User talk:Andyvphil

The Signpost: 15 October 2012

Op-ed: AdminCom: A proposal for changing the way we select admins

There is wide agreement among English Wikipedians that the administrator system is in some ways broken—but no consensus on how to fix it. Most suggestions have been relatively small in scope, and could at best produce small improvements. I would like to make a proposal to fundamentally restructure the administrator system, in a way that I believe would make it more effective and responsive. The proposal is to create an elected Administration Committee ("AdminCom") which would select, oversee, and deselect administrators.

In the media: Wikipedia's language nerds hit the front page

This week saw a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal on editorial debates in Wikipedia. The story focused on the title-naming dispute surrounding the Beatles article, and specifically the RfC on whether the 'the' in the band's name should be capitalized or not.

Featured content: Second star to the left

On the English Wikipedia, five featured articles, ten featured lists, and four featured pictures were promoted, including USS Lexington, a ship built for the United States Navy that, although ordered in 1916 as a battlecruiser, was converted to an aircraft carrier. It was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea during the Second World War.

News and notes: Chapters ask for big bucks

The volunteer-led Wikimedia Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) and interested community members are looking at Wikimedia organization applications worth about US$10.4 million out of the committee's first full year's operation, in just the inaugural round one of two that have been planned for the year with a planned budget of US$11.4M.

Technology report: Wikidata is a go: well, almost

A trial of the first phase of Wikimedia Deutschland's "Wikidata" project–implementing the first ever interwiki repository—may soon get underway following the successful passage of much of its code through MediaWiki's review processes this week.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Chemicals

This week, we experimented with WikiProject Chemicals. Started in August 2004, WikiProject Chemicals has grown to include over 10,000 articles about chemical compounds. The project has a unique assessment system that omits C-class, Good, and Featured Articles. As a result, the project's 11 GAs and 9 FAs are treated as A-class articles. WikiProject Chemicals is a child of WikiProject Chemistry (interviewed in 2009) and a parent of WikiProject Polymers.

October 2014

You have been blocked temporarily from editing for persistent disruptive editing. Once the block has expired, you are welcome to make useful contributions. If you think there are good reasons why you should be unblocked, you may appeal this block by adding the following text below this notice: {{unblock|reason=Your reason here ~~~~}}. However, you should read the guide to appealing blocks first. Gamaliel (talk) 01:04, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

This user's unblock request has been reviewed by an administrator, who accepted the request.

Andyvphil (block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser (log))

Request reason:

I have been blocked by Gamaliel for not obeying his order that I "Go away"(his words) without getting my concerns about his actions as an administrator, and his unCIVILly calling me names ("racist"), fully addressed. The intro to the "archive" suggests I take it to some other page, but no such page was suggested. I have quoted some of the policies violated by this block immediately below the full text of the conversation that resulted in this block. Andyvphil (talk) 2:47 am, Today (UTC+1)

Accept reason:

Procedural closure of template; user is no longer blocked. Yunshui ^雲 _水 07:57, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Do you agree not to edit Gamaliel's page for the duration of this block? That is, no earlier than 01:03 GMT 21 Oct 2014 (if I got the time conversion right?--v/r - T P 03:16, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I'm asking to be unblocked because the block was in violation of policy. I want that addressed on its merits, not evaded. Andyvphil (talk) 04:03, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Given my previous disagreements with Andyvphil regarding his discussion style, I don't enjoy agreeing with him on this, but he's right. The block is bad on its face, and needs reverted. After that, a discussion thread can be opened at the appropriate noticeboard regarding Gamaliel's issues with things Andyvphil has posted. LHM^{ask me a question} 04:09, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Gamaliel finally unblocked at the very moment I was typing the above post. While that is a positive development, the unblock happened with an edit summary of "harass away", and was followed by a blanking and protection of Gamaliel's talkpage, and a further refusal of my request for diffs regarding the serious accusations leveled at Andyvphil. LHM^{ask me a question} 04:18, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for asking. How do you suggest I proceed so as to get access to the hidden text, so that I may properly contest that action? Andyvphil (talk) 04:27, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Since you are the person who made the post that was revdel'd, I think you should probably just ask an admin to tell you what the content was. At that point, you could either ask Gamaliel why it was revdel'd, if you're still unsure, or take it to the appropriate noticeboard. If you do so, I would strongly encourage you to mollify your strident tone as much as possible. I know you feel wronged--and have reason to feel that way, given the WP:INVOLVED block that was levied against you--but taking such a tone sometimes makes it difficult to get to any points you are trying to make in a given discussion. Regards, LHM^{ask me a question} 04:35, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I think my tone above was remarkably polite, under the circumstances. Are you an administrator? I can't say I know any that I would want to put the request to, and you are already somewhat familiar with the issue. Andyvphil (talk) 04:58, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I am not, nor do I particularly wish to be. Perhaps @TParis: could assist you? LHM^{ask me a question} 05:03, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, he is the obvious choice. Thanks again. Since you pinged him, I'll just wait here.

@Tparis: I believe the appropriate word is, "please".Andyvphil (talk) 05:10, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Your diff has been emailed to you.--v/r - T P 05:23, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

transcluded for convenience, the conversation from Gamaliel's talk page that resulted in a block:

removal from public archives

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

I will be objecting to your actions here.[1] It will be helpful in defending my words if I have access to them. Will you supply this?

I will not re-add these edits to the page in question unless they are deemed unobjectionable. Andyvphil (talk) 12:41, 18 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I have no objection to any complaint or review of my actions, but such a review should not serve as another soapbox to discuss negative, evidence-free theories about a living individual, and I fear that providing you with those offensive comments would lead to this, so I must decline your polite request.

Since we're being polite and not in the heat of an argument or an editing conflict, I will ask you to reconsider the things you have said about the subject of the article. You have repeatedly suggested that a prominent and successful academic of color was a failure as an academic and only succeeded as a result of affirmative action, despite ample evidence of his achievments in his field. This is incredibly offensive and racist, even if you do not mean it to be, and I find it particularly offensive personally as an academic who is a racial minority myself. Gamaliel (talk) 16:21, 18 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Gamaliel, I suspect you will also wish to see this AN/I thread started by Andyvphil: Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents#Participation by Admin Dreadstar in edit war at The Federalist (website) AFTER fully protecting the article. Prioryman (talk) 16:07, 18 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. Gamaliel (talk) 16:21, 18 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"You have repeatedly suggested that a prominent and successful academic of color was a failure as an academic and only succeeded as a result of affirmative action..."

No, I have not. He washed out at UTA, but succeeded in getting degrees at Harvard (with honors) and Columbia, and I have not suggested otherwise. Nor have I ever said that he succeeded "only" as a result of affirmative action. I have inquired of the new editors at NGT if they have seen evidence of material on help that Tyson was given because of his race that the group of editors previously in control of the page might have thought inappropriate to mention, as they had in the case of Tyson being kicked out of the UTA PhD program. If the material exists but has been, like the UTA failure, suppressed or minimized, it will be entirely appropriate to evaluate whether the judgement of the previously resident group of editors should be overruled.

This correction to your characterization of what I said is, I believe, similar to what I said in response to someone else who mischaracterized what I had written, and which was part of what you deleted. That I can reproduce similar material at will is obvious, and makes your claim that supplying me with the text you deleted will somehow empower me to repeat sentiments you find offensive, in a way that I would otherwise be unable to, obviously absurd.

The mischaracterization of what I had written was preceeded by the expression, "Bullshit!" Part of what you deleted was my response, not in kind, listing various incivilities to which I had been subjected in the course of this discussion, including your use of the exact same term in a revert edit comment. It was particularly inappropriate of you to removed this.

Inasmuch as your refusal does not serve your stated purpose, I renew my request for access to the deleted text. Andyvphil (talk) 04:09, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I have reviewed your deleted comments again and I believe you are not accurately or not completely summarizing them here. Nor do I feel you grasp the substance of my comments to you given that you have largely focused on the single word "only". It's immaterial whether you assert that someone only succeeded because of an racist assumption unsupported by evidence, or in part because of a racist assumption unsupported by evidence. Gamaliel (talk) 04:25, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Well, I'm certainly not claiming to "accurately [and] completely summariz[e]" comments I cannot examine. The observation that, if Tyson benefited from assistance because of his race, that certain editors may have decided to suppress mention of that fact is not a "racist assertion", and the clearly overboard insertion of "only" in your mal-description of my words is something you are responsible for. You are WP:INVOLVED. I suggest you seek a second opinion. Andyvphil (talk) 05:33, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

If you make an assertion about someone with no evidence to back that assertion up beyond the color of that person's skin, then that is, by definition, racist. If you wish to expound further on this matter, find somewhere else to do so besides my talk page. Gamaliel (talk) 05:42, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

That is of course nonsense unless you exclude assertions about probability from the category "assertions". For example, if I assert someone is more likely to carry the gene for sickle cell anemia with no evidence other than the color of his skin that is a true fact, and truths are by definition not racist. Falsehood is the part of the definition of racism that you are omitting.

You're claim that I repeatedly made a "racist assertion" implies that you can supply an actual racist quote from my writings that one hiding revert will not have deleted. Please do so.

As to communicating with you on your talk page, you have an obligation to be responsive in relation to inquiries about your admin actions. I can't offhand supply the shortcut to the relevant paragraph , though I read it recently, but I assume you know which one it is. Something about ACCOUNTABILITY, maybe? Andyvphil (talk) 14:51, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I do not have the obligation to repeatedly engage with someone who insists on making blanket racist assertions. I will ask you a second time, politely, to drop it because I find your comments personally offensive, for reasons I have already explained to you and you choose to ignore, and in violation of Wikipedia policies. I will also ask you a second time, politely, to take this conversation elsewhere. The third time I have to do either one in regards to my talk page will be the last, and will not be polite, and may involve blocking and/or profanity in multiple languages. In case you do not get the hint, I am also archiving this conversation. Gamaliel (talk) 16:54, 19 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

[[I added the following response after the "archive" box [2]]]

Putting a box around our conversation to date does not relieve you from your duty as an administrator to "[respond] promptly and fully to all good-faith concerns raised about [your] administrative actions." In addition to concealing the content and existence of my response to a personal attack, you have mischaracterized what I have supposedly written on multiple occasions both as to its exact content and character ("racist") while refusing to produce any examples to which those mischaracterizations can be compared. Your threat to further clown yourself by using still more abusive language and/or a block to respond to what you have previously admitted was a civil inquiry is noted. Andyvphil (talk) 00:38, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

[[This was reverted with the comment: "What part of 'go away' do you not understand?" ['https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Gamaliel&diff=prev&oldid=630310213]]]

[[I placed the following in the wrong place, then attempted to self-revert (intending to place it correctly) and discovered a block had gone into effect. G had already reverted it, with a dismissive "m".[3]]]

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Gamaliel&diff=prev&oldid=630310213 I won't revert your removal of my immediately preceeding comment from your talk page, as I understand you have wider than usual latitude here. Though I also understand that selective removals can be considered problematic. I suggest you self revert.

I understand "go away" perfectly well. What part of my observation that "go away" is an out-of-policy response to a civil inquiry as to your administrative actions are you having difficulty understanding? If you are having a problem remaining civil there is, I have discovered, a procedure you are directed to follow. You're much more familiar with process than I. You must know this. Andyvphil (talk) 00:59, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Some relevant policy, much of it violated:

Wikipedia:Administrators WP:Administrators

This page in a nutshell: Administrators are... expected to observe a high standard of conduct, to use the tools fairly, and never to use them to gain advantage in a dispute. ...

Administrator conduct

...consistently or egregiously poor judgment may result in the removal of administrator status. ...if an administrator finds that he or she cannot adhere to site policies... while addressing a given issue, then the administrator should bring the issue to a noticeboard or refer it to another administrator to address...

Accountability

WP:ADMINACCT Administrators are accountable for their actions involving administrator tools... Subject only to the bounds of civility, avoiding personal attacks, and reasonable good faith, editors are free to question or to criticize administrator actions. Administrators are expected to respond promptly and civilly to queries about their Wikipedia-related conduct and administrator actions and to justify them when needed.

Administrators who seriously, or repeatedly, act in a problematic manner... may be sanctioned or have their access removed. In the past, this has happened or been suggested for: ...

Breach of basic policies (attacks, biting/civility, edit warring,...)

...

Failure to communicate^[6] – this can be either to users (e.g., lack of suitable... explanations of actions), or to concerns of the community (especially when explanations or other serious comments are sought).
Repeated or consistent poor judgment

Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Betacommand

Communication

[4] 7) ... all editors are expected to respond to messages intended for them in a timely manner and to constructively discuss controversial issues. This is especially true for administrators in regard to administrative actions. Such expected communication includes: ... using accurate and descriptive edit and administrative action summaries; and responding promptly and fully to all good-faith concerns raised about their administrative actions.

Here's a list

Of your last 1,000 edits to mainspace.[5] Which one are you most proud of as an example of your most important work? Take a minute to think about it. Do you even need a minute? I thought not. Viriditas (talk) 22:22, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

You have way too much time on your hands if you have time for this kind of pathetic attempted snark. I have three candidates. What's yours? Andyvphil (talk) 22:54, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I'm happy to share. Of my last 1000 edits, I'm most proud of: Molly Crabapple (major rewrite); Plaincourault Chapel (new article), Yamaha NS-10 (Good Article review); Cebrennus rechenbergi (major rewrite, DYK review); Paul Conrad (rewrite and GA nom); Cannabis and time perception (new article); Frances Ames (new article); The Exaltation of the Flower (new article); Chain Reaction (sculpture) (rewrite, still working on it); List of City of Santa Monica Designated Historic Landmarks (completed major update); Pay Any Price: Greed, Power, and Endless War (new article). OK, now you? Viriditas (talk) 23:11, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

My, you are one busy Wikipedian. All that and a sustained effort to edit war all mention of Tyson's failings out of Wikipedia, too. In my case I would think 1000 mainspace edits might take me back to 2008, but I am most recently proud of inserting the first hint of fairness to Darren Wilson into the "Shooting of Michael Brown" article, mentioning the eyewitness inadvertently heard describing Brown charging Wilson. Stuck on the page, too, as the resident editors, though mostly with biases different than mine, are not so deeply engaged in denying reality as the Tyson claque. Andyvphil (talk) 23:23, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Because there are only so many hours in a day, I'm not as familiar with Darren Wilson and Michael Brown as you are. Could you tell me what was unfair about it before you modified the article? You don't have to give me an essay or anything, but I am genuinely curious about the topic and how you think you improved it. Viriditas (talk) 23:29, 20 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Reminder

(Redacted this material due to BLP concerns) --John (talk) 18:51, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Topic Ban proposed at ANI

I have proposed that you be topic banned from all edits related to Biographies of Living Persons, and that discretionary sanctions be applied to your edits. This is a sub heading under your ANI thread, and may be found at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents#Topic Ban of Andyvphil. This has the side effect, hopefully, of separating the discussion of your edits from the discussion of what, if anything, should be done about Gamaliel's. UltraExactZZ ^Said~ Did 16:25, 21 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Recent ANI

By the way, it was stupid to put in that ANI request. Not only did you obviously get yourself in hot water, but even if EVERYONE there agreed with you, they still wouldn't have the power to do anything about it. Only the arbitration committee in normal circumstances (and stewards/jimbo in extraordinary circumstances) have the authority to remove someone from being an admin. So what you were asking for they didn't have the authority to do. Read this if you want to know more:Wikipedia:Removing_administrator_rights. --Obsidi (talk) 22:06, 21 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

That's interesting, and thanks for the link, but contrary to what drmies says, I am not a "procedural wonk". ANI was recommended to me by the admin who I asked to provide me with the revdel text (which he, unlike Gamaliel, courteously did). He seems quite determined that Gamaliel's lack of "white privilege" should protect his bit, and did not provide the link you have, but perhaps he did not realize I would be interested in it. You have failed to note that part (b) of my request was, iirc, merely a request for information on how to begin, which I gather you have now provided. And part (a) is, I still suppose, within the ambit of ANI? In any case, the hot water does not discomfort me much. The surprisingly unanimous (I was expecting some, but didn't realize the rot had gone this far) three-minute hate that was the reaction is so obviously Orwellian that it has occurred to me that I may want to seek attention to it outside Wikipedia as the best way to improve the workings of the project. If they ban me without providing plausible diffs, that'll help. Andyvphil (talk) 00:13, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Asking to get the revdel information sent to you is perfectly acceptable to go to ANI for that (just not the rest of the hornets nest). --Obsidi (talk) 02:26, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I already have it. I was told not to quote it. The request is not to get it, but to have it undeleted. Andyvphil (talk) 02:33, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict)I agree with Obsidi. Your only viable option would've been to open an Arbcom request for Gamaliel's tools which, if they went by the letter of the law, would have resulted in desysopping, in my opinion. The block was very out-of-process, ass was the protection of his own talkpage, and (possibly) the revdel, depending upon what you said in it. In all cases, if he thought admin action was needed, he should've gone to the appropriate noticeboard, not done it himself. That said, it was a terrible idea to open that ANI. You have angered so many editors with whom you disagree politically that it was bound to turn out poorly for you. LHM^{ask me a question} 00:19, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

As I said, I was just doing what I understood an admin to whom I posed the question recommended. If the denizens at ANI want to clearly demonstrate just how hostile the environment at Wikipedia is for editors who don't share their political views, that may not be entirely a bad thing. Timid responses to intimidation is a part of the problem I will not be contributing to. Andyvphil (talk) 00:28, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

If you're referring to me, I specifically said that "I wouldn't recommend you do that, I have a feeling that other editors are going to take issue with your style of communication and editing" with regard to ANI. I listed it because it was available - not that I recommended it.--v/r - T P 17:10, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I was referring to you, and I understood you to say it was the proper forum. I understood your recommendation against my doing so to be based not on it being the wrong place, but because I would be unpopular there. And also because you did not wish me to pursue sanctions against Gamalael. Which, however, I will continue to pursue. Andyvphil (talk) 20:17, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Obsidi That link says "The community also has the power to remove administrator access from any contributor." and "Established processes for removal of administrator access include:" - Also Wikipedia:Requests_for_de-adminship#Current_methods_of_requesting_de-adminship says DR can remove the bit - So If the ANI had come back with a "remove-bit" consensus (And assuming that consensus was considered fair and large enough), its a bit (pun!) of an open question as to what would have happened. Gaijin42 (talk) 20:23, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I guess you could go to arbcom at that point to try to enforce the community consensus (and they would be more likely to remove an admin with community consensus behind it). But I mean as a matter of actual ability to do so, a community consensus couldn't remove the bit (I mean no one has the ability in the software to do so). --Obsidi (talk) 20:29, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

WP:BLP

Hi. I thought I should remind you that WP:BLP applies everywhere on the project, including this user talk page. I noticed some material on the page that contravened this policy and removed it. If you restore this material, or post any more material like this anywhere else at Wikipedia, I will block you. Given your history this will be a long block. Only go down this road if a long block is really what you want. Best wishes, --John (talk) 18:54, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

@John: Please elaborate on what was said[6] that contravened BLP policy, per the policies on admin accountability quoted above. Since when can't one engage in an exchange of opinions on one's own talk page? Do I have to provided citations for assertions of fact there? What assertion of fact on my part do you feel needs such a citation? Andyvphil (talk) 21:14, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

See Beeblebrox's comments below. If you are having trouble comprehending our BLP policy it is well that you are no longer permitted to even discuss anything to do with living people. At this point you should think long and hard about your participation here. You indicate below that you are questioning whether you fit in here. I encourage you to continue with this self-examination. I would really like to see you in six months editing with a better appreciation of what you can and can't say about living people, and able to have your restriction lifted. The first step in that journey would be to realise that you have been way out of line in your recent behaviour, including the section I removed. The deleted material is still visible in article history. Why don't you look at it yourself and try to figure this out as an exercise in your development as a Wikipedian? The alternative I fear will be a long or indefinite block. You need to make a very conscious and thoughtful choice here about how you handle your restriction. Choose well. --John (talk) 21:35, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

@John: I don't feel the need for any re-education. You are being called to account for your actions as an administrator in accord with the policy quoted so conveniently above. Please start by naming ONE statement of fact by me in the material you redacted that you feel is in doubt. If there are none, you can start by naming ONE opinion that I am not entitled to hold and express here. I'm trying to make it very simple for you to be accountable. Presumably you do not have GAmalel's excuses for melting down instead. Andyvphil (talk) 21:52, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Mmm. Perhaps that is the problem, that you lack awareness of how your behaviour comes over to others. This is a private website and you have no freedom of speech here. If you continue to misbehave you will be asked to leave. I'm off to bed now and I suggest, as before, that you spend some time in self-reflection. That way may lie enlightenment. Anger, argument and self-righteousness are what got you to where you are. Let go of them, would be my advice. Good luck. --John (talk) 21:57, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"This is a private website and you have no freedom of speech here."

Do you mind if I quote you? That's juicy.

Accusing me of self-righteousness is, in this context, amusing. It's not as if I'm censoring you.

It is true I have no 1st Amendment right to say anything here. But if there's a community consensus against discussions such as I and Viriditas had (yes, I understood he was trolling for something similarly juicy from me) I must have missed its formation. Do you have a link? Andyvphil (talk) 22:10, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

It certainly looks like that, doesn't it, but in all honesty, I wasn't. I really wanted to have a discussion about your contributions and how you felt you improved the Shooting of Michael Brown topic. However, you didn't reply to my inquiries. After I saw the ANI thread, I added my experience, which included mentioning our discussion. I'm sorry that you feel I was trolling or trying to entrap you. I wasn't, and that just isn't my style. You know, there's a real easy way for you out of this mess. If you are interested in the path, all you have to do is start making quality contributions. It's that simple. Stop attacking people and stop playing the victim. Viriditas (talk) 00:45, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, it certainly looks like that, doesn't it? I figured you were looking for material to use against me at AN/I, and you did, though it didn't amount to much. I figure that, most recently, penetrating the hagiographic obscuration of Tyson's UTA washout was a quality contribution. And I'm not playing the victim. I was the victim of Gamaliel's misbehavior, etc.

And I'm glad we had the conversation, even if we talked past each other. It game me the opportunity to organize my thoughts about Tyson's "apology"/apologia on paper, and was the occasion for John's censorship, which is a useful example of the sickness plaguing Wikipedia.Andyvphil (talk) 17:12, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

BLP Topic Ban

@Beeblebrox: Am I right to assume this appeal time limit is to the standard direct appeal (through the Wikipedia:Unblock Ticket Request System). That he can still appeal to the WP:Arbitration Committee/Ban Appeals Subcommittee (of which I know you are one of the five members) or to appeals to Jimbo? (I'm not saying that either of these will actually work, just that is still possible.) --Obsidi (talk) 19:43, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

WP:BASC does not hear appeals of topic bans, so that would be a no on that aspect. I don't believe UTRS does either, they review blocks, not community-based sanctions. Jimbo's talk page is apparently always an option for just about anyone, but the chance that he would unilaterally overturn a community sanction is practically zero. Beeblebrox (talk) 19:48, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) No, not at all. UTRS and BASC are for site bans. In fact, UTRS isn't even for site bans, it's only for blocks. The appeal options are 1) Beeblebrox himself, 2) AN/ANI thread, 3) An Arbcom case/clarification, 4) Jimbo.--v/r - T P 19:48, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I think it is important to note that any appeal to me would have to be based on the idea that I misinterpreted what the consensus was on these issues, and not the underlying dispute itself. I closed the discussion because once I read the whole thing it seemed abundantly clear what the consensus was. Although there was not total unanimity the vast majority of commenters expressed serious concerns about Andyvphil's editing of biographical topics, and supported some sort of sanction. The real message here is this:A topic ban is the community's way of letting someone know this is probably their last chance to change their behavior. Andyvphil is probably nearing the end of his rope here if he cannot reign in his attitude. The community did not see fit to issue a total siteban, so reform is still possible and the sanction could easily be lifted if he shows restraint int the coming months. If instead he should endlessly appeal the sanction and/or continue with his combative attitude then it will probably go the other way fairly quickly. Beeblebrox (talk) 19:58, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Beeblebrox Since the appeals process has been raised, just for clarification, this topic ban was done under the standard community authority, and not under WP:NEWBLPBAN DS correct? (As a DS ban would have a different set of appeals processes in place I believe) Gaijin42 (talk) 20:15, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

That's correct. Beeblebrox (talk) 20:22, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict)It should be noted that, though it's not a !vote, my unofficial "nose count" was only 23-11 in favor, with most of the opposers asking for diffs of the supposed clear "racism" alleged in Andyvphil's edits, but only being provided with diffs where he stated his view that the subject of that BLP had benefited from affirmative action. While the !vote is slightly more than 2-1 in favor, that's hardly an "abundantly clear" consensus, at least in my view, particularly given the weak (and almost wholly unsupported) accusations of racism that were being cavalierly bandied about regarding Avp's edits. LHM^{ask me a question} 20:24, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"...that "affirmative action" had almost certainly been a consideration ..." I've been very careful about being precise in what I was saying in a hostile environment. Lets not stop now. (The opponents characterizing it, not so much. Maybe I should batch some up in an NPA action.) Andyvphil (talk) 21:04, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

At this point it doesn't matter (WP:DEADHORSE). --Obsidi (talk) 20:32, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

The near-unanimity of the folks insisting that BLP reads, "Don't even think of inquiring into facts that might pee on the leg of any of the liberal icon statues in Wikipedia" is not in doubt. For, "last chance to change your behavior", read "last chance to conform your political attitudes, or accept that you are racist slime here on Wikipedia". There's something in the instructions for closing discussions about weighing arguments, but no one can be forced to do that when they don't want to. Andyvphil (talk) 20:49, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Woo! This place is getting more Stalinist all the time. I just noticed the section immediately above. Free speech? What free speech? Are you sure you want to be a member of this club? Andyvphil (talk) 21:17, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

You may note that my closing contained no judgement whatsoever as to whether you are a closet racist or not. That's not really something that can be judged by consensus, only you actually know if you are or are not. What consensus can judge is the appropriateness of your edits, both in articles and on talk pages, and that is the issue this remedy seeks to deal with.

While I did read the entire conversation and did weigh arguments, if I go back now and "snout count" I get a result, judging by 'bolded statements, of 29 supporting some sort of sanction and 9 opposing (I note that some supporters favored a lesser sanction and some opposers self-identified their opposition as "weak". So it's closer to three to one in favor of some sort of sanction even if we disregard all the other conversation that did not use bolded votes.

In other words, it's not your opinions that are the problem, it is the way in which other users perceive you trying to slant content to agree with your point of view and your combative, seemingly intractable approach to discussing these issues with other editors. Beeblebrox (talk) 21:18, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"What consensus can judge is the appropriateness of your edits..."

The mob can reach a conclusion, such as "Inquiring into facts that might pee on the leg of Tyson's statue must be stopped because we don't like it." Calling that "judgement" traduces the word. That you chose to translate that conclusion into an indefinate block reflects badly on you. Andyvphil (talk) 21:34, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I've looked at your close, which includes "Gamaliel has acknowledged their error, and the consensus here seems to indicate that is a sufficient response".

Hey, what is it with this strange plural business? Is it the secret handshake of some some society you share with drmies?

Saying "Gamaliel has acknowledged his error" is false, both as regards his mischaracterization of me and my words ("repeatedly...blatantly racist"), and the impropriety of blocking me for calling him to account for his admin actions. Does your judgement ever come back from holiday, or is is gone for good? Andyvphil (talk) 22:27, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, no secret cabal here. If there had been, I would have suggested that Beeblebrox change "self-identified" to "qualified". Besides that, though, yeah, I think we're in agreement. It's called consensus. Correct me if I'm wrong, but your "strange plural" comment is in reference to "their error", a perfectly acceptable use of singular they. You are free, of course, to consider consensus as mob rule; that opinion is yours to have, but to me (us?) it comes across as sour grapes. Understandable, but not a very valid reason to question Beeblebrox's judgment, on vacation or otherwise. Drmies (talk) 22:56, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I see, you're both gender-inclusivity cranks. It's "perfectly acceptable" only in your small group, but has a signaling function for extreme leftism (I assume there are oddball exceptions). Good to know about Beeblebrox, and any future encounters with "them". Andyvphil (talk) 23:19, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I think Beeblebrox claims to be a "he", and I don't think he minds being referred to that way. That you think we're extreme leftists for not presuming someone's gender is the funniest thing I have heard all day, and for that I thank you. Drmies (talk) 23:55, 22 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I already knew about you. He's put his signalling on display. I don't need his MLA membership number to draw the right conclusions. You live a reality-free world where the existence of diversity goals and timetables tells you exactly nothing about the benefits, if any, for someone who can enable checking the right box, and it's racist to even consider the possibility of it being otherwise. I'm laughing too. Andyvphil (talk) 00:13, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Andy, I understand that you are upset. Generally nobody is pleased with being topic banned, so that's not surprising. However, if you continue to attack other users and hurl absolutely baseless, bizarre accusations around you are going to find yourself blocked, probably for a very long time. When one is getting very upset about matters on Wikipedia, the best course of action is to just walk away and do something else for a while. I would suggest you do yourself a favor and take a walk, watch some TV, or whatever you prefer to do to get your mind off of issues that are bothering you. Beeblebrox (talk) 00:42, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"Saying "Gamaliel has acknowledged his error" is false, both as regards his mischaracterization of me and my words ("repeatedly...blatantly racist"), and the impropriety of blocking me for calling him to account for his admin actions." Those are your words I'm talking about. If ignorance isn't involved, and you claim to have read the ANI, then what we have is indifference to the truth.

As I said in there somewhere, my first encounter with drmies was his coming to this page to declare that deleting a complaint from an "editor" about the indifference of Wikipedia to the truth was "not censorship", thereby proving the guy's point. I'll retract this observation if the the reason you used "they" to refer to Gamalael was a knowledge that he prefers it - that would be courtesy - but if you initiate this ridiculous practice on your own, then it is indeed diagnostic of your politics. I haven't seen your politics in action before this, but I have seen what drmies calls racism, and if you share the signalling there is every reason to believe that your neutrality on the issues presented is a pose. Andyvphil (talk) 02:30, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Alright That's enough, folks. Time to give Andy some room.--v/r - T P 02:05, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I don't much mind the baiting and demands that I recant. I'm contemptuous of it. I am anyway effectively lifetime banned from fixing the errors I run across when consulting Wikipedia, which has been my main interaction with it for some time (apart from simply consulting it).

I have never found AGF problematic with you, unlike with the likes of drmies, John and now, unfortunately Beeblebrox, despite our differences. I would therefor be interested in your comments on John's redaction from this page. Is this really the practice now? Andyvphil (talk)r ~

Arbitration enforcement request

Andyvphil, I see you've posted an arbitration enforcement request against Gamaliel at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Enforcement#Gamaliel. What on earth are you trying to achieve by doing that? Prioryman (talk) 07:28, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

According to you, it must be because I'm racist. Andyvphil (talk) 07:39, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I've removed your submission because whatever it was, it wasn't a request for arbitration enforcement. If you mean to initiate arbitration proceedings before the Committee, you can do so at WP:RFAR. Sandstein 07:44, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, exactly. Andyvphil, the link you just posted on Gamaliel's talk page directs them to Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case#Gamaliel, which doesn't exist. If I were you I would think very hard before posting an arbitration case request because your own conduct is inevitably going to come under close scrutiny if you do. You're topic-banned now. I don't think it would be wise to risk being banned entirely, which is a definite possibility. Prioryman (talk) 07:48, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

By the way, I've removed your notification from Gamaliel's talk page as your original request has been declined and it didn't go anywhere anyway. If you do take the step of refiling it on RFAR then please feel free to revert my removal. Prioryman (talk) 07:54, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

AVP, you're fighting too many dragons at the same time. Gamaliel is not your main problem right now! - Wikidemon (talk) 08:06, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not "fighting dragons". I can't quite figure out why I ended up on the wrong page, but I'll put it on the right page tomorrow. Andyvphil (talk) 09:43, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Actually it looks like my error was simply filing at the bottom of the page[7] rather than the bottom of the right section. Is this wrong? Andyvphil (talk) 09:56, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Did it again, properly this time, I hope. Andyvphil (talk) 10:23, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

You still need to include the confirmations that Gamaliel was informed about the ArbCom request. --Obsidi (talk) 15:28, 23 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. It was done, but I neglected that in my location screwup. Andyvphil (talk)

The Signpost: 22 October 2014

Featured content: Admiral on deck: a modern Ada Lovelace

Four articles, four lists, and fifty-three pictures were promoted to featured status.

Op-ed: Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution—a wiki-protest

Our op-ed writer this week opines that the organization of Hong Kong's "Umbrella Revolution" resembles how Wikipedia is organized.

In the media: The story of Wikipedia; Wikipedia reanimated and republished; New UK government social media rules; death of Italian Wikipedia administrator

Among many newsworthy stories this week, the Signpost notes the passing of Italian Wikipedia administrator and former Wikimedia Italia treasurer [Cotton

Traffic report: Death, War, Pestilence... Movies and TV

Ebola, movies and television articles appear in this week's top ten.

WikiProject report: De-orphanning articles—a huge task but with a huge team of volunteers to help

PaintedCarpet explains that "WikiProject Orphanage aims to connect all Wikipedia pages, so that pages can be found and read more easily."

Request for Arbitration declined

This is a courtesy notice to inform you that a request for arbitration, which named you as a party, has been declined. Feel free to see the Arbitrators' opinions for potential suggestions on moving forward.

For the Arbitration Committee, Ks0stm ^{(T•C•G•E)} 13:56, 29 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 29 October 2014

Featured content: Go West, young man

By the way, there is a monster at the end of this article

In the media: Wikipedia a trusted source on Ebola; Wikipedia study labeled government waste; football biography goes viral

Noam Cohen reports in The New York Times (October 26) that Wikipedia's "Ebola Virus Disease article has had 17 million page views in the last month," an indication of the public's reliance on the online encyclopedia.

Maps tagathon: Find 10,000 digitised maps this weekend

Rather than the usual WikiProject Report, this week our guest author Jheald is telling us about a campaign to identify thousands of old maps which have been digitised, to make them available for georeferencing and upload

Traffic report: Ebola, Ultron, and Creepy Articles

Ebola virus disease leads the Report for the fourth straight week. The rest of the list is primarily a mix of pop culture topics, including movie Avengers: Age of Ultron (#4) whose trailer was leaked early, and the death of Oscar de la Renta (#7). A BuzzFeed article on creepy Wikipedia articles, no doubt well-timed with Halloween (#9) around the corner, was responsible for three articles in the Top 25, including June and Jennifer Gibbons (#10), Taman Shud Case (#17), Joyce Vincent (#25). And the internet-run-amok controversy of Gamergate cracked the Top 25 for the first time at #19.

Recent research: Informed consent and privacy; newsmaking on Wikipedia; Wikipedia and organizational theories

In new research conducted in light of proposed changes to data protection legislation in the European Union (EU), authors Bart Custers, Simone van der Hof, and Bart Schermer conducted a comparative analysis of social media and user-generated content websites’ privacy policies along with a user survey (N=8,621 in 26 countries) and interviews in 13 different EU countries on awareness, values, and attitudes toward privacy online.

The Signpost: 05 November 2014

In the media: Predicting the flu, MH17 conspiracy theories

"Rachel Feltman, in The Washington Post (November 4), examined research in which a team, mostly from Los Alamos National Laboratory, headed by Kyle Hickman developed a model that enabled them "to successfully predict the 2013-2014 flu season in real time" by employing "an algorithm to link flu-related Wikipedia searches with CDC data from the same time." Apparently when individuals search for information about the flu and its symptoms in Wikipedia when they feel ill, this generates data useful in forecasting the the flu season."

Traffic report: Sweet dreams on Halloween

"It is, perhaps, ironic that humanity chose the week of Halloween to finally put its fears to bed. Let's face it: 2014 has been a year of tragedies, conflicts, plagues and pain, and eventually something had to break... Whether we at last came to terms with our limited ability to affect events, shoved those events under the carpet, or just decided to let go and move on, we turned our eye to more positive things, such as sports heroes, hotly anticipated movies, and lifelong learning; two Google doodles appeared in the top 25 for the first time since the beginning of August."

The Signpost: 12 November 2014

In the media: Amazon Echo; EU freedom of panorama; Bluebeard's Castle

"Technology media outlets are abuzz after the November 6 unveiling of the Amazon Echo, an Internet-connected voice command device"; "The EUobserver talks (November 4) with Dimitar Dimitrov (User:Dimi z) about the lack of freedom of panorama in some European Union countries and its implications for Wikimedia projects"; "Scott Cantrell, classical music critic for the Dallas Morning News, recounts efforts to verify an uncited claim in the Wikipedia article for the Béla Bartók opera Bluebeard's Castle."

Traffic report: Holidays, anyone?

This was very much a week dominated by holidays and pop culture over current events, with new film Interstellar taking the top spot followed by holidays Day of the Dead (#2), Guy Fawkes and his Night (#4 and #5), and Halloween (#8, and its third week on the list). And a foursome of television shows, all return visitors, appear to setting up residence on the greater Top 25: The Walking Dead (#11), American Horror Story: Freak Show (#14), Gotham (#16), and The Flash (#18).

Featured content: Wikipedia goes to church in Lithuania

Nine articles, two lists, and 55 featured pictures were promoted during the week of 26 October.

WikiProject report: Talking hospitals

We return to our interview format this week, speaking with the participants of WikiProject Hospitals. This project, formed in 2010, has no Featured content and only three Good articles, yet aided by around 30 hard-working Wikipedians covers a topic that is essential to life.

The Signpost: 26 November 2014

Featured content: Orbital Science: Now you're thinking with explosions

Four articles, four lists, eleven pictures, and one topic were promoted.

In the media: A Russian alternative Wikipedia; Who's your grandfather?; ArtAndFeminism

Numerous media outlets are reporting on a November 14 statement on the website of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library announcing the formation of a Russian "alternative" to Wikipedia, a "regional electronic encyclopedia" dedicated to "Russian regions and the life of the country".

Recent research: Gender gap and skills gap; academic citations on the rise; European food cultures

The monthly roundup of research related to Wikimedia.

WikiProject report: Back with the military historians

It's time for this year's edition of the Report looking at possibly our largest wikiproject: Military history. Since our last interview in June 2013, the project has had no break in its huge quest to document everything in their scope, that is, militaries and conflicts of the past. As usual, its participants were eager to answer the questions posed by The Signpost and update us on how they are doing.

Traffic report: Big in Japan

Often times in popular culture, a subject will be quite popular among a distinct niche of people or region of the world, but little-known elsewhere -- like a musical artist that is boasted to be "big in Japan". The Traffic Report provides a bevy of examples this week.

The Signpost: 03 December 2014

Op-ed: Who edits health-related content on Wikipedia and why?

In the media: Embroidery and cheese

Featured content: ABCD: Any Body Can Dance!

Traffic report: Turkey and a movie

WikiProject report: Today on the island

The Signpost: 10 December 2014

Op-ed: It's GLAM up North!

In the media: Wikipedia is "a rancorous, sexist, elitist, stupidly bureaucratic mess"

Traffic report: Dead Black Men and Science Fiction

Featured content: Honour him, love and obey? Good idea with military leaders.

The Signpost: 17 December 2014

Arbitration report: Arbitration Committee election results

Featured content: Tripping hither, tripping thither, Nobody knows why or whither; We must dance and we must sing, Round about our fairy ring!

In the media: Wikipedia's year in review video; Checking in with Wikipedia's founders

Traffic report: A December Lull

The Signpost: 24 December 2014

From the editor: Looking for new editors-in-chief

In the media: Wales on GamerGate

Featured content: Still quoting Iolanthe, apparently.

WikiProject report: Microsoft does The Signpost

Traffic report: North Korea is not pleased

The Signpost: 31 December 2014

News and notes: The next big step for Wikidata—forming a hub for researchers

Wikidata, Wikimedia's free linked database that supplies Wikipedia and its sister projects, is gearing up to submit a grant application to the EU that would expand Wikidata's scope by developing it as a science hub. The proposal, supported by more than 25 volunteers and half a dozen European institutions as project partners, aims to create a virtual research environment (VRE) that will enhance the project's capacity for freely sharing scientific data.

In the media: Study tour controversy; class tackles the gender gap

A "study tour" by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation for the purpose of researching development projects has been the subject of much controversy and criticism in the Indian press... The Indian Express described a government report about the trip as having copied extensively from the Wikipedia articles for Port Blair and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Traffic report: Surfin' the Yuletide

Unlike last year, Wikipedia viewers seem to have embraced the Christmas spirit, with three topics in the top 10 (and eight in the top 25) focused on the holiday season.

Op-ed: My issues with the Wiki Education Foundation

Chris Troutman has been a campus ambassador for six classes in the Los Angeles area over the past four consecutive semesters. He is currently a Wikipedia Visiting Scholar at University of California, Riverside.

Featured content: A bit fruity

Three articles, three lists, fifteen pictures, and one topic were promoted.

Recent research: Wikipedia in higher education; gender-driven talk page conflicts; disease forecasting

A paper titled "Factors that influence the teaching use of Wikipedia in Higher Education" uses the technology acceptance model to shed light on faculty's (of Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) views of Wikipedia as a teaching tool.

The Signpost: 07 January 2015

In the media: ISIL propaganda video; AirAsia complaints

ISIL hostage quotes Wikipedia in propaganda video; AirAsia articles draw complaints regarding Flight 8501; Article errors reveal US political approaches to Wikipedia editing; Rhode Island Governor numbering debate

Interview: Interview with Jakob, one of Wikipedia's more prolific waterway contributors

User:Jakec has been a Wikipedia editor for over two years and has been a writer of many recent Did you know articles on Wikipedia, including multiple articles on rivers and streams in the state of Pennsylvania.

Featured content: Kock up

Two lists and twelve pictures were promoted.

Traffic report: Auld Lang Syne

We end 2014 and and start 2015 with the normal array of year-end activities, including movie watching with Bollywood film PK (#1) topping the list, followed by The Interview (#2), 2014 in film (#10), and five other films in the rest of the Top 25, plus a number of articles about the subjects of these films. We celebrated the New Year by singing "Auld Lang Syne" (#11), or perhaps watching Adam Lambert (#9) perform with Queen. But we could not avoid a final tragedy with the crash of Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 (#4) on December 28.

The Signpost: 14 January 2015

Op-ed: Articles for creation needs you

Ever since the Wikipedia Seigenthaler biography incident in 2005 triggered the restriction against un-registered editors creating new pages, WikiProject Articles for creation (AfC) has stood in the breach. The WikiProject's purpose is to review draft submissions from IPs (and frequently new registered editors) to sort the wheat from the chaff.

WikiProject report: Articles for creation: the inside story

This anniversary issue, the WikiProject report is returning to WikiProject Articles for creation for one of our largest interviews ever. Last looked at in 2011, AfC is the method used by unregistered or new users to create articles, and provides an effective filtering system to remove all unsuitable or unsourced submissions to save them needing to be found and deleted later.

News and notes: Erasmus Prize recognizes the global Wikipedia community

On the fourteenth anniversary of the founding of the English Wikipedia, the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has announced that its prestigious annual Erasmus Prize will be awarded to the worldwide community that has built Wikipedia.

In the media: Wikipedia's birthday brings tributes, app, award; Castro death rumors

Wikipedia turned 14 on January 15. A few media outlets took note of the anniversary.

Featured content: Citations are needed

Six featured articles, five featured lists, and sixteen featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: Wikipédia sommes Charlie

It's a grim certainty what topic most interested Wikipedia viewers this week. The horrific attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine have drawn anger and resolve from around the world, and also the attention of an English-speaking world that had previously never heard of it.

The Signpost: 21 January 2015

From the editor: Introducing your new editors-in-chief

A letter from departing Signpost editor-in-chief The ed17.

Anniversary: A decade of the Signpost

Celebrating and remembering ten years of community journalism.

Interview: WWII veteran honors shipmates through Wikipedia editing

Over seventy years ago, the US destroyer Mahan was patrolling off Ponson Island in the Philippines when eleven Japanese kamikaze aircraft appeared over the horizon and attacked. George Pendergast, who edits Wikipedia with the username Pendright, was eighteen years old when he joined Mahan 's crew in April 1944.

News and notes: Annual report released; Wikimania; steward elections

The municipality of Esino Lario in Italy will host Wikimania 2016.

Op-ed: Let's make WikiProjects better

Our contributor opines that WikiProjects are failing to live up to their potential. WikiProject X is a new project funded by a Wikimedia Foundation Individual Engagement Grant that focuses on figuring out what makes some WikiProjects work and not others.

In the media: Johann Hari; bandishes and delicate flowers

Quotes from Jimbo on Wikipedia in education; net neutrality; preserving musical heritage; Wikipedia in audio; a cheerful vandal credits high school with papal visitations.

Featured content: Yachts, marmots, boat races, and a rocket engineer who attempted to birth a goddess

Nine articles, one list, and ten pictures were promoted.

Arbitration report: As one door closes, a (Gamer)Gate opens

ArbCom's three open cases are GamerGate, Wifione, and Christianity and sexuality.

The Signpost: 28 January 2015

From the editor: An editorial board that includes you

The editorial board is not complete without you. We are looking for Wikipedians with all kinds of experience levels.

In focus: Thirteen editors sanctioned in mammoth GamerGate arbitration case

The English Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee has closed the colossal GamerGate arbitration case, whose size—involving 27 named parties—recalls large and complex cases of the past.

In the media: A murderous week for Wikipedia

A murder suspect edits Wikipedia, Russia is kidding when it says it wants to censor Wikipedia.

Forum: Evaluating the Arbitration Committee's handling of GamerGate

Does the committee facilitate stability... or is it a circus. Two users, two perspectives.

Traffic report: A sea of faces

It is pretty clear what the theme is this week: people.

Recent research: Bot writes about theatre plays; "Renaissance editors" create better content

A paper presented at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition last year presents an automated method to improve Wikipedia's coverage of theatre plays.

Special report: Traffic in the fog—most-viewed articles of 2014 include death, Facebook, and Ebola

As with last year, music stars were the majority of celebrities on the list, as their frequent concerts and media appearances keep their flames alight longer than others of their stripe.

Featured content: Like Jack Kerouac's On The Road, this week's issue was written on amphetamines

Ten featured articles, three featured lists, and 22 featured images were promoted this week.

The Signpost: 04 February 2015

News and notes: No men beyond this point: the proposal to create a no-men space on Wikipedia

The Signpost talks with the creator of a grant proposal to create an on-wiki exclusive space for women to discuss issues.

Op-ed: Is Wikipedia for sale?

Hundreds of posted jobs offer money to edit Wikipedia. These jobs appear to be thriving, with tens of thousands of dollars changing hands each month.

In the media: Gamergate and Muhammad controversies continue

Media fallout continues from the January 29 decision in the mammoth Gamergate arbitration case.

Traffic report: The American Heartland

The American heartland appears to dominate the Report this week, with Chris Kyle leading the Report.

Featured content: It's raining men!

Three featured articles, five featured lists, and thirty-nine featured images were promoted this week.

Arbitration report: Slamming shut the GamerGate

One case has been closed, two cases remain open, a third is undergoing a review, and three clarification or amendment requests remain open.

WikiProject report: Dicing with death – on Wikipedia?

A small band of dedicated editors seek to improve articles relating to a less lively topic. If you haven't yet guessed, this week's focus is WikiProject Death.

Technology report: Security issue fixed; VisualEditor changes

The Signpost has arranged to mirror Tech news from the Meta-Wiki.

Gallery: Langston Hughes

A new Signpost feature.

The Signpost: 11 February 2015

From the editors: We want to know what you think!

Please take this survey about the Signpost.

News and notes: One editor faces likely ban for work on Wikipedia; Jimmy Wales awarded $1 million

Also: GLAM-Wiki Conference; Ombudsman Commission announced; Slovak Wikipedia now has 200,000 articles

In the media: Is Wikipedia eating itself?

Edina edit war illustrates disconnect between new and experienced editors; Wikipedia is "astroturf's dream come true"; Canadian government investigating even more Wikipedia editing; academics on Gamergate as "clash of civilizations"?

Featured content: A grizzly bear, Operation Mascot, Freedom Planet & Liberty Island, cosmic dust clouds, a cricket five-wicket list, more fine art, & a terrible, terrible opera...

Two articles, three lists, and twenty five pictures became featured.

Traffic report: Bowled over

Wikipedia presents itself as a repository for the world, and while that is a noble sentiment, it is still true that, Conservapedian complaints notwithstanding, the English language Wikipedia is very often the American Wikipedia, and never has that been more apparent than this week.

WikiProject report: Brand new WikiProjects profiled

This week, we bring three of the most recently created WikiProjects to come into being on the English Wikipedia. While many long-established projects are becoming inactive, (as we have covered before), that doesn't stop new ones forming every now and then to cover a topic that a group of editors feel should be better cared for.

Gallery: Feel the love

This week, we feature subjects that are about love of all kinds.

The Signpost: 18 February 2015

Editorial: Recent retirements typify problem of admin attrition

Go Phightins! shares his thoughts on admin attrition and the size of the administrative backlog.

In the media: Students' use and perception of Wikipedia

The Australian ("Wikipedia not destroying life as we know it", February 11) and Times Higher Education ("Wikipedia should be 'better integrated' into teaching", February 10) reported on a recent study performed at Monash University, titled "Students’ use of Wikipedia as an academic resource – patterns of use and perceptions of usefulness".

Special report: Revision scoring as a service

The authors of this report inform us that the "goal in the Revision Scoring project is to do the hard work of constructing and maintaining powerful AI so that tool developers don't have to. This cross-lingual, machine learning classifier service for edits will support new wiki tools that require edit quality measures."

Gallery: Darwin Day

Darwin Day is observed annually on February 12 to commemorate the life and work of scientist Charles Darwin. Here is a selection of images of life on the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin made key observations leading to his scientific theory of evolution by natural selection.

Traffic report: February is for lovers

This week saw the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (#13 on the Top 25) held on 8 February dominating the traffic chart, as music lovers checked out Sam Smith (#3) picking up four awards, Beck taking album of the year, and performances including Sia (#9), Madonna (#11), and Annie Lennox (#16). But Valentine's Day (#1) proved the perfect time for the release of Fifty Shades of Grey, with the movie coming in at #5, the book of the same name at #2, and the primary actors at #14 and #15.

Featured content: A load of bull-sized breakfast behind the restaurant, Koi feeding, a moray eel, Spaghetti Nebula and other fishy, fishy fish

Five pictures, six lists, and seventeen pictures were promoted

Arbitration report: We've built the nuclear reactor; now what colour should we paint the bikeshed?

The most significant item on ArbCom's agenda this fortnight has been the closure of the Wifione case and subsequent fallout, although the fallout from GamerGate continues to linger.

SF edit-a-thons on March 7 and 8

ArtAndFeminism (3/7) and International Women's Day (3/8)!

Dear fellow Wikipedian,

In celebration of WikiWomen's History Month, the SF Bay Area Wikipedia community has two events in early March -- please consider attending!

First, we have an ArtAndFeminism edit-a-thon, which will take place at the Kadist Art Foundation from 12 noon to 6pm on Saturday, March 7. We'll be one of many sites worldwide participating in this edit-a-thon on March 7th. So join us as we help improve Wikipedia's coverage of women artists and their works!

Second, we will be celebrating International Women's Day with the International Women's Day edit-a-thon on Sunday, March 8 from 1pm to 5pm at the Wikimedia Foundation. Our editing focus will be on women, of course!

I hope to see you there! Rosiestep (talk) - via MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:06, 20 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

To opt out of future mailings about SF meetups, please remove your name from this list.

The Signpost: 25 February 2015

News and notes: Questions raised over WMF partnership with research firm

A report from the external research firm Lafayette Practice has declared that the Wikimedia Foundation is the "largest known participatory grantmaking fund." Several concerns have been raised with the report, the phrase being used (participatory grantmaking), the now-former Wikipedia article on that phrase, and an alleged conflict of interest by WMF staff members.

Op-ed: Text from Wikipedia good enough for Oxford University Press to claim as own

Doc James tells us that "The one good thing that has come out of all of this is that Wikipedia’s content passing a major textbook publisher review processes is some external validation of Wikipedia’s quality."

In the media: WikiGnomes and Bigfoot

Andrew McMillen's February 3 profile of and his quest to rid Wikipedia of the phrase "comprised of" has been one of the most widely circulated and commented upon media stories about the encyclopedia recently.

Featured content: The Moon, Mars, Venus, and Saturn, in no particular order. Also, Kaiser Kong.

Eleven articles and twenty pictures were promoted in the week covered by this report.

Gallery: Far from home

The Gallery is an occasional Signpost feature highlighting quality images and articles from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons based on a particular theme, as well as an article you could help improve. This week, we feature subjects that are "far from home".

Traffic report: Fifty Shades of... self-denial?

An odd juxtaposition this week, as interest in Fifty Shades of Grey coincided with the observance of the Chinese New Year and the annual festival of penance, Ash Wednesday.

Recent research: Gender bias, SOPA blackout, and a student assignment that backfired

A monthly roundup of Wikimedia-related research

WikiProject report: Be prepared... Scouts in the spotlight

This week's project is on a youth activity, one of the largest in the world; its project is commensurately large, containing around 136 active editors. It's WikiProject Scouting, a group of editors whose remit is everything relating to the Scouting movement, which has around 42 million members worldwide and celebrated the centenary of its founding only eight years ago.

Blog: Join the Wikimedia strategy consultation

Editor's note: the Blog will be a recurring Signpost section that will highlight a recent post from the Wikimedia blog, run by the Wikimedia Foundation. This week's installment is written by Philippe Beaudette, the Foundation's Director of Community Advocacy, and focuses on planning for the future of the Wikimedia movement.

The Signpost: 25 February 2015

News and notes: Questions raised over WMF partnership with research firm

A report from the external research firm Lafayette Practice has declared that the Wikimedia Foundation is the "largest known participatory grantmaking fund." Several concerns have been raised with the report, the phrase being used (participatory grantmaking), the now-former Wikipedia article on that phrase, and an alleged conflict of interest by WMF staff members.

Op-ed: Text from Wikipedia good enough for Oxford University Press to claim as own

Doc James tells us that "The one good thing that has come out of all of this is that Wikipedia’s content passing a major textbook publisher review processes is some external validation of Wikipedia’s quality."

In the media: WikiGnomes and Bigfoot

Andrew McMillen's February 3 profile of and his quest to rid Wikipedia of the phrase "comprised of" has been one of the most widely circulated and commented upon media stories about the encyclopedia recently.

Featured content: The Moon, Mars, Venus, and Saturn, in no particular order. Also, Kaiser Kong.

Eleven articles and twenty pictures were promoted in the week covered by this report.

Gallery: Far from home

The Gallery is an occasional Signpost feature highlighting quality images and articles from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons based on a particular theme, as well as an article you could help improve. This week, we feature subjects that are "far from home".

Traffic report: Fifty Shades of... self-denial?

An odd juxtaposition this week, as interest in Fifty Shades of Grey coincided with the observance of the Chinese New Year and the annual festival of penance, Ash Wednesday.

Recent research: Gender bias, SOPA blackout, and a student assignment that backfired

A monthly roundup of Wikimedia-related research

WikiProject report: Be prepared... Scouts in the spotlight

This week's project is on a youth activity, one of the largest in the world; its project is commensurately large, containing around 136 active editors. It's WikiProject Scouting, a group of editors whose remit is everything relating to the Scouting movement, which has around 42 million members worldwide and celebrated the centenary of its founding only eight years ago.

Blog: Join the Wikimedia strategy consultation

Editor's note: the Blog will be a recurring Signpost section that will highlight a recent post from the Wikimedia blog, run by the Wikimedia Foundation. This week's installment is written by Philippe Beaudette, the Foundation's Director of Community Advocacy, and focuses on planning for the future of the Wikimedia movement.

The Signpost: 04 March 2015

From the editor: A sign of the times: the Signpost revamps its internal structure to make contributing easier

We received a large amount of feedback in our survey indicating that our readers found the idea of contributing to the Signpost difficult due to our opaque internal structure.

News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation and OTRS team both publish reports, indicate operating changes

The Wikimedia Foundation released their Quarterly Report last week covering the three months October to December of 2014.

Editorial: Conspiracy theories distract from real questions about grantmaking report

Last week, my colleagues on the Signpost produced a news report covering a minor controversy about a report commissioned by the Wikimedia Foundation. Written by the staff of The Lafayette Practice, a French research firm, it proclaimed the WMF as a leader in the practice of participatory grantmaking.

Traffic report: Attack of the movies

The Report this week is dominated by the Academy Awards, taking the top 4 spots and 13 of the Top 25.

Arbitration report: Bradspeaks—impact, regrets, and advice; current cases hinge on sex, religion, and ... infoboxes

In the first of what the author hopes will become a regular feature of the Arbitration report, the Signpost speaks to veteran arbitrator Newyorkbrad, who recently retired from the committee after almost seven years of arbitrating. The Signpost was keen to hear his thoughts on his time on the committee and on the past, present, and future of ArbCom.

Interview: Meet a paid editor

Before being indefinitely blocked, User:FergusM1970 made more than 4600 edits on the English Wikipedia, spread over eight years. In the last two years, he was paid to edit several articles for clients that included the Venezuelan energy company Derwick Associates. We spoke with him about his experiences.

In the media: Kanye West rebranded; Wikipedia in court; editors for hire

Numerous news outlets are reporting that the domain loser.com now redirects to the Wikipedia article for rapper Kanye West. Page views on West's Wikipedia article skyrocketed to almost 250,000 views on March 2, up from less than 19 thousand the previous day.

Featured content: Ploughing fields and trading horses with Rosa Bonheur

Two featured articles, four featured lists, and 38 featured pictures were promoted this week..

Technology report: Bugs, Repairs, and Internal Operational News

The Signpost has arranged to mirror Tech news from Meta-Wiki to supplement the long-form tech coverage in our infrequent Technology report..

Blog: Black History Month edit-a-thons tackle Wikipedia’s multicultural gaps

Black History Month is celebrated annually in the United States in February, to commemorate the history of the African diaspora. For this occasion, Wikipedians worked together to honor black history and to address Wikipedia's multicultural gaps in the encyclopedia, hosting Wikipedia edit-a-thons throughout the United States, from February 1 to 28, 2015.

The Signpost: 11 March 2015

Special report: An advance look at the WMF's fundraising survey

The Wikimedia Foundation gave the Signpost an advance copy of the results of a survey of English Wikipedia readers regarding Wikimedia fundraising, due for official release today.

News and notes: WikiWomen's History Month—meetups, blog posts, and "Inspire" grant-making campaign

The community has arranged a number of commemorative initiatives focused on the gender gap, under the banner "WikiWomen's History Month".

In the media: Gamergate; a Wiki hoax; Kanye West

ThinkProgress tech reporter Lauren C. Williams wrote a long article on how the Gamergate controversy has spilled over onto Wikipedia.

In focus: WMF to NSA: "stop spying on Wikipedia users"

In an effort to protect and maintain the privacy of Wikipedia's thousands of editors, the Wikimedia Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the United States' National Security Agency, Department of Justice, and the Attorney General.

Traffic report: Wikipedia: handing knowledge to the world, one prank at a time

A dull week, with only three new entries in the top 10; a UFC champion, a Google Doodle and a Hindu festival involving people throwing powder at each other (though that does sound fun).

Featured content: Here they come, the couple plighted –

Six featured articles, three featured lists, and forty featured pictures were promoted this week.

Op-ed: Why the Core Contest matters

I continue to be excited about the Core Contest because I see it as a way of encouraging the expansion of broad articles that are typically neglected by our article improvement incentives.

The Signpost: 18 March 2015

From the editor: A salute to Pine

We announce with sadness and gratitude that Signpost publication and newsroom manager Pine will be stepping back to focus on other Wikipedia and Wikimedia-related endeavors.

News and notes: SUL finalization imminent; executive office shake-ups at the Foundation

This process is now entering its long-awaited final phase with the upcoming SUL finalization, scheduled for April 15, less than a month away. ... Wikimedia Foundation chief talent and culture officer Gayle Karen Young announced her retirement from the Foundation this week. Young will be replaced in that role by interim chief operating officer Terry Gilbey. According to the Foundation's job description for the title as it was applied in the past, Gilbey will be in charge of "overall administration and business operations of the Wikimedia Foundation."

In the media: NYPD editing articles regarding allegations of police brutality and misconduct

On March 13, Kelly Weill of Capital New York revealed that numerous Wikipedia edits originated from 1 Police Plaza, the headquarters of the NYPD. Most of the attention has focused on a number of their edits to articles about incidents of alleged police brutality and controversial police practices.

Op-ed: Does the Wikimedia fundraising survey address community concerns?

The publication of the Wikimedia survey findings on fundraising questions came three months after significant concerns were voiced about the design and wording of the December 2014 fundraising banners and e-mails.

Featured content: A woman who loved kings

Four featured articles, four featured lists, and thirty-five featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: It's not cricket

If not for Kayne West's dubious repeat at #1, the 2015 Cricket World Cup (#2) would have made the top spot, albeit in a generally slow news week.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:34, 21 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

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The Signpost – Volume 11, Issue 12 – 25 March 2015

News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation adopts open-access research policy

Last week the WMF announced the release of its long-awaited open-access policy.

Op-ed: How my father's railroad image collection now benefits the world: the value of digitization

Once when I was young, growing up in the 1990s, my father pulled his collection of railroad slides out from the basement, set up his projector, and shared a glimpse into American railway history with our family.

Featured content: A carnival of animals, a river of dung, a wasteland of uncles, and some people with attitude

Four featured articles, three featured lists, and twenty-two featured pictures were promoted this week.

Special report: Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year 2014

The Wikipedia Commons annual Picture of the Year contest has concluded, with 6,698 people voting, its largest participation yet.

Traffic report: Oddly familiar

This week's list is reminiscent of lists from the early days of this project: a preponderance of famous faces, Reddit threads, and Google Doodles.

Recent research: Most important people; respiratory reliability; academic attitudes

The authors attempt to answer the question "Who are the most important people of all times?" Their findings clearly show that different Wikipedias give different prominence to different individuals.

Blog: The Wikipedia Library Team reflects on its new Visiting Scholars program

A university gives a top Wikipedia editor free and full access to the university library's entire online content—and the Wikipedia editor, who is unpaid and not on campus, then creates and improves Wikipedia articles in a subject area of interest to the institution.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:24, 27 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost, 1 April 2015

In focus: WMF's latest strategy document shows successes, vagueness, and the need for better data

The Wikimedia Foundation this week released a State of the WMF report, a 38-page "snapshot" of where it is and where it wants to go in the future.

In the media: Wiki-PR duo bulldoze a piñata store; Wifione arbitration case; French parliamentary plagiarism

TruthRevolt targets another editor; edit stage right; the Nine Best Hoaxes to Have Hit Wikipedia

Featured content: Stop Press. Marie Celeste Mystery Solved. Crew Found Hiding In Wardrobe.

Six featured articles, first featured lists, and twenty-four featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: All over the place

The Report is more of a mix of random topics than usual this week. The top spot is taken by Bhutanese passport, a Wikipedia article which contained a crazed spoken word version which drew widespread attention.

News and notes: New edits-by-mail option will "revolutionize" Wikipedia and its editor base

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) will announce later today that it will begin accepting edits by mail for all of the projects under its scope, including Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Commons.

Special report: Pictures of the Year 2015

The Wikimedia Commons' annual Picture of the Year contest has concluded. The first 53 top-voted entries were disqualified because they were all nude.

The Signpost: 01 April 2015

In focus: WMF's latest strategy document shows successes, vagueness, and the need for better data

The Wikimedia Foundation this week released a State of the WMF report, a 38-page "snapshot" of where it is and where it wants to go in the future.

In the media: Wiki-PR duo bulldoze a piñata store; Wifione arbitration case; French parliamentary plagiarism

TruthRevolt targets another editor; edit stage right; the Nine Best Hoaxes to Have Hit Wikipedia

Featured content: Stop Press. Marie Celeste Mystery Solved. Crew Found Hiding In Wardrobe.

Six featured articles, first featured lists, and twenty-four featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: All over the place

The Report is more of a mix of random topics than usual this week. The top spot is taken by Bhutanese passport, a Wikipedia article which contained a crazed spoken word version which drew widespread attention.

News and notes: New edits-by-mail option will "revolutionize" Wikipedia and its editor base

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) will announce later today that it will begin accepting edits by mail for all of the projects under its scope, including Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Commons.

Special report: Pictures of the Year 2015

The Wikimedia Commons' annual Picture of the Year contest has concluded. The first 53 top-voted entries were disqualified because they were all nude.

MfD nomination of User:Andyvphil/Obama

User:Andyvphil/Obama, a page you substantially contributed to, has been nominated for deletion. Your opinions on the matter are welcome; please participate in the discussion by adding your comments at Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/User:Andyvphil/Obama and please be sure to sign your comments with four tildes (~~~~). You are free to edit the content of User:Andyvphil/Obama during the discussion but should not remove the miscellany for deletion template from the top of the page; such a removal will not end the deletion discussion. Thank you. Gamaliel (talk) 19:45, 3 April 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 08 April 2015

Op-ed: We are drowning in promotional artspam

Wikipedia has been gravitating towards a vehicle for business and product promotion for too long.

News and notes: Advancement department to be created at the Foundation, milestone fixes

March saw a number of high-level hirings and executive reorganizations in the Wikimedia Foundation.

In the media: Wikipedia on 60 Minutes, Kickstarter, and in the classroom

The venerable CBS news program 60 Minutes profiled Wikipedia and the Wikimedia community.

Traffic report: Resurrection week

How appropriate that the theme of Easter week would be resurrection from the dead.

Featured content: Partisan arrangements, dodgy dollars, a mysterious union of strings, and a hole that became a monument

Four featured articles, seven featured lists, and 23 featured pictures were promoted this week.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Christianity

With Holy Week having recently drawn to a close, it is an apt time to examine WikiProject Christianity, which was created in 2006, and boasts over 200 active members.

Arbitration report: New Functionary appointments

The Committee has voted on the 2015 appointments to the Functionary team.

Technology report: Bugs, Repairs, and Internal Operational News

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

The Signpost: 08 April 2015

Op-ed: We are drowning in promotional artspam

Wikipedia has been gravitating towards a vehicle for business and product promotion for too long.

News and notes: Advancement department to be created at the Foundation, milestone fixes

March saw a number of high-level hirings and executive reorganizations in the Wikimedia Foundation.

In the media: Wikipedia on 60 Minutes, Kickstarter, and in the classroom

The venerable CBS news program 60 Minutes profiled Wikipedia and the Wikimedia community.

Traffic report: Resurrection week

How appropriate that the theme of Easter week would be resurrection from the dead.

Featured content: Partisan arrangements, dodgy dollars, a mysterious union of strings, and a hole that became a monument

Four featured articles, seven featured lists, and 23 featured pictures were promoted this week.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Christianity

With Holy Week having recently drawn to a close, it is an apt time to examine WikiProject Christianity, which was created in 2006, and boasts over 200 active members.

Arbitration report: New Functionary appointments

The Committee has voted on the 2015 appointments to the Functionary team.

Technology report: Bugs, Repairs, and Internal Operational News

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

The Signpost: 08 April 2015

Op-ed: We are drowning in promotional artspam

Wikipedia has been gravitating towards a vehicle for business and product promotion for too long.

News and notes: Advancement department to be created at the Foundation, milestone fixes

March saw a number of high-level hirings and executive reorganizations in the Wikimedia Foundation.

In the media: Wikipedia on 60 Minutes, Kickstarter, and in the classroom

The venerable CBS news program 60 Minutes profiled Wikipedia and the Wikimedia community.

Traffic report: Resurrection week

How appropriate that the theme of Easter week would be resurrection from the dead.

Featured content: Partisan arrangements, dodgy dollars, a mysterious union of strings, and a hole that became a monument

Four featured articles, seven featured lists, and 23 featured pictures were promoted this week.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Christianity

With Holy Week having recently drawn to a close, it is an apt time to examine WikiProject Christianity, which was created in 2006, and boasts over 200 active members.

Arbitration report: New Functionary appointments

The Committee has voted on the 2015 appointments to the Functionary team.

Technology report: Bugs, Repairs, and Internal Operational News

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

The Signpost: 15 April 2015

News and notes: Erik Möller leaving Foundation; annual plan grants under community review

The Wikimedia Foundation's vice president for engineering, Erik Möller, will leave the WMF on April 30.

In the media: Saving Wikipedia; Internet regulation; Thoreau quote hoax

Time profiles Lila Tretikov, executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, and paints a grim picture of the challenges faced by Tretikov and the encyclopedia.

Blog: Single-User Login provides access to all wikis

Later this month, everyone will be able to use the same user name on every wiki, thanks to Single-User Login.

Traffic report: Furious domination

If it wasn't for Easter, Fast and Furious related articles would have taken the top four spots this week. The latest installment of the movie franchise, Furious 7, tops the chart for the second straight week.

Featured content: Au-delà de les Alpes, le chien lit de Sainte Bernard. Sous les pavés, les trimes d'argent! Mes enfants, suivez-moi!

Six featured articles, four featured lists, and fourteen featured pictures were promoted this week.

The Signpost: 22 April 2015

Special report: Sony emails reveal corporate practices and undisclosed advocacy editing

A Signpost investigation of the released data has revealed Sony's corporate practices regarding Wikipedia and uncovered what appears to be undisclosed advocacy editing of Wikipedia by Sony employees and possibly by others.

In the media: UK political editing; hoaxes; net neutrality

Wikipedia appears to have been drawn into the drama of the upcoming, hotly contested UK general election.

News and notes: Call for candidates as the movement approaches the Wikimedia Board elections

The Affiliates Committee this week announced the organization of a community referral for comment, currently open on the meta-wiki, to address upcoming changes to the way that the Affiliations Committee will review movement-affiliated user-groups in the future.

In focus: 2015 Wikimedia Foundation election preparations underway

2015 will see through the biennial community election for the three community-elected seats on the Board of Trustees—the "ultimate corporate authority" of the Wikimedia Foundation and the level at which the strategic decisions regarding the Wikimedia movement are made.

Featured content: Vanguard on guard

Six featured articles and fifteen featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: A harvest of couch potatoes

Couch potatoes rule this week, as 9 of the top 10 slots were taken by either movies, TV, or sports.

Gallery: The bitter end

The Gallery is an occasional Signpost feature highlighting quality images and articles from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons based on a particular theme.

The Signpost: 29 April 2015

Wikimania: Choice of small village for Wikimania 2016 ruffles feathers

Esino Lario is set to host Wikimania 2016, but volunteers and others have raised a host of concerns that raise serious questions about the town's suitability for hosting such a large conference.

News and notes: Wiki Loves Monuments evaluation sees diminishing returns and increasing cost

The evaluations reveal that in the last three years, WLM has possibly fallen victim to its own success and seen diminishing returns.

In the media: Scottish MEP blocked for edit warring; ranking articles by importance

David Coburn, a Member of the European Parliament for the Scotland region for the UK Independence Party, was blocked from editing Wikipedia on April 6.

Featured content: Another day, another dollar

Ten featured articles, nine featured lists, and twenty-eight featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: Bruce, Nessie, and genocide

Though the continued predominance of movies, TV, and sports noted in last week's report largely continues, three additional topics joined the Top 10 this week.

Recent research: Military history, cricket, and Australia targeted in Wikipedia articles' popularity vs. quality; how copyright damages economy

Reader demand for some topics (e.g. LGBT topics or pages about countries) is poorly satisfied, whereas there is over-abundance of quality on topics of comparatively little interest, such as military history.

Technology report: VisualEditor and MediaWiki updates

The Signpost: 06 May 2015

News and notes: "Inspire" grant-making campaign concludes, grantees announced

The Wikimedia Foundation this week announced the winning grantees in March's "Inspire" grant-making campaign.

Featured content: The amorous android and the horsebreeder; WikiCup round two concludes

Seven articles, three lists, and ten pictures were promoted to "featured" status this week. The second round of the WikiCup has ended.

In the media: Guggenheim image donation; Wiki campaign gets advertising award

artnet and The Next Web report (May 6) that the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is releasing a hundred images of works in its collection under Creative Commons licences in conjunction with a May 19 editathon.

Special report: FDC candidates respond to key issues

Elections have begun for five community members of the Funds Dissemination Committee, the Foundation's volunteer body for judging and recommending millions of dollars worth of annual grants to affiliates in the movement. The election lasts just eight days, from Sunday 3 May until 23:59 UTC on Sunday 10 May, so at the time of publication, voters will need to act promptly.

Traffic report: The grim ship reality

Like colliding ocean liners, rousing entertainment and harsh reality merged ungainly in this week's top 10 list. The much heralded pay-per-view pummeling of Manny Pacquiao by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. dominated the list's top slots, giving this list one of its highest total view counts in months.

The Signpost: 13 May 2015

Foundation elections: Board candidates share their views with the Signpost

Three community-elected seats on the Board of Trustees—the ultimate governing authority of the Wikimedia Foundation—will be decided by Wikimedians in the election to be held 17–31 May.

News and notes: Swedish Wikimedia chapter organizes simultaneous Wikidata contests

This week has been a busy one for the Wikidata project, with nearly simultaneous Wikidata contests, both organized by Wikimedia Sweden, now underway.

Traffic report: Round Two

Casual viewers may think I've posted the same list twice. But no, readers just happen to be really interested in May 2's Big Fight. In fact, last week was just the weigh-in and the trash talk. This week, the numbers actually increased.

In the media: Grant Shapps story continues

Grant Shapps, who was the co-chairman of the UK's Conservative Party until this week, has been accused of maliciously editing the Wikipedia biographies of his party's rivals.

Op-ed: What made Wikipedia lose its reputation?

There is a public misconception of Wikipedia: that any anonymous editor can edit Wikipedia at any time, and cannot be tracked or identified.

Featured content: Four first-time featured article writers lead the way

Eight articles, one list, and five pictures were promoted to featured status on the English Wikipedia in a slow week.

The Signpost: 20 May 2015

From the editor: Your voice is needed: strategic voting in the WMF election

The Wikimedia Foundation's bi-annual Board of Trustees election is open for voting. Of the ten seats on the board, three are elected representatives of the global Wikimedia community—you.

In focus: The awful truth about Wikimedia's article counts

The article counts of many Wikimedia wikis suddenly changed on 29 March 2015: as the Signpost reported at the time, sixty-five wikis fell below milestones tracked at the Wikimedia News Meta page, and three increased to new milestones.

Traffic report: Inner Core

The list is topped this week by Danish scientist Inge Lehmann, thanks to a Google Doodle celebrating her 127th birthday. Lehmann discovered in 1936 that the Earth has a solid inner core. It is sometimes surprising to realize how recently such basic scientific knowledge of the Earth, which we now take for granted, was discovered.

News and notes: A dark side of comedy: the Wikipedia volunteers cleaning up behind John Oliver's fowl jokes

Wikipedia editors logging in on May 19 found themselves walking into an unexpected amount of anti-vandal work to keep the site in line with its extensive biographies of living persons policy. A plethora of Wikipedia articles related to the United States House Committee on Appropriations, and the fifty-one representatives serving on it, have been hit by a raft of anonymous editors making often vulgar edits referencing "chicken fucker," or more creative combinations: "sexual conduct", "sexual congress", "fornicator", "intimate relations", or "trysts with chickens."

Featured content: Puppets, fungi, and waterfalls

Three articles, seven lists, and seven pictures were featured on the English Wikipedia.

In the media: Jimmy Wales accepts Dan David Prize

Jimmy Wales and five others accepted the 2015 Dan David Prize at Tel Aviv University on May 17. The prize comes with US$1 million, ten percent of which goes to doctoral and postdoctoral scholarships.

WikiProject report: Cell-ebrating Molecular Biology

This week, we had the pleasure of interviewing WikiProject Molecular and Cellular Biology, which has come a long way since our last interview in 2008. Like most projects, it has a long member list, but only a small subset of that group regularly contributes. With 28 featured articles and 58 top-importance start class ones, the project has clearly had some success, but has a ways to go. We talked to three regular project contributors.

Arbitration report: Editor conduct the subject of multiple cases

The Arbitration Committee has an unusually large case load at present. Although perhaps not on a par with the high-profile, multi-party cases seen towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year, with five open cases the arbitrators are likely to be kept busy for the next several weeks.

The Signpost: 27 May 2015

News and notes: WMF releases quarterly reports, annual plans

The Wikimedia Foundation recently switched to a quarterly report structure to better align reporting with the generally quarterly planning and goal-setting processes.

In the media: Scrubbing Parliamentary biographies; Wikipedia's invisible history

British media reports on Wikipedia editing to articles of Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom prior to the May 7 United Kingdom general election from IP addresses assigned to Parliament.

Discussion report: A relic from the past that needs to be updated

To many, Internet Relay Chat is an old relic, but not to Wikipedia. Wikipedia currently has an IRC help channel designated to help and assist editors with editing Wikipedia.

Featured content: When music was confined to a ribbon of rust

Fifteen featured articles, four featured lists, and six featured pictures were promoted this week.

Recent research: Drug articles accurate and largely complete; women "slightly overrepresented"; talking like an admin

Wikipedia's articles on drugs are pretty good – good enough to impress even doctors. A new research study adds some substance to that impression.

Traffic report: Summer, summer, summertime

As usual for the time of year, pop culture rules this week. The start of summer vacation in the US means a focus on summer movies, particularly blockbuster sequels Avengers: Age of Ultron, Pitch Perfect 2 and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Technology report: MediaWiki blows up printers

...allegedly. In a post to wikitech-l, Steven Walling pointed out that the TV show CSI: Cyber had used a screenshot of MediaWiki's HTML output and claimed it was responsible for blowing up printers.

The Signpost: 03 June 2015

News and notes: Three new community-elected trustees announced, incumbents out

The Wikimedia Foundation's volunteer election committee has announced the election results for the three vacant seats on the Board of Trustees. Dariusz Jemielnak, James Heilman, and Denny Vrandečić are set to take up their two-year terms on the Board. They will replace the three incumbents, all of whom stood this time unsuccessfully: Phoebe Ayers, Samuel Klein, and María Sefidari.

Blog: How Wikipedia covered Caitlyn Jenner’s transition

Caitlyn Jenner—the American hero of the 1976 Olympics, a film actor, and prominent member of Keeping Up with the Kardashians—may now be the most famous openly transgender person in the world.

Discussion report: The deprecation of Persondata; RfA – A broken process; Complaints from users on Swedish Wikipedia

Since the dawn of Wikipedia, or at least since 22 December 2005, the template named Persondata has existed.

Featured content: It's not over till the fat man sings

Two featured articles and ten featured pictures were promoted this week.

Technology report: Things are getting SPDYier

Over the past few weeks, developers have been working on improving Wikimedia's performance when users connect to it using SPDY.

Special report: Towards "Health Information for All": Medical content on Wikipedia received 6.5 billion page views in 2013

Wikipedia appears to be the single most used website for health information globally, exceeding traffic observed at the NIH, WebMD, WHO et al..

In the media: Anonymous Australian editing targets football player, shooting victim

More UK government vandalism; legend has it; minding the gender gap

Traffic report: A rather ordinary week

The traffic report is nothing unusual this week, with a Google Doodle for astronaut Sally Ride topping the list, the accidental death of famous mathematician John Forbes Nash, Jr. at #2, and the normal fare of recent popular American movies and television.

The Signpost: 10 June 2015

News and notes: Chapter financial trends analyzed, news in brief

This week saw the publication of the Chapter-wide Financial Trends Report 2013, a now-completed research project that examines the finances and outlays of the 36 movement-affiliated chapters.

Traffic report: Two households, both alike in dignity

"Happy families are all alike," Leo Tolstoy said, "but unhappy families are unhappy after their own fashion."

In the media: Arbitration case attracts media coverage; Wikipedia in Israel

UK media covers Wikipedia Arbitration case; Lila Tretikov visits Israel.

Featured content: Just the bear facts, ma'am

Four featured articles, two featured lists, one featured topic, and twenty-eight featured pictures were promoted this week.

Technology report: Wikimedia sites are going HTTPS only

Today it was announced that Wikimedia sites are going to become HTTPS only, finishing up 10 year effort of rolling out HTTPS.

Blog: Making Wikipedia’s medical articles accessible in Chinese

The Medical Translation Project, an ambitious attempt to improve and translate Wikipedia’s medical content from English into other languages, began in 2012.

The Signpost: 17 June 2015

In the media: Wikipedia wins Asturias Prize; printing out Wikipedia; HTTPS switch

The Princess of Asturias Foundation announced that Wikipedia would be the recipient of the 2015 Princess of Asturias award in the category of International Cooperation.

Arbitration report: An election has consequences

The Arbitration Committee delivered its final decision in a case that reached the attention of the UK national press.

In focus: Three weeks to save freedom of panorama in Europe

This would end a long-standing tradition in many countries that the skyline and the public scene should belong to everybody.

Op-ed: Making a difference in Wikipedia, one GA at a time

We need to be ever-diligent in ensuring that articles remain of high quality.

Technology report: HTTPS-only rollout completed; proposal to enable VisualEditor for new accounts

The rollout of HTTPS only has now been completed across all Wikimedia wikis.

Interview: A veteran’s Wikipedia edits help him understand the brutality behind Yugoslavia’s wars

We interviewed an Australian veteran who deployed to the region as a peacekeeper and now writes articles on the region's history to help him understand what he encountered there.

News and notes: Labs outage kills tools, self; news in brief

A more than usually severe outage Wikimedia Labs occurred after a massive database corruption implosion on June 17.

Featured content: Great Dane hits 150

Six featured articles, seven featured lists, and seven featured pictures were promoted this week.

Discussion report: A quick way of becoming an admin

Author's note: This might be a violation of WP:BEANS; read at your own risk.

WikiProject report: Western Australia speaks – we are back

It wouldn't be the WikiProject report if we didn't feature an Australian topic once in a while, so this week we're looking at the left side.

The Signpost: 24 June 2015

From the editor: The Signpost tagging initiative

Over more than a decade of weekly publication, The Signpost has accumulated an incredibly lengthy and detailed record about the issues, controversies, successes, and failures of the English Wikipedia community and the movement at large.

Op-ed: Content Translation beta is coming to the English Wikipedia

The Wikimedia Foundation's Language Engineering team plans to introduce Content Translation—a tool that makes it easier to translate Wikipedia articles into different languages—as a beta feature on the English Wikipedia.

Special report: Small impact of the large Google Translation Project on Telugu Wikipedia

During 2009–2011 Google ran the Google Translation Project (GTP), a program utilising paid translators to translate most popular English Wikipedia articles to various Indian language Wikipedias.

Featured content: One eye when begun, two when it's done

Four articles and nine pictures were promoted to featured status this week.

Recent research: How Wikipedia built governance capability; readability of plastic surgery articles

One paper looks at the topic of Wikipedia governance in the context of online social production.

Technology report: 2015 MediaWiki architecture focus and Multimedia roadmap announced

This past week saw the kick-off of the 2015 MediaWiki architecture focus of improving our content platform.

News and notes: Board of Trustees propose bylaw amendments

The Board of Trustees is the "ultimate corporate authority" of the Wikimedia Foundation and the level at which the strategic decisions regarding the Wikimedia movement are made ...

In the media: Turkish Wikipedia censorship; "Can Wikipedia survive?"; PR editing

The Hürriyet Daily News reports that the Turkish Wikipedia has posted banners on the top of the encyclopedia to warn users that a number of articles are being blocked by the Turkish government.

Blog: 7,473 volumes at 700 pages each: meet Print Wikipedia

After six years of work, a residency in the Canadian Rockies, endless debugging, and more than a little help from my friends, I have made Print Wikipedia.

Arbitration report: Politics by other means: The American politics 2 arbitration

Clausewitz' pithy summary of warfare as "politics by other means" seems to be the motto of some Wikipedia editors.

The Signpost: 01 July 2015

News and notes: Training the Trainers; VP of Engineering leaves WMF

This week The Center for Internet and Society published a promotional blog post highlighting the heritage of the center's creation of the Train the Trainer program.

In the media: EU freedom of panorama; Nehru outrage; BBC apology

A week now remains until the vote, expected on 9 July, when the European Parliament will express either its approval, disapproval, or lack of opinion on the question of freedom of panorama in the European Union.

WikiProject report: Able to make a stand

Here to share their wisdom are Dodger67, Penny Richards, LilyKitty, and Mirokado of WikiProject Disability

Featured content: Viva V.E.R.D.I.

Four featured list and twelve featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: We're Baaaaack

For the week of June 21 to 27, 2015, the 10 most popular articles on Wikipedia, as determined from the report of the most viewed pages.

Technology report: Technical updates and improvements

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

Blog: These Texans are on a quest to improve Wikipedia’s coverage of their state’s revolution

Like many editors of the world's largest encyclopedia, Karanacs was browsing the site's articles and found that they were of relatively poor quality—and that the traditional narrative she'd learned was not necessarily accurate.

The Signpost: 08 July 2015

Editorial: So you want to get your message out. Where do you turn?

It seems like a good time to discuss the various communications channels available to community members.

News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation annual plan released, news in brief

Lila Tretikov this week posted an email to the wikimedia-l mailing list announcing the final publication of the Wikimedia Foundation's 2015 annual plan.

In the media: Wikimania warning; Wikipedia "mystery" easily solved

The mayor of Esino Lario warns that Wikimedia 2016 is "at risk of disappearing".

Traffic report: The Empire lobs back

It's July 4 weekend and on this list that means only one thing: Wimbledon. Sure, the American Independence Day gets noticed too, but it can't hold a candle to that staggeringly British sporting event.

Featured content: Pyrénées, Playmates, parliament and a prison...

12 featured articles, 2 featured lists, and 15 featured pictures were promoted this week.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

The Signpost: 15 July 2015

Op-ed: On paid editing and advocacy: when the Bright Line fails to shine, and what we can do about it

"How long will this take?" This is one of the first questions new clients ask. They come to us because the Wikipedia entry about the company at which they work is wrong, incomplete, or even just outdated. The answer varies ...

Traffic report: Belles of the ball

However coy they may be about it in public, Americans love to win. And when they do, they make no secret of it.

WikiProject report: What happens when a country is no longer a country?

We return this week with an interview with a historical project that's still fairly active, WikiProject Former countries.

In the media: Shapps requests WMUK data; professor's plagiarism demotion

In The Register, Andrew Orlowski reports that three weeks ago, Grant Shapps filed a request with Wikimedia UK (WMUK) under the Data Protection Act 1998 "for all data relating to him".

Blog: Wikimedia Foundation releases third transparency report

The Wikimedia Foundation is pleased to announce the release of our latest transparency report.

News and notes: The Wikimedia Conference and Wikimania

Wikimania 2015 is underway in Mexico City, and one of its sessions—a scheduled follow-up to the annual Wikimedia Conference that was held in Berlin in May—is good reason to provide a retrospective of that Conference.

Featured content: When angels and daemons interrupt the vicious and intemperate

One featured article, seven featured lists, and 14 featured pictures were promoted this week.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community

The Signpost: 22 July 2015

From the editor: Change the world

We want to take a moment to ask you to consider contributing to the Signpost.

News and notes: Wikimanía 2016; Lightbreather ArbCom case

Wikimania features remarks from some leading players from the Wikimedia Foundation as well as the free knowledge movement.

Wikimanía report: Wikimanía 2015 report, part 1, the plenaries

WMF's Executive Director, Lila Tretikov, gave the opening plenary address.

In the media: Novelists annotate Wikipedia; Wales promotes TPO; Working for free

Three novelists "have found a way to control the Wikipedia narrative" by using the annotation website Genius to annotate their own Wikipedia articles.

Traffic report: The Nerds, They Are A-Changin'

Summary:When I was a kid, being a nerd meant wanting to go to Pluto.

WikiProject report: Some more politics

WikiProject Politics of the United Kingdom

Featured content: The sleep of reason produces monsters

Three featured articles, two featured lists, and 29 featured pictures were promoted this week.

Gallery: "One small step..."

46 years ago this week, humanity set foot on the Moon.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 29 July 2015

News and notes: BARC de-adminship proposal; Wikimania recordings debate

An RFC proposes to create a "Bureaucrats' Admin Review Committee" (BARC) composed of bureaucrats empowered to remove adminship rights.

Op-ed: My life as an autistic Wikipedian

Two years ago, I discovered that I was on the autism spectrum.

Recent research: Wikipedia and collective intelligence; how Wikipedia is tweeted

An article argues that Wikipedia displays some key characteristics of a collective intelligence process.

In the media: Is Wikipedia a battleground in the culture wars?

"Editors representing rival political tribes [are] frequently attempting to impose their respective narratives as the official version of one or another cultural controversy."

Featured content: Even mammoths get the Blues

Five featured articles, five featured lists, and sixteen featured pictures were promoted this week.

Traffic report: Namaste again, Reddit

For the first time since this list began, India-related topics have claimed both the top two slots.

The Signpost: 05 August 2015

Editorial: Wikipedia better equipped to deal with systemic bias than traditional publishers

That particular artists would be omitted through oversight or happenstance is reasonable, but that one of the world's leading publishers of art books is completely unaware of their major omissions is startling.

Op-ed: Je ne suis pas Google

The public interest in remembering the facts about trials and convictions is, in my view, at least as strong as any "right to be forgotten."

News and notes: VisualEditor, endowment, science, and news in brief

VisualEditor is now on slow roll-out on the English Wikipedia.

WikiProject report: Meet the boilerplate makers

The Report checks in with WikiProject Templates.

In the media: Probe into Nehru edits launched; dangers of the right to be forgotten

The Indian government has launched an investigation into the source of Wikipedia edits regarding Jawaharlal Nehru that caused outrage in that country.

Traffic report: Mrityorma amritam gamaya...

Death is no stranger to this list, but it has never cast such a pall as this week, when for the first time half the slots in the top 10 were devoted to it, including the top 3.

Featured content: Maya, Michigan, Medici, Médée, and Moul n'ga

Three featured articles, seven featured lists, and twenty-two featured pictures were promoted this week.

Blog: Get help editing Wikipedia with the new “Co-op” mentorship program

What if there was a gathering place on Wikipedia for newer editors to find a mentor?

The Signpost: 12 August 2015

News and notes: Superprotect, one year later; a contentious RfA

Superprotect was a novel page protection level implemented on August 10 last year, without warning.

In the media: Paid editing; traffic drop; Nicki Minaj

The Atlantic discusses "The Covert World of People Trying to Edit Wikipedia—for Pay".

Forum: Community voices on paid editing

The community speaks out on paid editing.

Wikimanía report: Wikimanía 2015, part 2, a community event

Our ongoing Wikimanía coverage.

Traffic report: Fighting from top to bottom

The charts are led this week by UFC women's champion Ronda Rousey, who won her last match at UFC 190 (#9) in 34 seconds.

Featured content: Fused lizards, giant mice, and Scottish demons

Watch out for icebergs.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Wikimedia technical news.

Blog: The Hunt for Tirpitz

During World War II, the German battleship Tirpitz was a major threat to Allied convoys travelling across the North Atlantic and Arctic Sea.

The Signpost: 19 August 2015

Op-ed: WP:THREATENING2MEN: The English Wikipedia's misogynist infopolitics and the hegemony of the asshole consensus

Nothing makes Wikipedians more angry than a discussion of gender and feminism on Wikipedia.

In the media: Politically controversial science; "Wikipedia hates women"

A new article in PLOS ONE about Wikipedia's science coverage has attracted media attention.

Featured content: Dead parrots, live frogs, a symbolic kiss and what do we get? Enrique Iglesias!

This week's featured content.

Travelogue: Seeing is believing

Tony the Tiger tours New York City.

Traffic report: Straight Outta Connecticut

It's a long way from the leafy bowers of Greenwich, Connecticut to the concrete barrens of Compton, California.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

Blog: How Wikipedia responds to breaking news

Wikipedia is capable of covering news like any news agency.

The Signpost: 26 August 2015

In focus: An increase in active Wikipedia editors

Does the data mean good news for the encyclopedia?

In the media: Russia temporarily blocks Wikipedia

The Russian Wikipedia is blocked, more blocks may be on the on the horizon.

Op-ed: Wikimania—can volunteers organize conferences?

Should paid event staff supplement the work of volunteers?

News and notes: Re-imagining grants

The Wikimedia Foundation's grant structure.

Featured content: Out to stud, please call later

This week's featured content.

Arbitration report: Reinforcing Arbitration

The recently closed Arbitration Enforcement case.

Recent research: OpenSym 2015 report

A look at the research presented at the OpenSym 2015 conference.

The Signpost: 02 September 2015

Special report: Massive paid editing network unearthed on the English Wikipedia

Nearly 400 accounts blocked in largest paid-editing bust ever.

News and notes: Flow placed on ice

The WMF collaboration team announced this week that Flow will no longer be under active development.

Discussion report: WMF's sudden reversal on Wiki Loves Monuments

A conflict regarding fundraising banners on the Italian Wikipedia is resolved.

Featured content: Brawny

This Signpost "Featured content" report covers material promoted from 16 August to 24 August.

In the media: Orangemoody sockpuppet case sparks widespread coverage

Also vital statistics regarding Ja Rule.

Traffic report: You didn't miss much

The late-summer smash success of Straight Outta Compton remains the chief talking point of the English-speaking world, interrupted only by the welcome return of a Google Doodle.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 09 September 2015

Gallery: Being Welsh

The National Library is now releasing some of the nation's most treasured collections to Wikimedia Commons for everyone to use and enjoy.

Featured content: Killed by flying debris

Tony1 interviews a prolific featured content participant, Ian Rose.

Op-ed: DYK, or proudly displaying incorrect information on the Main Page with alarming regularity

Fram tells us why DYK is a problem.

News and notes: The Swedish Wikipedia's controversial two-millionth article

First bot-created article generated from Wikidata; the Orange Bar of Doom has finally met its doom; active editor numbers still on the rise; arbitrator to resign; ne templates added in wake of Orangemoody case

Traffic report: Mass media production traffic

This week's theme in popular articles revolved entirely around mass media productions.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

section begin "tech-newsletter-content"

In the media: Calling all scientists!; More Wikipedia editors in the Netherlands than all of Africa combined

A recap of Wikipedia in the media this week

The Signpost: 16 September 2015

Editorial: No access is no answer to closed access

On Wikipedia's commitment to open access and its obligations to readers and editors.

News and notes: Byrd and notifications leave, but page views stay; was a terror suspect editing Wikipedia?

WMF CFO to depart, notifications come and go, and questions about the possible editing by a recently arrested terrorism suspect.

In the media: Is there life on Mars?

Probably not. Also, Whitehall still editing Wikipedia.

Featured content: Why did the emu cross the road?

This week's featured content.

Traffic report: Another week

No particular trends to spot in this week's top article traffic.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 23 September 2015

In the media: PETA makes "monkey selfie" a three-way copyright battle; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

PETA launches a copyright lawsuit over the infamous photograph.

Op-ed: Can we please stop bashing Wikipedia?

No, really, just stop.

Featured content: Inside Duke Humfrey's Library

This week's featured content.

WikiProject report: Dancing to the beat of a... wikiproject?

This time of year features the Latin Grammy Awards, so here for an interview are WikiProject Latin music.

Traffic report: ¡Viva la Revolución! Kinda.

This week, drug lord and wannabe Bolivar Pablo Escobar was joined by a whole host of somewhat more primetime-friendly political insurgents.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 30 September 2015

News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation fundraising report, Montreal to host 2017 Wikimania

A year of fundraising and a controversial decision.

In the media: Irish legislative editing; coffee quarrel; more sports vandalism

More Wikipedia editing in the news.

Op-ed: Wikipedia needs more administrators

Low numbers of active admins and high standards for adminship make a troubling combination.

Recent research: Wiktionary special; newbies, conflict and tolerance; Is Wikipedia's search function inferior?

A look at newly published Wikipedia research.

Tech news: Tech news in brief

Community technical news

The Signpost: 07 October 2015

Op-ed: Walled gardens of corruption

Kazakhstan and Wikipedia: A marriage made in hell.

Traffic report: Reality is for losers

English speakers, like most of humanity, are primarily a northern-hemispheric people, and as autumn draws close and the days grow shorter, as a group we tend to huddle around our flickering screens and remember what matters: TV, movies, sports and, of course, crazy doomsday prophecies.

Featured content: This Week's Featured Content

Some of Wikipedia's newest featured content.

Gallery: Winners of Wiki Loves Monuments 2015 in Pakistan

These winners of the Wiki Loves Monuments Pakistan 2015 contest were shared with the Social Media mailing list recently.

Arbitration report: Warning: Contains GMOs

A new case was opened for ArbCom as the Genetically modified organisms case was accepted and opened on 28 September.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

A reproduced version of the Wikimedia tech newsletter.

In the media: Jailed Saudi blogger wins award; PR editing and Wiki-embarassment; Pakistan's third-richest person?

A summary of Wikimedia's mentions in the media

The Signpost: 14 October 2015

Op-ed: WikiConference USA 2015: built on good faith

We believe that human interaction can only make Wikipedia stronger.

WikiConference report: US gathering sees speeches from Andrew Lih, AfroCrowd, and the Archivist of the United States

Three days at the US National Archives.

Editorial: Why the news media needs a Wikipedian in residence

The news coverage we usually see about Wikipedia is neither in-depth, nor specialized, nor systematic.

News and notes: 2015–2016 Q1 fundraising update sparks mailing list debate

Everyone's talking about money.

Traffic report: Screens, Sport, Reddit, and Death

For the second consecutive week, the most viewed article had less than one million views, the only two weeks that has happened in all of 2015.

Featured content: A fistful of dollars

This week's featured content.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

Blog: Third Wikimedia Spain conference takes place in Madrid

On September 25, 26 and 27, Wikimedia Spain celebrated its third Wikimedia Conference at the Colegio Mayor Universitario Isabel de España in Madrid.

The Signpost: 21 October 2015

Editorial: Women and Wikipedia: the world is watching

Time to clean up our mess.

News and notes: Wikimedia lawsuit against NSA dismissed; Affiliates mailing list launched

District court judge decrees that the WMF lacks standing.

In the media: "Wikipedia's hostility to women"

"The lunatics are running the asylum."

Special report: One year of GamerGate, or how I learned to stop worrying and love bare rule-level consensus

Examining the conflict and its participants.

Featured content: A more balanced week

Featured content

Op-ed: Wikipedia is significantly amplifying the impact of Open Access publications

When given a choice between journals of similar impact factors, editors are significantly more likely to select the “open access” option.

Arbitration report: Four ArbCom cases ongoing

Open cases before the Arbitration Committee.

Traffic report: Hiding under the covers of the Internet

We live in a harsh, uncertain world.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 28 October 2015

From the editor: The Signpost's reorganization plan—we need your help

A call for volunteers.

News and notes: English Wikipedia reaches five million articles

The community reacts to another milestone.

In the media: The world's Wikipedia gaps; Google and Wikipedia accused of tying Ben Carson to NAMBLA

The week's news coverage about the encyclopedia.

Op-ed: It’s time to stop the bullying

Gangs of bullies and trolls rove the internet and make life difficult for the rest of us.

Arbitration report: A second attempt at Arbitration enforcement

A divisive case before the Committee opens.

Traffic report: Canada, the most popular nation on Earth

What's this all aboot, eh?

Recent research: Student attitudes towards Wikipedia; Jesus, Napoleon and Obama top "Wikipedia social network"; featured article editing patterns in 12 languages

New research about Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects.

Featured content: Birds, turtles, and other things

This week's featured content.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

Community letter: Five million articles

The community celebrates.

The Signpost: 04 November 2015

Op-ed: You are invited to participate in the Community Wishlist Survey

The WMF wants your ideas for technical improvements.

News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation finances; Superprotect is gone

WMF funding and the death and life of a controversial feature.

In the media: Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov: propaganda myth or history?

The difficulties of verifying encyclopedia content.

Traffic report: Death, the Dead, and Spectres are abroad

The week in article traffic.

Featured content: Christianity, music, and cricket

This week's featured content.

Gallery: Princess of Asturias Awards 2015 ceremony

Wikipedia received the 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for global cooperation on October 23.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 11 November 2015

Op-ed: As one thousand of us requested, Superprotect has been removed

Assessing the end of a controversial feature.

Arbitration report: Elections, redirections, and a resignation from the Committee

It's that time of the year again.

Discussion report: Compromise of two administrator accounts prompts security review

Fallout from a recent security breach.

Featured content: Texas, film, and cycling

Featured content

In the media: Sanger on Wikipedia; Silver on Vox; lawyers on monkeys

Are the inmates running the asylum? Are journalists copying Wikipedia? Are monkeys filing lawsuits?

Traffic report: Doodles of popularity

More doodles, more traffic.

Gallery: Paris

Reflecting on the tragedy in France.

The Signpost: 18 November 2015

Special report: ArbCom election—candidates’ opinions analysed

Our annual election coverage.

In the media: Icelandic milestone; apolitical editing

Icelandic Wikipedia hits 400K articles; how do Wikipedia editors stay neutral?

Discussion report: BASC disbanded; other developments in the discussion world

Discussions around the encyclopedia.

Arbitration report: Ban Appeals Subcommittee goes up in smoke; 21 candidates running

Updates on the Committee. You know, besides the election.

Featured content: Fantasia on a Theme by Jimbo Wales

The week in Featured Content.

Traffic report: Darkness and light

Paris and Diwali.

ArbCom elections are now open!

Hi,
You appear to be eligible to vote in the current Arbitration Committee election. The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to enact binding solutions for disputes between editors, primarily related to serious behavioural issues that the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the ability to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail. If you wish to participate, you are welcome to review the candidates' statements and submit your choices on the voting page. For the Election committee, MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:31, 23 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 25 November 2015

Op-ed: Wikidata: the new Rosetta Stone

Wikidata is set to become the main open data repository worldwide.

News and notes: Fundraising update; FDC recommendations

Updates on the Wikimedia Foundation.

In the media: Erasmus Prize awarded to Wikipedia; trouble on the Russian Wikipedia

The worldwide community wins a prestigious award while the Russian community struggles with government interference.

Recent research: Do Wikipedia citations mirror scholarly impact?; co-star networks in silent films

Scholarly research about Wikipedia and related projects.

Featured content: Caves and stuff

Featured content

Traffic report: J'en ai ras le bol

The week's most read articles.

Arbitration report: Third Palestine-Israel case closes; Voting begins

Another long-running case has been closed, while the voting process for this year's Arbitration Committee Elections has begun.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

Blog: Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia Deutschland urge Reiss Engelhorn Museum to reconsider suit over public domain works of art

The suit concerns copyright claims related to 17 images of the museum’s public domain works of art.

The Signpost: 02 December 2015

Op-ed: Whither Wikidata?

Issues of quality and verifiability threaten the project.

News and notes: Online harassment consultation; High voter turnout at ArbCom elections

How the community can have its say on two important matters.

In the media: Is Wikidata as transparent as it seems?; Wikimedia Fund-raising drive launches

Concerns about Wikidata and WMF fundraising.

Traffic report: Jonesing for episodes

The new Netflix series heads the list.

Featured content: This Week's Featured Content

Newly promoted featured content.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 09 December 2015

News and notes: ArbCom election results announced

The three scrutineers announced the results, a little more than three days after the close of voting.

Op-ed: Wikidata: Knowledge from different points of view

A response from Wikidata.

In the media: Political editing in the context of the US presidential primaries

Another election, another series of edit wars.

Gallery: Wiki Loves Monuments 2015 winners

The top 25 images.

Traffic report: So do you laugh, or does it cry?

Another death tops the report this week.

Featured content: Sports, ships, arts... and some other things

This week's featured content.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

The Signpost: 16 December 2015

In focus: Drone photography: New possibilities and new challenges

Creating content in the sky.

In the media: Wales in China; #Edit2015

Jimmy Wales finds his words edited on the Internet.

Arbitration report: GMO case decided

Keeping up with the committee.

Featured content: An unusually slow week

Featured content

WikiProject report: Women in Red—using teamwork and partnerships to elevate online and offline collaborations

Tackling content gaps through collaboration.

Traffic report: A feast of Spam

More data, more problems.

Gallery: WikiConference USA 2015: images, slide decks, and videos

A look back at October.

The Signpost: 30 December 2015

News and notes: WMF Board dismisses community-elected trustee

In a monumental move, the Board ousted one of its own

Arbitration report: Second Arbitration Enforcement case concludes as another case is suspended

The latest news from ArbCom

Featured content: The post-Christmas edition

A report covering material promoted from 13 to 26 December

Traffic report: The Force we expected

In a development that should surprise no one, Star Wars takes the first place prize

Year in review: The top ten Wikipedia stories of 2015

We review the top ten stories that defined the Wikimedia movement in 2015

In the media: Wikipedia plagued by a "Basket of Deception"

The latest news coverage from around the movement

Gallery: It's that time of year again

Christmas time is here.

The Signpost: 06 January 2016

News and notes: The WMF's age of discontent

Trouble with the Board of Trustees

In the media: Impenetrable science; Jimmy Wales back in the UAE

Wikipedia's science articles are "effectively incomprehensible"

Arbitration report: Catflap08 and Hijiri88 case been decided

Current Committee decisions

Featured content: Featured menagerie

Featured content

Recent research: Teaching Wikipedia, Does advertising the gender gap help or hurt Wikipedia?

Current academic research on Wikipedia and related projects

WikiProject report: Try-ing to become informed - WikiProject Rugby League

Sports!

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news

The Signpost: 13 January 2016

In the media: War and peace; WMF board changes; Arabic and Hebrew Wikipedias

A look at movement coverage "in the media"

Community view: Battle for the soul of the WMF

Liam Wyatt shares his thoughts in "community view"

Editorial: We need a culture of verification

Our co-editor-in-chief, Gamaliel, shares his thoughts on the 15th anniversary of Wikipedia

In focus: The Crisis at New Montgomery Street

William Beutler discusses problems inside the WMF.

Op-ed: Transparency

James Heilman talks about why he was removed from the WMF board.

Traffic report: Pattern recognition: Third annual Traffic Report

What was the most-viewed article of 2015? Read to find out!

Special report: Wikipedia community celebrates Public Domain Day 2016

WE LOVE PUBLIC DOMAIN DAY!

News and notes: Community objections to new Board trustee

A look at community objections to a new Board trustee

Blog: Inside the game of sports vandalism on Wikipedia

Jeff Elder talks sports vandalism on the Wikimedia blog

Featured content: This Week's Featured Content

A review of the featured content promoted this week

Arbitration report: Interview: outgoing and incumbent arbitrators 2016

We sat down with both incoming and outgoing arbitrators to get their thoughts on the committee.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Latest tech news from the Wikimedia technical community.

The Signpost: 20 January 2016

News and notes: Vote of no confidence; WMF trustee speaks out

The continuing controversy over a new Board appointment.

Op-ed: Not a pretty picture: Thoughts on the "monkey selfie" debacle

Is Wikimedia taking the right approach?

In the media: 15th anniversary news round-up

The news media remembers we're still around.

Traffic report: Danse Macabre

A cheery week.

Featured content: This week's featured content

Newly promoted content.

Blog: Fifteen years ago, Wikipedia was a very different place

A talk with MediaWiki developer : Magnus Manske.

The Signpost: 27 January 2016

Op-ed: Lila Tretikov: the WMF needs your input in developing our strategy

Participate in the new strategy initiative.

News and notes: Geshuri steps down from the Board

Newly appointed trustee leaves following a community outcry.

In the media: Media coverage of the Arnnon Geshuri no-confidence vote

Board turmoil gets the attention of journalists.

Recent research: Bursty edits; how politics beat religion but then lost to sports; notability as a glass ceiling

Current research involving Wikipedia.

Traffic report: Death and taxes

Some things never change.

Featured content: This week's featured content

Newly promoted content.

The Signpost: 03 February 2016

From the editors: Help wanted

Help us continue to publish on a weekly (-ish) basis.

Special report: Board chair and new trustee speak with the Signpost

New member María Sefidari joins the Board of Trustees.

In focus: The Knight Foundation grant: a timeline and an email to the board

James Heilman speaks out about the events leading up to his dismissal from the Board.

Op-ed: So, what’s a knowledge engine anyway?

Examining the issues at the heart of recent Board disputes.

News and notes: Harassment survey 2015; Luis Villa to leave WMF; knowledge engine background

A survey released, another major departure from the Foundation.

Arbitration report: Catching up on arbitration

More cases, more problems.

Traffic report: Bowled

Some sort of sporting contest tops this week's traffic.

Featured content: This week's featured content

Newly promoted content.

The Signpost: 10 February 2016

Special report: New internal documents raise questions about the origins of the Knowledge Engine

In focus: An in-depth look at the special report's newly revealed documents

News and notes: Another WMF departure

In the media: Jeb Bush swings at Wikipedia and connects

Featured content: This week's featured content

Traffic report: A river of revilement

Blog: Wikimedia Foundation removes The Diary of Anne Frank due to copyright law requirements

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 05:28, 15 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 17 February 2016

Special report: Search and destroy: the Knowledge Engine and the undoing of Lila Tretikov

Examining the impact of the knowledge engine

Op-ed: Shit I cannot believe we had to fucking write this month

A new column that examines the articles that are helping to fight systemic bias

Featured content: This week's featured content

One article, three lists, and five images attained featured status this past week

Traffic report: Super Bowling

The biggest annual event in America takes over Wikipedia viewership

Technology report: Tech news in brief

The news for the nerd inside of us

Blog: Antonin Scalia and the editor tracking his legacy

The American Supreme Court justice's impact on the life of a Wikipedia editor

2016 Art And Feminism Wikipedia Editathon @ CCA

You are invited! - Saturday, March 5 - Wikipedia:Meetup/San Francisco/ArtandFeminism 2016			Please join us at the California College of the Arts' Simpson Library on Saturday March 5, 2016, for an event aimed at collaboratively expanding Wikipedia articles covering Art and Feminism, and the biographies of women artists! --Circa73 (talk)

The Signpost: 24 February 2016

Special report: WMF in limbo as decision on Tretikov nears

The Board of Trustees may be deciding the direction of the Foundation.

Op-ed: Backward the Foundation

Parting words from a WMF employee,

Traffic report: Of Dead Pools and Dead Judges

Another grim week in traffic statistics.

Blog: Wiki Loves Africa brings the continent’s fashion to the world

Wiki Loves Africa photo competition focuses on continent’s varied fashion traditions from north, south, east, and west.

Arbitration report: Arbitration motion regarding CheckUser & Oversight inactivity

Committee motions and business.

Featured content: This week's featured content

Newly promoted featured content.

Technology report: Tech news in brief

Community technical news.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 05:03, 25 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 02 March 2016

News and notes: Tretikov resigns, WMF in transition

A tumultuous time at the Wikimedia Foundation

Featured content: This week's featured content

Newly promoted articles and images.

Traffic report: Brawling

Politics and wrestling top the traffic statistics.

Recent research: Wikipedia and paid labour; Swedish gender gap; how verifiable is "verifiable"?

Current academic research about the encyclopedia and related projects.

Blog: Wikimedia Foundation details requests to alter or remove content in new transparency report

The WMF reports on incoming requests.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:00, 8 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 09 March 2016

News and notes: Katherine Maher named interim head of WMF; Wales email re-sparks Heilman controversy; draft WMF strategy posted

Controversy, change, and everything between.

In the media: Wikipedian is break-out star of International Women's Day; dinosaur art; Wikipedia's new iOS app and its fight for market share

Perhaps we're turning over a new leaf as a front-runner in the fight for equality?

Op-ed: A modest proposal for Wikimedia’s future

A look at the future of our parent foundation.

Featured content: Five articles, four lists, a topic, and five images were promoted this week.

This week's featured content

Technology report: Wikimedia wikis will temporarily go into read-only mode on several occasions in the coming weeks

Finally, a break for the vandalism fighters!

WikiCup report: First round of the WikiCup finishes

Your detailed look at one of Wikipedia's largest contests.

Blog: The new alchemy: turning online harassment into Wikipedia articles on women scientists

By night, she smites trolls on the Internet with positive punishment: for each harassing email she receives, one Wikipedia article on a woman in science is created.

Systemic bias: Revenge of "I can’t believe we didn’t have an article on ..."

Wherein I am STILL fucking angry about systemic bias and am highlighting kick-ass articles we created and improved this month in our never-ending quest to fix it.

Traffic report: All business like show business

The Oscars, Super Tuesday, and Super Saturday"

The Signpost: 16 March 2016

News and notes: Wikipedia Zero: Orange mobile partnership in Africa ends; the evolution of privacy loss in Wikipedia

Parties could not agree on extending the 2009 agreement.

In the media: Wales at SXSW; lawsuit over Wikipedia PR editing

Two board members on stage at the popular yearly event.

Op-ed: Hard work needed to address Wikimedia’s leadership challenges

The road ahead for the WMF.

Discussion report: Is an interim WMF executive director inherently notable?

Wikipedia news sparks editing disagreements.

Featured content: This week's featured content

Featured content

Technology report: Watchlists, watchlists, watchlists!

An interview with a MediaWiki developer.

Traffic report: Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States

Time to move abroad.

Wikipedia Weekly: Podcast #119: The Foundation and the departure of Lila Tretikov

The popular podcast returns.

Blog: It “revolutionized the way German-speaking people inform themselves about the world”: Fifteen years of the German Wikipedia

A Deutschland anniversary.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:12, 19 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 23 March 2016

Interview: Exclusive: interview with interim ED Katherine Maher

The Signpost speaks with the incoming WMF interim executive director.

News and notes: Lila Tretikov a Young Global Leader; Wikipediocracy blog post sparks indefinite blocks

The outgoing ED to be honored at Davos.

In the media: Angolan file sharers cause trouble for Wikipedia Zero; the 3D printer edit war; a culture based on change and turmoil

Piracy and controversy.

Traffic report: Be weary on the Ides of March

Are readers exhausted?

Editorial: "God damn it, you've got to be kind."

All of us can do better.

Featured content: Watch out! A slave trader, a live mascot and a crested serpent awaits!

The week in newly promoted content.

Arbitration report: Palestine-Israel article 3 case amended

Motions from the Committee.

Wikipedia Weekly: Podcast #120: Status of Wikimania 2016

Discussing the upcoming Italian Wikimania.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:24, 27 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 1 April 2016

News and notes: Trump/Wales 2016

A surprise political announcement.

In the media: Saskatoon police delete Wikipedia content about police brutality

Police haul away some article content.

WikiProject report: Why should the Devil have all the good music? An interview with WikiProject Christian music

Rock out to this interview with project editors.

Traffic report: Donald v Daredevil

¿Quién es más macho?

Featured content: A slow, slow week

Technology report: Browse Wikipedia in safety? Use Telnet!

Set your Wayback Machine.

Recent research: "Employing Wikipedia for good not evil" in education; using eyetracking to find out how readers read articles

Current research about Wikimedia projects.

Wikipedia Weekly: Podcast #121: How April Fools went down

A roundtable discussion about current Wikimedia issues.

Blog: Growing hashtags: Expanding outreach on Wikipedia

Using hashtags to track the results of Wikimedia outreach.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 20:12, 1 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon series kickoff, April 27

Please join us in San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts in the San Francisco Bay Area will gather to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas. We have two brief presentations lined up for our kickoff event in downtown San Francisco:

The Nueva Upper School recently hosted the first ever high school Wikipedia edit-a-thon. We will hear what interests them about Wikipedia, what they have learned so far, and what they hope to achieve.
Photojournalist Kris Schreier Lyseggen, author of The Women of San Quentin: The Soul Murder of Transgender Women in Male Prisons, will tell us about her work and how she researched the topic.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. We will have beverages and light snacks.

Please note: You must register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict on this point.

For further details, see here: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, April 2016

We hope to see you -- and until then, happy editing! - Pete, Ben & Wayne

The Signpost: 14 April 2016

Op-ed: Should prison inmates be permitted to edit Wikipedia?

They do have plenty of time on their hands

News and notes: Denny Vrandečić resigns from Wikimedia Foundation board

More turnover in the foundation

In the media: Wikimedia Sweden loses copyright case; Tex Watson; AI assistants; David Jolly biography

Copyright laws, prisoners, and the future of technology

Featured content: This week's featured content

Featured content

Traffic report: A welcome return to pop culture and death

American politics seem to have finally bored people

Arbitration report: The first case of 2016—Wikicology

The drought is finally over!

Gallery: A history lesson

A look at political satire, brought to you by Wikipedia and Commons

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:45, 14 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 April 2016

News and notes: Lunar project; steering group formed to search for next executive director

Maybe the rover could find an ED on the moon...

Op-ed: Knowledge Engine and the Wales–Heilman emails

When is competing with Google not competing with Google?

Special report: Update on EranBot, our new copyright violation detection bot

Help wanted!

Traffic report: Two for the price of one

What's better than one traffic report? Two!

Featured content: The double-sized edition

10 articles, 6 lists, and 11 pictures have been promoted in this cycle

Arbitration report: Amendments made to the Race and intelligence case

When it rains, it pours

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:41, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 2 May 2016

News and notes: Wikimedia Switzerland's board and paid-editing firm; passing of Ed Dravecky

Wikimedia Switzerland board members involved in paid-editing firm

In the media: Wikipedia Zero piracy in Bangladesh; bureaucracy; chilling effects; too few cooks; translation gaps

More reports surface of pirates' new favorite database: Wikimedia Commons

Traffic report: Purple

Prince's death breaks traffic report records

Featured content: The best ... from the past two weeks

Seven articles, six lists, and four pictures were promoted these weeks

Arbitration report: Two editors unbanned; Wikicology case enters workshop phase; Gamaliel restricted from Gamergate at his own request

Arbitration news

Recent research: The eight roles of Wikipedians; do edit histories expose social relations among editors?

Making sense of Wikipedia's social network

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:08, 2 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series on May 25

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. We will have beverages and light snacks.

Please note: You must register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict on this point.

For further details, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, May 2016

See you soon! Pete F, Ben Creasy, and Checkingfax via MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:15, 9 May 2016 (UTC) | Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the SF Meetups notice.[reply]

The Signpost: 17 May 2016

News and notes: Affiliates' nomination of WMF trustees announced; FDC's straight talking to WMF

Christophe Henner and Nataliia Tymkiv respond to the Signpost's questions

Op-ed: Swiss chapter in turmoil

Paid-editing controversy

In the media: Wikimedia's Dario Taraborelli quoted on Google's Knowledge Graph in The Washington Post

Citations needed

Featured content: Two weeks for the prize of one

Nine featured articles, eight featured lists, and six featured pictures

Traffic report: Oh behave, Beyhive / Underdogs

Prince gives way to Captain America

Arbitration report: "Wikicology" ends in site ban; evidence and workshop phases concluded for "Gamaliel and others"

News from two arbitration cases

Wikicup: That's it for WikiCup Round 2!

35 competitors move on to round 3

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:33, 17 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 28 May 2016

News and notes: Upcoming Wikimedia conferences in the US and India; May Metrics and Activities Meeting

Dates and venues for WikiCon USA 2016, WikiCon India 2016, 2016 Glam Boot Camp and 2016 Wikimedia Diversity Conference

Special report: Compensation paid to Sue Gardner increased by almost 50 percent after she stepped down as executive director

Sue Gardner appears to be earning more money as the WMF's special advisor than she did as its executive director

In the media: The perils of Wikipedia's monopoly; Wikipedians' fragility; Street Sharks hoax

Not everything you read online is fact

Featured content: Eight articles, three lists and five pictures

Another eight featured articles, three featured lists and five featured pictures

Op-ed: Journey of a Wikipedian

Mental health carries a powerful stigma. The more we are open about it, the less that weighs all of us down

Arbitration report: Gamaliel resigns from the arbitration committee

Gamaliel and others case nears its end, and there are new 30/500 rules

Recent research: English as Wikipedia's Lingua Franca; deletion rationales; schizophrenia controversies

Round-up of recent Wikipedia research

Traffic report: Splitting (musical) airs / Slow Ride

We've recently come into possession of a new tool.

Blog: Freely licensed magic at Eurovision

Albin Olsson has been right there with them, capturing dramatic images of singers from around the world.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:12, 28 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 05 June 2016

News and notes: WMF cuts budget for 2016-17 as scope tightens

The Signpost analyzes the WMF's revised annual plan

In the media: Jimmy Wales on net neutrality—"It's complicated"—and his $100m fundraising challenge

Recent press interviews

Featured content: Overwhelmed ... by pictures

One article, one list, and seven images were featured this week

Traffic report: Pop goes the culture, again.

Film and television maintain a strong grasp on Wikipedia's readership

Arbitration report: ArbCom case "Gamaliel and others" concludes

The final results of the heated case

WikiProject report: WikiProject Video Games

We sat down with the writers of some of the most vistied Wikipedia articles

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 20:12, 5 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 15 June 2016

News and notes: Clarifications on status and compensation of outgoing executive directors Sue Gardner and Lila Tretikov

WMF board chair Patricio Lorente answers questions

Special report: Wikiversity Journal—A new user group

Wikimedia enters academic publishing

Featured content: From the crème de la crème

Eleven featured articles, nine featured lists and fourteen featured pictures

In the media: Biography disputes; Craig Newmark donation; PR editing

Recent media coverage of Wikipedia and Wikimedia

Op-ed: Commons Picture of the Year; Wikidata licensing

Two for the price of one—do the popular Commons image contest and Wikidata licensing serve the community as well as they should?

Traffic report: Another one with sports; Knockout, brief candle

Wikipedia's most read articles in the last two weeks

Blog: Why I proofread poetry at Wikisource

Poetry: “it is the stuff of the soul; it speaks to the body, the mind, and the spirit alike.” Sonja Bohm worked for years to get all of Florence Earle Coates’ poetry online, and now proofreads poetry on the English Wikisource, the free library. We asked why.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:57, 15 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series, Wednesday, June 29

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We make sure to allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages and light snacks. We will also have:

A brief report on Pride edit-a-thon recently held at the San Francisco Publice Library, coordinated by Merrilee:
What topics might we cover in a follow up?

Find out more about resources your public library provides to help with editing (hint, it's more than just books!)

Special announcement (secret for now but come and find out more!)
Join in on an in person Wikidojo!
Are you curious how your peers approach writing a Wikipedia article? This exercise, pioneered by Wikipedians Nikola Kalchev and Vassia Atanassova in 2015 and conducted in many places around the world, will help us all - from first-time wiki users to veteran Wikipedians - share ideas, while building an article together. If you have ideas (relating to Bay Area history, ideally) about a new article we could build (stubs and short existing articles are fine), please submit them ahead of time to coordinator Pete Forsyth. (User talk page or email is fine.)

Announcements and impromptu topics are welcome, too!

Please note: You must register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict.

For further details, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, June 2016

See you soon! Pete F, Ben, Stephen and Checkingfax | (Subscribe or Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 10:07, 19 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

REMINDER/invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series, Wednesday, June 29 at 6 p.m.

Please join us in downtown San Francisco tonight!

If you cannot join in person or want to view portions later:

We will have:

Light snacks, and time to mingle
A brief report on the Pride edit-a-thon recently held at the San Francisco Public Library, that was coordinated by Wiki editor Merrilee
A special announcement (secret for now but come and find out more!)
Join in on a brief in person Wikidojo!
Announcements and impromptu topics are welcome, too!

Please register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cjLRrSTlEkGOPTQ-h6A0WvSFI4ZmIUl6jEHp_RYas-E/viewform and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict.

For further details, see: Bay Area WikiSalon, June 2016

See you tonight! Pete F, Ben, Stephen and MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:48, 29 June 2016 (UTC) | (Subscribe or Unsubscribe to this talk page notice)[reply]

The Signpost: 04 July 2016

News and notes: Board unanimously appoints Katherine Maher as new WMF executive director; Wikimedia lawsuits in France and Germany

News from Wikimania and the courts

Op-ed: Two policies in conflict?

Paid-contributions disclosure vs. outing

In the media: Terrorism database cites Wikipedia as a source

Reliability worries

Featured content: Triple fun of featured content

Six articles, nine lists, one topic and thirteen pictures promoted

Traffic report: Goalposts; Oy vexit

European football and politics dominate the top-10

Blog: Jimmy Wales names Emily Temple-Wood and Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight as Wikipedians of the Year

From the Wikimedia Foundation blog

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:46, 4 July 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 21 July 2016

News and notes: Board faces diversity and skill-base issues in new FDC appointments

Four seats to be filled in top WMF grantmaking body; General Counsel and Secretary Geoff Brigham leaves Wikimedia

Discussion report: Busy month for discussions

New ArbCom restrictions; genetically modified food safety

In the media: Women in science editathon gets national press; Wikipedia "shockingly biased"

Female scientists in India; Cracked.com probes Wikipedia's weaknesses

Featured content: A wide variety from the best

Promotions in four featured-content forums

Traffic report: Sports and esports

Northern summer makes sport the winner

Arbitration report: Script writers appointed for clerks

Plus a clerk appointment and two motions

Recent research: Using deep learning to predict article quality

Plus navigating the Chinese Wikipedia, and talkpage sentiment

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:19, 21 July 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Late breaking invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series, July 27 (Wednesday) - change of venue - tonight

Please join us in the Mission at Noisebridge (one time change of venue)!

We hope you can join us today, Wednesday, from 6 p.m. on, at our July Bay Area WikiSalon. This month only, we are going to be at Noisebridge, a hackerspace/makerspace 1.5 blocks from the 16th & Mission BART station (see the link for directions). Some of us will be working on the Wikipedia article on basic income. All info here. Some good news - we do not have to be as strict about advance RSVP at Noisebridge, so bring spontaneous guests! (Registering ahead of time is still helpful, as always, as it will help us plan ahead.)

Come and hang out, have some light snacks. Wi-Fi is available, so please bring your editing device if you plan to edit.

Also, Pete just published a writeup of the Wikidojo exercise we did last month. Your comments welcome, if he missed anything! http://wikistrategies.net/ghost-town-royals-wikidojo

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas. Mark you calendars now.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend.

See you soon! Pete F, Ben Creasy, Stephen and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:05, 27 July 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 04 August 2016

Editorial: Wikipedia policy suppresses sharing of information

And the Signpost loses and gains a co-editor-in-chief

News and notes: Foundation presents results of harassment research, plans for automated identification; Wikiconference submissions open

WMF and Alphabet are developing an algorithm designed to detect personal attacks

In the media: Paid editing service announced; Commercial exploitation of free images; Wikipedia as a crystal ball; Librarians to counter systemic bias

Plus Android and Taylor Swift

Obituary: Kevin Gorman, who took on Wikipedia's gender gap and undisclosed paid advocacy, dies at 24

Condolences are being left on his English Wikipedia talk page

Traffic report: Summer of Pokémon, Trump, and Hillary

Pokémon Go led the chart for two weeks running

Featured content: Women and Hawaii

Eight articles, two lists and fourteen pictures were promoted

Recent research: Easier navigation via better wikilinks

Plus: new Wiki Studies journal, Wikipedia usage on Twitter and more

Blog: All-new notifications page helps Wikimedians focus on what matters most

WMF announces enhancements to the notifications system

Technology report: User script report (January to July 2016, part 1)

New user scripts and other tech news

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:32, 4 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 18 August 2016

News and notes: Focus on India—WikiConference produces new apps; state government adopts free licenses

Conference draws highly diverse and productive participation, and several years' advocacy pays off in a new government policy

Special report: Engaging diverse communities to profile women of Antarctica

Guest post recaps in-depth engagement of experts to address Wikipedia gender gap while improving coverage of their field

In the media: The ugly, the bad, the playful, and the promising

Wikipedia coverage ranged from sobering to playful in this issue's roundup

Featured content: Simply the best ... from the last two weeks

Eight articles, eleven lists, one topic and five pictures were promoted

Traffic report: Olympic views

Politics gives way to sports, TV and film

Technology report: User script report (January–July 2016, part 2)

A review of numerous useful Wikipedia customizations

Arbitration report: The Michael Hardy case

New case opened, and a reminder to administrators not to impose blocks based on private information

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:40, 18 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series, Wednesday, August 31

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Hi folks,

We would like to invite you to this month's Bay Area WikiSalon. The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We make sure to allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages and light snacks. We will also have a brief presentation for your education and possible enjoyment:

Former EFF intern Marta Belcher will discuss crowdsourcing her Stanford Law School graduation speech using a wiki. The "WikiSpeech" was the subject of prominent national media attention in 2015, and more than half of her classmates contributed to writing and editing the commencement address via a wiki.

Please note: You should register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict on the I.D. part. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in! Feel free to stop by even if only to say a quick hello, but you might have to give us a last minute call if you forget to RSVP. Also, don't be shy about hitting us up if you have thoughts on speakers or wiki-related activities.

For further details, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, August 2016

See you soon! Pete F, Ben, Stephen and Checkingfax | (Subscribe or Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:05, 29 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Tonight: Live and archived links for Bay Area WikiSalon

Bay Area WikiSalon, Wednesday, August 31:

If you cannot join us in person tonight, we are streaming (and later archiving) the presentation by former EFF intern Marta Belcher. We expect her to be live starting between 6:30 or 6:45 p.m. PDT and talking and taking questions for about 30 minutes thereafter.

Here is the YouTube stream link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t8V79s2-og
Here is the link to join the Hangout on Air: https://hangouts.google.com/call/ezrol7dafjfwxfh2ilpkjyxoaue

You can search for it on the Commons and YouTube later too.

Wayne, Pete, Ben, and Stephen

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:50, 31 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 06 September 2016

News and notes: AffCom still grappling with WMF Board's criteria for new chapters

The Board’s two-year moratorium on new chapters and thematic organisations has expired; presentation of new criteria is reigniting smoldering controversies and introducing new ones

Special report: Olympics readership depended on language

A comparison of the 15 most-read articles related to the Olympics, in seven language editions of Wikipedia

In the media: Librarians, Wikipedians, and a library of Wikipedia coverage

Wikipedia gaining ground in credibility among librarians; and a healthy helping of media coverage

WikiProject report: Watching Wikipedia

An interview with WikiProject TV member CAWylie

Featured content: Entertainment, sport, and something else in-between

Twelve articles, eight lists and four pictures were promoted

Traffic report: From Phelps to Bolt to Reddit

An update on two weeks of Wikipedia traffic, based on a new and improved tracking tool

Technology report: Wikimedia mobile sites now don't load images if the user doesn't see them

New scripts and technical news

Recent research: Ethics of machine-created articles and fighting vandalism

One study encounters critique of its ethics from Wikipedians; another critiques the ethics employed by Wikipedia

Blog: Upload of free photos from Swiss library underway

Switzerland's largest public science library is uploading 134k photos

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:44, 6 September 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Invitation to the Bay Area WikiSalon series, Wednesday, September 28

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Hi folks,

We would like to invite you to this month's Bay Area WikiSalon. The last Wednesday evening of every month, Wikipedia and Wikimedia enthusiasts gather to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We will have no formal agenda to allow people to freely share ideas and perhaps learn about Wikipedia through hands-on editing. Co-organizer Ben Creasy will be looking at election-related articles to enhance the information available in the upcoming November elections.

Co-organizer Stephen LaPorte has suggested doing an upload-a-thon for Wiki Loves Monuments. Niki, the California coordinator for WLM will be in attendance. WLM is an annual event and the official dealine is Friday the 30th for submissions to count towards awards.

Or, you can grab a couch, a booth, or a stool and do your own thing.

Please note: You should register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict on the I.D. part. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in! Feel free to stop by even if only to say a quick hello, but you might have to give us a last minute call if you forget to RSVP. Also, don't be shy about hitting us up if you have thoughts on future speakers or wiki-related activities.

For further details, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, September 2016. Mark your calendars now for the 3rd Wednesday in October, the 26th, when we will have a brief presentation.

See you soon! Pete F, Ben, Stephen and Checkingfax | (Subscribe or Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:34, 24 September 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 29 September 2016

News and notes: Wikipedia Education Program case study published; and a longtime Wikimedian has made his final edit

Medical school class's Wikipedia contributions profiled as case study; and a remembrance of Ray Saintonge, Wikimedian since 2002

In the media: Wikipedia in the news

This edition's roundup of media coverage

Featured content: Three weeks in the land of featured content

Nineteen articles, eleven lists, one portal and twelve pictures were promoted

Arbitration report: Arbcom looking for new checkusers and oversight appointees while another case opens

TRM, CUOS '16, R&I, RfC

Traffic report: From Gene Wilder to JonBenét

Four weeks of Wikipedia's most popular articles examined

Technology report: Category sorting and template parameters

Titles with numbers now sort numerically, and a new tool to check how template parameters are used

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 04:21, 29 September 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 14 October 2016

News and notes: Fundraising, flora and fauna

Wikimedia Foundation reports on fundraising challenges and new initiatives; Indian botanists rally to build Wikimedia Commons' photo collection

Discussion report: Cultivating leadership: Wikimedia Foundation seeks input

A new "peer academy" is proposed to find and support leadership in volunteer communities

In the media: A news columnist on the frustrations of tweaking his Wikipedia bio

And this edition's roundup of media coverage

Technology report: Upcoming tech projects for 2017

A new editor, a new parsing algorithm, and another server switch

Featured content: Variety is the spice of life

Twelve articles, twelve lists and twenty-one pictures were promoted

Traffic report: Debates and escapes

Donald Trump remains a view-magnet, others change their channel

Recent research: A 2011 study resurfaces in a media report

We explore the study, which sought insights from Wikipedia metadata into global events

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 19:28, 14 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

You are invited to a Wednesday evening event in SF

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Hi folks,

Please copy and share this on other talk pages. We would like to invite you to this month's Bay Area WikiSalon. The last Wednesday evening of every month, Wikipedia and Wikimedia enthusiasts gather at the Wikimedia Foundation lounge to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We will have no meaty agenda this month, but we will allow a brief period for:

Open mic for anybody who attended WikiConference North America 2016 in San Diego last week and wants to share their takeaway
Question & answer
Open mic for announcements
Maybe a focus on some topical election article editing with Ben?

Or, you can grab a couch, a booth, a stool or counter and do your own thing.

Please note: You should register here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The building policy is strict on the I.D. part. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in! Feel free to stop by even if only to say a quick hello, but you might have to give us a last minute call if you forget to RSVP. Also, don't be shy about hitting us up if you have thoughts on future speakers or wiki-related activities.

For further details, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, October 2016.

PS: Mark your calendars ahead now for the 3rd Wednesday in November, the 30th (the week after Thanksgiving), at 6 p.m. when our WikiSalon will host a super awesome top secret mystery guest mingling in our midst. We will announce specifics at the upcoming WikiSalon.

See you soon! Pete F, Ben, Stephen, Jacob, and Checkingfax | (Subscribe or Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 08:51, 22 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 4 November 2016

News and notes: Finally, a new CTO; trustee joins Quora; copyright upgrade impending

Victoria Coleman to fill long-vacant CTO role; Trustee Kelly Battles joins Quora executive team; last week for community input on Creative Commons 4.0 license

In the media: Washington Post continues in-depth Wikipedia coverage

Plus our roundup of recent media stories

Wikicup: WikiCup winners

Winners of the tenth annual WikiCup competition announced and profiled

Discussion report: What's on your tech wishlist for the coming year?

Progress on the 2015 Community Wishlist for tech features; and plans for a new Wishlist

Technology report: New guideline for technical collaboration; citation templates now flag open access content

Proposed best practices for communication and community involvement, and an improvement to Wikipedia's citation infrastructure

Featured content: Cream of the crop

Fourteen articles, six lists and fourteen pictures were promoted

Traffic report: Un-presidential politics

Two weeks of insights into the mind of the mob

Arbitration report: Recapping October's activities

Two cases closed, and an administrator loses editing rights

Recent research: Why women edit less, and where they are overrepresented; article importance and quality; predicting elections from Wikipedia

A recap of recent research in our realm

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:51, 4 November 2016 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom Elections 2016: Voting now open!

Hello, Andyvphil. Voting in the 2016 Arbitration Committee elections is open from Monday, 00:00, 21 November through Sunday, 23:59, 4 December to all unblocked users who have registered an account before Wednesday, 00:00, 28 October 2016 and have made at least 150 mainspace edits before Sunday, 00:00, 1 November 2016.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2016 election, please review the candidates' statements and submit your choices on the voting page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:08, 21 November 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 4 November 2016

News and notes: Arbitration Committee elections commence

An overview of the English Wikipedia ArbCom election; brief notes as Asian and African initiatives wind down

In the media: Roundup of news related to U.S. presidential election and more

Election prompts media to explore themes important to Wikipedians, including news literacy, privacy, and data security

Blog: The top fifteen winning photos from Wiki Loves Earth

115,000 images were submitted as part of the annual competition.

Gallery: Around the world with Wiki Loves Monuments 2016

A sampling of photo submissions to the annual photography campaign

Featured content: Featured mix

Eight articles, two lists and nine pictures were promoted

Special report: Taking stock of the Good Article backlog

A close examination of the efficacy of the GA Cup contest, a longstanding effort to reduce the backlog of articles awaiting review

Op-ed: Fundraising data should be more transparent

Empowering volunteers and local chapters to engage with fundraising would yield varied benefits

Traffic report: President-elect Trump

Someone is likely to dominate traffic for a long time

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 09:05, 26 November 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Everybody is invited to the November 30 Bay Area WikiSalon

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Details and RSVP here.

See you soon! Pete F, Ben Creasy, and Checkingfax | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:54, 29 November 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon series: Everybody is invited this Wednesday evening at 6

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki and open-source enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

Before and after the brief presentation we allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages and light snacks.

In addition, this month we will have:

a brief presentation from User:Cullen328 (Jim Heaphy) about the Wikipedia Teahouse
spontaneous lightning talks from the floor
community announcements from the floor

For details and to RSVP see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, December 2016

See you soon! Ben Creasy and Checkingfax | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

+++++
P.S. Any help spreading the word through social media or other avenues is most welcome! We plan to announce this on various sites and invite various groups; if you would like to join in, check our meta planning page, and please note any announcements you are sending out: meta:Monthly WikiSalon in San Francisco#Announcements and promotion

Please feel free to add to, refine, reorganize or edit the above linked page: it is a wiki!

We need more helpers and organizers, so if you see a need, please jump in, or talk to us about it! You can add your username to the meta page where appropriate, or create a new role!

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:44, 12 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Reminder invitation to the December Bay Area WikiSalon

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Hi, everybody.

We are excited to remind you of the ninth in the Bay Area WikiSalon series that is coming up this Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.

Details (RSVP suggested) here (RSVP helps us know how much food and drink to bring in)

What is a WikiSalon? A monthly safe and inclusive meatspace event conducted in organized chaos and we all clean up the mess afterwards. Livestream links for the presentation are available during presentation months, and will be forthcoming for those of you that cannot attend. December is a presentation month.

Hope to see you there! Wayne (and Ben) - co-organizers
Any last minute questions or suggestions? Please ping or email Ben or me. | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 05:10, 20 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 22 December 2016

Year in review: Looking back on 2016

Roundup of the year's news from the Wikimedia world, featuring Wikipedia's 15th anniversary and organizational disarray at the Wikimedia Foundation

News and notes: Strategic planning update; English ArbCom election results

WMF reflects, to some degree, on its past approaches to strategic planning

Special report: German ArbCom implodes

The German Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee loses more than half its members amid political feud

In focus: Active user page filter prevents vandalism and harassment

A proposal from the Inspire Campaign to address harassment was recently implemented to prevent unconstructive and malicious editing on user pages

Op-ed: Operation successful, patient dead: Outreach workshops in Namibia

Even a well executed outreach event can yield disappointing results

In the media: In brief: Coverage of gender gap initiatives, banner fundraising, and more

Wikipedia women in the news, and media reacts to 2016 ad banner campaign

Featured content: The Christmas edition

Twenty-three articles, ten lists and twenty-one pictures were promoted

Technology report: Labs improvements impact 2016 Tool Labs survey results

And a roundup of recently-added tools

Traffic report: Post-election traffic blues

Four weeks of popular article analysis

Blog: Wiki Loves Monuments contest winners announced

Winning photos in world's largest photography contest reveal a world of monuments—and the volunteers who love them

Recent research: One study and several abstracts

Privacy and Tor, and several other studies

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:03, 22 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Archived link for December Bay Area WikiSalon

Hi, y'all. In case you missed it and want to watch the archive reel; the topic was The Wikipedia Teahouse and the presenter was well respected Wikimedian Jim Heaphy [[User:Cullen328]]

Archive link (also includes intro, announcements, and a lightning talk)

Details about Bay Area WikiSalon for December here

The full title of Jim's presentation was: Welcoming and Helping New Editors: A Month at the Wikipedia Teahouse: an overview of the Teahouse and an analysis of over 300 Teahouse conversations during the month of August, 2016

Jim gave a longer version of this presentation in October at WikiConference North America 2016 in San Diego, California.

Cheers! Co-organizer Checkingfax - and co-organizer Ben Creasy | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here)

PS: Mark your calendars now for Sunday, January 15 at 2 p.m. which will be Wikipedia's 16th Birthday party hosted by Bay Area WikiSalon! Details to follow soon. If you want to help plan it, get in touch with us ASAP!

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:43, 23 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

You are invited to a birthday bash to Celebrate Wikipedia's 16th Birthday!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Wikipedia Day 16 SF is a fun Birthday bash and edit-a-thon on Sunday, January 15, 2017, hosted by Bay Area WikiSalon at the Wikimedia Foundation's Chip Deubner Lounge in the South of Market Street business district.

For details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Meetup/SF/Wikipedia Day 2017

The San Francisco gathering is one of a number of Wikipedia Day celebrations worldwide.

See you soon! Ben Creasy, Checkingfax and Slaporte | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this notice)

PS: We need volunteers to help make this a fun and worthwhile event. Please add your name to the Project page, and what you can offer. It is a wiki, so please make direct edits to the page.

Bay Area WikiSalon usually meets the last Wednesday evening of every month as an inclusive and safe place to collaborate, mingle, munch and learn about new projects and ideas.

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 07:52, 8 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Reminder invitation to the Wikipedia Day 16 birthday bash & edit-a-thon

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Wikipedia Day 16 SF is a fun Birthday bash and edit-a-thon on Sunday, January 15, 2017, hosted by Bay Area WikiSalon at the Wikimedia Foundation's Chip Deubner Lounge in the South of Market Street business district and everybody is invited!

Details and RSVP here

See you Sunday! Ben Creasy, Checkingfax and Slaporte

PS: We still need more volunteers to help make this a fun and worthwhile event. Please add what you can offer and your name to the Project page or Talk about it. It is a wiki, so please make direct edits to the Project page. The event is already growing due to volunteers that have stepped up so far.

Bay Area WikiSalon meets one evening of every month as an inclusive and safe place to collaborate, mingle, munch or learn about new projects and ideas.

Note: the previous invitation had a bum wikilink. Sorry! | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this notice) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:43, 13 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 17 January 2017

From the editor: Next steps for the Signpost

Building toward better recruitment and retention

News and notes: Surge in RFA promotions—a sign of lasting change?

A close look at the history of approving administrators on English Wikipedia, and a roundup of news

Interview: What is it like to edit Wikipedia when you're blind?

The wiki environment can appear deceptively uniform, but it masks strikingly different editorial experiences

In the media: Year-end roundups, Wikipedia's 16th birthday, and more

The latest media reports

Featured content: One year ends, and another begins

Twelve articles, thirteen lists and twelve pictures were promoted

Arbitration report: Concluding 2016 and covering 2017's first two cases

Various minor developments

Traffic report: Out with the old, in with the new

If you're reading this, you escaped 2016 alive

Technology report: Tech present, past, and future

Data sets now available on Commons, wishes to be worked on in 2017, and a recap of the Wikimedia Developer Summit

Recent research: Female Wikipedians aren't more likely to edit women biographies; Black Lives Matter in Wikipedia

And several other research papers reviewed and summarized

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 10:39, 17 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 6 February 2017

Arbitration report: WMF Legal and ArbCom weigh in on tension between disclosure requirements and user privacy

The two statements prompt extensive community discussion; plus, our updates on recent ArbCom decisions

Special report: Wolves nip at Wikipedia's heels: A perspective on the cost of paid editing

Undisclosed paid editing by a financial broker mired in scandal spans years, impacting Wikipedia's editors and readers

News and notes: Official WMF rebuke to Trump policy; WMF secures restricted funds

Foundation's latest foray into political waters, and grants funding structured data and anti-harassment measures, met with enthusiasm and concern

In focus: WMF strategy consultant brings background in crisis reputation management; Team behind popular WMF software put "on pause"

Several developments in the $2.5 million strategic planning process explored, and a team within the software production department is sidelined

WikiProject report: For the birds!

Our second interview with the productive WikiProject Birds crew

Op-ed: How to make editing workshops useful, even if participants don't stick around

Veteran editing workshop leader responds to a previous Signpost op-ed

In the media: Presidential politics, periodic table, and our periodic roundup of updates

Wikipedia's response to Trump inauguration and a fruitful, public "edit war" lead our media updates

Technology report: Better PDFs, backup plans, and birthday wishes

Plus the latest scripts, bots, and tech news

Traffic report: Cool It Now

Three weeks of the most popular Wikipedia articles

Featured content: Three weeks dominated by articles

Twenty-eight articles, seven lists, two topics and four pictures were promoted

Forum: Productive collaboration around coordinated protest marches; Media and political personalities comment on Wikipedia at its 16th birthday celebration

Women's marches on seven continents attracted strong Wikipedia engagement; Media luminaries and a presidential candidate joined WMF boss Katherine Maher at a New York gathering

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 10:45, 6 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon invitation for February 22

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks.

Please note: You should RSVP here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in.

For further details, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, February 2017

See you soon! Ben Creasy and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:47, 15 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon February reminder

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at 6 p.m.

For details and to RSVP: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, February 2017

See you soon! Ben Creasy and Wayne (co-coordinators) | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:58, 21 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 27 February 2017

From the editors: Results from our poll on subscription and delivery, and a new RSS feed

The Signpost's poll suggests we should take a cautious approach to the Newsletter Extension, under development; and our RSS feed is functional once again

Recent research: Special issue: Wikipedia in education

This month's edition focuses on research about the role of Wikipedia in education

Technology report: Responsive content on desktop; Offline content in Android app

Demonstrations of developers' experiments and works in progress

In the media: The Daily Mail does not run Wikipedia

Is the Daily Mail fake news and your media roundup

Gallery: A Met montage

A selection of CC0 images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Special report: Peer review – a history and call for reviewers

An overview of English Wikipedia's peer review process

Op-ed: Wikipedia has cancer

Increased WMF spending every year is not sustainable

Featured content: The dominance of articles continues

Fifteen articles, two lists, and six pictures were promoted

Traffic report: Love, football, and politics

They may not mix in life, but they do in popularity

Blog: WikiIndaba 2017: A continent gathers to chart a path forward

Republished from the Wikimedia blog

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:19, 28 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Your invitation: Bay Area WikiSalon series at Noisebridge

Please join us in San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas. This month we are meeting at Noisebridge makerspace/hackerspace in the Mission near 16th Street BART (temporary change of venue). The good news is this means that you can bring spontaneous guests if you forget to RSVP!

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks.

If possible, please RSVP as it helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in. For further details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, March 2017

See you soon! Co-coordinators Ben Creasy and Wayne
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:06, 23 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Reminder: Tonight is Bay Area WikiSalon at Noisebridge

Please join us in San Francisco!

Details and to RSVP: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, March 2017 (optional, but helpful for food and special needs accommodations)

We are meeting at Noisebridge makerspace/hackerspace (temporary venue change) near 16th ST BART in SF.

See you soon! Co-coordinators Ben Creasy and Wayne
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:52, 29 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Wednesday night you are invited! Bay Area WikiSalon

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather for the Bay Area WikiSalon series to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks. We will have some announcements and lightning talks from the floor, and a breakout session. This is our one year anniversary, so there will be cake!

Please RSVP here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in.

See you soon! Ben Creasy and Wayne
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:19, 26 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Everybody is invited to the May 31 Bay Area WikiSalon series!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas. This month we are taking it on the road to Noisebridge makerspace/hackerspace!

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks. There will be periodic guided tours of Noisebridge. You can stay late, on your own! YeeHaw!

For details and to RSVP, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, May 2017

See you soon! Ben Creasy and Wayne
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:07, 24 May 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 9 June 2017

From the editors: Signpost status: On reserve power, help wanted!

Inviting new writers, editors, and ideas

News and notes: Global Elections

WMF Board election results, and FDC elections begin

Arbitration report: Cases closed in the Pacific and with Magioladitis

Two cases were closed from 19 February to 27 March.

Op-ed: Wikipedia's lead sentence problem

Lead sentence metadata is out of control and a serious impediment to readability

Featured content: Three months in the land of the featured

Eighty-eight articles, forty-three lists, five topics and twenty-two pictures were promoted

In the media: Did Wikipedia just assume Garfield's gender?

Garfield is male, and other places Wikipedia made the news

Recent research: Wikipedia bot wars capture the imagination of the popular press

...but are they real?; personality and attitudes to Wikipedia; large expert review experiment

Technology report: Tech news catch-up

Bots, scripts, tools, and changes from February to June 2017

Traffic report: Film on Top: Sampling the weekly top 10

Two weeks of film dominance: Baahubali and the Academy Awards

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:17, 9 June 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 23 June 2017

News and notes: Departments reorganized at Wikimedia Foundation, and a month without new RfAs (so far)

While the English Wikipedia community produces no new requests for adminhood in June, the Wikimedia Foundation makes changes to the Product and Technology departments.

In the media: Kalanick's nipples; Episode #138 of Drama on the Hill

The anatomy of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick's chest area has been the talk of the month. But so have high-profile edits, hacked articles, and one particular newborn growing up.

Op-ed: Facto Post: a fresh take

Exploring sourcing issues in Wikimedia projects, a solution in Wikidata and fact mining, and a newsletter to continue the conversation.

Featured content: Will there ever be a break? The slew of featured content continues

22 featured articles, 17 featured lists, 7 featured pictures

Traffic report: Wonder Woman beats Batman, The Mummy, Darth Vader and the Earth

Summer blockbusters and sports, Trump and world events.

Recent research: Utopian bubbles: Can Wikipedians create value outside of the capitalist system?

A researcher applies Marxist critiques of political economy to investigate whether gamification, a culture of altruism, and other anti-corporatist influences on peer production can create a sustainable gift economy in a project like Wikipedia.

Technology report: Improved search, and WMF data scientist tells all

Search now can include sister projects; EpochFail

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 07:31, 23 June 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Bay Area WikiSalon is an unSalon this month!

Please stay where you are for an unSalon!

We are taking July off! Please gather your thoughts for changes that you would like to see in the next 10 months and present them at our July 26 WikiSalon.

Ordinarily, the last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at the Bay Area WikiSalon series to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We normally allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend.

Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m.! The venue will be the Noisebridge hackerspace/makerspace on Mission Street in San Francisco.

Sincerely, Ben Creasy and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 04:44, 28 June 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Black Woman is God Edit-a-Thon in San Francisco, July 22

You're invited to The Black Woman is God Edit-a-Thon at SOMArts in San Francisco on Saturday July 22, 1-4 pm. It'll be at 934 Brannan Street (between 8th & 9th). Everyone is welcome to join this editing event, held in conjunction with The Black Woman is God exhibition to raise the online visibility of Black women artists and challenge the gaps in art history that erase or minimize Black women’s contributions as artists, activists and social change-makers. (Message requested by Dreamyshade and delivered on 14:23, 9 July 2017 (UTC). You can subscribe/unsubscribe to San Francisco event talk page notices here.)[reply]

The Signpost: 15 July 2017

News and notes: French chapter woes, new affiliates and more WMF team changes

The English Wikipedia sees its first new admin of the season, discord rocks Wikimedia France, some tweaks to the WMF reorg, and a new WMF annual plan mark this issue's community news.

Featured content: Spectacular animals, Pine Trees screens, and more

Recently promoted articles, lists, and pictures.

In the media: Concern about access and fairness, Foundation expenditures, and relationship to real-world politics and commerce

A grab bag of alt-right speech, classical scholars, the dark web, elicited European tourism, $500,000 golden parachutes, forgery, the Great Firewall, net neutrality, nukes, paid editing, porn, and terrorism.

Recent research: The chilling effect of surveillance on Wikipedia readers

A closer look at the research that found that the 2013 Snowden revelations coincided with a significant drop of pageviews for privacy-sensitive Wikipedia articles

Op-ed: Why Task Forces are Dying in 2017

...and is there anything we can do to stop it? Opinions and examples from across the project.

Gallery: A mix of patterns

An interesting mix of patterns and colors to brighten your day...

Humour: The Infobox Game

Enjoy the Parameters: The Infobox Game can be enjoyed by everyone, not just those interested in water buffalo breeds, volcanic hotspots or the mysterious heteroisoform, and some day just might spawn an important facet of the financial derivatives industry.

Traffic report: Film, television and Internet phenomena reign with some room left over for America's birthday

Popular interest in celebrities, blockbusters and an upcoming season of a popular television show drive traffic, with a smattering of world events, holidays and a Reddit storm around – surprise – free porn for the U.S. Congress.

Technology report: New features in development; more breaking changes for scripts

Syntax highlighting, changes to Recent Changes, Wikidata on the enhance watchlist, accessible editing buttons and jQuery upgrade may break scripts.

Wikicup: 2017 WikiCup round 3 wrap-up

The heat turns up on the 32 contestants who entered round three: 13 featured articles, 82 good articles, 167 DYKs, but we had to pick just eight of them to advance.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:47, 15 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 5 August 2017

News and notes: Non-English special edition! 99% no news about English-based wiki communities!

Wikimania in Montreal, lawsuit in Sweden, challenges in France

Recent research: Wikipedia can increase local tourism by +9%; predicting article quality with deep learning; recent behavior predicts quality

Local tourism gains +9% when Wikipedia articles are improved; significant improvements in predicting article quality with deep learning; recent editor behavior is a strong predictor of content quality

WikiProject report: Comic relief

An interview with a project that is centered around comics.

In the media: Wikipedia used to judge death penalty, arms smuggling, Indonesian governance, and HOTTEST celebrity

Wikipedia and reliable sources of information continue to define each other

Traffic report: Swedish countess tops the list

Plus plenty of sports, film, and television

Blog: Canadian Supreme Court rules against Google in favor of worldwide court orders

The Canadian Supreme Court ruled that Google must remove search results worldwide, dismissing concerns that this may impede freedom of expression for people outside of Canada or inspire other countries to censor speech.

Special report: Sharing Wikipedia offline medical information in the Dominican Republic

Wikimedia contributors support each other's projects in many unexpected ways

Featured content: Everywhere in the lead

Recently promoted articles, lists and pictures – with a very heavy one in the mix

Technology report: Introducing TechCom

The Architecture Committee adopts a new charter and name; and the latest in script, bot, and tech news

Humour: WWASOHs and ETCSSs

An elite squad of highly insightful editors can lead the way for other editors who may need to retrain their faces into forming a smile.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:20, 5 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 6 September 2017

From the editors: What happened at Wikimania?

Please share your Wikimania 2017 experiences!

News and notes: Basselpedia; WMF Board of Trustees appointments

Some of the goings-on from Wikimania 2017.

Featured content: Warfighters and their tools or trees and butterflies

Take your pick of the best of Wikipedia.

Traffic report: A fortnight of conflicts

White supremacists v. anti-fascism groups, Mayweather v. McGregor, Moon v. Sun.

Special report: Biomedical content, and some thoughts on its future

Wikipedia's medical and scientific content has come a long way since 2001. Here are some thoughts on how it may continue to evolve.

Recent research: Discussion summarization; Twitter bots tracking government edits; extracting trivia from Wikipedia

A list of recent research publications on various topics.

In the media: Google's Ideological Echo Chamber; What makes someone successful?

Plus the latest reports of vandalism and mistakes in Wikipedia.

WikiProject report: WikiProject YouTube

WikiProject YouTube is a new project on both English and Simple English Wikipedia.

Technology report: Latest tech news

Syntax highlighting, failed login notifications, watchlist filters, and more.

Wikicup: 2017 WikiCup round 4 wrap-up

Ships, typhoons, birds, and more!

Humour: Bots

They do the things you don't want to do (and sometimes things you don't want done).

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:43, 6 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 25 September 2017

News and notes: Chapter updates; ACTRIAL

News from Wikimedia France, Wikimedia Macedonia, and Wikimedia Israel's; Autoconfirmed article creation trial begins

In the media: Monkey settlement; Wikipedia used to give AI context clues

Also: Jeopedia, Dubaipedia, shaping science, fake quote reused by scholarly sources

Humour: Chickenz

The best that poultry has to offer

Recent research: Wikipedia articles vs. concepts; Wikipedia usage in Europe

Plus the latest research publications.

Technology report: Flow restarted; Wikidata connection notifications

Plus more tech news, and the latest scripts and bots

Gallery: Chicken mania

Complimenting this issue's Humour about chickens...

Special report: Two steps forward, one step backward: The Sustainability Initiative

Finally we're seeing some initial successes, but the Wikimedia movement is still far from being environmentally sustainable.

Traffic report: Fights and frights

Boxing, hurricanes, clowns, and more!

Featured content: Flying high

Newly featured birds, planes, and high achievers

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:18, 25 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 23 October 2017

News and notes: Money! WMF fundraising, Wikimedia strategy, WMF new office!

The Wikimedia Foundation publishes the latest fundraising report, convenes over the close of the strategic plan discussion, and moves into a new space.

Featured content: Don, Marcel, Emily, Jessica and other notables

A variety of topics promoted.

Humour: Guys named Ralph

If your name is Ralph, well sorry.

In focus: Offline Wikipedia developed at OFF.NETWORK Content Hackathon

Advocates for sharing offline information gather to make content, software, hardware, and social decisions.

Blog: The future of offline access to Wikipedia: The Kiwix example

A chat with a developer of open source software which allows users to download web content for offline reading, and the future of offline access to Wikipedia.

In the media: Facebook and poetry

Fighting fake news and plagiarism.

Special report: Working with GLAMs in the UK

Wikimedia UK's partnerships and achievements working with GLAM institutions.

Traffic report: Death, disaster, and entertainment

Readers interested in the the death of Hef, Puerto Rico, films and television.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:36, 23 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

What is Talk Page Theatre? Come find out!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Come find out what "Talk Page Theatre" is all about! The last Wednesday evening of every other month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks. We will be at the NEW Wikimedia Foundation offices! w00t!!!

Please note: You should RSVP here, and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. This also helps us figure out how much food and drink to bring in.

For further details, see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, November 2017

See you soon! Ben Creasy, Nikikana, and Wayne | ( Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice ) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 09:30, 14 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 November 2017

News and notes: Cons, cons, cons

The first ever Wikidata conference was a con we wanted. Problematic paid editing while in a position of trust: not so much.

Arbitration report: Administrator desysoped; How to deal with crosswiki issues; Mister Wiki case likely

Arbitration matters from October and November.

Technology report: Searching and surveying

A new advanced search interface; the Community Wishlist Survey is back.

Interview: A featured article centurion

Brianboulton talks about featured articles on his 100th promotion.

WikiProject report: Recommendations for WikiProjects

A novel approach to recruit members for your project!

In the media: Open knowledge platform as a media institution

Wikipedia seen as flawed but important; conservative think-tank fellow wants his say; volunteer in Madison wants to close the gender gap.

Traffic report: Strange and inappropriate

Readers intrigued by the Netflix show Stranger Things, and by sexual assault allegations.

Featured content: We will remember them

War memorials, soldiers, extinct species, and devastating hurricanes are some of the most recently promoted featured content.

Recent research: Who wrote this? New dataset on the provenance of Wikipedia text

And other new research publications.

Humour: Good faith (but still incomprehensible)

The entertainment value of Wikipedia.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:39, 24 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2017 election voter message

Hello, Andyvphil. Voting in the 2017 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23.59 on Sunday, 10 December. All users who registered an account before Saturday, 28 October 2017, made at least 150 mainspace edits before Wednesday, 1 November 2017 and are not currently blocked are eligible to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2017 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:42, 3 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 18 December 2017

Special report: Women in Red World Contest wrap-up

Global article creation contest/editathon exceeds expectations.

Blog: Close encounters of the Wikipedia kind

Astronaut is first to specifically contribute to Wikipedia from space.

Featured content: Featured content to finish 2017

Seventeen articles, twenty-nine lists, three pictures and one featured topic were promoted.

In the media: Stolen seagulls, public domain primates and more

The media discuss online copyright issues, Wikipedia's coverage of the capital of Israel and creation of a "reasonably clean, honest and reliable" work on Earth and in space.

Arbitration report: Last case of 2017: Mister Wiki editors

Evidence phase in Mister Wiki editors case is complete; the community is proposing remedies and the Arbitration committee is slated to make a decision by end of year. Meanwhile, voting has closed on 2017 elections.

Gallery: Wiki loving

Winners of the international photo competitions Wiki Loves Earth and Wiki Loves Monuments.

Interview: Interview with Charlesjsharp, regular contributor of Wikipedia's Featured Pictures

Looking back on a decade of contributions including over 1,000 images and over three dozen Featured Pictures, Charles shares his wildlife photography experience and tips.

Recent research: French medical articles have "high rate of veracity"

And other recent research publications.

Technology report: Your wish lists and more Wikimedia tech

Including improved blocking tools, new user scripts, and the latest technical news.

Traffic report: Notable heroes and bad guys

We like our heroes and bad guys.

Humour: On their way to the WMF Incubator

u-nye-loo-lay-doo? Dochvetlh vISoplaHbe’.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:27, 18 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 16 January 2018

News and notes: Communication is key

Two new WMF Communications department leadership appointments; a new way for Wikimedia communities to communicate their capacities.

In the media: The Paris Review, British Crown and British Media

Wikipedia manipulated and copied – again

Featured content: History, gaming and multifarious topics

Historical and pop culture articles promoted.

Interview: Interview with Ser Amantio di Nicolao, the top contributor to English Wikipedia by edit count

How do you make an average of 3,600 edits a week for over a decade? And what do you learn when you've done it?

Technology report: Dedicated Wikidata database servers

Plus the latest technology upgrades, tools and news.

Humour: Why don't we have an article about _________?

Notable missing articles.

Arbitration report: Mister Wiki is first arbitration committee decision of 2018

In deciding to de-sysop an admin for efforts to evade discussion and review of paid edits made on behalf of a PR firm, Arbitration Committee doesn't significantly change the rules around paid editing, and leaves it up to the community whether to apply special restrictions to administrators.

Traffic report: The best and worst of 2017

A look back at the most popular articles in a tumultuous and intriguing year.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:27, 16 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 5 February 2018

Op-ed: Do editors have the right to be forgotten?

Should an editor's block history be a permanent "rap sheet", or does Wikipedia forgive and forget? A reform initiative has begun.

Featured content: Wars, sieges, disasters and everything black possible

Exemplary content recognized between January 12 and January 20, 2018

Recent research: Automated Q&A from Wikipedia articles; Who succeeds in talk page discussions?

Also: Polish quality, Russian political mythologization, and multilingual analyses

Blog: New monthly dataset shows where people fall into Wikipedia rabbit holes

The Wikimedia Foundation's Analytics team compiles a clickstream dataset, now available as a series of monthly data dumps for English, Russian, German, Spanish, and Japanese Wikipedias.

Interview: Interview with The Rambling Man, Wikipedia's top contributor of Featured Lists

Lessons on Creating a Featured List

Traffic report: TV, death, sports, and doodles

The most popular articles for January 14 to 27

Special report: Cochrane–Wikipedia Initiative

A partnership to improve and update Wikipedia's medical content

Arbitration report: New cases requested for inter-editor hostility and other collaboration issues

Politeness and collegial behavior about to be taken up by Arbcom, and perhaps a revisit of the infobox question.

In the media: Solving crime; editing out violence allegations

Also, did UCF really win?

Humour: You really are in Wonderland

Enjoy the humour of another contributor

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 05:12, 5 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 20 February 2018

News and notes: The future is Swedish with a lack of administrators

Sweden selected for Wikimania 2019; research report on shaping the future; a scarcity of RfAs.

Recent research: Politically diverse editors write better articles; Reddit and Stack Overflow benefit from Wikipedia but don't give back

There might be good things about an edit war.

Arbitration report: Arbitration committee prepares to examine two new cases

Editor in self-imposed exile and infobox wars a thorn in the side of arbitration committee.

Traffic report: Addicted to sports and pain

The Superbowl, the Winter Olympics, death, and accusations of unspeakable things.

Featured content: Entertainment, sports and history

An eclectic mix of promotions.

Technology report: Paragraph-based edit conflict screen; broken thanks

And other recent tech news.

Humour: Impossible and unexplained traffic report

Stubs get a lot of pageviews.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:11, 20 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]

SFMOMA Edit-a-Thon in San Francisco, March 8

You're invited to an Art+Feminism Edit-a-Thon at SFMOMA in San Francisco on Thursday March 8, 5-9 pm. It'll be at 151 Third Street, 2nd floor, free to the public. Everyone is welcome to participate in an evening of communal updating of Wikipedia entries on subjects related to gender, art, and feminism. (This message is from User:Dreamyshade. You can subscribe/unsubscribe to San Francisco event talk page notices here.)
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:58, 4 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Signpost issue 4 – 29 March 2018

Op-ed: Death knell for The Signpost?

Is The Signpost on its last legs?

News and notes: Wiki Conference roundup and new appointments.

Wikimedia events, group recognition, and individual appointments are ongoing.

Arbitration report: Ironing out issues in infoboxes; not sure yet about New Jersey; and an administrator who probably wasn't uncivil to a sockpuppet.

Arbcom considers new discretionary sanctions for infoboxes and an extension of 1RR.

In the media: The media on Wikipedia's workings: the good and not-so-good

Diplomats join Wikipedia for International Women's Day, the perfect "Human", how fringe theories are sustained, and perennial plagiarism from our pages.

Traffic report: Real sports, real women and an imaginary country: what's on top for Wikipedia readers

Wakanda still fascinates; the Oscars happened; Winter Olympics come to a close; and International Women's Day gets over a million page views.

Featured content: Animals, Ships, and Songs

A plethora of content.

Technology report: Timeless skin review by Force Radical.

Reviewing a browser skin providing equal emphasis on both content and editing tools simultaneously.

Special report: ACTRIAL wrap-up.

Retrospective on article creation trial.

Humour: WikiWorld Reruns

Nostalgia and trips down Memory Lane.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:48, 29 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 26 April 2018

From the editors: The Signpost's presses roll again

Following Kudpung's op-ed "Death knell sounding for The Signpost?" in the 29 March issue, user comments encouraged a burst of enthusiasm to keep the newspaper in print.

Signpost: Future directions for The Signpost

How to revive and evolve The Signpost? Big blue-sky proposals and small concrete proposals from the community and from two regular Signpost contributors.

News and notes: Photo of Kim Jong-un. Stephen Hawking death tops hits on many Wikipedias.

Finally a free image Kim Jong-un. WMF wins legal battle. Stephen Hawking death tops all Wikipedia hits.

In the media: The rise of Wikipedia as a disinformation mop

Internet companies use Wikipedia to police truth; Citogenesis proven yet again; early birthday greetings; and trains

In focus: Admin reports board under criticism

A recent Community Health Initiative survey found only 27% of respondents are happy with the way reports of conflicts between Editors are handled on the Administrators' Incident Noticeboard (ANI).

Special report: ACTRIAL results adopted by landslide

New major editing policy starting immediately: creation of articles in mainspace is to be limited to users with confirmed accounts

Opinion: Guideline for Organization Notability revised

The standards have been raised for sources used in judging the notability of nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

Op-ed: World War II Myth-making and Wikipedia

Wikipedia's myth of the clean Wehrmacht and what you can do about it. Or, how not to be one of "the worst distributors of pro-Nazi perspectives and the Wehrmacht myth".

Community view: It's time we look past Women in Red to counter systemic bias

Can Wikipedia mobilize the same energy to fill other gaps in coverage?

Discussion report: The future of portals

What should we do about Portals? Keep them, delete them, or mark them as historical? Or should they be more closely connected with their WikiProject(s)?

Arbitration report: No new cases, and one motion on administrative misconduct

Quiet month for the Arbitration Committee

WikiProject report: WikiProject Military History

Combat, weapons, monuments and personalities.

Blog: Why the world reads Wikipedia

What we learned about reader motivation from a recent research study

Humour: Our Favorite Places to Whine About Stuff

You might not get all excersized about essays but they can be as fun as talk pages

Traffic report: A quiet place to wrestle with the articles of March

The most popular articles from March 25 to April 14.

Technology report: Coming soon: Books-to-PDF, interactive maps, rollback confirmation

Plus the latest tech news and userscripts.

Featured content: Featured content selected by the community

Material promoted from March 2 through April 20.

Gallery: A look at some famous and not as well-known border tripoints

Honoring a day in military history, as well as peaceful borders

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:49, 26 April 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon invitation!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Periodically, on the last Wednesday evening of the month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay Area WikiSalon to munch, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for announcements, informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Bring a friend! Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. This months focus is images!

We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks (maybe pizza too!).

For further details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, May 2018 (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Ben Creasy, Nikikana, Stephen, and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 19:22, 21 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 May 2018

From the editor: Another issue meets the deadline

A busy office with minimal staff.

Op-ed: Has the wind gone out of the AdminShip's sails?

Kudpung has some thoughts on the reasons for becalmed forums and the reluctance of candidates to (wo)man the rigging.

Opinion: Integrating my many lives on Wikipedia

Thoughts on how looking for the truth on Wikipedia brings out unexpected things in the real world.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Portals

After a recent Village Pump discussion, the Signpost looks at WikiProject Portals.

Discussion report: User rights, infoboxes, and more discussion on portals

A busy month for discussions on major topics.

Featured content: Featured content selected by the community

Science, sportspeople, video games, and history feature heavily in the community's picks this month.

Arbitration report: Managing difficult topics

Has an attempt to prevent historical revisionism become a content battleground?

News and notes: Lots of Wikimedia

De-recognition of Brazil user groups; brute-force attack on Wikipedia; Wikimedia Conference 2018; and assorted other silly things.

In the media: Wikipedia in Turkish politics; COI politics in Wikipedia; most cited work

And the burning question of the day, is the monkey selfie going to space with the rest of Wikipedia?

Traffic report: We love our superheroes

No surprises here as the summer movie season begins.

Technology report: A trove of contributor and developer goodies

Improved mobile app, searching, citations, inline maps, voting, and more.

Blog: Why I write about women on Wikipedia

Editor SusunW delves into reasons why she has created hundreds of articles about women.

Recent research: Why people don't contribute to Wikipedia; using Wikipedia to teach statistics, technical writing, and controversial issues

Too many women still don't know that Wikipedia is editable.

Humour: Play with your food

Down the rabbit hole into the realm of third-grade mind.

Gallery: Wine not?

May 25 is National Wine Day in the United States.

From the archives: The Signpost scoops The Signpost

The dark and twisted world of Wikipedia's most powerful media institution: The Signpost.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 14:25, 24 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 May 2018

From the editor: Another issue meets the deadline

A busy office with minimal staff.

Op-ed: Has the wind gone out of the AdminShip's sails?

Kudpung has some thoughts on the reasons for becalmed forums and the reluctance of candidates to (wo)man the rigging.

Opinion: Integrating my many lives on Wikipedia

Thoughts on how looking for the truth on Wikipedia brings out unexpected things in the real world.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Portals

After a recent Village Pump discussion, the Signpost looks at WikiProject Portals.

Discussion report: User rights, infoboxes, and more discussion on portals

A busy month for discussions on major topics.

Featured content: Featured content selected by the community

Science, sportspeople, video games, and history feature heavily in the community's picks this month.

Arbitration report: Managing difficult topics

Has an attempt to prevent historical revisionism become a content battleground?

News and notes: Lots of Wikimedia

De-recognition of Brazil user groups; brute-force attack on Wikipedia; Wikimedia Conference 2018; and assorted other silly things.

In the media: Wikipedia in Turkish politics; COI politics in Wikipedia; most cited work

And the burning question of the day, is the monkey selfie going to space with the rest of Wikipedia?

Traffic report: We love our superheroes

No surprises here as the summer movie season begins.

Technology report: A trove of contributor and developer goodies

Improved mobile app, searching, citations, inline maps, voting, and more.

Blog: Why I write about women on Wikipedia

Editor SusunW delves into reasons why she has created hundreds of articles about women.

Recent research: Why people don't contribute to Wikipedia; using Wikipedia to teach statistics, technical writing, and controversial issues

Too many women still don't know that Wikipedia is editable.

Humour: Play with your food

Down the rabbit hole into the realm of third-grade mind.

Gallery: Wine not?

May 25 is National Wine Day in the United States.

From the archives: The Signpost scoops The Signpost

The dark and twisted world of Wikipedia's most powerful media institution: The Signpost.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:17, 24 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

UPDATE! Bay Area WikiSalon moved to June 6!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Our apologies, but we are rescheduling to Wednesday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. due to a WMF host scheduling conflict.

For further details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, June 2018 (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Niki, Ben, Stephen, and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:38, 25 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

REMINDER: Bay Area WikiSalon is Wednesday, June 6

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

When: Wednesday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m.

For details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, June 2018 (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Niki, Lodewijk, Ben, Stephen, and Wayne | (Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:41, 5 June 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 29 June 2018

From the editor: The Admin Ship is still barely afloat, while a Foundation project risks sinking

A Wiki not so Simple, a mayor motivating an editathon, a Marshall Plan, and a Wikimania under a cloud of criticism

Special report: NPR and AfC – The Marshall Plan: an engagement and a marriage?

Further developments on New Page Review and Articles for Creation work sharing

Op-ed: What do admins do?

Admins volunteer to be abused – or so it seems

Opinion: Google isn't responsible for Wikipedia's mistakes

So it shouldn't get credit for our work, either.

News and notes: Money, milestones, and Wikimania

Major grants announced, a new milestone for Afrikaans Wikipedia, a new WMF technical engagement team, an effort to start up a new library, two new admins – or maybe three fewer depending on your math.

In the media: Much wikilove from the Mayor of London, less from Paekākāriki or a certain candidate for U.S. Congress

Several online battles are juxtaposed with stories about cooperation and good deeds, Arbcom hovering over it all; notwithstanding, a good action movie script is not necessarily found here.

Discussion report: Deletion, page moves, and an update to the main page

Community discussions include style updates to project-wide icons and the main page, procedural questions on royal names and jettisoning unsuitable drafts, and deeper questions of compliance with European privacy laws and the perennial issue of shrinking admin corps.

Featured content: New promotions

Enjoy the superb content

Arbitration report: WWII, UK politics, and a user deCrat'ed

British politics case enters workshop phase and German war effort closes workshop, goes to Arbcom for proposals.

Traffic report: Endgame

Two celebrities hang themselves, and the FIFA World Cup is underway

Technology report: Improvements piled on more improvements

An AI assistant comes to watchlists; better mobile compatibility; new bots, tools and scripts; and more

Gallery: Wiki Loves Africa

Colorful and moving.

Blog: Wikipedia should be open for editors in Turkey

WMF appeals to Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime, and Communications Ahmet Arslan to lift the block of all language versions of Wikipedia for over a year.

Recent research: How censorship can backfire and conversations can go awry

Studying ourselves: 'driven by a sense of mission' according to researchers.

Humour: Television plot lines

In our next episode...

Wikipedia essays: This month's pick by The Signpost editors

Some essays are funny, some are serious; some are just, well what exactly?

From the archives: Wolves nip at Wikipedia's heels: A perspective on the cost of paid editing

Revisiting an editor's warning to count our kidneys and keep the wolves at bay

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:29, 30 June 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon invitation for July 25!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Periodically, on the last Wednesday evening of the month, wiki enthusiasts gather at the Bay Area WikiSalon series to munch, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for announcements, informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Bring a friend! Kid/family friendly. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. This months focus is reliable sources!

We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks (maybe pizza too!).

For further details and to RSVP, please see: Wikipedia:Bay Area WikiSalon, July 2018 (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Avik (User:Quantumavik), Lodewijk (User:Effeietsanders), Ben Creasy (User:Ben Creasy), Stephen (User:Slaporte), and Wayne (User:Checkingfax)
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:14, 19 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 July 2018

From the editor: If only if

Ships and shoes – and if you don't like it here, just go away!

Op-ed: The last leg of the Admin Ship's current cruise

How admin would-bes run the gauntlet.

Opinion: Wrestling with Wikipedia reality

Wikipedia referees wag a finger at Professional Wrestling editors.

News and notes: Another newspaper for Wikipedia; Wikimania 2018 ends; changes at NPR

New admins and Kudpung finally leaves NPP after 7 years.

In the media: Blackouts in Europe; Wikipedia and capitalists; WMF Jet Set

One secret cabal that watches out for conspiracy theories, and another one out to stymie venture capitalists?

Discussion report: Wikipedias take action against EU copyright proposal, plus new user right proposals

And more: a new user group for editing code, Women in Red, and arbitrator articles.

Featured content: Wikipedia's best content in images and prose

Spanning the gamut from warfare and destruction to pop culture to celebrations of nature and humanity's achievements.

Arbitration report: Status quo processes retained in two disputes

We don't have "state agents" in a political debate, but couldn't talk about it if there were.

Traffic report: Soccer, football, call it what you like – that and summer movies leave room for little else

Finding the mathematician and Supreme Court nominee in this list is like playing Where's Waldo?.

Technology report: New bots, new prefs

Useful new gadgets.

Gallery: Independence days, national holidays, and football – all in July

Depictions of July events in several countries.

Blog: Motivation of two editors

Those who study ancient Egypt.

Recent research: Different Wikipedias use different images; editing contests more successful than edit-a-thons

And other recent findings, plus a roundup of research presentations at Wikimania.

Humour: It's all the same

Merge WikiProject Professional wrestling and ANI.

Essay: Wikipedia does not need you

Get over it!

From the archives: The pending changes fiasco: how an attempt to answer one question turned into a quagmire

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:50, 31 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

August 2018

Please stop your disruptive editing. If you continue to use talk pages for inappropriate discussion, as you did at Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, you may be blocked from editing. Beyond My Ken (talk) 04:42, 12 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 30 August 2018

From the editor: Today's young adults don't know a world without Wikipedia

Keep straight on – there are trolls in the hedgerows.

Interview: 2018 Wikimedian of the Year, Farkhad Fatkullin

"Imagine a world in which every single human being is a Wikimedian. That's my commitment!"

News and notes: Flying high; low practice from Wikipedia 'cleansing' agency; where do our donations go? RfA sees a new trend

WMF pays possible Orangemoody ring for user research, and ditches MediaWiki for publishing its own blog. Knife-edge closures at RfA.

In the media: Quicksilver AI writes articles

But unfortunately its output is incompatible with open licensing.

Discussion report: Drafting an interface administrator policy

Plus: Simple English Wikipedia stays open, a discussion on draft header templates, bias blind spot by admins offered cash?

Featured content: Featured content selected by the community

Astronauts named Armstrong, babes of the Brits, Cortinarius caperatus and all that.

Special report: Wikimania 2018

"Bridging knowledge gaps, the ubuntu way forward".

Traffic report: Aretha dies – getting just 2,000 short of 5 million hits

Very high and very low hits; love and loss.

Technology report: Technical enhancements and a request to prioritize upcoming work

Citation bot and mapframe enhancements; new licenses for Data space; possible hiccup on 12 September; per-user page, namespace, and upload blocking; and miscellaneous new bots and tools.

Gallery: Leapfrog, historic Thai cave, and a rhythmic beat

Some of the best pictures of 2017.

Recent research: Wehrmacht on Wikipedia, neural networks writing biographies

Readers prefer the AI's version 40% of the time – but it still suffers from hallucinations.

Humour: Signpost editor censors herself

Nothing funny about it.

Essay: Principle of Some Astonishment

Remind you of any Wikipedia articles?

From the archives: Playing with Wikipedia words

The Wikipedia Plays.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:02, 30 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Bay Area WikiSalon invitation for September 26!

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Periodically, on the last Wednesday evening of the month, wiki enthusiasts gather at the Bay Area WikiSalon series to munch, mingle, and learn about new projects and ideas.

We allow time for announcements, informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Bring a friend! Kid/family friendly. Free Wi-Fi is available so bring your editing devices. This months' focus is Did you know ... ?

We will have beverages (including beer and wine) plus light snacks (maybe pizza too!).

Details and RSVP here (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Avik (User:Quantumavik), Lodewijk (User:Effeietsanders), Ben Creasy (User:Ben Creasy), Stephen (User:Slaporte), and Wayne (User:Checkingfax)
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:45, 18 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Last call for RSVPs for Wednesday evening

Please join us in downtown San Francisco!

Hey, folks. Reminder: Wednesday evening at 6 is the Bay Area WikiSalon series.

Details and RSVP here (note: we are meeting at the new WMF HQ at 120 Kearny Street!)

See you soon! Avik (User:Quantumavik), Lodewijk (User:Effeietsanders), Ben Creasy (User:Ben Creasy), Stephen (User:Slaporte), and Wayne (User:Checkingfax)
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:31, 26 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 1 October 2018

From the editor: Is this the new normal?

We keep on publishing as long as you keep on reading.

News and notes: European copyright law moves forward

Wikipedia dodges a bullet in Brussels... maybe.

In the media: Knowledge under fire

Can Wikipedians help save the world's knowledge and shine a light on current events?

Discussion report: Interface Admin policy proposal, part 2

Plus: signatures, shortcuts, and reliable sources.

Arbitration report: A quiet month for Arbcom

No valid new requests for arbitration, no new cases.

Traffic report: John McCain's death generates over 7 million hits, followed by historical low

Fourth highest view count of the year; lowest view count since 2014; death, sports, and movies ever constant.

Technology report: Paying attention to your mobile

Plus the latest scripts, bots, and tech news.

Gallery: A pat on the back

A pictorial ode to the end of summer.

Blog: After a catastrophic fire at the National Museum of Brazil, a drive to preserve what knowledge remains

As the global community of volunteer Wikimedia editors mourns the destruction of this amazing museum, this post pays tribute to all editors who have contributed restlessly to tell the story of the National Museum, our history.

Recent research: How talk page use has changed since 2005; censorship shocks lead to centralization; is vandalism caused by workplace boredom?

And other recent research papers.

Humour: Signpost Crossword Puzzle

What is a four-letter word for...

Essay: Expressing thanks

You know you should...

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:44, 1 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 28 October 2018

From the editors: The Signpost is still afloat, just barely

A slightly thinner issue, but out on time.

Op-ed: Wikipedia's Strickland affair

Is a missing article on a Nobel laureate a fail? What if her draft biography was declined as non-notable?

News and notes: WMF gets a million bucks

And it's richer than ever.

In the media: Bans, celebs, and bias

Breitbart begone; rescued by archivists; celebrating trolls?

Discussion report: Mediation Committee and proposed deletion reform

Plus: two pending changes-related discussions, notability, and naming conventions.

Traffic report: Unsurprisingly, sport leads the field – or the ring

Who's reading what?

Technology report: Bots galore!

Bots can do anything you want – well, almost.

Special report: NPP needs you

WMF continues to stonewall development; NPP wishes again relegated to stocking fillers.

Special report 2: Now Wikidata is six

SPARQL adds sparkle to WMF projects.

In focus: Alexa

We are all writing for Amazon.

Gallery: Out of this world!

No special effects here, just beautiful celestial images.

Recent research: Wikimedia Commons worth $28.9 billion

If it weren't free, of course.

Humour: Talk page humour

Wikipedia has a long history of talk page tomfoolery.

Opinion: Strickland incident

The reviewer who declined the article gives his perspective.

From the archives: The Gardner Interview

The "holy-shit" slide.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 19:09, 28 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2018 election voter message

Hello, Andyvphil. Voting in the 2018 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23.59 on Sunday, 2 December. All users who registered an account before Sunday, 28 October 2018, made at least 150 mainspace edits before Thursday, 1 November 2018 and are not currently blocked are eligible to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2018 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:42, 19 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2018 election voter message

Hello, Andyvphil. Voting in the 2018 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23.59 on Sunday, 3 December. All users who registered an account before Sunday, 28 October 2018, made at least 150 mainspace edits before Thursday, 1 November 2018 and are not currently blocked are eligible to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2018 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:42, 19 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 1 December 2018

From the editor: Time for a truce

Lay down your verbal weapons.

Op-ed: Looking back, looking forward: A beginner's experience on Wikipedia

The experiences of a new user on Wikipedia, told in their own words.

Special report: The Christmas wishlist

What do the WMF devs have in store for the community?

Opinion: The blogosphere migrates to Galaxy WMF

Suppose they gave a blog and nobody came?

News and notes: Reviewer of the year, WikiCup winner, and the 2019 Wikimedia Summit

Looking both backward and forward to events concerning the community.

Reflections: Wikipedia, history, and the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day

A personal reflection on Wikipedia's role as a repository of history.

In the media: Court-ordered article redaction, paid editing, and rock stars

Real-world news competes with the usual celeb fascination for Wikipedia's commentators.

Discussion report: Farewell, Mediation Committee

It was a good 15 years. Plus: admins, notability, substubs, and new padlocks.

Arbitration report: A long break ends

Arbcom takes its first new case since June.

Traffic report: Queen reigns for four weeks straight

The "Queen" of stage and screen, that is. Is there another?

Gallery: Intersections

Biology or technology? Form follows function in nature and the constructed world.

Recent research: Why do the most active Wikipedians burn out?; only 4% of students vandalize

And other new research results.

Essay: No one cares about your garage band

Nope, don't care!

Humour: The dark side of our favorite root vegetable

Wonky carrots invoke terror.

From the archives: Ars longa, vita brevis

ARS might continue, but some Wikipedians might not.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 04:46, 1 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 December 2018

From the editors: Where to draw the line in reporting?

Tell us what you think!

Op-ed: Wikipedia not trumped by Trump appointee

Did World Patent Marketing pay to get Wikipedia to include flattering information on their board member, now the Acting United States Attorney General?

Special report: The Signpost got 380,000+ views in 2018, sounds reasonable enough, right?

A statistical insight into the English Wikipedia's very own online community newsletter.

News and notes: Some wishes do come true

NPP wins the wish list poll; Wikipedia editors will be able to work better at night; new WMF appointments and new arbitrators; and who wants to be an admin?

In the media: Political hijinks

Wikipedia says 'ta' to British M.P. and 'buh-bye' to U.S. President's image vandals.

Discussion report: A new record low for RfA

Plus: reliable sources, notability, and fallout from the self-blocking software changes.

WikiProject report: Articlegenesis

Discovering how new and unregistered users make articles with the members of WikiProject Articles for Creation.

Arbitration report: Year ends with one active case

GiantSnowman asked to chill, and other disputes addressed by Arbcom (or not).

Traffic report: Queen dethroned by U.S. presidents

The band relinquishes its first place hold; Aquaman is swimming into view for late December.

Gallery: Sun and Moon, water and stone

Happy solstice, and happy New Year!

Blog: News from the WMF

In and around the WMF and its projects from the WMF's web site.

Humour: I believe in Bigfoot

Are you a believer?

Essay: Requests for medication

When the desire to continue to have the privilege of editing Wikipedia overrides the body's innate desire to choke the living shit out of some bastard who really has it coming.

From the archives: Compromised admin accounts – again

Compromised accounts – especially those of inactive admins.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:35, 24 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

You are cordially invited to Stanford University to celebrate Wikipedia's birthday

Join us in celebrating Wikipedia's 18th birthday at Stanford University!

I am delighted to invite you to the 2019 Wikipedia Day party at Stanford, which will be held on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at 5:00-8:30pm.

There will be pizza, cake, and refreshments; both newcomers and experienced Wikimedians are welcome! We will have a beginner track with tutorials, and an advanced track with presentations, lightning talks, and tips and tricks. Admission is free, and you do NOT have to be a Stanford University student to attend.

Details and RSVP here • register here

See you soon! All the best, Kevin (aka L235 · t · c)
(Subscribe/Unsubscribe to this talk page notice here) | MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:40, 5 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 January 2019

Op-ed: Random Rewards Rejected

Lab rats deflate research to be performed on the Wikipedia community.

In focus: The Collective Consciousness of Admin Userpages

Did you know that there was an admin who thought that the metaphor of the mop was a joke, and now they know it's not?

News and notes: WMF staff turntable continues to spin; Endowment gets more cash; RfA continues to be a pit of steely knives

Rude or just forgetful? Eight-year WMF manager has disappeared; Facebook gives a million bucks, gets no love.

In the media: The Signpost's investigative story recognized, Wikipedia turns 18 and gets a birthday gift from Google, and more editors are recognized

Heroes and unsung heroes: many good news stories about the work we are all doing together.

Discussion report: The future of the reference desk

Plus: plagiarism from Wikipedia, user categories, and admin activity requirements.

Featured content: Don't miss your great opportunity

Get yourself lost in 1730's Paris, and a wide range of other recently promoted content.

Arbitration report: An admin under the microscope

Snowman flames newbies? Or just oversensitive snowflakes?

Traffic report: Death, royals and superheroes: Avengers, Black Panther

The most popular articles of 2018 include a cornucopia of superheroes (Avengers: Infinity War)

Technology report: When broken is easily fixed

Emergency server switch goes smoothly; technical glitches resolved; a new way to transfer files to Commons.

Gallery: Let us build a memorial fit for such pain and suffering

A tour of some of the world's greatest memorials courtesy the Prime Minister of India.

News from the WMF: News from WMF

The world’s largest photo contest, a $1 million gift, Wikipedia’s birthday, WF appoints Valerie D'Costa.

Recent research: Ad revenue from reused Wikipedia articles; are Wikipedia researchers asking the right questions?

And other new research publications.

Essay: How

A narrative to get you oriented to how this place works, and to the key policies and guidelines.

Humour: Village pump

More talk pages you don't want to miss.

From the archives: An editorial board that includes you

Four years - and nothing changed?

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:49, 31 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 28 February 2019

From the editors: Help wanted (still)

This may be too wordy, verbose and loquacious – and possibly redundant – but as you know, it takes others to check our work, and if there were more people in the Newsroom, we'd be able to double check ourselves and produce a better product for our readership; if you think you are up to it, you are welcome to join us and even copyedit the Editor-in-Chief's article intros.

News and notes: Front-page issues for the community

Encyclopedias for Deletion; Corinne; scholarships; partial blocks; and administrators headcount.

In focus: Wikimedia affiliate organizations seek community participation in 2019 board election

This election will select 2 of 10 seats on the board. All Wikimedia users are stakeholders in the election outcome and should participate.

Discussion report: Talking about talk pages

This month's major discussions include a WMF talk page consultation and a proposed current events noticeboard.

Featured content: Conquest, War, Famine, Death, and more!

Horsemen of the apocalypse all represented in recently promoted content, alongside new life, pretty birds, great music, and other miscellaneous topics.

Arbitration report: A quiet month for Arbitration Committee

Snowed in, maybe.

Traffic report: Binge-watching

Netflix shows and TV sports dominate. A US politician breaks into the top 10.

Technology report: Tool labs casters-up

Tool labs goes kaput, bots running wild (not really), interface administrators step into the breach, new gadgets and other tech happenings.

Gallery: Signed with pride

A gallery of user signatures created by Wikipedians themselves.

Recent research: Research finds signs of cultural diversity and recreational habits of readers

When watchers want the whole truth, they wind up with the wiki! And Cultural Context Content comes out of a complete cartography.

Essay: Optimist's guide to Wikipedia

Assume good faith even if it kills you.

From the archives: New group aims to promote Wiki-Love

The creation of the Esperanza group.

Humour: Pesky Pronouns

Not feeling blurbish right now.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 11:15, 28 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 March 2019

From the editors: Getting serious about humor

News and notes: Blackouts fail to stop EU Copyright Directive

In the media: Women's history month

Discussion report: Portal debates continue, Prespa agreement aftermath, WMF seeks a rebranding

Featured content: Out of this world

Arbitration report: The Tides of March at ARBCOM

Traffic report: Exultations and tribulations

Technology report: New section suggestions and sitewide styles

News from the WMF: The WMF's take on the new EU Copyright Directive

Recent research: Barnstar-like awards increase new editor retention

From the archives: Esperanza organization disbanded after deletion discussion

Humour: The Epistolary of Arthur 37

Op-Ed: Pro and Con: Has gun violence been improperly excluded from gun articles?

In focus: The Wikipedia SourceWatch

Special report: Wiki Loves (50 Years of) Pride

Community view: Wikipedia's response to the New Zealand mosque shootings

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:02, 31 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 30 April 2019

News and notes: An Action Packed April

New Administrators, April Fools, our competitors, and other associated updates

In the media: Is Wikipedia just another social media site?

Harassment, a black hole, the Mueller Report, and Mötley Crüe - just another social media site?

Discussion report: English Wikipedia community's conclusions on talk pages

Plus: another round of paid editing discussion.

Featured content: Anguish, accolades, animals, and art

April's admirable additions.

Arbitration report: An Active Arbitration Committee

Policies and procedures, cases and controversies, and other ArbCom updates

Traffic report: Mötley Crüe, Notre-Dame, a black hole, and Bonnie and Clyde

Round up the unusual suspects

Technology report: A new special page, and other news

Welcoming English Wikipedia's newest admin (bot)

Gallery: Notre-Dame de Paris burns

Photos and videos show the damage

News from the WMF: Can machine learning uncover Wikipedia’s missing “citation needed” tags?

Wikimedia Foundation data scientists are using machine learning to predict whether—and why—any given sentence on Wikipedia may need a citation in order to help editors identify areas of content violating the verifiability policy.

Recent research: Female scholars underrepresented; whitepaper on Wikidata and libraries; undo patterns reveal editor hierarchy

And other recent research results

From the archives: Portals revisited

"The future of portals", a year later

Humour: Jimbo and Larry walk into a bar ...

Some editors will do anything to get a laugh

Opinion: The gaps in our knowledge of our gaps

What we know we don't know, and why it might matter more than you might think

Interview: Katherine Maher marks 3 years as executive director

Maher discusses her tenure as ED, the editing community, harassment and diversity, the WMF's 3-5 year plan, airplane travel, books, and her future.

Community view: 2019 Wikimedia Summit gathers movement affiliate representatives to discuss movement strategy

An overview of Wikimedia Summit 2019, a working conference to discuss the Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Process, preparing draft recommendations for Wikimania 2019 in August.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:36, 30 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 May 2019

From the editors: Picture that

The North Face sneaks in advertisements, apologizes after being caught

News and notes: Wikimania and trustee elections

Get ready to go to Wikimania in Stockholm where you might meet two new trustees

In the media: Politics, lawsuits and baseball

Wikipedia finds itself up against China, Pennsylvania politicians and the Detroit Tigers

Discussion report: Admin abuse leads to mass-desysop proposal on Azerbaijani Wikipedia

Neutrality and copyright concerns lead and part 2 of the talk pages consultation.

Arbitration report: ArbCom forges ahead

Resignations, new cases, administrator security, and more

Traffic report: Dark marvels, thrones, a vile serial killer biopic, that's entertainment!

Who will be next to fill the throne at the top of the list?

Technology report: Lots of Bots

Admin bots, approved bots, bots on trial, lots and lots of bots

News from the WMF: Wikimedia Foundation petitions the European Court of Human Rights to lift the block of Wikipedia in Turkey

The WMF keeps working to stop Turkey from blocking Wikipedia.

Recent research: Wikipedia more useful than academic journals, but is it stealing the news?

And other new research publications

Essay: Paid editing

We've been talking about paid editing forever

From the archives: FORUM:Should Wikimedia modify its terms of use to require disclosure?

A debate from 5 years ago on whether we use to prohibit undisclosed paid editing

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:10, 31 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The June 2019 Signpost is out!

Discussion report: A constitutional crisis hits English Wikipedia

Could this be a new relationship between the Foundation and ArbCom, and between the Foundation and enwiki?

News and notes: Mysterious ban, admin resignations, Wikimedia Thailand rising

Many administrators resign related to Fram case; Wikimedia Thailand to host Wikimania 2020.

In the media: The disinformation age

Or is it the information error?

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories that are from the Wikiverse.

Traffic report: Juneteenth, Beauty Revealed, and more nuclear disasters

Readers look for info on what they watch, mostly Chernobyl.

Technology report: Actors and Bots

Database changes, new scripts, Tech News, and more.

Gallery: Unlike the North Face, Wiki Loves Earth

Wikimedia photographers surge to contribute to the Wiki Loves Earth campaign even while rogue clothing company The North Face replaces wiki illustrations with advertisements.

Special report: Did Fram harass other editors?

(DELETED ARTICLE)

Recent research: What do editors do after being blocked?; the top mathematicians, universities and cancers according to Wikipedia

And other recent research publications.

From the archives: Women and Wikipedia: the world is watching

"If you don't clean up this mess, the adults are going to come and take your toys away from you."

Opinion: Why the Terms of Use change didn't curtail undisclosed paid editing—and what might

To reduce the incentives driving undisclosed paid editing, Wikipedia could simplify the process and meet outsiders halfway.

In focus: WikiJournals: A sister project proposal

Academic peer review meets Wikimedia.

Community view: A CEO biography, paid for with taxes

How an Irish state-level paid editor tried to turn me into the villain.

Op-Ed: 2019 Wikimedia Affiliate Selected Board Seats Election Results

Wikimedia community organizations elect two members for the Wikimedia Foundation board of trustees.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:51, 30 June 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 July 2019

News and notes: Wikimedia grants less accessible for travel, equipment, meetups, and India

WMF grants program changes position on funding random individuals globally and 100 crore people in one region

In the media: Politics starts getting rough

Are we ready for the sharp elbows?

Discussion report: New proposals in aftermath of Fram ban

Resysop requests on the ’crat board prove controversial; plus, aftermath of Framgate.

Arbitration report: A month of reintegration

Arbitration begins setting new boundaries after the June blow-up

Gallery: Classic panoramas from Heinrich Berann

It looks nice and cool up in those mountains

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories that are from the Wikiverse.

Community view: Video based summaries of Wikipedia articles. How and why?

It's easy, education saves lives.

News from the WMF: Designing ethically with AI: How Wikimedia can harness machine learning in a responsible and human-centered way

Or, how to avoid Artificial Ignorance

Recent research: Most influential medical journals; detecting pages to protect

And other new research publications

Special report: Administrator cadre continues to contract

A new record set: fewer than 500 active admins.

Traffic report: World cups, presidential candidates, and stranger things

and don't forget the movies

In focus: The French Wikipedia is overtaking the German

Who is growing? Who is not?

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:17, 31 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 30 August 2019

News and notes: Documenting Wikimania and our beginnings

The oldest surviving Wikipedia edit restored to article history, Wikimania, and the mystery of a disappearing Funds Dissemination Committee.

In focus: Ryan Merkley joins WMF as Chief of Staff

Working with leadership and the community, taking on both operational and strategic responsibilities

In the media: Many layers of fake news: Fake fiction and fake news vandalism

And the media report it all

Discussion report: Meta proposals on partial bans and IP users

Can we survive without IP addresses?

Traffic report: Once upon a time in Greenland with Boris and cornflakes

And some summer flicks with the usual heroes and villains

Op-Ed: We couldn't have told you this, but Wikipedia was censored

Should we break the law or publish the truth?

Opinion: The Curious Case of Croatian Wikipedia

Or how to make a concentration camp disappear?

Community view: Chinese Wikipedia and the battle against extradition from Hong Kong

From streets to Wikipedia - What are editors from Hong Kong facing?

News from the WMF: Meet Emna Mizouni, the newly minted 2019 Wikimedian of the Year

Emna Mizouni was named the 2019 Wikimedian of the Year.

Recent research: Special issue on gender gap and gender bias research

A roundup of many recent publications examining Wikpedia's gender gaps in participation and content, and their possible reasons

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories that are from the Wikiverse

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:41, 30 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 30 September 2019

From the editors: Where do we go from here?

Our constitutional crisis may continue

Special report: Post-Framgate wrapup

Summary of actions around a formerly banned former administrator: Arbitration Committee action and withdrawn request for adminship

In the media: A net loss: Wikipedia attacked, closing off Russia? welcoming back Turkey?

The internet may not be as stable as it seems

Traffic report: Varied and intriguing entries, less Luck, and some retreads

Luck, Serena, Bianca, 9/11, bad films, mass murderers and other good stuff

News from the WMF: How the Wikimedia Foundation is making efforts to go green

Wikipedia's footprint is equivalent to 251 average US homes’ energy use. Yes we can go green.

Recent research: Wikipedia's role in assessing credibility of news sources; using wikis against procrastination; OpenSym 2019 report

And other recent research publications

Gallery: Finding freely licensed photo collections

Wikimedia Commons is not the only place to find freely licensed photos

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories that are from the Wikiverse

In focus: Wikidata & Wikibase for national libraries: the inaugural meeting

National libraries are planning to leverage Wikidata to interoperate and to bring information to the public

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 11:06, 30 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 October 2019

In the media: How to use or abuse Wikipedia for fun or profit

Sweden, Poland, Armenia, Russia, the Vatican, and clueless English pubs.

Special report: “Catch and Kill” on Wikipedia: Paid editing and the suppression of material on alleged sexual abuse

"It's time for Wikipedia to grow up."

In focus: The BBC looks at Chinese government editing

But they aren't entirely sure they see it

Interview: Carl Miller on Wikipedia Wars

A discussion on info wars, government editing and our defences.

Community view: Observations from the mainland

A different point of view

Arbitration report: October actions

An "unblockable" is blocked; a former arb resigns.

Traffic report: Wrestling with a couple of teenagers, a Nobelist, and a lot of jokers

Plus a few celebrities.

Gallery: Wiki Loves Broadcast

The future of public broadcasting has arrived.

Recent research: Research at Wikimania 2019: More communication doesn't make editors more productive; Tor users doing good work; harmful content rare on English Wikipedia

And other new research publications

Essay: Wikipedia is in the real world

Editing can have serious consequences.

News from the WMF: Welcome to Wikipedia! Here's what we're doing to help you stick around

Twenty questions to get you started.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:11, 31 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 29 November 2019

From the editor: Put on your birthday best

"We get by with a little help from our friends"

News and notes: How soon for the next million articles?

And when will we get the second extraterrestrial edit?

In the media: You say you want a revolution

Everybody wants to change Wikipedia.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

Arbitration report: Two requests for arbitration cases

Important or imprudent? Pondering portals. And an editor gets transported off-wiki for good.

Traffic report: The queen and the princess meet the king and the joker

Could this be the end of the Terminator?

Technology report: Reference things, sister things, stranger things

The latest tech news and updates.

Gallery: Winter and holidays

Some interesting and unusual winter and holiday images.

Recent research: Bot census; discussions differ on Spanish and English Wikipedia; how nature's seasons affect pageviews

And other new research publications.

Essay: Adminitis

Some humor about the otherwise serious subject of burnout.

From the archives: WikiProject Spam, revisited

Veteran editor: Wikipedia is losing existential battle against spam.

In focus: An update on the Wikimedia Movement 2030 Strategy

Coming to the end of a long road formulating the strategy.

Special report: How many people edit in your favorite language? Where are they from?

Only now can we say!

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:23, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 27 December 2019

From the editors: Caught with their hands in the cookie jar, again

You can buy "cleaners" but you might not come away clean.

News and notes: What's up (and down) with administrators, articles and languages

Active administrators and articles achieved are marking milestone metrics, but in diverging directions. Plus, the first time any court has found there exists a constitutional right to read Wikipedia.

Special report: Are reputation management operatives scrubbing Wikipedia articles?

Son of Wiki-PR.

In the media: "The fulfillment of the dream of humanity" or a nightmare of PR whitewashing on behalf of one-percenters?

Praise for possibly pansophic Wikipedia from a Nobel laureate collides head-on with real-world events in December.

Discussion report: December discussions around the wiki

Regarding integrity of information presented by Wikipedia, as well as the processes and people who ensure it remains trustworthy.

Arbitration report: Announcement of 2020 Arbitration Committee

ArbCom election results and status of open and requested cases.

Traffic report: Queens and aliens, exactly alike, once upon a December

We may have scrambled the headlines a bit.

Technology report: User scripts and more

Customise your Wikipedia experience

Gallery: Holiday wishes

Messages of holiday cheer from us to you.

Recent research: Acoustics and Wikipedia; Wiki Workshop 2019 summary

16 recent papers, and other research news

From the archives: The 2002 Spanish fork and ads revisited (re-revisited?)

A look at different approaches taken by Wikipedia's founders in 2002, as seen from the perspective of nine years when it was written; nearly twenty years ago now.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

Op-Ed: Why we need to keep talking about Wikipedia's gender gap

There's still a long way to go.

WikiProject report: Wikiproject Tree of Life: A Wikiproject report

Eight years after our last interview, WikiProject Tree of Life continues to thrive.

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:37, 27 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 27 January 2020

From the editor: Reaching six million articles is great, but we need a moratorium

How long can we ignore Wiki-PR?

News and notes: Six million articles on the English language Wikipedia

You ain't seen nothing yet.

Special report: The limits of volunteerism and the gatekeepers of Team Encarta

How to survive the asshole consensus.

In the media: Turkey's back up, but what's happening with Dot-org and a new visual identity?

Plus politics and other oddities.

Arbitration report: Three cases at ArbCom

The new arbs have a big load.

Traffic report: The most viewed articles of 2019

As only The Signpost can describe them.

Gallery: Wiki Loves Monuments 2019, we're all winners

The top 15 international photos.

News from the WMF: Capacity Building: Top 5 Themes from Community Conversations

Growing our community and our abilities.

Community view: Our most important new article since November 1, 2015

Well, it's a bit subjective.

In focus: Cryptos and bitcoins and blockchains, oh no!

Everybody needs to make a buck somehow — just not here, thanks.

Recent research: How useful is Wikipedia for novice programmers trying to learn computing concepts?

And other new research publications.

From the archives: A decade of The Signpost, 2005-2015

The first 10 years are the hardest.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Japan: a wikiProject Report

An interview with four members of the WikiProject Japan.

Humour: Predicting the 6,000,000th article

I may fall in love all over again!

Obituary: Remembering Wikipedia contributor Brian Boulton

A mentor to us all

* Read this Signpost in full * Single-page * Unsubscribe * MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 02:08, 27 January 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You are cordially invited to the SPIE Photonics West edit-a-thon on 02.02.2020

Join us for the SPIE Photonics West edit-a-thon this Sunday, 02.02.2020!

I am delighted to invite you to the SPIE Photonics West 2020 edit-a-thon, at Park Central Hotel (Franciscan I, 3rd Level / 50 Third Street / San Francisco, California), on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at 5:00-7:00pm.

Newcomers and experienced Wikimedians are welcome to participate alongside SPIE conference attendees. Admission is free. Training will be provided.

Details and sign-in here

See you soon! All the best, --Rosiestep (talk) 06:59, 31 January 2020 (UTC) via MassMessaging[reply]

The Signpost: 1 March 2020

From the editor: The ball is in your court

How to stop abusive commercial editing.

News and notes: Alexa ranking down to 13th worldwide

Falling behind Chinese websites.

Special report: More participation, more conversation, more pageviews

A statistical insight into the English Wikipedia's very own online community newsletter.

In the media: Mapping IP editors, Smithsonian open-access, and coronavirus disinformation

We're all over the map this month.

Discussion report: Do you prefer M or P?

Wikimedia or Wikipedia?

Arbitration report: Two prominent administrators removed

Arbitration Committee and the "blue wall of silence".

By the numbers: How many actions by administrators does it take to clean up spam?

Numbers for vandalism and sockpuppeting included at no additional charge!

Community view: The Incredible Invisible Woman

No more "Hidden Figures", let's work to make women visible on Wikipedia!

In focus: History of The Signpost, 2015–2019

Covering Wikipedia for another five years!

Recent research: Wikipedia generates $50 billion/year consumer surplus in the US alone

And other new research results

From the archives: Is Wikipedia for sale?

How long has Wikipedia been for sale? When will it stop?

Traffic report: February articles, floating in the dark

Kobe sets another record.

Gallery: Feel the love

Renewing our vows.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

Op-Ed: What I learned as Wikimedia UK Communications Coordinator

Getting across the Wikipedia experience to the press.

Opinion: Wikipedia is another country

Or: how to best bite a newbie.

Humour: The Wilhelm scream

WikiWorld is back.

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The Signpost: 29 March 2020

From the editors: The bad and the good

Getting ready for anything.

News and notes: 2018 Wikipedian of the year blocked

Wheel war on Tatar Wikipedia.

WikiProject report: WikiProject COVID-19: A WikiProject Report

An interview with members of the COVID Project.

Special report: Wikipedia on COVID-19: what we publish and why it matters

Wikipedia presents solid widely-consulted information on COVID-19 and related topics.

In the media: Blocked in Iran but still covering the big story

COVID-19, Zika, edit-a-thons, and macrons.

Discussion report: Rethinking draft space

Plus: geonotices, reliable sources, and job titles.

Arbitration report: Unfinished business

A new case, a case returns from limbo, and an RfC being prepared.

In focus: "I have been asked by Jeffrey Epstein …"

The twists and turns of Epstein’s portrayal on Wikipedia.

Community view: Wikimedia community responds to COVID-19

Individually and in organized groups, Wikimedians stand up and make a difference.

Recent research: Disease outbreak uncertainties, AfD forecasting, auto-updating Wikipedia

New research publications on "the fear of being erased" and other topics.

From the archives: Text from Wikipedia good enough for Oxford University Press to claim as own

Five years ago with a different crisis.

Traffic report: The only thing that matters in the world

Going to movies and sport stadiums is history, and readers turn to Wikipedia for crucial medical information and updates.

Gallery: Visible Women on Wikipedia

Images from the Whose Knowlege? campaign.

News from the WMF: Amid COVID-19, Wikimedia Foundation offers full pay for reduced hours, mobilizes all staff to work remote, and waives sick time

The WMF responds.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

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The Signpost: 26 April 2020

News and notes: Unbiased information from Ukraine's government?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pitches in.

In the media: Coronavirus, again and again

Plus the importance of language.

Discussion report: Redesigning Wikipedia, bit by bit

The Wikimedia community discusses modifying or hiding the sidebar on the left of every page.

Featured content: Featured content returns

Movies, roads, awards and more.

Arbitration report: Two difficult cases

Even our best editors sometimes disagree.

Traffic report: Disease the Rhythm of the Night

Coronavirus, coronavirus, and Joe Exotic.

Gallery: Roy is doing fine and sending more photos

A coronavirus cruise can't stop Roy!

Recent research: Trending topics across languages; auto-detecting bias

And other new research results.

Essay: Wikipedia:An article about yourself isn't necessarily a good thing

And it could get worse!

By the numbers: Open data and COVID-19: Wikipedia as an informational resource during the pandemic

What COVID-19 data are available from the WMF?

Opinion: Trusting Everybody to Work Together

In an increasingly factious world, Wikipedia's approach to collaboration and trust-building point to a brighter future.

On the bright side: What's making you happy this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

Interview: Health and RfA's: An interview with Guy Macon

A Wikipedia editor reflects on his recent RfA and the health issues that became part of it.

In focus: Multilingual Wikipedia

How to better integrate articles across language editions.

WikiProject report: The Guild of Copy Editors

An interview with members of the WP:GOCE

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The Signpost: 31 May 2020

From the editor: Meltdown May?

Or will it be meltdown June?

News and notes: 2019 Picture of the Year, 200 French paid editing accounts blocked, 10 years of Guild Copyediting

Many of these accounts now blocked on the English-language Wikipedia.

In the media: CBS on COVID-19, Sanger on bias, false noses, and five prolific editors

Worth Every Goddamn Second!

Discussion report: WMF's Universal Code of Conduct

It's no April Fool's joke, but we discuss those, too.

Special report: The sum of human knowledge? Not in one Wikipedia language edition

Cultural context, diversity, and the future of languages.

Featured content: Weathering the storm

Battles, bombs, wars, and more storms.

Arbitration report: Board member likely to receive editing restriction

Sanctions of multiple flavors, and a non-decision on the breadth of discretionary sanctions.

Traffic report: Come on and slam, and welcome to the jam

Time to bring on the Bulls.

Op-Ed: Where Is Political Bias Taking Us?

Straight down the tubes.

Gallery: Wildlife photos by the book

Birds, insects, elephants, a macaque and more.

News from the WMF: WMF Board announces Community Culture Statement

Enacting new standards to address harassment and promote inclusivity across projects.

Recent research: Automatic detection of covert paid editing; Wiki Workshop 2020

New results from academic research

Community view: Transit routes and mapping during stay-at-home order downtime

Hello Columbus.

On video: COVID-19 spurs innovations in Wikimedia video and virtual programming

Community harnesses new technologies for remote participation in events and gatherings

WikiProject report: Revitalizing good articles

Can our energy be turned into long-term change?

On the bright side: 500,000 articles in the Egyptian Arabic Wikipedia

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

Obituaries: Dmitrismirnov, Kattenkruid, Muidlatif, Ronhjones, Tsirel

Rest in peace.

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The Signpost: 28 June 2020

News and notes: Progress at Wikipedia Library and Wikijournal of Medicine

Plus Swedish biographies and the big oops!

Community view: Community open letter on renaming

Reacting to the WMF's rebranding proposal.

Gallery: After the killing of George Floyd

Protests and photos from around the world...

In the media: Part collaboration and part combat

Racial justice, Facebook, LGBTQ+, Ryan Merkley, and a woman.

Discussion report: Community reacts to WMF rebranding proposals

Many Wikimedia community members are upset about the WMF's plan to rebrand. Plus, a discussion of Fox News's reliability.

Featured content: Sports are returning, with a rainbow

Battles, music, and animals feature prominently in this month's best content.

Arbitration report: Anti-harassment RfC and a checkuser revocation

The RfC should keep everybody busy.

Traffic report: The pandemic, alleged murder, a massacre, and other deaths

Plus Rajput, Musk, Epstein, Maxwell, Owens and Anonymous

News from the WMF: We stand for racial justice

On these issues, there is no neutral stance.

Recent research: Wikipedia and COVID-19; automated Wikipedia-based fact-checking

And other new research publications

Interview: What is wrong with rebranding to "Wikipedia Foundation"?

Four signers of the open letter explain.

Humour: Cherchez une femme

It's amazing what one can do.

Opinion: Trying to find COI or paid editors? Just read the news

A scientific scandal and the Ronaldo of investment banking.

On the bright side: For what are you grateful this month?

A selection of good news and encouraging stories from the Wikiverse.

In focus: Edit Loud, Edit Proud: LGBTIQ+ Wikimedians and Global Information Activism

The history and impact of LGBTIQ+ contributions to Wikimedia projects.

WikiProject report: WikiProject Black Lives Matter

How Wikipedia is covering racial injustice, both in the outer world and on-site

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The Signpost: 2 August 2020

Special report: Wikipedia and the End of Open Collaboration?

Comparing Wikipedia to similar projects.

COI and paid editing: Some strange people edit Wikipedia for money

And thanks for the photo, Ghislaine!

News and notes: Abstract Wikipedia, a hoax, sex symbols, and a new admin

Plus lots of affiliations!

In the media: Dog days gone bad

Pandemic, politics, and possibly paid editing.

Discussion report: Fox News, a flight of RfAs, and banning policy

Plus a proposed massive invasion of privacy!

Featured content: Remembering Art, Valor, and Freedom

soldiers, sports, and actors feature heavily this month.

Traffic report: Now for something completely different

Death and Alexander Hamilton.

Gallery: Photos of threatened species from iNaturalist

Sometimes you just have to ask.

News from the WMF: New Chinese national security law in Hong Kong could limit the privacy of Wikipedia users

Privacy is critical to sustaining freedom of expression and association, enabling knowledge and ideas to thrive.

Recent research: Receiving thanks increases retention, but not the time contributed to Wikipedia

And other new research publications

Essay: Not compatible with a collaborative project

Some editors aren't.

Obituaries: Hasteur and Brian McNeil

Rest in peace.

In focus: WikiLoop DoubleCheck, reviewing edits made easy

Making Wikipedia the encyclopedia that anyone can review.

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The Signpost: 30 August 2020

News and notes: The high road and the low road

Will the Scots language Wikipedia survive?

In the media: Storytelling large and small

COVID, Fox, Kamala, Scots, cryptocurrency, and more.

Featured content: Going for the goal

Sports, music, military and more

Special report: Wikipedia's not so little sister is finding its own way

Wikidata's profound impact on Wikipedia

Op-Ed: The longest-running hoax

Watch out for those Mustelodons!

Traffic report: Heart, soul, umbrellas, and politics

More politics than usual.

News from the WMF: Fourteen things we’ve learned by moving Polish Wikimedia conference online

Celebrating of our community in a different format.

Recent research: Detecting spam, and pages to protect; non-anonymous editors signal their intelligence with high-quality articles

And other new research results

Arbitration report: A slow couple of months

Everybody deserves a vacation!

From the archives: Wikipedia for promotional purposes?

A question from 2005 that we still haven't answered.

Obituaries: Marcus Sherman, Jerome West, and Pauline van Till

Rest in Peace.

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Invitation to Local Wikimania Event in San Francisco this Friday

Hi!

Wikimania is happening and hopefully you're enjoying the sessions. While it's fairly last minute, you're warmly invited to participate in the local Wikimania-themed meetup in the Wikimedia Foundation office this Friday (tomorrow!). You will have to register in advance, but we would love to see more people from the WikiSalon community participate! For more information and registration, please check out meta:Wikimania 2022/San Francisco Meetup.

The event will involve hacking, teaching, learning, and celebrating and we'll have snacks. We will have the opportunity to watch live sessions at Wikimania together in the afternoon. The rest of the day we'll have opportunity to participate in the hackathon, and we may have some on-demand workshops/learning sessions.

In case we run out of space, it's first-come-first-serve so let us know soon! Hope to see you there.

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On behalf of the Bay Area Wiki Salon team and Bittakea, Effeietsanders

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ArbCom 2024 Elections voter message

Hello! Voting in the 2024 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on #time:l, j F Y. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

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