Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Newsroom/Submissions/Archive 8

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|needs clarification}}

• Submission: User:Kazamzam/sandbox/Wiki Fixup Projects
• Column: WikiProject report
• Author: {{u|Kazamzam}}
• Discussion:
  This piece is about the efforts, obstacles, struggles, and successes of editors working on projects like WP:ORPHAN and WP:URA. Kazamzam (talk) 02:02, 5 January 2024 (UTC)

:@Kazamzam I'd be curious about what kind of events these projects work on, e.g. drives, and why do individuals affiliate with the projects, when many people engage in these activities uncoordinated? I like your focus/question on bots for example. Choosing multiple projects to profile is atypical, so clarity why you choose the projects you did, would make sense, for example why not copyrighters guild, NPP, AfC (other than fact they're active?) ~ 🦝 Shushugah (he/him • talk) 12:43, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

::@Kazamzam also check out the archive for past inspiration, specifically Article rescue squadron. ~ 🦝 Shushugah (he/him • talk) 21:41, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

• {{ping|Kazamzam}} This looks like a good outline; if you'd like to flesh it out more I would be happy to run it. Let us know (here or at the Newsroom) if you'd like any support with anything. jp×g🗯️ 01:16, 19 May 2024 (UTC)
• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission:
• Column: Book review
• Author: {{u|Sgerbic}}
• Discussion:
  

I have written a review of Stephen Harrisons new book "The Editors" and would like to submit for publication here in The Signpost. This is my first attempt to submit to the newsletter and if I am doing this incorrectly I apologize.Sgerbic (talk) 15:10, 28 May 2024 (UTC)

:@Sgerbic. Do you have a link to the draft that you'd like to include here? –Novem Linguae (talk) 16:58, 28 May 2024 (UTC)

::No, I have it saved in a word doc, can I email it to someone? Sgerbic (talk) 05:21, 29 May 2024 (UTC)

:::A good spot for it might be your userspace. You can create any page you want if you prefix it with User:Sgerbic/. So for example, User:Sgerbic/Book review of The Editors. See above for more examples :) –Novem Linguae (talk) 07:46, 29 May 2024 (UTC)

::::{{ping|Sgerbic}} Post soon if you want review for the next issue. Otherwise no big deal, can go into following issue. Bluerasberry (talk) 18:33, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

:::::Thank you, I'm traveling for a few more days and then I will when I get to my computer.Sgerbic (talk) 00:17, 2 June 2024 (UTC)

::::::Okay, I've made the User:Sgerbic/Book review of The Editors live. Now what happens? Sgerbic (talk) 19:27, 4 June 2024 (UTC)

:That sounds like a valuable topic for the Signpost. Looking forward to reading the review!

:Note that the book is not published yet ("Available August 6th" according to [https://x.com/Inkshares/status/1794067262770495667 this post] by the author, which btw also has some interesting background about the book's genesis that might be worth mentioning).

:I know that pre-order numbers are considered an important signal in the US book market (hypothesized to have considerable influence on the eventual overall sales), which means that publishers and authors expend considerable effort to drive up attention before publication and create pre-order incentives. Still, I think it would serve Signpost readers better if we publish this review only when the book is actually available to the public. In any case, you might want to disclose that the review is based on an advance copy.

:By the way, the "Editorial Reviews" section of the book's [https://www.amazon.com/Editors-Stephen-Harrison-ebook/dp/B0CQ4TT4Z9/ Amazon page] and [https://www.stephenharrison.com/the-editors the author's own website] already highlight a blurb attributed to the Signpost:

:{{tqb|“The great Wikipedia novel. There’s a new adventure on almost every page, and it’s hard to stop reading as you fall down the rabbit hole.”}}

:It appears that this quote is taken from a brief note that Smallbones wrote three and a half years ago in Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2020-11-01/In_the_media#Odd bits, referring an earlier work-in-progress version of the book (then tentatively titled "Infodemic", with {{tq|Five sample chapters [having been] available [https://www.inkshares.com/books/infodemic here]}}).

:Regards, HaeB (talk) 22:08, 2 June 2024 (UTC) Updated blurb attribution HaeB (talk) 23:13, 6 June 2024 (UTC)

::Looks good and has potential, may be condign to run this alongside the release of the book as HaeB says. jp×g🗯️ 09:31, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

:::FYI - I am finished fussing with my article and have uploaded a photo of me and my reading helpers to WikiMediaCommons if you want to use it with The Signpost. Thanks all. Sgerbic (talk) 18:28, 22 June 2024 (UTC)

:Published in issue 20:14 Book report.

• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:Hawkeye7/Paris 2024
• Column: Serendipity
• Author: {{u|Hawkeye7}}
• Discussion:
  This piece is about my experience as Wikipedian in Residence at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris Hawkeye7 (discuss) 13:34, 14 September 2024 (UTC)

::Support to publication. Gallery and opinion are both occupied for the next issue, so Serendipity seems like a fit, per Clovermoss' piece. The headline {{tq|What it was like to be a Wikipedian at the 2024 Paralympics}} might be better suited, {{tq|Summer}} seems redundant. Svampesky (talk) 14:09, 17 September 2024 (UTC)

:::Feel free to change the headline as you see fit. Hawkeye7 (discuss) 18:07, 17 September 2024 (UTC)

::Published, thank you very much, this was a good post. {{done}} jp×g🗯️ 01:55, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

I've written a review of "The Editors" at User:WereSpielChequers/Infopedium ϢereSpielChequers 20:49, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

• Discussion

:Published in issue 20:14 Book report. ☆ Bri (talk) 20:35, 3 November 2024 (UTC)

• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:Sawyer777/DCWC signpost
• Column: TDB
• Author: {{u|Sawyer777}}, {{u|GreenLipstickLesbian}}
• Discussion:
  This is a little reflection on the Developing Countries WikiContest, which wrapped up at the end of September. I'm not good at coming up with titles, and it could use a thorough copyedit, but the actual content is pretty much done. :) ... sawyer * he/they * talk 20:01, 12 October 2024 (UTC)

::Looks publishable to me, but extensive copy editing needed. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:33, 13 October 2024 (UTC)

:::agreed - i'd ideally like it to be published in this issue, and have done some more copyediting to that end. not sure whether to keep the flagicons? ... sawyer * he/they * talk 23:05, 15 October 2024 (UTC)

:Published in issue 20:14 "Contest". ☆ Bri (talk) 20:37, 3 November 2024 (UTC)

• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

Not sure what category this would go under, but I was proposing encouragement and advice for Wikipedians(especially those who are not skilled photographers) to take more pictures of subjects that are likely to be encyclopedically valuable. I can illustrate with some pretty pictures I have uploaded and added to Wikipedia articles recently. Mention tools such as press passes and wikishootme. (t · c) buidhe 17:46, 17 October 2024 (UTC)

:{{u|Smallbones}}, {{u|JPxG}} Is there any interest is this content? If so, I'd be happy to write it up for the next signpost edition. I think it could go under tips and tricks or gallery. (t · c) buidhe 01:09, 20 October 2024 (UTC)

::Well, I'd like it. jp×g🗯️ 03:20, 20 October 2024 (UTC)

:::User:Buidhe/Why you should take more pictures and upload them to Commons (t · c) buidhe 19:52, 20 October 2024 (UTC)

:Scheduled for 20:15 "Gallery". ☆ Bri (talk) 20:38, 3 November 2024 (UTC)

• {{tl|close}} jp×g🗯️ 23:35, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Declined}}

• Submission: User:Schierbecker/Wikiality
• Column: Humour
• Author: {{u|Schierbecker}}
• Discussion:
  

On the perils of believing everything you read online. This is partially inspired by the Stephen Colbert Wikiality bit and also a short story by B. J. Novak. Written with quite a bit of assistance from ChatGPT.

::Humour is hard! This is a much better first try than the large majority that I've seen. Different people have different senses of humour than others, so I'll encourage others to join in and give their opinions, but I'll suggest that it should be rejected and you should be encouraged to try again. Some aspects of my opinion. Wikiality is a 20 year old concept - I doubt that even Colbert thinks it is relevant now. Also using the real name Jimmy Wales is problematic, using a different name - even if everybody will recognize it as J.W. avoids most of these problems. The problems? Jimmy would never do and think what you have him doing and thinking. He might rightly be offended. Colbert wouldn't have as many problems - he's an entertainer and people realize that what he does on the screen isn't the real him. But he should actually say something funny! Also using ChatGBT, IMHO, should be avoided. But that's just quibbling - pick a different topic and send us your next try. Sincerely, Smallbones_(smalltalk) 20:52, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Marking this as {{tl|close}} per above. HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Unreviewed}}

• Submission: —
• Column: WikiProject Report
• Author: {{u|Joe Roe}}
• Discussion: I'm playing with the idea of putting together a WikiProject report with a slight spin on the usual format. Instead of interviewing participants from a single project, I'd like to get a representative each from some of the most successful WikiProjects (I'm thinking WP:WOMRED, WP:MILHIST, WP:MED – suggestions welcome) to discuss how you grow and maintain activity in a project over the long term.

:I've nothing concrete yet. Before starting anything, I wanted to check whether that format deviation would be okay, and make sure I'm not stepping on any toes – I'm not sure if there's a designated subeditor for the WikiProject reports column? – Joe (talk) 09:26, 6 July 2024 (UTC)

:{{ping|Joe Roe}} Go for it! While we tend to follow precedent here, we also follow WP:Bold a bit more that other areas in Wikipedia. One Signpost article isn't going to break anything. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 18:25, 6 July 2024 (UTC)

:::{{ping|Joe Roe}} Wikipedia:Database reports/WikiProject watchers is one measure of the biggest. Wikipedia:WikiProject Contents and Wikipedia:WikiProject Spam are not so well known. Besides the ones you named,Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games, Wikipedia:WikiProject Mathematics, and Wikipedia:WikiProject LGBT studies have their influence.

::Among all of these, :d:Wikidata:WikiProject Video games is the only one to have major participation and organization in Wikidata. Medicine, LGBT+, and math get a lot of data administrative questions without major content creation, and for military and women in red it is the reverse with a lot of Wikidata content creation but less administrative development. Bluerasberry (talk) 16:01, 17 July 2024 (UTC)

::{{ping|Joe Roe}} Are you still planning to work on something like this, or can this section be archived? Regards, HaeB (talk) 03:09, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

:::Not likely any time soon, feel free to archive. – Joe (talk) 06:34, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

::::Thanks, feel free to come back in case you get to it again and have a draft - adding {{tl|close}} here for now. Regards, HaeB (talk) 07:46, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:ELappen_(WMF)/Sandbox/2023-2024_audit_reports
• Column: News from the WMF
• Author: {{u|ELappen (WMF)}}
• Discussion:
  This piece will present comprehensive highlights from the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikimedia Endowment audit reports for fiscal year 2023-2024 to give insight into how funds were raised and used during this timeframe. ELappen (WMF) (talk) 17:27, 4 November 2024 (UTC)

:: Hey {{ping|JPxG}} just flagging that this piece is now ready for review. Thanks! --ELappen (WMF) (talk) 23:28, 7 November 2024 (UTC)

:::It looks like this is basically identical to [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/11/07/highlights-from-the-fiscal-year-2023-2024-wikimedia-foundation-and-wikimedia-endowment-audit-reports/ this recent Diff post], something that should be disclosed both as part of a submission and in the version published here. Basically every publication that solicits submissions will want to know whether they are getting original content or a syndication of something previously published elsewhere. I would think that most communications professionals know this, but perhaps it is worth clarifying it in this page's header (which currently already strongly hints that republication of finished pieces from elsewhere is not the norm, e.g. {{tq|We encourage you to contact us early in the process of developing a story}} etc).

:::I'm still curious how the [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?limit=500&offset=0&prefix=WP%3A&profile=default&search=intitle%3A%22News+from+the+WMF%22+intitle%3A%2FSignpost%5C%2F%5B0-9%5D%7B4%7D-%5B0-9%5D%7B2%7D-%5B0-9%5D%7B2%7D%5C%2F.*%2F+-intitle%3A%22%2FSPV%22&title=Special%3ASearch&ns0=1 "News from the WMF"] slot transformed from something for which the Signpost's editorial team would independently select a post from the WMF's Diff blog for republication to something that the WMF apparently sees as their prerogative to fill proactively. Having said that, the current submission does cover an important topic, and given that the Signpost's independent [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&limit=500&offset=0&ns0=1&prefix=Wikipedia%3AWikipedia+Signpost%2F202&search=endowment+OR+audit coverage] of these audit reports by User:Jayen466 has often been highly negative, I totally understand the desire to get ahead of it this time.

:::Regards, HaeB (talk) 09:19, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

::::Thank you for the ping, HaeB. I don't think I have any concerns at the moment: we finally have public, audited accounts for the Endowment, and all the fundraising banners I have read this year seemed on the right side of the red line. (The emails are still a bit pushy, but then that is a slightly different audience.) So as things stand right now, I don't see a reason for writing a critical piece. The 990 forms next May might be more deserving of a standalone piece by the Signpost team. Regards, Andreas JN466 18:12, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

:I was a little worried that something had gotten missed in November, but we did indeed publish this, as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-11-18/News from the WMF. Thanks for the submission! jp×g🗯️ 06:32, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

::{{done}} jp×g🗯️ 06:32, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

:::Hey {{ping|User:JPxG}} maybe we can change the status of this one to avoid confusion, since it was reviewed and published a while back? :) ELappen (WMF) (talk) 00:45, 8 May 2025 (UTC)

::::Indeed - done. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:37, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:PAC2/Signpost Opinion1
• Column: In focus

• Author: {{u|PAC2}}
• Discussion: An essay on how to measure imbalances between mentions of people from Europe and North America and people from the rest of the world in Wikipedia articles. PAC2 (talk) 04:30, 6 December 2024 (UTC)

:Cool -- this can be marked {{done}}. Thank you for the submission. jp×g🗯️ 06:33, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

{{outdent}} Published as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-12/In focus

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:AEira-WMF/Signpost draft
• Column: Technology Report
• Author: {{u|AEira-WMF}}
• Discussion:
  This article gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at an important tech event--the Wikimedia Foundation’s biannual datacenter server switchover. It might sound routine, but it’s a big deal for keeping the wikis running smoothly and even has an interesting connection to astronomy. The next switchover is coming up next month, right around the solar equinox. And with Listen to Wikipedia, a tool that turns real-time wiki edits into sound, anyone can tune in and experience it live. We’d love to publish this in time for the event so Signpost readers can follow along and see (or hear!) it in action. AEira-WMF (talk) 21:24, 20 February 2025 (UTC)

{{ping|AEira-WMF}} This should be accepted and published before March 19 obviously. {{ping|JPxG}} we should commit to this. A couple of smaller things. It could be clearer (or with a bit more detail) on why the switchover is needed - I think you are assuming the reader knows something I don't know. Yes, the correct plural of equinox is equinoxes and it should be used once near the beginning. Finally, can you guys predict Easter? Smallbones_(smalltalk) 04:54, 24 February 2025 (UTC)

:@Smallbones Thanks for the helpful feedback. I made a couple of adjustments based on it. Let me know if anything else is needed. Really appreciate your help in getting this published before March 19th. AEira-WMF (talk) 20:24, 25 February 2025 (UTC)

::Published as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-02-27/Technology report. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:30, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:VladimirPF/Using AI in Russian Wikipedia: Opportunities or Challenges?
• Column:
• Author: :ru:User:VladimirPF
• Discussion:I am an author on the Russian Wikipedia. I do not speak English and use computer translation systems for communication.

I propose an article discussing the attitude of the Russian Wikipedia community toward large language models (LLMs), neural networks, and so on.

At the end of the article, I make a prediction that deeply concerns me: I believe that Wikipedia is currently on the brink of survival, and it will not endure unless Wikipedia, its community, and its infrastructure undergo significant changes.

I am offering an article for Signpost for the first time. The article was originally written in Russian and translated into English by a contributor named @{{u|Victoria}}

If you deem it necessary to shorten the text, you may do so, but I kindly ask that you ensure the overall meaning remains unchanged: the Russian Wikipedia community does not know how to deal with the emerging problem. --VladimirPF (talk) 06:39, 28 February 2025 (UTC)

::Published as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-05-01/In focus. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:29, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:AEira-WMF/Signpost draft APP update
• Column: Technology report
• Author: {{u|AEira-WMF}}
• Discussion:
  This piece covers some of the progress made on the Product & Tech goals in this year's Annual Plan and what that's looked like in the first half of the fiscal year 2024–2025. AEira-WMF (talk) 14:10, 9 April 2025 (UTC)

::Pubslished as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-05-01/News from the WMF. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:28, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Declined}}

• Submission: User:FPutz (WMF)/Signpost draft
• Column: News from the WMF
• Author: {{u|FPutz (WMF)}}
• Discussion:
  This piece is about the WMF bringing a legal challenge to a new element of the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA).

::Just seeing this - we covered this more extensively in the current issue (based on your other, longer published statements and the media they earned), so I'm going to mark this submission as obsolete. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:24, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|close}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:Julle/On the hunt for sources: Swedish AfD discussions
• Column: TDB
• Author: {{u|Julle}}
• Discussion:
  I wrote a piece on hunting for sources, with Sweden-related Articles for Deletion discussions as an example, and why it becomes complicated – they don't turn up where people expect them to, and even Swedes are half-blind without media archive accesses. /Julle (talk) 19:26, 8 May 2025 (UTC)

::Published as Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2025-05-14/In_focus. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:26, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

{{Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/Templates/Status|Published}}

• Submission: User:Goldsztajn/Goldsztajn RfA debrief
• Column: RfA Debrief
• Author: {{u|Goldsztajn}}
• Discussion:I was emailed by {{u|Svampesky}} to contribute a debrief, have left a message on their talk page a few days ago, leaving this here as well. Regards, --Goldsztajn (talk) 21:42, 8 May 2025 (UTC)

::Published as Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-05-14/Debriefing. Regards, HaeB (talk) 01:27, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

{{tl|completed}} HaeB (talk) 03:07, 26 May 2025 (UTC)