Seeing the wide variety of welcome templates used and some recent interactions with new IP editors have me thinking about this as an option.
The basics:
1. Would post a welcome message the first time an IP address or registered account is used to edit. 2. Would explain key policies. 3. Would encourage the IP editors to register a username. 4. Would indicate a place where any questions could be directed.
This automated message would have a few benefits:
1. It would reach people immediately after they make their first edit. 2. It might help some editors avoid common issues with first edits: original research, copyright issues, POV, verifiability. 3. It might cut down on some of the other misunderstandings novice editors have.
Interested editors could sign on when they are available to take questions from novices, or the new editors could be sent to a page where they could ask any questions and get a fairly quick response.
If it seems it might be more personal, maybe the bot could randomly assign an experienced editor to each welcome message, someone signed up on the welcoming committee.
It seems that this might cut down on much of the back and forth experienced editors have with new editors, and it might encourage more people to register. Sometimes editors get welcomed immediately, and other times it takes months.
Thoughts?
On 2/17/07, A jokestress@gmail.com wrote:
Thoughts?
A bot to add a personal touch? Um...
If the problem is people getting missed by the welcoming committee for a few months, then fix the process. An automated welcome by a bot sounds bad.
Steve
Yes, it sounds bad for a lot of editors, but IP editors are extremely hard to catch in time. As long as it is restricted to IP editors I'm okay with such a bot.
Mgm
On 2/17/07, Steve Bennett stevagewp@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/17/07, A jokestress@gmail.com wrote:
Thoughts?
A bot to add a personal touch? Um...
If the problem is people getting missed by the welcoming committee for a few months, then fix the process. An automated welcome by a bot sounds bad.
Steve
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
Has been suggested numerous times.
Is a wonderful idea.
Will probably be rejected yet again, for no reasonable basis.
Parker
On 2/16/07, A jokestress@gmail.com wrote:
Seeing the wide variety of welcome templates used and some recent interactions with new IP editors have me thinking about this as an option.
The basics:
- Would post a welcome message the first time an IP address or registered
account is used to edit. 2. Would explain key policies. 3. Would encourage the IP editors to register a username. 4. Would indicate a place where any questions could be directed.
This automated message would have a few benefits:
- It would reach people immediately after they make their first edit.
- It might help some editors avoid common issues with first edits:
original research, copyright issues, POV, verifiability. 3. It might cut down on some of the other misunderstandings novice editors have.
Interested editors could sign on when they are available to take questions from novices, or the new editors could be sent to a page where they could ask any questions and get a fairly quick response.
If it seems it might be more personal, maybe the bot could randomly assign an experienced editor to each welcome message, someone signed up on the welcoming committee.
It seems that this might cut down on much of the back and forth experienced editors have with new editors, and it might encourage more people to register. Sometimes editors get welcomed immediately, and other times it takes months.
Thoughts? _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
Some of the issues that come up with this perenial proposal are: *Dealing with dynamic IP addresses when welcoming anons and *Being "personal", the idea below about putting a random (rotating) contact on the message may address that, but without leaving specific instuctinos the new user may try to reply to "you the welcomer" by editing their own talk, and noone will be watching it.
[[en:user:xaosflux]]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Parker Peters" parkerpeters1002@gmail.com To: "English Wikipedia" wikien-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 3:01 AM Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] WelcomeCommitteeBot?
Has been suggested numerous times.
Is a wonderful idea.
Will probably be rejected yet again, for no reasonable basis.
Parker
On 2/16/07, A jokestress@gmail.com wrote:
Seeing the wide variety of welcome templates used and some recent interactions with new IP editors have me thinking about this as an option.
The basics:
- Would post a welcome message the first time an IP address or
registered account is used to edit. 2. Would explain key policies. 3. Would encourage the IP editors to register a username. 4. Would indicate a place where any questions could be directed.
This automated message would have a few benefits:
- It would reach people immediately after they make their first edit.
- It might help some editors avoid common issues with first edits:
original research, copyright issues, POV, verifiability. 3. It might cut down on some of the other misunderstandings novice editors have.
Interested editors could sign on when they are available to take questions from novices, or the new editors could be sent to a page where they could ask any questions and get a fairly quick response.
If it seems it might be more personal, maybe the bot could randomly assign an experienced editor to each welcome message, someone signed up on the welcoming committee.
It seems that this might cut down on much of the back and forth experienced editors have with new editors, and it might encourage more people to register. Sometimes editors get welcomed immediately, and other times it takes months.
Thoughts? _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
I don't care who offers a suggestion, a suggestion should stand on its merits, not be torpedoed based on who proposed it.
Parker
On 2/19/07, Parker Peters parkerpeters1002@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
I don't care who offers a suggestion, a suggestion should stand on its merits, not be torpedoed based on who proposed it.
When the suggestion is for the person making the suggestion to operate a bot, it does matter who the person is.
[[WP:RFBOT]] is requests to run a bot, not suggestions for bots, and I will never !vote to approve a bot operated by an indef blocked sockpuppet. Bots are not run server side, and require responsible, accountable operators, something an indef user can not be.
[[en:user:xaosflux]]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Parker Peters" parkerpeters1002@gmail.com To: "English Wikipedia" wikien-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 10:39 AM Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] WelcomeCommitteeBot?
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
I don't care who offers a suggestion, a suggestion should stand on its merits, not be torpedoed based on who proposed it.
Parker _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
Another user can easily set up such a bot.
Parker
On 2/20/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
[[WP:RFBOT]] is requests to run a bot, not suggestions for bots, and I will never !vote to approve a bot operated by an indef blocked sockpuppet. Bots are not run server side, and require responsible, accountable operators, something an indef user can not be.
[[en:user:xaosflux]]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Parker Peters" parkerpeters1002@gmail.com To: "English Wikipedia" wikien-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 10:39 AM Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] WelcomeCommitteeBot?
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected
I
can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with
the
reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was
indef
blocked.
I don't care who offers a suggestion, a suggestion should stand on its merits, not be torpedoed based on who proposed it.
Parker _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
If the newbies try to reply on their own talk page, we should include a "please click here to reply" link to avoid that.
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
Some of the issues that come up with this perenial proposal are: *Dealing with dynamic IP addresses when welcoming anons and *Being "personal", the idea below about putting a random (rotating) contact on the message may address that, but without leaving specific instuctinos the new user may try to reply to "you the welcomer" by editing their own talk, and noone will be watching it.
[[en:user:xaosflux]]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Parker Peters" parkerpeters1002@gmail.com To: "English Wikipedia" wikien-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 3:01 AM Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] WelcomeCommitteeBot?
Has been suggested numerous times.
Is a wonderful idea.
Will probably be rejected yet again, for no reasonable basis.
Parker
On 2/16/07, A jokestress@gmail.com wrote:
Seeing the wide variety of welcome templates used and some recent interactions with new IP editors have me thinking about this as an option.
The basics:
- Would post a welcome message the first time an IP address or
registered account is used to edit. 2. Would explain key policies. 3. Would encourage the IP editors to register a username. 4. Would indicate a place where any questions could be directed.
This automated message would have a few benefits:
- It would reach people immediately after they make their first edit.
- It might help some editors avoid common issues with first edits:
original research, copyright issues, POV, verifiability. 3. It might cut down on some of the other misunderstandings novice editors have.
Interested editors could sign on when they are available to take questions from novices, or the new editors could be sent to a page where they
could
ask any questions and get a fairly quick response.
If it seems it might be more personal, maybe the bot could randomly assign an experienced editor to each welcome message, someone signed up on the welcoming committee.
It seems that this might cut down on much of the back and forth experienced editors have with new editors, and it might encourage more people to register. Sometimes editors get welcomed immediately, and other times
it
takes months.
Thoughts? _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
On 2/19/07, MacGyverMagic/Mgm macgyvermagic@gmail.com wrote:
If the newbies try to reply on their own talk page, we should include a "please click here to reply" link to avoid that.
The (not necessarily drastic) downside of that is we would be teaching them a non-standard way of using talk pages that won't actually get them very far.
Steve
I must be missing something. What non-standard way of using talk pages are you referring to? Asking whoever welcomed you for advice could get some pretty far depending on who it was in the first place.
Mgm
On 2/19/07, Steve Bennett stevagewp@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/19/07, MacGyverMagic/Mgm macgyvermagic@gmail.com wrote:
If the newbies try to reply on their own talk page, we should include a "please click here to reply" link to avoid that.
The (not necessarily drastic) downside of that is we would be teaching them a non-standard way of using talk pages that won't actually get them very far.
Steve
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
On 2/19/07, MacGyverMagic/Mgm macgyvermagic@gmail.com wrote:
I must be missing something. What non-standard way of using talk pages are you referring to?
Ok, you suggested a "please click here to reply" link, which would presumably take them straight to an edit page, right? Whereas for the rest of their time on Wikipedia, they're going to have to click on a user's name, probably click "discussion" after that, and then click "edit". So they're getting a shortcut that normally won't be there.
Asking whoever welcomed you for advice could get some pretty far depending on who it was in the first place.
Heh, yeah. Hopefully you get what I mean now.
Steve
That could be remedied in one of two ways. Either point them to a talk page tutorial or spell out how to respond in the welcome message itself.
On 2/19/07, Steve Bennett stevagewp@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/19/07, MacGyverMagic/Mgm macgyvermagic@gmail.com wrote:
I must be missing something. What non-standard way of using talk pages
are
you referring to?
Ok, you suggested a "please click here to reply" link, which would presumably take them straight to an edit page, right? Whereas for the rest of their time on Wikipedia, they're going to have to click on a user's name, probably click "discussion" after that, and then click "edit". So they're getting a shortcut that normally won't be there.
Asking whoever welcomed you for advice could get some pretty far
depending
on who it was in the first place.
Heh, yeah. Hopefully you get what I mean now.
Steve
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
On 2/18/07, xaosflux xaosflux@gmail.com wrote:
These usually get rejected over at [[WP:RFBOT]]. The last one rejected I can find is [[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/Welcomebot]], with the reasonable basis that it was being proposed by an operator that was indef blocked.
Some of the issues that come up with this perenial proposal are: *Dealing with dynamic IP addresses when welcoming anons and *Being "personal", the idea below about putting a random (rotating) contact on the message may address that, but without leaving specific instuctinos the new user may try to reply to "you the welcomer" by editing their own talk, and noone will be watching it.
I personally think welcoming should be done by new page patrollers and recent changes patrollers and basically anyone, not by some sort of welcoming committee or bot. Any time you see somebody with a redlinked talk page create an article that does not merit a warning, welcome them, thank them specifically for the article, and point them to a useful page like a related WikiProject. Perhaps we could use the sorting features of projects like [[User:AlexNewArtBot]] a bit more and get newbies welcomed by people from projects related to the articles they create.
Any purely automatic welcome should not be done by bot, but coded into the software, keeping the beautifully redlinked user talk page that is useful for vandal patrolling. Anyway, why should we welcome anyone who doesn't edit? Once people have edited, we can start talking to them, thank them for their edits, and point them in new directions. Enculturation of newbies cannot be done by bots, and a welcome bot will lessen the chance that a newbie gets a personal welcome related specifically to his edits.
Kusma