In the media: Wikipedia inaccurate, says Florence; New Wikipedia app for breaking news
An article by John Sweeney published on 22 April 2013 on scnow.com, the website of the Florence, South Carolina Morning News, reported that Florence city officials have taken to monitoring and correcting the Wikipedia article on their city.
- WikiProject report: WikiProject Editor Retention
This week, we spent some time with a project that develops tools and methods for improving the user experience in the hope that new users will continue editing the encyclopedia. The project was started in July 2012 and has grown to include 124 members. The project's members partner with the Teahouse and the Welcoming Committee to spread WikiLove, welcome new users, encourage civility, and other related activities.
- News and notes: Milan conference a mixed bag
The Wikimedia Conference is an annual meeting of the chapters to discuss their status and the organisational development of the Wikimedia movement. For the first time it included groups that wish to be considered for WMF affiliation as thematic organisations and one of the three groups that was recently affiliated as a user group. The conference was also attended by members of the Wikimedia Foundation's (WMF) Board of Trustees, the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC), the WMF Affiliations Committee, and a representative of the Wikivoyage Association.
- Featured content: Batfish in the Red Sea
Nine articles, four lists, eight pictures, and one topic were promoted to "featured" status this week on the English Wikipedia.
- Arbitration report: Sexology case nears closure after stalling over topic ban
The Sexology case is nearing completion after arbitrators were unable to agree on a topic ban for one of the participants.
- Technology report: A flurry of deployments
On Monday, the English Wikipedia became the 12th wiki to be able to pull data from the central Wikidata.org repository, with other wikis scheduled to receive the update on Wednesday.
The Signpost: 29 April 2013
- News and notes: Chapter furore over FDC knockbacks; First DC GLAM boot-camp
The Funds Dissemination Committee released its recommendations to the WMF board last Sunday. The news that the Hong Kong chapter's application for US$212K had failed was followed by a strongly worded resignation announcement by Deryck Chan on the public Wikimedia-l mailing-list.
- In the media: Wikipedia's sexism; Yuri Gadyukin hoax
On 24 April 2013, novelist Amanda Filipacchi published what turned out to be an influential op-ed in the New York Times; illuminating the unusual background of the Yuri Gadyukin hoax.
- Featured content: Wiki loves video games
Nine articles, three lists, three pictures, and one topic were promoted to "featured" this week.
- WikiProject report: Japanese WikiProject Baseball
This week, we traveled to the Japanese Wikipedia's WikiProject Baseball for perspectives from a version of Wikipedia that treats WikiProjects as their own unique namespace (プロジェクト:) independent of "Wikipedia:".
- Traffic report: Most popular Wikipedia articles
The WP:TOP25 and WP:5000 reports chronicle the most popular Wikipedia articles on a weekly basis.
- Arbitration report: Sexology closed; two open cases
The Sexology case closed shortly after publication with no changes.
- Recent research: Sentiment monitoring; UNESCO and systemic bias; and more
A report on an online service which was created to conduct real-time monitoring of Wikipedia articles of companies, and more.
- Technology report: New notifications system deployed across Wikipedia
This week saw the deployment of the Echo extension, also known as "notifications".
The Signpost: 06 May 2013
- News and notes: Candidates nominating for Foundation elections; Looking ahead to Wikimania 2014
Although not yet in great numbers, candidates are coming forward for Wikimedia Foundation elections, which will be held from 1 to 15 June. The elections will fill vacancies in three categories, the most prominent of which will be the three community-elected seats on the ten-member Board of Trustees (or the first Board meeting after the election results are announced, if sooner). The current two-year terms for these trustee positions ends on 1 September.
- Technology report: Foundation successful in bid for larger Google subsidy
The Wikimedia Foundation will be receiving more than $100,000 worth of free developer time courtesy of internet giant Google, it was announced this week. The funds, allocated as part of Google's Summer of Code programme, will support up to 21 student developers through three months of coding time.
- Featured content: WikiCup update: full speed ahead!
May sees the beginning of Round 3 of the 2013 WikiCup, with 33 of the original 127 competitors remaining. ... six articles, ten pictures, and two portals were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia this week.
- In the media: New Wikipedia for Schools edition; Anders Behring Breivik's Wikipedia contributions
The SOS Children's Villages news service advised on 3 May 2013 that Wikipedia for Schools 2013 is nearly ready for release. ... On 26 April 2013, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation published an article reviewing Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik's edits to the English Wikipedia, where it revealed the name of Breivik's English Wikipedia account.
- WikiProject report: Earn $100 in cash... and a button!
This week's English Wikipedia project, WikiProject Biophysics, is home to several experts in their fields and a collaboration with the Biophysical Society. The project is hosting a contest through July 15 with six contributors winning $100 in cash and given the opportunity to attend the 2014 meeting of the Biophysical Society in San Francisco. Other strong entries will be awarded barnstars online and everyone who contributes can receive a physical button mailed out to them.
The Signpost: 13 May 2013
- News and notes: WMF–community ruckus on Wikimedia mailing list
The removal of administrator rights from all volunteers on the Wikimedia Foundation's official website sparked a highly emotional reaction on the Wikimedia-l mailing list—one of the largest off-wiki methods of communication for the Wikimedia movement.
- WikiProject report: Knock Out: WikiProject Mixed Martial Arts
This week, we spent some time watching WikiProject Mixed Martial Arts, which was started in August 2005 and has grown to include 12 Good Articles and a Featured List.
- Featured content: A mushroom, a motorway, a Munich gallery, and a map
Fourteen articles, three lists, and three pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia, including Boletus luridus, seen above.
- In the media: PR firm accused of editing Wikipedia for government clients; can Wikipedia predict the stock market?
An article published on May 10 on Odwyerpr.com written by Greg Hazley documented a "spar" between Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and public relations firm Qorvis partner Matt Lauer, who disputes Wikipedia's guideline discouraging public relations firms from editing articles on their clients.
- Arbitration report: Race and politics opened; three open cases
The Race and politics case has been accepted for arbitration, and the evidence phase is now open. Two other cases remain open.
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The Signpost: 20 May 2013
- Foundation elections: Trustee candidates speak about Board structure, China, gender, global south, endowment
Nominations closed last Friday for the three community-elected seats on the Wikimedia Foundation's (WMF) ten-member Board of Trustees—the ultimate corporate authority of the worldwide WMF. The Board has influential roles and responsibilities over one of the most powerful global information sources on the Internet.
- WikiProject report: Classical Greece and Rome
This week, we traveled to WikiProject Classical Greece and Rome. The project was started in May 2006 and has 37 featured articles.
- News and notes: Spanish Wikipedia leaps past one million articles
On 16 May, the Spanish Wikipedia became the seventh Wikipedia to cross the million article Rubicon, a symbolic yet important achievement.
- In the media: Qworty incident continues
Salon.com published another article detailing the ongoing incidents with Wikipedia user Qworty, who has identified himself as Robert Clark Young. It documents Qworty's role in the controversy involving Amanda Filipacchi's op-ed, which kindled a debate on Wikipedia sexism as it relates to categories, where Qworty was responsible for a series of revenge edits against Filipacchi in the days after she released her op-ed.
- Featured content: Up in the air
Nine articles, six lists, and eight pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia this week.