User talk:KGirlTrucker81/Signpost/Archive 15
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Wikidata weekly summary #340
This Month in Education: November 2018
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.
This week's article for improvement (week 49, 2018)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Siri • Equator Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 3 December 2018 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Administrators' newsletter – December 2018
News and updates for administrators from the past month (November 2018).

Al Ameer son • Randykitty • Spartaz
Boson • Daniel J. Leivick • Efe • Esanchez7587 • Fred Bauder • Garzo • Martijn Hoekstra • Orangemike
Interface administrator changes
- Following a request for comment, the Mediation Committee is now closed and will no longer be accepting case requests.
- A request for comment is in progress to determine whether members of the Bot Approvals Group should satisfy activity requirements in order to remain in that role.
- A request for comment is in progress regarding whether to change the administrator inactivity policy, such that administrators "who have made no logged administrative actions for at least 12 months may be desysopped". Currently, the policy states that administrators "who have made neither edits nor administrative actions for at least 12 months may be desysopped".
- A proposal has been made to temporarily restrict editing of the Main Page to interface administrators in order to mitigate the impact of compromised accounts.
- Administrators and bureaucrats can no longer unblock themselves unless they placed the block initially. This change has been implemented globally. See also this ongoing village pump discussion (permalink).
- To complement the aforementioned change, blocked administrators will soon have the ability to block the administrator that placed their block to mitigate the possibility of a compromised administrator account blocking all other active administrators.
- Since deployment of Partial blocks on Test Wikipedia, several bugs were identified. Most of them are now fixed. Administrators are encouraged to test the new deployment and report new bugs on Phabricator or leave feedback on the Project's talk page. You can request administrator access on the Test Wiki here.
- Voting in the 2018 Arbitration Committee Elections is open to eligible editors until Monday 23:59, 3 December 2018. Please review the candidates and, if you wish to do so, submit your choices on the voting page.
- In late November, an attacker compromised multiple accounts, including at least four administrator accounts, and used them to vandalize Wikipedia. If you have ever used your current password on any other website, you should change it immediately. Sharing the same password across multiple websites makes your account vulnerable, especially if your password was used on a website that suffered a data breach. As these incidents have shown, these concerns are not pure fantasies.
- Wikipedia policy requires administrators to have strong passwords. To further reinforce security, administrators should also consider enabling two-factor authentication. A committed identity can be used to verify that you are the true account owner in the event that your account is compromised and/or you are unable to log in.
- Shock Brigade Harvester Boris (Raymond Arritt) passed away on 14 November 2018. Boris joined Wikipedia as Raymond arritt on 8 May 2006 and was an administrator from 30 July 2007 to 2 June 2008.
Tech News: 2018-49
16:12, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #341
This week's article for improvement (week 50, 2018)
Nuuk is the capital and largest city of Greenland. Pictured is the Nuussuaq district in Nuuk, with Sermitsiaq mountain in the background.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Lake surfing • Siri Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 10 December 2018 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #342
Tech News: 2018-50
17:33, 10 December 2018 (UTC)
This Month in GLAM: November 2018
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NPR Newsletter No.16 15 December 2018
Hello KGirlTrucker81/Signpost,
- Reviewer of the Year

This year's award for the Reviewer of the Year goes to Onel5969. Around on Wikipedia since 2011, their staggering number of 26,554 reviews over the past twelve months makes them, together with an additional total of 275,285 edits, one of Wikipedia's most prolific users.
- Thanks are also extended for their work to JTtheOG (15,059 reviews), Boleyn (12,760 reviews), Cwmhiraeth (9,001 reviews), Semmendinger (8,440 reviews), PRehse (8,092 reviews), Arthistorian1977 (5,306 reviews), Abishe (4,153 reviews), Barkeep49 (4,016 reviews), and Elmidae (3,615 reviews).
Cwmhiraeth, Semmendinger, Barkeep49, and Elmidae have been New Page Reviewers for less than a year — Barkeep49 for only seven months, while Boleyn, with an edit count of 250,000 since she joined Wikipedia in 2008, has been a bastion of New Page Patrol for many years.
See also the list of top 100 reviewers.
- Less good news, and an appeal for some help
The backlog is now approaching 5,000, and still rising. There are around 640 holders of the NPR flag, most of whom appear to be inactive. The 10% of the reviewers who do 90% of the work could do with some support especially as some of them are now taking a well deserved break.
- Really good news - NPR wins the Community Wishlist Survey 2019
At #1 position, the Community Wishlist poll closed on 3 December with a resounding success for NPP, reminding the WMF and the volunteer communities just how critical NPP is to maintaining a clean encyclopedia and the need for improved tools to do it. A big 'thank you' to everyone who supported the NPP proposals. See the results.
- Training video
Due to a number of changes having been made to the feed since this three-minute video was created, we have been asked by the WMF for feedback on the video with a view to getting it brought up to date to reflect the new features of the system. Please leave your comments here, particularly mentioning how helpful you find it for new reviewers.
If you wish to opt-out of future mailings, go here.
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:14, 14 December 2018 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 51, 2018)
A bookworm / beetle grub found inside a paperback book, showing some of the damage it has wrought
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Nuuk • Lake surfing Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 17 December 2018 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2018-51
20:34, 17 December 2018 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #343
Books & Bytes, Issue 31
Books & Bytes
Issue 31, October – Novemeber 2018
- OAWiki
- Wikimedia and Libraries User Group update
- Global branches update
- Bytes in brief
French version of Books & Bytes is now available on meta!
Read the full newsletter
Sent by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of The Wikipedia Library team --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 14:34, 21 December 2018 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 52, 2018)
A diagram that includes the scalp
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Bookworm (insect) • Nuuk Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 24 December 2018 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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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.
Wikidata weekly summary #344
This week's article for improvement (week 1, 2018)
Poster for a production of Boucicault's farce Contempt of Court, c. 1879. From the Library of Congress.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Scalp • Bookworm (insect) Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 31 December 2018 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Administrators' newsletter – January 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (December 2018).
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- There are a number of new or changed speedy deletion criteria, each previously part of WP:CSD#G6:
- G14 (new): Disambiguation pages that disambiguate only zero or one existing pages are now covered under the new G14 criterion (discussion). This is {{db-disambig}}; the text is unchanged and candidates may be found in Category:Candidates for speedy deletion as unnecessary disambiguation pages.
- R4 (new): Redirects in the file namespace (and no file links) that have the same name as a file or redirect at Commons are now covered under the new R4 criterion (discussion). This is {{db-redircom}}; the text is unchanged.
- G13 (expanded): Userspace drafts containing only the default Article Wizard text are now covered under G13 along with other drafts (discussion). Such blank drafts are now eligible after six months rather than one year, and taggers continue to use {{db-blankdraft}}.
- The Wikimedia Foundation now requires all interface administrators to enable two-factor authentication.
- Members of the Bot Approvals Group (BAG) are now subject to an activity requirement. After two years without any bot-related activity (e.g. operating a bot, posting on a bot-related talk page), BAG members will be retired from BAG following a one-week notice.
- Starting on December 13, the Wikimedia Foundation security team implemented new password policy and requirements. Privileged accounts (administrators, bureaucrats, checkusers, oversighters, interface administrators, bots, edit filter managers/helpers, template editors, et al.) must have a password at least 10 characters in length. All accounts must have a password:
- At least 8 characters in length
- Not in the 100,000 most popular passwords (defined by the Password Blacklist library)
- Different from their username
- User accounts not meeting these requirements will be prompted to update their password accordingly. More information is available on MediaWiki.org.
- Blocked administrators may now block the administrator that blocked them. This was done to mitigate the possibility that a compromised administrator account would block all other active administrators, complementing the removal of the ability to unblock oneself outside of self-imposed blocks. A request for comment is currently in progress to determine whether the blocking policy should be updated regarding this change.
- {{Copyvio-revdel}} now has a link to open the history with the RevDel checkboxes already filled in.
- Following the 2018 Arbitration Committee elections, the following editors have been appointed to the Arbitration Committee: AGK, Courcelles, GorillaWarfare, Joe Roe, Mkdw, SilkTork.
- Accounts continue to be compromised on a regular basis. Evidence shows this is entirely due to the accounts having the same password that was used on another website that suffered a data breach. If you have ever used your current password on any other website, you should change it immediately.
- Around 22% of admins have enabled two-factor authentication, up from 20% in June 2018. If you haven't already enabled it, please consider doing so. Regardless of whether you use 2FA, please practice appropriate account security by ensuring your password is secure and unique to Wikimedia.
Wikidata weekly summary #345
This week's article for improvement (week 2, 2019)
An example of page orientation: a smartphone positioned upright (portrait orientation) and horizontally (landscape orientation)
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Farce • Scalp Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:27, 7 January 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #346
Tech News: 2019-02
18:29, 7 January 2019 (UTC)
This Month in GLAM: December 2018
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This week's article for improvement (week 3, 2019)
Vicki Gunvalson in 2009
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Page orientation • Farce Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 14 January 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #347
Tech News: 2019-03
17:54, 14 January 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 4, 2019)
A view of the Quetschenfest street fair in the community of Geichlingen, Germany
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Vicki Gunvalson • Page orientation Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 21 January 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #348
Tech News: 2019-04
20:35, 21 January 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 5, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Street fair • Vicki Gunvalson Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 28 January 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #349
Tech News: 2019-05
18:15, 28 January 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: January 2019
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?
This week's article for improvement (week 6, 2019)
A typical Finnish school meal lunch, served free of charge to all pupils.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Assassination attempts • Street fair Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 4 February 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Administrators' newsletter – February 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (January 2019).

Enterprisey • JJMC89
BorgQueen
Harro5 • Jenks24 • Graft • R. Baley
Interface administrator changes
- A request for comment is currently open to reevaluate the activity requirements for administrators.
- Administrators who are blocked have the technical ability to block the administrator who blocked their own account. A recent request for comment has amended the blocking policy to clarify that this ability should only be used in exceptional circumstances, such as account compromises, where there is a clear and immediate need.
- A request for comment closed with a consensus in favor of deprecating The Sun as a permissible reference, and creating an edit filter to warn users who attempt to cite it.
- A discussion regarding an overhaul of the format and appearance of Wikipedia:Requests for page protection is in progress (permalink). The proposed changes will make it easier to create requests for those who are not using Twinkle. The workflow for administrators at this venue will largely be unchanged. Additionally, there are plans to archive requests similar to how it is done at WP:PERM, where historical records are kept so that prior requests can more easily be searched for.
- Voting in the 2019 Steward elections will begin on 08 February 2019, 14:00 (UTC) and end on 28 February 2019, 13:59 (UTC). The confirmation process of current stewards is being held in parallel. You can automatically check your eligibility to vote.
- A new IRC bot is available that allows you to subscribe to notifications when specific filters are tripped. This requires that your IRC handle be identified.
Tech News: 2019-06
17:12, 4 February 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #350
This Month in GLAM: January 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 7, 2019)
Pondicherry is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: School meal • Assassination attempts Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 11 February 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-07
18:45, 11 February 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #351
This week's article for improvement (week 8, 2019)
Mixian rice noodles being cooked on a gas stove at a noodle restaurant in Kunming, Yunnan, China
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Pondicherry • School meal Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 18 February 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #352
Tech News: 2019-08
23:13, 18 February 2019 (UTC)
Talk to us about talking
Trizek (WMF) 15:08, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 9, 2019)
A cheeseburger at a restaurant
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Gas stove • Pondicherry Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 25 February 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #353
Tech News: 2019-09
21:16, 25 February 2019 (UTC)
Books & Bytes, Issue 32
Books & Bytes
Issue 32, January – February 2019
- #1Lib1Ref
- New and expanded partners
- Wikimedia and Libraries User Group update
- Global branches update
- Bytes in brief
French version of Books & Bytes is now available on meta!
Sent by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of The Wikipedia Library team --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 03:29, 26 February 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: February 2019
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.
This week's article for improvement (week 10, 2019)
Wanted posters in Japan, 2004
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Cheeseburger • Gas stove Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 4 March 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #354
Tech News: 2019-10
16:38, 4 March 2019 (UTC)
Administrators' newsletter – March 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (February 2019).
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- The RfC on administrator activity requirements failed to reach consensus for any proposal.
- Following discussions at the Bureaucrats' noticeboard and Wikipedia talk:Administrators, an earlier change to the restoration of adminship policy was reverted. If requested, bureaucrats will not restore administrator permissions removed due to inactivity if there have been five years without a logged administrator action; this "five year rule" does not apply to permissions removed voluntarily.
- A new tool is available to help determine if a given IP is an open proxy/VPN/webhost/compromised host.
- The Arbitration Committee announced two new OTRS queues. Both are meant solely for cases involving private information; other cases will continue to be handled at the appropriate venues (e.g., WP:COIN or WP:SPI).
- paid-en-wp
wikipedia.org has been set up to receive private evidence related to abusive paid editing. - checkuser-en-wp
wikipedia.org has been set up to receive private requests for CheckUser. For instance, requests for IP block exemption for anonymous proxy editing should now be sent to this address instead of the functionaries-en list.
- paid-en-wp
- The Arbitration Committee announced two new OTRS queues. Both are meant solely for cases involving private information; other cases will continue to be handled at the appropriate venues (e.g., WP:COIN or WP:SPI).
- Following the 2019 Steward Elections, the following editors have been appointed as stewards: Base, Einsbor, Jon Kolbert, Schniggendiller, and Wim b.
This Month in GLAM: February 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 11, 2019)
Zippers with common teeth variations: metal teeth (top), coil teeth and plastic teeth
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Wanted poster • Cheeseburger Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 11 March 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #355
Tech News: 2019-11
19:29, 11 March 2019 (UTC)
NPR Newsletter No.17

Hello KGirlTrucker81/Signpost,
- News
- The WMF has announced that Google Translate is now available for translating articles through the content translation tool. This may result in an increase in machine translated articles in the New Pages Feed. Feel free to use the {{rough translation}} tag and gently remind (or inform) editors that translations from other language Wikipedia pages still require attribution per WP:TFOLWP.
- Discussions of interest
- Two elements of CSD G6 have been split into their own criteria: R4 for redirects in the "File:" namespace with the same name as a file or redirect at Wikimedia Commons (Discussion), and G14 for disambiguation pages which disambiguate zero pages, or have "(disambiguation)" in the title but disambiguate a single page (Discussion).
- {{db-blankdraft}} was merged into G13 (Discussion)
- A discussion recently closed with no consensus on whether to create a subject-specific notability guideline for theatrical plays.
- There is an ongoing discussion on a proposal to create subject-specific notability guidelines for chemicals and organism taxa.
- Reminders
- NPR is not a binary keep / delete process. In many cases a redirect may be appropriate. The deletion policy and its associated guideline clearly emphasise that not all unsuitable articles must be deleted. Redirects are not contentious. See a classic example of the templates to use. More templates are listed at the R template index. Reviewers who are not aware, do please take this into consideration before PROD, CSD, and especially AfD because not even all admins are aware of such policies, and many NAC do not have a full knowledge of them.
- NPP Tools Report
- Superlinks – allows you to check an article's history, logs, talk page, NPP flowchart (on unpatrolled pages) and more without navigating away from the article itself.
- copyvio-check – automatically checks the copyvio percentage of new pages in the background and displays this info with a link to the report in the 'info' panel of the Page curation toolbar.
- The NPP flowchart now has clickable hyperlinks.
Six Month Queue Data: Today – Low – 2393 High – 4828
Looking for inspiration? There are approximately 1000 female biographies to review.
Stay up to date with even more news – subscribe to The Signpost.
Go here to remove your name if you wish to opt-out of future mailings.
--MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:18, 15 March 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 12, 2019)
Many of the internal organs of the human body
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Zipper • Wanted poster Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 18 March 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #356
Tech News: 2019-12
19:43, 18 March 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 13, 2019)
Lady Gaga playing a keytar, which is a type of keyboard instrument
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Organ (anatomy) • Zipper Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 25 March 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #357
Tech News: 2019-13
18:04, 25 March 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: March 2019
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
- In focus: The Wikipedia SourceWatch
- Special report: Wiki Loves (50 Years of) Pride
- Community view: Wikipedia's response to the New Zealand mosque shootings
This week's article for improvement (week 14, 2019)
The interior of a gym in The Netherlands, around 1900
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Keyboard instrument • Organ (anatomy) Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 1 April 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #358
Tech News: 2019-14
16:29, 1 April 2019 (UTC)
Bring your idea for Wikimedia in Education to life! Launch of the Wikimedia Education Greenhouse
|
Are you passionate about open education? Do you have an idea to apply Wikimedia projects to an education initiative but don’t know where to start? Join the the Wikimedia & Education Greenhouse! It is an immersive co-learning experience that lasts 9 months and will equip you with the skills, knowledge and support you need to bring your ideas to life. You can apply as a team or as an individual, by May 12th. Find out more Education Greenhouse. For more information reachout to mguadalupe |
—MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 11:16, 5 April 2019 (UTC)
Administrators' newsletter – April 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (March 2019).
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- In Special:Preferences under "Appearance" → "Advanced options", there is now an option to show a confirmation prompt when clicking on a rollback link.
- The Wikimedia Foundation's Community health initiative plans to design and build a new user reporting system to make it easier for people experiencing harassment and other forms of abuse to provide accurate information to the appropriate channel for action to be taken. Please see meta:Community health initiative/User reporting system consultation 2019 to provide your input on this idea.
- The Arbitration Committee clarified that the General 1RR prohibition for Palestine-Israel articles may only be enforced on pages with the {{ARBPIA 1RR editnotice}} edit notice.
- Two more administrator accounts were compromised. Evidence has shown that these attacks, like previous incidents, were due to reusing a password that was used on another website that suffered a data breach. If you have ever used your current password on any other website, you should change it immediately. All admins are strongly encouraged to enable two-factor authentication, please consider doing so. Please always practice appropriate account security by ensuring your password is secure and unique to Wikimedia.
- As a reminder, according to WP:NOQUORUM, administrators looking to close or relist an AfD should evaluate a nomination that has received few or no comments as if it were a proposed deletion (PROD) prior to determining whether it should be relisted.
This week's article for improvement (week 15, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Gym • Keyboard instrument Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 8 April 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #359
Tech News: 2019-15
18:24, 8 April 2019 (UTC)
This Month in GLAM: March 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 16, 2019)
Various dairy products: milk, feta cheese, yogurt and parmesan cheese (clockwise from upper-left)
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Story of the Negro • Gym Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 15 April 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #360
Tech News: 2019-16
23:00, 15 April 2019 (UTC)
Tech News: 2019-17
19:08, 23 April 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: April 2019
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This Month in Education Volume 8 • Issue 4 • April 2019 Contents • Headlines • Subscribe In This Issue |
Wikidata weekly summary #361
This week's article for improvement (week 18, 2019)
Gunilla Persson in 2013
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Biodegradable plastic • Dairy product Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 29 April 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #362
Tech News: 2019-18
22:27, 29 April 2019 (UTC)
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.
Administrators' newsletter – May 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (April 2019).
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- A request for comment concluded that creating pages in the portal namespace should be restricted to autoconfirmed users.
- Following a request for comment, the subject-specific notability guideline for pornographic actors and models (WP:PORNBIO) was removed; in its place, editors should consult WP:ENT and WP:GNG.
- XTools Admin Stats, a tool to list admins by administrative actions, has been revamped to support more types of log entries such as AbuseFilter changes. Two additional tools have been integrated into it as well: Steward Stats and Patroller Stats.
- In response to the continuing compromise of administrator accounts, the Arbitration Committee passed a motion amending the procedures for return of permissions (diff). In such cases,
the committee will review all available information to determine whether the administrator followed "appropriate personal security practices" before restoring permissions
; administrators found failing to have adequately done sowill not be resysopped automatically
. All current administrators have been notified of this change. - Following a formal ratification process, the arbitration policy has been amended (diff). Specifically, the two-thirds majority required to remove or suspend an arbitrator now excludes (1) the arbitrator facing suspension or removal, and (2) any inactive arbitrator who does not respond within 30 days to attempts to solicit their feedback on the resolution through all known methods of communication.
- In response to the continuing compromise of administrator accounts, the Arbitration Committee passed a motion amending the procedures for return of permissions (diff). In such cases,
- A request for comment is currently open to amend the community sanctions procedure to exclude non XfD or CSD deletions.
- A proposal to remove pre-2009 indefinite IP blocks is currently open for discussion.
This week's article for improvement (week 19, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Gunilla Persson • Biodegradable plastic Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 6 May 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #363
Tech News: 2019-19
16:27, 6 May 2019 (UTC)
This Month in GLAM: April 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 20, 2019)
Sashimi at a restaurant
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Production logo • Gunilla Persson Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 13 May 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #364
Tech News: 2019-20
00:48, 14 May 2019 (UTC)
NPR Newsletter No.18

Hello KGirlTrucker81/Signpost,
- WMF at work on NPP Improvements
Niharika Kohli, a product manager for the growth team, announced that work is underway in implementing improvements to New Page Patrol as part of the 2019 Community Wishlist and suggests all who are interested watch the project page on meta. Two requested improvements have already been completed. These are:
- Allow filtering by no citations in page curation
- Not having CSD and PRODs automatically marked as reviewed, reflecting current consensus among reviewers and current Twinkle functionality.
- Reliable Sources for NPP
Rosguill has been compiling a list of reliable sources across countries and industries that can be used by new page patrollers to help judge whether an article topic is notable or not. At this point further discussion is needed about if and how this list should be used. Please consider joining the discussion about how this potentially valuable resource should be developed and used.
- Backlog drive coming soon
Look for information on the an upcoming backlog drive in our next newsletter. If you'd like to help plan this drive, join in the discussion on the New Page Patrol talk page.
- News
- Following a request for comment, the subject-specific notability guideline for pornographic actors and models (WP:PORNBIO) was removed; in its place, editors should consult WP:ENT and WP:GNG.
- Discussions of interest
- A request for bot approval for a bot to patrol two kinds of redirects
- There has been a lot discussion about Notability of Academics
- What, if anything, would a SNG for Softball look like
Six Month Queue Data: Today – 7242 Low – 2393 High – 7250
Stay up to date with even more news – subscribe to The Signpost.
Go here to remove your name if you wish to opt-out of future mailings.
Delivered by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of DannyS712 (talk) at 19:17, 17 May 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 21, 2019)
Ancient Greek letters painted on the body of an Attic black-figure cup
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Sashimi • Production logo Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 20 May 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-21
13:03, 20 May 2019 (UTC)
Books & Bytes, Issue 33
Books & Bytes
Issue 33, March – April 2019
- #1Lib1Ref
- Wikimedia and Libraries User Group update
- Global branches update
- Bytes in brief
Sent by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of The Wikipedia Library team --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:41, 21 May 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #365
This week's article for improvement (week 22, 2019)
Josephine Bornebusch in 2013
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Letter (alphabet) • Sashimi Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 27 May 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #366
Tech News: 2019-22
15:33, 27 May 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: May 2019
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
This week's article for improvement (week 23, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Josephine Bornebusch • Letter (alphabet) Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 3 June 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #367
Tech News: 2019-23
15:24, 3 June 2019 (UTC)
Administrators' newsletter – June 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (May 2019).

Andonic • Consumed Crustacean • Enigmaman • Euryalus • EWS23 • HereToHelp • Nv8200pa • Peripitus • StringTheory11 • Vejvančický
- An RfC seeks to clarify whether WP:OUTING should include information on just the English Wikipedia or any Wikimedia project.
- An RfC on WT:RfA concluded that Requests for adminship and bureaucratship are discussions seeking to build consensus.
- An RfC proposal to make the templates for discussion (TfD) process more like the requested moves (RM) process, i.e. "as a clearinghouse of template discussions", was closed as successful.
- The CSD feature of Twinkle now allows admins to notify page creators of deletion if the page had not been tagged. The default behavior matches that of tagging notifications, and replaces the ability to open the user talk page upon deletion. You can customize which criteria receive notifications in your Twinkle preferences: look for Notify page creator when deleting under these criteria.
- Twinkle's d-batch (batch delete) feature now supports deleting subpages (and related redirects and talk pages) of each page. The pages will be listed first but use with caution! The und-batch (batch undelete) option can now also restore talk pages.
- The previously discussed unblocking of IP addresses indefinitely-blocked before 2009 was approved and has taken place.
- The 2019 talk pages consultation produced a report for Phase 1 and has entered Phase 2.
This Month in GLAM: May 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 24, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: HTML • Josephine Bornebusch Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 10 June 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-24
17:06, 10 June 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #368
This week's article for improvement (week 25, 2019)
Bookworm damage inside a book
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Karla Faye Tucker • HTML Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 17 June 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #369
Tech News: 2019-25
20:37, 17 June 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 26, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Bookworm (insect) • Karla Faye Tucker Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:06, 24 June 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #370
Tech News: 2019-26
17:29, 24 June 2019 (UTC)
New Page Review newsletter July-August 2019

Hello KGirlTrucker81/Signpost,
- WMF at work on NPP Improvements
More new features are being added to the feed, including the important red alert for previously deleted pages. This will only work if it is selected in your filters. Best is to 'select all'. Do take a moment to check out all the new features if you have not already done so. If anything is not working as it should, please let us know at NPR. There is now also a live queue of AfC submissions in the New Pages Feed. Feel free to review AfCs, but bear in mind that NPP is an official process and policy and is more important.
- QUALITY of REVIEWING
Articles are still not always being checked thoroughly enough. If you are not sure what to do, leave the article for a more experienced reviewer. Please be on the alert for any incongruities in patrolling and help your colleagues where possible; report patrollers and autopatrolled article creators who are ostensibly undeclared paid editors. The displayed ORES alerts offer a greater 'at-a-glance' overview, but the new challenges in detecting unwanted new content and sub-standard reviewing do not necessarily make patrolling any easier, nevertheless the work may have a renewed interest factor of a different kind. A vibrant community of reviewers is always ready to help at NPR.
- Backlog
The backlog is still far too high at between 7,000 and 8,000. Of around 700 user rights holders, 80% of the reviewing is being done by just TWO users. In the light of more and more subtle advertising and undeclared paid editing, New Page Reviewing is becoming more critical than ever.
- Move to draft
NPR is triage, it is not a clean up clinic. This move feature is not limited to bios so you may have to slightly re-edit the text in the template before you save the move. Anything that is not fit for mainspace but which might have some promise can be draftified - particularly very poor English and machine and other low quality translations.
- Notifying users
Remember to use the message feature if you are just tagging an article for maintenance rather than deletion. Otherwise articles are likely to remain perma-tagged. Many creators are SPA and have no intention of returning to Wikipedia. Use the feature too for leaving a friendly note note for the author of a first article you found well made or interesting. Many have told us they find such comments particularly welcoming and encouraging.
- PERM
Admins are now taking advantage of the new time-limited user rights feature. If you have recently been accorded NPR, do check your user rights to see if this affects you. Depending on your user account preferences, you may receive automated notifications of your rights changes. Requests for permissions are not mini-RfAs. Helpful comments are welcome if absolutely necessary, but the bot does a lot of the work and the final decision is reserved for admins who do thorough research anyway.
- Other news
School and academic holidays will begin soon in various places around the Western world. Be on the lookout for the usual increase in hoax, attack, and other junk pages.
Our next newsletter might be announcing details of a possible election for co-ordinators of NPR. If you think you have what it takes to micro manage NPR, take a look at New Page Review Coordinators - it's a job that requires a lot of time and dedication.
Stay up to date with even more news – subscribe to The Signpost.
Go here to remove your name if you wish to opt-out of future mailings.
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 04:38, 30 June 2019 (UTC)
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.
This week's article for improvement (week 27, 2019)
A soil profile depicting bedrock
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Legislator • Bookworm (insect) Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 1 July 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #371
Administrators' newsletter – July 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (June 2019).

28bytes • Ad Orientem • Ansh666 • Beeblebrox • Boing! said Zebedee • BU Rob13 • Dennis Brown • Deor • DoRD • Floquenbeam1 • Flyguy649 • Fram2 • Gadfium • GB fan • Jonathunder • Kusma • Lectonar • Moink • MSGJ • Nick • Od Mishehu • Rama • Spartaz • Syrthiss • TheDJ • WJBscribe
- 1Floquenbeam's access was removed, then restored, then removed again.
- 2Fram's access was removed, then restored, then removed again.
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- A request for comment seeking to alleviate pressures on the request an account (ACC) process proposes either raising the account creation limit for extended confirmed editors or granting the account creator permission on request to new ACC tool users.
- In a related matter, the account throttle has been restored to six creations per day as the mitigation activity completed.
- The scope of CSD criterion G8 has been tightened such that the only redirects that it now applies to are those which target non-existent pages.
- The scope of CSD criterion G14 has been expanded slightly to include orphan "Foo (disambiguation)" redirects that target pages that are not disambiguation pages or pages that perform a disambiguation-like function (such as set index articles or lists).
- A request for comment seeks to determine whether Wikipedia:Office actions should be a policy page or an information page.
- The Wikimedia Foundation's Community health initiative plans to design and build a new user reporting system to make it easier for people experiencing harassment and other forms of abuse to provide accurate information to the appropriate channel for action to be taken. Community feedback is invited.
- In February 2019, the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) changed its office actions policy to include temporary and project-specific bans. The WMF exercised this new ability for the first time on the English Wikipedia on 10 June 2019 to temporarily ban and desysop Fram. This action has resulted in significant community discussion, a request for arbitration (permalink), and, either directly or indirectly, the resignations of numerous administrators and functionaries. The WMF Board of Trustees is aware of the situation, and discussions continue on a statement and a way forward. The Arbitration Committee has sent an open letter to the WMF Board.
Tech News: 2019-27
21:22, 1 July 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: June 2019
This week's article for improvement (week 28, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Bedrock • Legislator Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 8 July 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #372
Tech News: 2019-28
20:12, 8 July 2019 (UTC)
This Month in GLAM: June 2019
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Books & Bytes Issue 34, May – June 2019
Books & Bytes
Issue 34, May – June 2019
- Partnerships
- #1Lib1Ref
- Wikimedia and Libraries User Group update
- Global branches update
- Bytes in brief
French version of Books & Bytes is now available on meta!
Read the full newsletter
Sent by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of The Wikipedia Library team --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 14:21, 12 July 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 29, 2019)
Legal status of cannabis possession for non-medical use (2018)
See also countries that have legalized medical use of cannabis. The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Decriminalization of marijuana Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Sadomasochism • Bedrock Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 15 July 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-29
15:29, 15 July 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #373
This week's article for improvement (week 30, 2019)
The Montsoreau Flea Market is the largest flea market in the Loire Valley, France
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Decriminalization of marijuana • Sadomasochism Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 22 July 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #374
Tech News: 2019-30
13:07, 22 July 2019 (UTC)
Editing News #1—July 2019
18:33, 23 July 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 31, 2019)
A butter churn used for butter churning in Nepal
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Flea market • Decriminalization of marijuana Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 29 July 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #375
Tech News: 2019-31
21:42, 29 July 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: July 2019
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?
Administrators' newsletter – August 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (July 2019).
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- Following a request for comment, the page Wikipedia:Office actions has been changed from a policy page to an information page.
- A request for comment (permalink) is in progress regarding the administrator inactivity policy.
- Editors may now use the template {{Ds/aware}} to indicate that they are aware that discretionary sanctions are in force for a topic area, so it is unnecessary to alert them.
- Following a research project on masking IP addresses, the Foundation is starting a new project to improve the privacy of IP editors. The result of this project may significantly change administrative and counter-vandalism workflows. The project is in the very early stages of discussions and there is no concrete plan yet. Admins and the broader community are encouraged to leave feedback on the talk page.
- The new page reviewer right is bundled with the admin tool set. Many admins regularly help out at Special:NewPagesFeed, but they may not be aware of improvements, changes, and new tools for the Curation system. Stay up to date by subscribing here to the NPP newsletter that appears every two months, and/or putting the reviewers' talk page on your watchlist.
Since the introduction of temporary user rights, it is becoming more usual to accord the New Page Reviewer right on a probationary period of 3 to 6 months in the first instance. This avoids rights removal for inactivity at a later stage and enables a review of their work before according the right on a permanent basis.
This week's article for improvement (week 32, 2019)
The human body has several organs.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Butter churning in Nepal • Flea market Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 5 August 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-32
13:24, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #376
Bots Newsletter, August 2019
| Bots Newsletter, August 2019 | |
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Greetings! Here is the 7th issue of the Bots Newsletter, a lot happened since last year's newsletter! You can subscribe/unsubscribe from future newsletters by adding/removing your name from this list. Highlights for this newsletter include:
We thank former members for their service and wish Madman a happy retirement. We note that Madman and BU Rob13 were not inactive and could resume their BAG positions if they so wished, should their retirements happens to be temporary.
Two new entries feature in the bots dictionary
As of writing, we have...
These are some of the discussions that happened / are still happening since the last Bots Newsletter. Many are stale, but some are still active.
See also the latest discussions at the bot noticeboard. Thank you! edited by: Headbomb 17:24, 7 August 2019 (UTC) (You can subscribe or unsubscribe from future newsletters by adding or removing your name from this list.) | |
This Month in GLAM: July 2019
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This week's article for improvement (week 33, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Organ (anatomy) • Butter churning in Nepal Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 12 August 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #377
Tech News: 2019-33
18:19, 12 August 2019 (UTC)
Wikidata weekly summary #378
This week's article for improvement (week 34, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Great Spirit • Organ (anatomy) Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 19 August 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Tech News: 2019-34
15:21, 19 August 2019 (UTC)
This week's article for improvement (week 35, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Bianca Wahlgren Ingrosso • Great Spirit Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 26 August 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #379
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
This week's article for improvement (week 36, 2019)
Hello, KGirlTrucker81.
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Pitchfork • Bianca Wahlgren Ingrosso Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 2 September 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #380
Tech News: 2019-36
09:07, 4 September 2019 (UTC)
This Month in Education: August 2019
Administrators' newsletter – September 2019
News and updates for administrators from the past month (August 2019).

Bradv • Chetsford • Izno
Floquenbeam • Lectonar
DESiegel • Jake Wartenberg • Rjanag • Topbanana
- Editors using the mobile website on Wikipedia can opt-in to new advanced features via your settings page. This will give access to more interface links, special pages, and tools.
- The advanced version of the edit review pages (recent changes, watchlist, and related changes) now includes two new filters. These filters are for "All contents" and "All discussions". They will filter the view to just those namespaces.
- A request for comment is open to provide an opportunity to amend the structure, rules, and procedures of the 2019 English Wikipedia Arbitration Committee election and to resolve any issues not covered by existing rules.
- A global request for comment is in progress regarding whether a user group should be created that could modify edit filters across all public Wikimedia wikis.
This week's article for improvement (week 37, 2019)
A vegetable soup prepared using udon noodles
The following is WikiProject Today's articles for improvement's weekly selection: Please be bold and help to improve this article! Previous selections: Organ (anatomy) • Pitchfork Get involved with the TAFI project. You can: Nominate an article • Review nominations Posted by: MusikBot talk 00:05, 9 September 2019 (UTC) using MediaWiki message delivery (talk) on behalf of WikiProject TAFI • |
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Wikidata weekly summary #381
This Month in GLAM: August 2019
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New Page Review newsletter September-October 2019

Hello KGirlTrucker81/Signpost,
- Backlog
Instead of reaching a magic 300 as it once did last year, the backlog approaching 6,000 is still far too high. An effort is also needed to ensure that older unsuitable older pages at the back of the queue do not get automatically indexed for Google.
- Coordinator
A proposal is taking place here to confirm a nominated user as Coordinator of NPR.
- This month's refresher course
Why I Hate Speedy Deleters, a 2008 essay by long since retired Ballonman, is still as valid today. Those of us who patrol large numbers of new pages can be forgiven for making the occasional mistake while others can learn from their 'beginner' errors. Worth reading.
- Deletion tags
Do bear in mind that articles in the feed showing the trash can icon (you will need to have 'Nominated for deletion' enabled for this in your filters) may have been tagged by inexperienced or non NPR rights holders using Twinkle. They require your further verification.
- Paid editing
Please be sure to look for the tell-tale signs of undisclosed paid editing. Contact the creator if appropriate, and submit the issue to WP:COIN if necessary. WMF policy requires paid editors to connect to their adverts.
- Subject-specific notability guidelines' (SNG). Alternatives to deletion
- Reviewers are requested to familiarise themselves once more with notability guidelines for organisations and companies.
- Blank-and-Redirect is a solution anchored in policy. Please consider this alternative before PRODing or CSD. Note however, that users will often revert or usurp redirects to re-create deleted articles. Do regularly patrol the redirects in the feed.
- Not English
- A common issue: Pages not in English or poor, unattributed machine translations should not reside in main space even if they are stubs. Please ensure you are familiar with WP:NPPNE. Check in Google for the language and content, and if they do have potential, tag as required, then move to draft. Modify the text of the template as appropriate before sending it.
- Tools
Regular reviewers will appreciate the most recent enhancements to the New Pages Feed and features in the Curation tool, and there are still more to come. Due to the wealth of information now displayed by ORES, reviewers are strongly encouraged to use the system now rather than Twinkle; it will also correctly populate the logs.
Stub sorting, by SD0001: A new script is available for adding/removing stub tags. See User:SD0001/StubSorter.js, It features a simple HotCat-style dynamic search field. Many of the reviewers who are using it are finding it an improvement upon other available tools.
Assessment: The script at User:Evad37/rater makes the addition of Wikiproject templates extremely easy. New page creators rarely do this. Reviewers are not obliged to make these edits but they only take a few seconds. They can use the Curation message system to let the creator know what they have done.
DannyS712 bot III is now patrolling certain categories of uncontroversial redirects. Curious? Check out its patrol log.
Go here to remove your name if you wish to opt-out of future mailings.
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:15, 11 September 2019 (UTC)



