User talk:Alai/Archive 24

Latest comment: 15 years ago by Blofeld of SPECTRE in topic Asian structure sorting

Templates edit

Hi. I'm sorry if my efforts to rationalize templates offering the same content but in different formats appear to be less than worthwhile. However:

  1. The mistakes made with the feminism templates were corrected, thanks to User:VoluntarySlave's alert;
  2. Sure, everything should continue working without trying to tidy up afterward, but (1) why leave more and more redirects around? (Everything's in the history, no?); and (2) more importantly, if the rename is to remove an ambiguous/cryptic name or an oversight (e.g. incorrect capitalization), less names are left hanging around that might mislead newcomers etc;
  3. Changes to the discussions on (archived) discussion pages don't take place; only changes to links within those discussions;
  4. I only use {{db-author}} when I rename something and then rename it again because I made a mistake. The first rename is then redundant (and a mistake) and the only contributor to it has been myself.
  5. Consensus-wise, I've discovered WP:BRD alongside WP:SILENCE (or not) is what works.

I have been thinking, however, that the brackets in "...(sidebar)" may be less than worthwhile, although the idea was to echo Wikipedia's article disambiguation method. (In cases like "Feminism (expanded sidebar)", however, "Template:Feminism sidebar (expanded)" would seem to follow.) What do you think? Sardanaphalus (talk) 10:44, 21 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

  • Thanks for your reply. Regarding your responses to the above:
    1. My apologies. I thought this had fixed all the erroneous updates, as it did on other pages, but now realize Feminism was the page I used to check the correction process and didn't then include it in that process. Unfortunately, I'm only human.
    2. Okay, perhaps (for now) it is better to accumulate redirects. Looks like this indicates a shortcoming in the system, however. On the other hand, nobody's messaged me to ask where a template's gone / why it's now redlinked.
    3. I don't understand why updating links isn't a satisfactory reason for "changing" archives. Also, I don't see where/why "being bold" doesn't/can't apply to templates or elsewhere. The above is only one instance where it went awry.
    4. "such frankly weak and questionable renaming rationales". Okay, I read you; I just happen not to agree, that's all.
    5. See 3. As regards WP:BRFA, I'm not running a bot. As regards earlier comments on this page, absence of don't-mind/thanks-for-update comments doesn't mean there's no-one who doesn't mind or might understand my contribution. I guess it's just WP:SILENCE in action. So far, for instance, I'm guessing you don't mind whether or not brackets such as those in "Template:Feminism (sidebar)" are included.
Sardanaphalus (talk) 13:52, 21 July 2008 (UTC)Reply
  • Okay, I'll stop trying to tidy up defunct names, at least for the time being, on the basis of 2. immediately above. I'm still puzzled by the idea that updating links in archived discussions is the same as changing those discussions, but, if you firmly believe such pages should be off-limits to AWB or the like, perhaps this is something to raise somewhere on the AWB pages, e.g. to suggest that AWB doesn't include talk/discussion pages by default in the lists of pages that it creates -- at least, not until it's easier for people to see why and with what a deleted link has been replaced. (My first thought in such a situation has been to see what's happened on one or two pages where a now-redlinked template is/was placed; not that painful or frustrating, but, yes, not ideal.)
Meanwhile, I'm sorry if my error with AWB and the feminism templates suggests I'm contributing "without sufficient attention to the effect" of my edits. If it were something that happened regularly, maybe so; but it isn't. A little more slack, please. I'm also sorry if you think I am disregarding or will disregard what you say; a little more "AGF", please? Finally, I'm not meaning to suggest WP:SILENCE is an argument for changes, just an observation about (the vast majority of said) changes.
A few issues have now been raised, so if I've missed responding to one, let me know. Sardanaphalus (talk) 18:32, 21 July 2008 (UTC)Reply
PS I forgot to thank you for repairing the incorrect edits on the Feminism page, so, thanks for doing so.

{{Central Bank}} vs {{Central banks}} edit

I did notice that it was the same person who moved and tagged it, but I agreed with the sentiment (there is more than one Central bank, plus the main article is List of central banks). The net benefit is consistency, I suppose. ... discospinster talk 14:02, 21 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

I take the opposite view though, that article redirects based on capitalization (specifically, a redirect from an uncapitalized title to a capitalized one) are more useful than their template counterparts. Articles are often searched for by those unfamiliar with Wikipedia capitalization conventions, while templates are more likely to be added by someone who has a bit more experience with the project and will know where to look if his/her efforts aren't initially successful. (In this case, adding {{Central Bank}} will create a redlink template, but the editor would simply search for an article that would have the template, and find out what the "correct" format is.) ... discospinster talk 14:15, 21 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

Thank you. edit

On April 1, 2007 you deleted a page dedicated to insulting me. Going to create a page about me just now I saw what they wrote. You deleted it. Thank you. I appreciate it since the ones who wrote it never made it into sixth form and I am presently head boy in another school. So much for failing miserably in every subject. They are the idiots. Thanks again, my friend. —Preceding unsigned comment added by TheWedgies (talkcontribs) 06:33, 26 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

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Updating Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub type sizes/data edit

I noticed that Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub type sizes/data hasn't been updated for a few months. As you seem to be the user who updates it, can you please do so? עוד מישהו Od Mishehu 13:18, 13 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

Help edit

I was wondering if you can help me create a bot for me thank you--Vanhalenjump (talk) 02:54, 16 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

What infomation do you need. And I dont have any Programming skills, but I can learn. Also my user page was not messed up im sorry somebody hacked into my user name and posted that--Vanhalenjump (talk) 22:41, 31 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

Right sorry I would like it to edit pages that are stubs,also do you need me to make a another account for the bot --Vanhalenjump (talk) 22:29, 7 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Once again i would like the bot to be able to delete pages that do not meet wikipedia's standerds. --Vanhalenjump (talk) 22:47, 7 September 2008 (UTC) contribs) 22:43, 7 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Well thank you for your help sorry I took up your time. Im going to give you a barnstar you deserve it Thanks again.--Vanhalenjump (talk) 23:13, 7 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Once again I neep help, but this time its not with a bot its with a page. I am trying to create a page for Figis. Im still trying to create it but I am having problems. I was wondering if you can help me create it. I will give you all the info you need and you can create the page for me, is that ok?--Vanhalenjump (talk) 20:31, 13 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Azerbaijan and Nepal edit

Hi we urgently need to split the Azeri places by rayon. There are now 4600+ stubs. P.S you can't exactly say I "don't do proposals" anymore. At least five of the recent proposals have been made by me! The Bald One White cat 22:07, 19 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

LOL. Thanks. Sorry about the Brazil road stubs though. Earlier I was going through and adding new categories anyway so I thought I'd do it as I went as there were 60+!! I'm currently looking at Nepal which I am going to develop because we have population data and demographics. For instance see Achham District etc. At present the Nepal stub category is fine but I will be adding 60+ articles from each of the districts. I would propose Achham-geo-stub once it hits 60, Other than this we could create some upmerged templates first AND/OR split them by zone *(region) first like Template:SetiZone-geo-stub. What do you think? The reason I didn't finish countries like Togo and Afghanistan was becuase editors started moaning at me because they didn't have population figures. The Bald One White cat 19:00, 22 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

Yep, I agree. Shouldn't be a problem for sometime yet. I'll propose creating upmerged templates by zone first in the future once it gets to that stage. I'll be restructuring the categories anyway so applying the templates by division in the future should be easy. Regards The Bald One White cat 19:10, 22 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

Howdy. Bheri Zone just passed 60 too The Bald One White cat 08:24, 31 August 2008 (UTC)Reply

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Edit summaries for uncat work edit

On the wp:uncat page there are a couple of tags suggested like [[WP:UNCAT|+cat]]. I understad the use of +cat but why the rest of the tag? Is it just to encourage people to check out the page or are there other uses? --Sultec (talk) 10:11, 1 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Nepal edit

Nepal geo stubs has now exceeded 1,000. You can see the ones that I am working on. Some of the districts have 100 odd places in them but by zone would be reasonable I think The Bald One White cat 20:35, 1 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Ah LOL OK! Yes by zone is probably best. Could you use the bot to apply them? Wow ypu've done it. Well done Alaibot! The Bald One White cat 09:41, 2 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Hi. Oh if we had good zone maps which were clear I woukld have used those but infortunately we only have those color ones showing the districts and its difficult to make out what it is anyway. I figured the Nepali flag was easier to comprehend. Many thanks for applying them though, Best The Bald One White cat 09:54, 3 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

 
I've created a crop for Bagmati Zone as an example. What do you think? This ought to work

Nope it looks fine at 200px but at 40px is doesn't work so well. Ah well worth a try The Bald One White cat 15:15, 3 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Yes that was the problem some of the other zone boxes actually overlap. Don't worry about it, its only a graphic. Saludos The Bald One White cat 15:55, 3 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Alaibot request edit

Category:California geography stubs has some hundreds of articles tagged with {{California-geo-stub}} that could easily be given county stubs. You figured out how to have the Alaibot sort Ohio geography stubs (example); could you perhaps do the same with California? Nyttend (talk) 13:22, 3 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Thanks for the note about California. Indiana has been split, but only partially: only seventy-something of its ninety-two counties have their own stub. Since these 70+ counties have been created, would it be reasonable to create the other county stubs without proposing them? Nyttend (talk) 01:38, 5 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Poland edit

Hi. Sorry if I was too early in creating it but there were over 100 polish film stub already and I thought it was clearly appropriate to do so as I was going through the articles anyway adding the cinema templates so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and save you having to do it and sort it out. It was also done in the knowledge I have several hundred Polish films to start on here. I didn't expect anybody to object The Bald One White cat 13:58, 5 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Well yes I was in a rush last night before I logged out and should have looked at the Pakistani one properly before assuming it didn't exist too. I can see now the same "speediable" criteria is not the same. But understand when you work in multiple areas as I do I try to get as much done and as efficiently as possible. By creating a stub template which I knew had over 100 stubs to go in it, and given that I was adding the cinema templates anyway I thought I was doing the right thing particularly as I am working in this area too and adding more. The Bald One White cat 15:15, 5 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Barnstar edit

  The Original Barnstar
Thanks for your help--Vanhalenjump (talk) 23:21, 7 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Please return to WikProject Media franchises edit

Dear Alai...You are invited to come back to discuss WikiProject Media franchises. Since you participated in one or more discussions of the project, possibly when it was known as WikiProject Fictional series, I hope to see you return to it. The project needs your participation. Currently there is no activity on the project's talk page about the reorganization which is discouraging. I had great expectations for this project as it touches so many topics but am becoming discouraged. I hope to see you return. LA (If you reply here, please leave me a {{Talkback}} message on my talk page.) @ 19:17, 10 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

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TfD nomination of Template:Doug-episode-stub edit

Template:Doug-episode-stub has been nominated for deletion. You are invited to comment on the discussion at the template's entry on the Templates for Deletion page. Thank you. TTN (talk) 20:28, 11 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

CfD nomination of Category:Doug episode stubs edit

I have nominated Category:Doug episode stubs (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs) for deletion. Your opinions on the matter are welcome; please participate in the discussion by adding your comments at the discussion page. Thank you. TTN (talk) 20:31, 11 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Alaska geostubs edit

Thanks for carefully keeping up with our long Alaska geostubs discussion. Once everything is approved and the stubs are created, do you know if you could run the Alaibot on User:L'Aquatique/AK, having the bot sort each article that's listed in a specific borough or census area header on that page? Nyttend (talk) 03:55, 12 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

I guess that's what happens when we combine some people with little knowledge of WP:WSS with a discussion of an area that is an anomaly even among US states: if you don't know Alaska, you're going to be confused by it. Nyttend (talk) 04:03, 12 September 2008 (UTC)Reply
A thought: how much of a pity it is that we don't have a Category:Cheque stubs, Category:Pay stubs, or Category:Ticket stubs :-) Nyttend (talk) 04:15, 12 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Speedy deletion of Template:Amberg-geo-stub edit

A tag has been placed on Template:Amberg-geo-stub requesting that it be speedily deleted from Wikipedia. This has been done under section T3 of the criteria for speedy deletion, because it is a deprecated or orphaned template. After seven days, if it is still unused and the speedy deletion tag has not been removed, the template will be deleted.

If the template is intended to be substituted, please feel free to remove the speedy deletion tag and please consider putting a note on the template's page indicating that it is substituted so as to avoid any future mistakes (<noinclude>{{transclusionless}}</noinclude>).

Thanks. --MZMcBride (talk) 06:06, 12 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

A present from Baldy edit

A Barnstar!
The Bot Award

 Awarded to Alai for his dedication to the stub sorting project and amassing an enormous 400,000 odd edits in doing so. I know it is bot-driven but it still requires people willing to run it and time to implement it. Keep up the great work. His Baldness is proud of you The Bald One White cat 13:29, 13 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Hi Alai. Any idea if there was as Category:River stubs, or was this seen as redundant? Yes I thought there must have been a pretty good reason for why it didn't exist. I was thinking in terms of how there are actually like Wikipedia:WikiProject Rivers and that some editors who work chiefly on rivers would find it useful, the same would be for lakes and mountains. I'd imagine though people would rather stick to just geography and by area division rather than by type of geography which I naturally support of course, but though it might have been useful to some editors working on them. It does depend though on how many landform specialists we have. The Bald One White cat 18:04, 14 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Alaska again (advice please) edit

As a stubsorting specialist, could you give advice on one thing with the Alaska geostubs? In my opinion, we never did come to an agreement on the name of the northern region, so no category has been created for that region; as a temporary measure, the stubs for the subdivisions included in that region I've upmerged to the state category. Where should we go to discuss the name, or what should we do otherwise to resolve the question? Nyttend (talk) 12:23, 14 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Opera trouble edit

Hi Alai. I was asked by an Opera project member to close the Opera stub proposal back in June. I looked at the proposal and it seemd a valid one given that you and Grutness and Pegship seemed to demonstrate initially that it was acceptable. If the outcome was so clear as to not create then I'm not sure why I was asked to close it if it was that obvious. Later some people seemd to back down because of the opposition it seemd to cause with some members of that project and the outcome really wasn't all that clear given the strength of the arguments that preceded it. I've created Template:Opera-struct-stub etc this morning which has over 130 stubs now in it but I seemded to have encountered opposition and dare I say it a bad faith response to my efforts at helping. Most of the ones I tagged were of a similar length to New National Theatre Tokyo etc which apparently isn't a stub according to WP:Opera I won';t make any further edits to the cause but I never thought the decision to create the major stub cateogries which all have well over 100 potential stubs would have caused such an uproar. I'm pretty annoyed at the moment with the treatment and threats to revert my sorting this morning so staying well away from now on. See Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Opera The Bald One White cat 12:31, 19 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Hi friend. Your words mean a lot to me. I don't blame you if you've had enough of it. I had to. There does at least seem like one or two editors from that project though who seem reasonable enough and willing to discuss things. Best The Bald One White cat 12:24, 20 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

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Requesting uninvolved opinion edit

There is a discussion at Talk:Liancourt Rocks regarding:

  1. Whether the proposed Disputed Islands infobox is neutral in its presentation of basic article information
  2. Whether there is a valid reason to exclude the proposed infobox from the article

I should note that I am involved in the discussion, but I do not want to influence your opinion should you choose to offer one. I merely want some uninvolved editors to view the discussion and then offer an opinion. If you choose to participate, please post your opinion in the RFC comments section there. Thank you for your time. ···日本穣? · Talk to Nihonjoe 05:36, 21 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Running out of articles to categorize edit

Hello Alai. I don't do as much categorization as I used to but I just noticed that the backlog was dramatically low! Time for Alaibot to work its magic and happily drop a few thousand articles on the unsuspecting participants of the project. :-) Pascal.Tesson (talk) 23:46, 24 September 2008 (UTC)Reply

Upmerged stub template edit

What is an upmerged stub template and how are they made ?. Thanks in advance.--Mac (talk) 08:24, 25 September 2008 (UTC)Reply


Strong feeling of despair and hopelessness????? . In that case if thats your condescending attitude thats the last time I ever list a stub proposal here. Did you have to be tso rude to me? You still haven't done a single thing about those Bollywood film stubs when apparently I was out of order by "asking the same question twice". You'll find it difficult to keep track of things without me on board as it is clear my suggestions are clearly insubordinate. You've made me look like some sort of bug. All you had to say was that you thought it was unnecessary given the existing grey area between US and British film and I'd have gladly accepted your view as with Grutness. The way you worded it with that bold message tells me a lot about your character that is deliberately an expression of frustration towards me, which is not a good thing. The Bald One White cat 09:32, 6 October 2008 (UTC)Reply

What? edit

You're not using enough plain English to communicate effectively. If a page is a disamb page, then it should be classified as such. I have no idea how this would be "error-prone in both directions to try" or "not feasible to attempt auto-detection or auto-correction". Woodshed (talk) 03:07, 7 October 2008 (UTC)Reply

Asian structure sorting edit

Hi Alai. I'll go ahead and create those Asian structure templates OK? I;ve created the templates but I can't figure out why Category:Afghan building and structure stubs is not full? There should be 65 stubs within it see hereBlofeld of SPECTRE (talk) 13:00, 20 October 2008 (UTC) Blofeld of SPECTRE (talk) 10:41, 20 October 2008 (UTC)Reply

Yes that does happen, server lag. I've done Armenia and Azerbaijan too with new categories. I may as well go through the lot and set up seperate categories once viable or if they have about 45 or so in top them up. I came across an article earlier on an Azeri TV mast and it looked ridiculous with an asia-building-stub tag for Angkor Wat, Cambodia. It would be like a pub in Dublin or something being tagged with a European structure stub tag picturing Hagia Sophia mosque in Istabul. Definately worth doing but I'll do this one more gradually as its hard work! Blofeld of SPECTRE (talk) 17:20, 20 October 2008 (UTC)Reply