I remember in IRC around Christmas where one of the users said he'd move the main page to "Main Page on Wheels!". On 3/6/06, Gareth Hughes ([[User:Garzo]]) <garzohugo+wiki(a)gmail.com> wrote: -- -Sceptre http://tintower.co.uk

It wasn't Main Page is Communism? On 3/7/06, Ryan Delaney <ryan.delaney(a)gmail.com> wrote:

On 3/6/06, Will Sceptre Noble <tintower(a)tintower.tk> wrote: Anyone trying to do that will be blocked within seconds I happen to be online. -- geni

I would've done it at school if I had it on Saturday. Stupid calendar *grumbles* On 3/7/06, Sean Barrett <sean(a)epoptic.org> wrote: -- -Sceptre http://tintower.co.uk

On 3/7/06, The Cunctator <cunctator(a)gmail.com> wrote: Kind of have to agree there. If major newspapers allow themselves to print non-factual stories on that day, I think we can forgive ourselves as well. Can we fudge up a hoax, new information on the flat earth theory, etc etc? Steve

On 3/6/06, The Cunctator <cunctator(a)gmail.com> wrote: # '''Support''' ~~~~

On 3/8/06, Ray Saintonge <saintonge(a)telus.net> wrote: I has been proposed quite a few times -- geni

Allow political userboxen? *runs* --NSLE On 3/7/06, geni <geniice(a)gmail.com> wrote:

Good point. Damn. Can't we put flaccidpenises on the mainpage? :P --NSLE On 3/7/06, geni <geniice(a)gmail.com> wrote:

NSLE (Wikipedia) wrote: No they belong on the page that warns the user that the project is down and suffering from erectile dysfunction. Ec

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 02:54:38 +0100, NSLE (Wikipedia) &lt;nsle.wikipedia(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: We could re-format the Main Page to list all information in userbox format, and declare that due to popular demand all articles should henseforth be made up of a series of userboxes instead of all that tiresome text... Although that whole issue might be too touchy to toy with even on April 1. On more serious note I'd just like to ask people to *please* limit themselves to free licensed images when doing the compulsary photoshopped Jimbo images and what not (or at least have them all deleted the next day). There are enough copyvio images to clean out on a regular wikiday as it is without ending up with long fights over "parody" fair use claims for months or even years afterwards, like <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wiki-gonzales.jpg> from last year. Sure it's fun, but it gives people the wrong idea about fair use on Wikipedia if we start keeping a lot of these patody pictures around in project space. -- [[User:Sherool]]

On 3/6/06, Steve Bennett &lt;stevage(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: No. Dare to be different. -- geni

On 3/7/06, Jimmy Wales &lt;jwales(a)wikia.com&gt; wrote: Some might consider the above argument to be a solipsistic defense of being stuffy and taking oneself too seriously. Especially considering the source. It's much like a parent telling their rebellious teenager: "You think drugs and rock and roll are punk? What would be REALLY punk would be to eat vegetables and do your homework and go to Sunday School! That's how to REALLY break expectations!" If Willy on Wheels spent April Fool's making serious edits, that would be clever. Sorry, but when Jimbo advocates making serious, well-sourced, informative articles on Wikipedia, I don't see that as a big mind-fuck.

On 3/7/06, Ryan Delaney &lt;ryan.delaney(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: Huh? I'm just saying that Jimbo is not exactly an anti-authoritarian figure in the world of Wikipedia. I'm criticizing the argument, not the man. I'm pretty sure Jimbo doesn't need others to fight on his behalf, particularly against me. I hope you do understand my basic point, that the "let's be silly on April Fool's Day by being serious" argument does have some weaknesses.

On 3/7/06, The Cunctator &lt;cunctator(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: This is about humor. What people find funny isn't something that is to be voted on. There is no "argument" in comedy. It's a joke. That's the point. Apparently, you don't find this idea funny. Others do. There isn't any way to resolve the discrepancy, whether in debate or in armed combat to the death. Ryan

On 3/7/06, Philip Welch &lt;wikipedia(a)philwelch.net&gt; wrote: My favorite weapon is the lance with a brick on the end. [http://www.kband.com/blog/2006/03/01/pwned.html]

On 3/7/06, geni &lt;geniice(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: Yeep. If we are going to take the "let's be fundamentally serious" approach to WIkipedia, it would be fun to be a little more baroque than just highlighting oddness. Like giving over the homepage to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Harry_Potter .

On 3/7/06, The Cunctator &lt;cunctator(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: [[Straight edge]] -- geni

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Cunctator stated for the record: That's the Cunctator approach in a single sentence. Anything said by anyone with any positive reputation, or, God forbid, actual authority, is prima facia wrong, regardless of content. If it were said by someone else, it might not be, but if Jimbo says it, it is to be dismissed out of hand. - -- Sean Barrett | Give a person a fish and you feed them for sean(a)epoptic.org | a day; teach a person to edit Wikipedia | and they won't bother you for months.

On Mar 7, 2006, at 2:27 AM, Guy Chapman aka JzG wrote: Considering what I've seen of userboxes - It's been done. Multiple times. Sigh. Jesse Weinstein

How else would non-admins get involved? Steve On 3/7/06, Philip Welch &lt;wikipedia(a)philwelch.net&gt; wrote:

Heh, cool. Suggest we make it "Wikimedia takeover of Britannica" this year. Would probably be more accurate. :) Steve On 3/7/06, Philip Welch &lt;wikipedia(a)philwelch.net&gt; wrote:

On Mar 7, 2006, at 1:08 PM, Death Phoenix wrote: I'd prefer that discussion took place on IRC or some other place that serves as the online equivalent of "over beers at a local pub". The listserv is the online equivalent of "during a staff meeting at work" or, at best, "at the water cooler". -- Philip L. Welch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Philwelch

On 3/7/06, Philip Welch &lt;wikipedia(a)philwelch.net&gt; wrote: Ooh, them's fighting words. But seriously, it's not fair to simply demand that a certain mode of communication be used. IRC is inconvenient for me. I can't use it at work, for instance. So your analogy is quite apt - everyone can discuss at the water cooler, but only a certain cross-section, excluding non-drinkers, those with kids, and those allergic to smoke, can get to the pub in the evening. :) Though maybe a less serious alternative list might not be a bad idea? Steve

On 3/7/06, SCZenz &lt;sczenz(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: Then the BBC defeated it years ago so we can ignore it and get on with editing wikipedia as normal. -- geni

SCZenz wrote: Well, let it suffice to say that I doubt that an "official" hoax will make sure that there will be no additional, unplanned ones. But warring over the Main Page over which random joke is the funniest turned out not to be so funny last year. grm_wnr

Guy Chapman aka JzG wrote: Oh, you have to admit: The Great Userbox War of 2006 is already a hilarious spoof on itself. We've rarely been so absurd. :) --Jimbo -- ####################################################################### # Office: 1-727-231-0101 | Free Culture and Free Knowledge # # http://www.wikipedia.org | Building a free world # #######################################################################