The average lifespan of a webpage is about 77 days. It matters not whether the site is still running or dead. Webmasters shuffle stuff about and delete things at will. Click on the random article button and see a) how many of the first 10 have external links, and b) how many of those links are still live, or don't redirect to the sites homepage. I reckon at least 50% of all external links on en.wp are dead. Lesson: the internet is ephemeral and the only permanent record is on physical material.

On 30/06/2015 05:36, Jonatan Svensson Glad wrote: _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>

On 30/06/2015 10:58, Ricordisamoa wrote: Well of course that was some 1700 years ago. You are equating a event of millennial proportion with something that happens every day? Get a grip on reality. _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>

There's a point to be made there: Libraries in some countries are still being destroyed (see http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/28/mali-timbuktu-library-anc ient-manuscripts and http://elaph.com/Web/Culture/2015/2/985403.html or https://finance.yahoo.com/news/isis-burns-8000-rare-books-030900856.ht ml), and although there's an effort to save them, it's not an effort we're really involved with. That's before we even start on how to reflect a reference to a non-existent book on Wikipedia! But to get back to the original point, a semi-automated effort might be the best way (if the slowest) to get these web pages linked properly again. Richard Symonds Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0992 Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.* On 30 June 2015 at 11:06, Lilburne &lt;lilburne(a)tygers-of-wrath.net&gt; wrote: about a) reckon at internet is on _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>

Lesson: the internet is ephemeral and the only permanent record is on physical material.