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WikiProject X Newsletter • Issue 3

Greetings! For this month's issue...

We have demos!

After a lengthy research and design process, we decided for WikiProject X to focus on two things:

  • A WikiProject workflow that focuses on action items: discussions you can participate in and tasks you can perform to improve the encyclopedia; and
  • An automatically updating WikiProject directory that gives you lists of users participating in the WikiProject and editing in that subject area.

We have a live demonstration of the new WikiProject workflow at WikiProject Women in Technology, a brand new WikiProject that was set up as an adjunct to a related edit-a-thon in Washington, DC. The goal is to surface action items for editors, and we intend on doing that through automatically updated working lists. We are looking into using SuggestBot to generate lists of outstanding tasks, and we are looking into additional options for automatic worklist generation. This takes the burden off of WikiProject editors to generate these worklists, though there is also a "requests" section for Wikipedians to make individual requests. (As of writing, these automated lists are not yet live, so you will see a blank space under "edit articles" on the demo WikiProject. Sorry about that!) I invite you to check out the WikiProject and leave feedback on WikiProject X's talk page.

Once the demo is sufficiently developed, we will be working on a limited deployment on our pilot WikiProjects. We have selected five for the first round of testing based on the highest potential for impact and will scale up from there.

While a re-designed WikiProject experience is much needed, that alone isn't enough. A WikiProject isn't any good if people have no way of discovering it. This is why we are also developing an automatically updated WikiProject directory. This directory will surface project-related metrics, including a count of active WikiProject participants and of active editors in that project's subject area. The purpose of these metrics is to highlight how active the WikiProject is at the given point of time, but also to highlight that project's potential for success. The directory is not yet live but there is a demonstration featuring a sampling of WikiProjects.

Each directory entry will link to a WikiProject description page which automatically list the active WikiProject participants and subject-area article editors. This allows Wikipedians to find each other based on the areas they are interested in, and this information can be used to revive a WikiProject, start a new one, or even for some other purpose. These description pages are not online yet, but they will use this template, if you want to get a feel of what they will look like.

We need volunteers!

WikiProject X is a huge undertaking, and we need volunteers to support our efforts, including testers and coders. Check out our volunteer portal and see what you can do to help us!

As an aside...

Wouldn't it be cool if lists of requested articles could not only be integrated directly with WikiProjects, but also shared between WikiProjects? Well, we got the crazy idea of having experimental software feature Flow deployed (on a totally experimental basis) on the new Article Request Workshop, which seeks to be a place where editors can "workshop" article ideas before they get created. It uses Flow because Flow allows, essentially, section-level categorization, and in the future will allow "sections" (known as "topics" within Flow) to be included across different pages. What this means is that you have a recommendation for a new article tagged by multiple WikiProjects, allowing for the recommendation to appear on lists for each WikiProject. This will facilitate inter-WikiProject collaboration and will help to reduce duplicated work. The Article Request Workshop is not entirely ready yet due to some bugs with Flow, but we hope to integrate it into our pilot WikiProjects at some point.

Harej (talk) 00:57, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

Wikidata weekly summary #154

15:31, 20 April 2015 (UTC)

Wikidata and public art lists

Hi Andy, I hope you're keeping well. Thanks for your kind comments on the FLC review for List of public art in the City of Westminster, which has now been promoted! Further to this conversation, have you had a chance to think about ways of converting lists like this into Wikidata items? What do you think about the idea of linking to the Wikidata item below the Commons category, which would take up less space than a separate column? All the very best, Ham II (talk) 16:18, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

@Ham II: Congratulations! Glad to have helped. I'll have a think about the conversion to Wikidata; and moving the "data" link, shortly. I wonder whether it might be better in the "Notes" column? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:09, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
That's a lovely list; congratulations. Alakzi (talk) 19:22, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
Ham II, I support that it is a lovely list! Andy and watchers: it made me think if something similar could be done about lists of recordings, such as started here, - my version at the bottom, and I think "Role" and "Work" could go to one column, also "Issued/Date" and "Reissued". --Gerda Arendt (talk) 19:33, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
@Gerda Arendt: That would be doable. If you have separate columns, also for Conductor, Choir, & Orchestra, they'd all be sortable. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:50, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
Separate columns make the thing very broad, - I don't see people sorting by orchestra ;) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 19:54, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

Tennis event infoboxes

Hi Andy, can you take a look at these two infoboxes? Would it make sense to merge them with {{Infobox tennis event}}? It looks like there was a decision to merge a bunch of other tennis event templates last year - were these intentionally omitted? Alakzi (talk) 19:22, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

@Alakzi: No, I simply wasn't aware of them. They should be merged as you imply. Shall I do the honours, or will you? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:43, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
Done. Alakzi (talk) 20:38, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

parameters.py

Hi Andy - do you have any time to look at my newly-published script User:Alakzi/parameters.py? I'd like to convert it into a Lua module that'll produce on-the-fly reports of TfD merge nominations - eventually. I'm a complete amateur with Lua, so I'm hoping that someone will take notice and offer their assistance. Alakzi (talk) 02:32, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

Looks useful. I wonder whether more people might be able to use it if it was in Javascript, eventually as a gadget? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 06:50, 5 April 2015 (UTC)
I think it'd be more accessible as a Lua module because anybody would be able to view the reports - imagine there being a link besides the present {{Tfd links}} to such a report on every nom. Certainly, we'd no longer have to suffer "parameter mapping required" !votes. ;-) Alakzi (talk) 10:06, 5 April 2015 (UTC)
@Alakzi: Sorry; I wasn't clear. I meant Javascript rather than python. Your point is well made. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 10:55, 5 April 2015 (UTC)
Can you think of anybody who might be interested to help with this? Alakzi (talk) 15:49, 6 April 2015 (UTC)
Your parameters.py script looks good and does the job you want it to - well done! Can I remind you that python is running client-side, on your own PC and therefore has access to your filesystem. The implementation of Lua on Wikipedia is via Scribunto (mw:Extension:Scribunto) and isn't a complete implementation. It also runs server-side, of course, so is going to be limited to what it can access. In particular the access to filesysytems has been removed (mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual #Removed functions and packages), so a Lua module would have to be implemented with a somewhat different algorithm from what you have used. I can see that you'd want a Lua module where you pass the names of two templates and then use your normalise/matching algorithms on the parameters within the text of those two templates to produce Wikitext as output. Lua has all the string-handling functions needed to deal with string matching and output (in fact, they are pretty much the familiar C/PHP libraries, see: http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#5.4), but is rather more circumspect about how it interacts with existing pages. It does claim this though (at mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual #Frame object): "If preprocessor syntax such as template invocations and triple-brace arguments are included within an argument to #invoke, they will be expanded before being passed to Lua.", so I suspect that there may be a way to get at the source text of a template, but I haven't found it yet. I'm no expert on Lua (or any other programming language), but I have been programming for around 45 years, so I can usually pick things up quite quickly. Anyway, I'll have a look at what is needed to allow a Lua module get the text of a template and report back if I find a solution. There might be something in Wikibase Client. Please don't hold your breath for it though! Cheers --RexxS (talk) 15:59, 11 April 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for getting back to me, RexxS. Yes, I anticipated that there won't be a way to - conveniently? - grab the source of a page. We might also have a bit of an issue with Lua's subset implementation of regexes, but maybe not. Alakzi (talk) 16:13, 11 April 2015 (UTC)

Sorry, I meant say "might be something in Wikibase Client", but somehow missed that out. I also find the subset of regexes a PITA, but so far have managed to work around them - it took me four lines of code to robustly replace the degree, minute, second symbols in a string with pipes, LOL (I'm sure it could be done quicker). --RexxS (talk) 16:51, 11 April 2015 (UTC)
I've tried a few things - nothing's worked so far. Maybe this would work better as a tool on Labs, or something. But I'll be damned if I'm going through all of that trouble. Alakzi (talk) 23:58, 11 April 2015 (UTC)
@RexxS: It looks like the only way to do this is to combine subst: with msgnw: in the module's invocation, like so: {{#invoke:Parameters|report|base={{subst:msgnw:Infobox station}}|other=...}}. I suppose this should be adequate; now, if I can bring myself to write some Lua. Alakzi (talk) 00:05, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Wikipedia in the news

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Incidents&oldid=658758488#PM_.28BBC_Radio_4.29

Do you think you would be able to have a word with your BBC contacts about getting a version of the relevant programme portion under fair use, or at the very least an official Transcript?

(In my view it would constitute fair use under NFCC, as the use here would be for the purposes of clarification of coverage that occured in connection with journalistic coverage of a matter of public concern, and it would not be possible to discuss the controversy without referenc to the programmme portion concerned.) ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 19:55, 23 April 2015 (UTC)

The Signpost: 22 April 2015

The Bugle: Issue CIX, April 2015

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The Bugle is published by the Military history WikiProject. To receive it on your talk page, please join the project or sign up here.
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Wikidata weekly summary #155

15:11, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Template:Cite tweet

Would it be possible to add a |language= parameter to {{cite tweet}}? Mjroots (talk) 20:58, 28 April 2015 (UTC)

Probably, but as that template has been wrecked since I wrote it, I'm no longer interested in maintaining it. I suggest you ask on its talk page. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:07, 28 April 2015 (UTC)

Was that last move strictly necessary? There was some discussion about the name on the talk page (as you know). PC78 (talk) 20:11, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I was about to say the same thing. I have already changed circa 500 pages containing {{English Heritage List entry}}, {{NHLE}} and {{Heritage Gateway}} to {{National Heritage List for England}}. Now I'll have to start again.--DavidCane (talk) 20:25, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
No you won't; that's why we have redirects. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:03, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
Andy, can you please answer my question above and explain why you feel a further name change was necessary? PC78 (talk) 21:36, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
Blimey, it was a perfectly reasonable and straightforward request, I shouldn't have to keep asking. I'm trying to bring a bit of consistancy to this and a couple of other related templates, and the only outstanding issue is with regards to naming, so to that end a bit of clarification from you would be helpfull. PC78 (talk) 12:49, 29 April 2015 (UTC)

A cup of coffee for you!

Thank you for the defence. Plasmic Physics (talk) 22:23, 30 April 2015 (UTC)

The Signpost: 29 April 2015

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Nomination for merging of Template:Infobox rail line

Template:Infobox rail line has been nominated for merging with Template:Infobox rail service. You are invited to comment on the discussion at the template's entry on the Templates for discussion page. Thank you. Jc86035 (talkcontribs) Use {{re|Jc86035}} to reply to me 08:10, 2 May 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for your thanks

Thanks for your thanks over my adding shortcuts to the 5 Pillars. It's always nice to get a bit of appreciation, especially from a Wikimedian as distinguished as your good self. Tlhslobus (talk) 16:51, 2 May 2015 (UTC)

Wikidata weekly summary #156

Template assistance, please

I've created the inline template {{citation overkill}}. It should appear under hidden categories on the article page but it does not. How do I fix that or is it easier for you to correct this problem. I notice that you have much experience with assessing templates. Best Regards,

  Bfpage |leave a message  07:30, 4 May 2015 (UTC)
@Bfpage: You need to apply {{Hidden category}} to the category itself. I've done that. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:04, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Suggestion

Hi Andy, I realize that you have a dim view of my comments about PlasmicPhysics's chemistry editing (not him). On a more positive note, It is very possible that you could recruit him to help with the many projects to which you contribute. He is an energetic editor with a good knowledge of the mechanics of Wikipedia. He would probably be an excellent ally.--Smokefoot (talk) 13:04, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

15:18, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Books and Bytes - Issue 11

The Wikipedia Library

Books & Bytes
Issue 11, March-April 2015
by The Interior (talk · contribs), Ocaasi (talk · contribs), Sadads (talk · contribs), Nikkimaria (talk · contribs)

  • New donations - MIT Press Journals, Sage Stats, Hein Online and more
  • New TWL coordinators, conference news, and new reference projects
  • Spotlight: Two metadata librarians talk about how library professionals can work with Wikipedia

Read the full newsletter



MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:31, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Persondata RfC

Hi, I've posted the RfC now (here), thanks for your help. —Msmarmalade (talk) 07:39, 6 May 2015 (UTC)

EH listed building template changes

I've just mentioned your template expertise at Wikipedia:Featured list candidates/List of scheduled monuments in Mendip/archive1 in relation to Template:English Heritage listed building header and Template:English Heritage listed building row and wondered if you had any comment?— Rod talk 19:20, 6 May 2015 (UTC)

Person data essay

Hi, Andy. Could I suggest adding an entry similar to my "the purpose of the persondata template is non-obvious and adds an additional barrier of intimidation and confusion for new editors" comment (diff) in the Persondata removal RfC to your persondata essay? Also, if you want, you might wish to remove the first person from the phrase "Since I wrote the above". Cheers, Jason Quinn (talk) 19:59, 6 May 2015 (UTC)

@Jason Quinn: Done, thank you. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 20:24, 6 May 2015 (UTC)

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Wikidata weekly summary #157

This Month in GLAM: April 2015





Headlines

To assist with preparing the newsletter, please visit the newsroom. Past editions may be viewed here.

15:57, 11 May 2015 (UTC)

R from list topic bullets

Hi. In your edit summary here you said "WP:LIST applies. D not start with two "*"". However, the template automatically puts a level one bullet ("*") at the beginning of the info= field, so the list is starting with a single bullet -- only the subsequent lines have multiple bullets. You can look at the following Redirect categorization templates that all use no asterix for the first item (since the template fills it in automatically) and two asterixes for the subsequent items:

Extended content

I couldn't find a single other Redirect Categorization template that used more than one level-1 bullet. --Ahecht (TALK
PAGE
) 20:48, 12 May 2015 (UTC)

Then they all need fixing, per WP:LIST. Check the source HTML - there are separte lists not one. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 07:57, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
To be accurate, Module:Redirect template puts an asterisk at the beginning of the returned text in line 51. This is a decision that assumes that the text displayed by the above templates is to be a list. If there were only one item, then it wouldn't be a list, would it? So the question now becomes "Why should subsequent items (i.e. the content of the |info= field) be a nested list within a list of one item?" To which there is no good answer.
If you take the view that the contents of the |info= field should be semantically equal to to the first item (the one that starts "This is a redirect from ..."), then the whole thing is a single list and all should have the same level (one '*').
If, on the other hand, you take the view that the first item has a higher priority than the the contents of the |info= field, then it is not a list and should have no bullet; while the subsequent items can then be a list, they can't be a nested list, so again should only have one '*'. Either way, all of those templates need to be fixed. You missed Template:R from list topic, which is an example of a single level of list indenting. You can see the resultant output at Birds of Tunisia. --RexxS (talk) 13:05, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
(by talk page stalker) Not certain that's correct, because the reason for use of two asterisks is to show that the note belongs to the single-bulleted entry above it, and this to differentiate it from subsequent entries when there are more than one rcat used to tag the redirect. – Paine  15:19, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
@RexxS: I didn't miss Template:R from list topic, that's the template that this whole discussion is about. Pigsonthewing changed it to single level, I reverted that change, and then Pigsonthewing reverted my revert. In any case, the first item definitely has higher priority. It has a bullet because multiple rcats are often used together and there isn't an easy way to only show the bullet when there's more than one rcat without breaking the formatting on tens of thousands of redirect pages. In the case of the new Template:R from list topic, I think that consistency between rcats, especially since multiple rcats are often used on the same page, is more important than WP:LIST (WP:IAR). --Ahecht (TALK
PAGE
) 16:22, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
But that "single-bulleted entry" is therefore a list with only one item in it. What kind of list is that? --RexxS (talk) 16:00, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
Because multiple rcat templates are often used on a single page, and this is the way that it's been done for dozens of templates for over four years. If you want to modify Module:Redirect template to somehow detect if there is more than one rcat on the page, add a bullet to the top level if there is, detect if there is a bulleted list, and demote those items appropriately, you are free to do so. You could also write and run a bot to modify any pages with multiple rcats to use the {{This is a redirect}} wrapper and modify every one of the 200 redirect templates to only use a nested list if embed=yes. However, breaking one template because you don't like dozens of others seems WP:POINTy. --Ahecht (TALK
PAGE
) 16:22, 13 May 2015 (UTC)
(edit conflict) Ok - I've just looked at ArtificalLanguages and I can see that templates like {{Redr|move|from misspelling}} can have multiple rcats associated, and then the second level indentation makes sense. I still feel that a list of only one item is not a list, but I can see that the effort of catering for that case is not worth it, so we end up with the current situation. @Andy: have a look at Aarons Rod and see if you're best to give way on this one. Cheers --RexxS (talk) 16:30, 13 May 2015 (UTC)

Wikipedia:GLAM/Thinktank/Event 2

Just to inform you, I'm living in Birmingham also, and due to email birminghammuseums.org.uk, just that, if there is anything else I might be involved in that would be excellent. Thanks ! Whalestate (talk) 22:34, 13 May 2015 (UTC)