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Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2021-04-25/From the editor

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From the editor

A change is gonna come

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By Smallbones
External videos
video icon A change is gonna come, Sam Cooke, 3:10
video icon Centerfield, John Fogerty, 3:51
video icon Blue Funk, Cannonball Adderley, 5:30

Thirteen months ago, 18 days after the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a pandemic The Signpost reported that 683,000 people had been infected and 32,100 people had died from the disease worldwide. Today the totals are 146,479,113 infected and 3,099,838 dead.

It is difficult to see that we have made much progress. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. It is difficult to see how the pandemic will end, with new COVID variants and a catastrophic second wave in India.

And yet it is springtime in the northern hemisphere and hope springs eternal. Baseball season has started. Vaccination campaigns are taking hold, at least in the US, UK, and several other developed countries. But we can’t be sure the pandemic will end until all countries have effective vaccination campaigns and we know if the vaccines can help stop new variants of the virus. Perhaps we can hope to know by September.

Thirteen months ago in this column I wrote about The Signpost staff "we're in this for the duration". I am sorry that I can not keep that promise. This month I learned how the pandemic affects brain fog and recognized myself as an example. Don't worry, my blue funk will eventually go away. Thank goodness that my family and I are still healthy, but the lockdown has reduced the time I can spend on The Signpost. My family needs more time now. I am looking forward to spending almost all my weekends with them this summer. And I am just bone-tired; I need a break from the editor-in-chief position. There are three possible solutions:

  • The Signpost can miss a couple of issues this summer.
  • We have some guest editors-in-chief
  • A new editor-in-chief takes over.

The job of the editor-in-chief is primarily organizing – something I'm not very good at. He or she needs to

  • Solicit articles for the next issue
  • Anticipate topics that are likely to come up – I always forget Mother's Day
  • Evaluating and editing submissions
  • Have backup plans if an article falls through
  • Organizing and helping with the copy editing
  • Making sure that everything that needs to be done before publication is actually done, and
  • Certifying that no Wikipedia rules are broken in any article.

None of these tasks are difficult in themselves, but organizing them can be,

If you'd like to be a guest EIC or just replace me please email me and we'll see what we can arrange.

In truth, I’d prefer to step down permanently by July, and spend the time I have for The Signpost as a reporter. I love reporting for The Signpost, so don't worry, I'm not going away anytime soon.

I’d like to help renew The Signpost by recruiting a few more writers and editors.

Why write for The Signpost?

The Signpost is the best place on Wikipedia to write about Wikipedia for Wikipedians. Our readers include thousands of Wikipedia editors every month. Although we have to follow the basic rules that any talk page or project page must follow, we are independent of the Wikimedia Foundation and of any other Wiki-institution that we report on. Our loyalty goes solely to the Wikipedia community. We have three purposes:

  • To fairly and accurately report the news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikipedia movement.
  • To entertain our readers. A little fun and humor can go a long way toward helping us all understand each other better.
  • To publish the opinions, research, projects, and other ideas of Wikipedians and to help them best present these ideas to our readers.

We could use more reporters for pure news reporting. These beats include:

  • Arbitration report
  • Discussion report
  • News and notes
  • Technology report
  • WikiProject report

A few features are close to my heart and always need help.

  • In the media
  • Humour
  • Gallery or other photo projects

We could use editors to help write or curate articles on any topic that a large group of Wikipedians are passionate about. While we may not need an article each month on the topic, The Signpost should cover them on an ongoing basis.

  • GLAM and similar projects
  • Women's issues
  • Non-English language wikis
  • Wikimedia Commons and other non-Wikipedia projects
  • The LGBTQ+ community
  • Wikidata

Writing and research should be fun and fulfilling, whether your target audience is the whole world – as on Wikipedia, or just the community of Wikipedia editors. Drop us a note at the newsroom talk page if you're interested.


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  • Sorry to hear we might be losing you as our EIC, Smallbones, you've been great to have. While I did look at guest-editoring, I don't think I could reliably commit, and certainly there are many better, more involved, souls than my very occasional participating. Whether you take the guest route or hand over the reins more permanently, thank you for your work thus far and in the future. Nosebagbear (talk) 20:57, 25 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for the work you've done! I've been a regular reader of the Signpost since I became active on Wikipedia and have found it invaluable in understanding this community time and time again. I would be interested in getting involved - certainly not as editor-in-chief, but perhaps as a copyeditor or writer. I'll drop a note in the Newsroom. Ganesha811 (talk) 23:36, 25 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Just wanted to say, thank you! --Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| reply here 05:03, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for your contributions to Signpost, Smallbones.--Vulphere 07:22, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Piling on with the thanks. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 10:25, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for what you have done with The Signpost of these past few months. Hope you have a wonderful time being not that in EIC chair. HawkAussie (talk) 10:40, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks from me too. The Signpost is always a pleasure to read, and has been excellent under your editorship. Onceinawhile (talk) 15:42, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Smallbones, thanks for your excellent work as editor-in-chief. The Signpost under you is like Wikipedia's version of The Intercept, with incisive reporting that stays true to the facts on hand, even in the face of controversy. — Newslinger talk 16:11, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks, Newsy. You didn't get that name just from throwing papers on porches! Smallbones(smalltalk) 03:09, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Smallbones, speaking as a former editor-in-chief, this is a massive loss for the Signpost. Thank you so, so much for all of the time you've invested in turning this publication around; I know that I and so many others have greatly appreciated it. I'm very glad to hear that you'll remain with the Signpost, even in a reduced capacity, and I hope the next editor-in-chief takes advantage of your experience. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 16:31, 26 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've recently begun reading the Signpost, and I've loved it, thank you for your hard work. Unbeatable101 (talk) 01:15, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • You've been wonderful at the editor job. I like to believe one or more editors will step forward with the wherewithal to keep the Signpost rolling along. Thanks for linking the brain fog piece. Until just now, for various reasons, I thought it was just me who was having these issues and wondering why the sudden symptoms arising within the last 12+ months. It makes sense now - that's when the pandemic hit. We are all living through the real life Groundhog Day Your first obligation is yourself and your near-and-dear. We will survive, and hopefully someone in Wikipedia has the talents and willingness to step into the editor's shoes. We'll be fine. Take care of yourself. — Maile (talk) 01:52, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks, I will. That article is great. I read it and it was like a fog had lifted. For a few hours. The condition is temporary. Smallbones(smalltalk) 03:09, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • I wasn't expecting this, but the pandemic has surprised all of us. You did great work taking over The Signpost after its vacancy crisis, and I was very happy to have the opportunity to work with you on several occasions. I would've liked to have been more active in the paper over the last year, but pandemic university learning has really ground me down. We all deserve a break. One of the nice thing's about Wikipedia is that it isn't an obligation so there shouldn't be pressure to perform tasks here when real life is calling. I can't wait for summer myself, I want to get back to the river and go catfishing! -Indy beetle (talk) 04:51, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks for leading the Signpost with such grace Smallbones. Take care of yourself. Ckoerner (talk) 20:09, 27 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for your service. Stay safe and hope you retain your overall health. AshLin (talk) 12:06, 28 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Smallbones, what can I say but repeat the exact words of The ed17: ...speaking as a former editor-in-chief, this is a massive loss for the Signpost. Thank you so, so much for all of the time you've invested in turning this publication around; I know that I and so many others have greatly appreciated it. I'm very glad to hear that you'll remain with the Signpost, even in a reduced capacity, and I hope the next editor-in-chief takes advantage of your experience. And I will add that when I stepped in to rescue the publication in 2018, what the readers didn't realise and still don't, is that it befalls the E-in-C to contribute most of the content (with a lot of help from Bri of course). What's left is a plain old newsletter with the regular self-aggrandising from the WMF - who have enough sites of their own - accounting for a large part of the publication. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 00:28, 30 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks @Kudpung: for this and the comment at MFD. I've already denied most of this above (and I'm sticking to it!) The biggest thing I remember from your advice 2 years ago is approx. "There's a reason Signpost EIC's seldom last more than 2 years." I forgot the reason, but it could be any of 4 or 5. I suppose it's that EICs have to have very thick skins, or be 100%+ right 100% of the time (which is of course impossible). The best we can do is just triple check and document everything! Smallbones(smalltalk) 03:09, 30 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Of course it's impossible, Smallbones, to be right 100% of the time, but it has become a sport on Wikipedia to hound people who have a perceived responsibility (such as admins and The Signpost EIC), to the point of driving them off the project, by people who deliberately look for such opportunities. Note therefore, that nowadays other users are not exactly jostling to become admins or Editors-in-Chief of The Signpost. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 07:26, 30 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • An excellent decision, Smallbones, thank you. Best of luck for the future! ——Serial 10:58, 30 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • I would describe this EIC job as rather quixotic, but thanks much for 'dreaming' and for doing it 'your way', with integrity. Alanscottwalker (talk) 22:04, 30 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for your contributions as editor-in-chief, Smallbones. — Bilorv (talk) 00:12, 2 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • I know I'm a bit (well..., a lot actually) late, but I feel the need to express my thanks for your work as well. Your writing is top notch and that's beside all the editing work I can hardly imagine. Your shoes are well nigh impossible to fill! Dutchy45 (talk) 14:05, 24 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for all the work. Just having The Signpost appear brightens my month. So much so I don't begrudge you the perks and massive salary. I hope someone will interview you for publication here. You could not have done such a good job without enjoying the work. I expect it is very hard to let go—enjoy the freed time with your family. — Neonorange (Phil) 07:20, 1 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • as a long-ago regular contributor, I know how much work it is to keep up with the Signpost week in and out. Thanks so much for all of your time and work. To everyone else: consider writing for the Signpost!! -- phoebe / (talk to me) 01:09, 23 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]


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