In my previous logs, I have discussed topics such as:
The debate about detail levels in editor logs continues among the admins (and shows no sign of concluding in the near future). As per my personal style, I will continue to offer a fairly high level of detail. I do this for a number of reasons:
- Accountability - I sign all my nukes and /msg all users whose WUs I edit. I may miss some, or forget to sign them (largely through failure to check the correct box), however, but they will be listed here.
- Didactic reasons - One way to learn is to watch other people's mistakes. It may not be the best way, but it helps more than it hurts - unlike the best way (learning from your own mistakes), which hurts a lot.
- Editorial style - Personally, I like to keep a fairly open record of what I do.
- For future reference - I like to know which users I have had, (ahem), "dealings" with.
- Behind the scenes - In my opinion, a lot of users who aren't of admin level derive considerable enjoyment from getting a glimpse of the activities of an editor. I will not deny them this vicarious pleasure.
I am currently considering adding a new listing - of writeups which have been the subject of a warning issued to the user (because they're too short, too uninformative, unintegrated, rude, etc.). This would fall under the "for future reference" reason, mentioned above. Periodically, I'd go back over old warnings, and check up on them. If they still failed to meet the standards set, they'd be nuked.
I'll be happy to hear from anyone who has an opinion on this matter.
Nose to the grindstone:
- Edited
Owners of edited WUs get a /msg informing them of the edit. Very minor stuff isn't listed here - this is for more extensive edits. Also, if I thought a WU was good enough to merit the effort involved in an extensive edit, it probably is worth a visit - so this list is a good guide to miscellaneous interesting WUs.
- Der er et yndigt land by andersa (October 5, 2002)
- Ampallang by iota (October 9, 2002) - Substantial layout editing and linking. This WU needed it badly - it was almost without links and had no HTML formatting whatsoever. But I had to do it. I had to. How else could I help preserve this gem for eternity:
"Also, when having sex, avoid losing an erection during intercourse, because the excess length of the barbell on the flaccid penis can cause discomfort for the female genitalia on removal."
- Simple ad blocking with hosts by Yottabyte (October 13, 2002) - Edited to correct long line problem in PRE-tagged text. User informed of his mistake, and downvoted (regardless of the WU's quality) for not checking.
- Mongol Invasion of Japan by mauler (October 18, 2002) - Spelling, grammar, and some HTML layouting. A good WU that deserved to look its best.
- The Shinto Kami of Japan by sensei (October 30, 2002) - Edited to remove numerous typos in the names and add Kanji for some names. More editing of this WU is in the works, as the bakufu gets around to composing the Kanji for the rest of the names.
- Killed
- Snow Crash, as Brought to you by Dragon NaturallySpeaking by Life101 (October 6, 2002) - A writeup substantially equivalent to noding Babelfish output. User warned that his WU was unsatisfactory, and asked for more detail. Replied with disdain, citing the WU's high rep as evidence of the WU being worthwhile. Failed to understand that high rep is no insurance against a nuke (I've lost WUs up to +45, and those were righteous nukes, too). Failed to understand the essential difference between casual advice and an editorial request. Probably still does not grok these essential concepts, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
- Lament to an Unknown Queen by post86 (October 6, 2002) - Not very good poetry, unlinked, and it doesn't scan.
- ROT13 by Eudial (October 6, 2002) - "Thank you for sharing this useless but no doubt amusing datum with us. I shall commit it to memory so that it will never be lost. Meanwhile, I see no reason for it to take up space in the database."
- Dark Angel by soulhuntre (October 6, 2002) - Short, and not particularly sweet.
- The entire contents of the node Pez Dispensers I Want To See containing WUs by Gamaliel, nocodeforparanoia, and TheSeeker (October 7, 2002) - Not a single redeemable WU among them.
- Society of Creative Anarchism by Jet-Poop (October 8, 2002) - Nuked with consent.
- Ampallang by Hedgehog Emperor (October 9, 2002) - Semi-irrelevant quote from Neuromancer, without further commentary.
- der-der by kareneliot (October 10, 2002) - "Don't make stuff up."
- Inertia Creeps by Byzantine (October 10, 2002) - Nuked by request.
- pile of kittens by PreciousRoy (October 10, 2002) - A WU no doubt intended to be humourous, but which was just plain obnoxious. Message to user: "Very droll, I'm sure - your therapist will get a big laugh out of it."
- To the Girl in my Philosophy Class by Man of Zeal (October 13, 2002) - "On reflection, I think we can do without this."
- Freeza by Inyo (October 13, 2002) - There's nothing wrong with nodes about very minor characters in very forgettable anime series for children. However... a certain standard of writing is required.
- Hahaha, I love E2... by Maginnovision (October 16, 2002) - Useless quasi-whine about being borged. INSTAKILLED WITH PENALTY.
- Haruna Masaki by Eudial (October 17, 2002) - Too little data to support a WU - user failed to respond to requests for more. Seems not to be much of a loss, but you never know.
- lapalapa by glider (October 17, 2002) - Too little data to support a WU - user failed to respond to requests for more. Too bad, this one could possibly have been worthwhile if more effort had been devoted to it.
- Ido by MisterBad (October 17, 2002) - Superseded.
- Ido by liveforever (October 17, 2002) - Superseded (by 00100, with my blessing and encouragement).
- The entire contents (8, yes, eight writeups - come on, folks, what have you been smoking? As if I didn't know...) of the node Black squirrel containing WUs by wisefool, jkfghldagv, br284, StrawberryFrog, blue_enzian, some_guy, Davidian and bishopred1 (October 19, 2002) - I think we can all do just fine without another writeup about mutant interstellar pothead squirrels...
- NDTM by Footprints (October 28, 2002) - Unnecessary short WU on information referenced in Deterministic Turing Machine (see "Firmlinks" section).
- Lastwords fell down a hole by Lastwords (October 28, 2002) - This was meant to be entertaining, no doubt. It wasn't.
- Editor cooled
As is my self-imposed rule, I shall try to restrict myself to 3 ed-cools a month
- Firmlinked
- Softlocked