[Wikimedia-l] Editor retention (was Re: "Big data" benefits and limitations (relevance: WMF editor engagement, fundraising, and HR practices))

[Fred Bauder]

> David Gerard, 04/01/2013 14:10:
>> On 4 January 2013 13:03, Fred Bauder<fredbaud at fairpoint.net>  wrote:
>>
>>> With respect to welcoming and assisting new users on the English
>>> Wikipedia where there is a bewildering volume of varied activity by
>>> new
>>> and experienced users it might be helpful if we had a recent changes
>>> options that showed only edit by new editors with less than say 100
>>> edits
>>> that could be monitored. Newbie helpers could then welcome, comment,
>>> compliment, or otherwise assist the new user. Obviously access to such
>>> a
>>> recent changes option by those looking for trouble could also be used
>>> in
>>> ways that would discourage the new user. Perhaps access could be
>>> limited
>>> to only flagged newbie helpers.
>>
>>
>> How would we stop Twinkle/Huggle users from using such a feed as a
>> shooting gallery?
>
> [[special:contributions/newbies]] has existed for a while now.
> Of course it's just newbies in the very technical sense of
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Newly_registered_user , which by default
> (but not en.wiki) is only a temporary condition almost nobody is in, for
> the sake of throttling vandals.
>
> Nemo

Following up two edits at random resulted in a link to spam posted on de
in 2003 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Istandil and an attempt to
promote a product used by women to pee standing up
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Female_urination_device&diff=prev&oldid=531268827

This is not easy; lot of these edits are not good or to be encouraged.
It's hard to avoid taking the role of first person shooter.

The coding could be improved though, or an additional option added
including edits by users with less than say 100 edits.

Fred