On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 10:02 AM, Denny Vrandečić <denny.vrandecic@wikimedia.de> wrote:
Hi,

just a bit confused (and it is probably a 101 question):

the number of active editors that I get here


is very well defined, and says what it means. But trouble is, it is inconsistent with the number that I get here


for active editors, and if I understand the definition at the latter correctly it means "one edit or action within the last 30 days".

Can someone please help me to interpret the numbers appropriately?

Cheers,
Denny

It's really just wrong to call the number generated by Special:Statistics "active editors", since the threshold is one action (action, not edit) in the last month. I would ignore it. 

IIRC, the reason for the discrepancy is that Special:Statistics was created before we had agreed on the active editors metrics you see on stats.wikimedia.org and the monthly report card. 

--
Steven Walling
https://wikimediafoundation.org/