Wikispecies:Administrators' Noticeboard/Archive 2019

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This is an archive of closed discussions. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this archive.

Nice Red link on main page

There are 2 redlinks on main page on species because there are no content for Template:Species-2019-01 and nobody can create because "cascade-protected activated". Can somebody correct this please. Thanks. Tomybrz Bip Bip 17:05, 25 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Tomybrz: Thanks for this. I created a stopgap solution so we don't have huge blank spots on the front page. —Justin (koavf)TCM 17:26, 25 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Koavf: Thanks! @Tomybrz: The main problem is that the two templates used to render the "Species of the month" and "Endangered species of the month" sections are supposed to be updated on a regular basis, i.e. two new templates (for two new monthly and/or endangered species) must be created every month. Unfortunately we have fallen far behind here, including me. Ideally we should create a whole bunch of the templates in advance so that they last for, say, six months or so. I'll try to look in to it in the next week, in order to try and remedy the problem. Thanks for kicking me and my bad conscience in the butt about this, because we really need to get this issue fixed... :-) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 18:34, 25 January 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Block for LTA sock

Could we have User:Jerry Barton blocked as a sock of User:John574? Revoke TPA too. See w:en:WP:LTA/DENVER for reference. --IanDBeacon (talk) 23:02, 14 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 Done Burmeister (talk) 23:27, 14 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@IanDBeacon: Why did you request this here at this project rather than at m:? —Justin (koavf)TCM 23:38, 14 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]
See User talk:Surjection (history), I delete the 28 revisions that user:Jerry Barton vandalize. Burmeister (talk) 23:44, 14 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Burmeister: I did see that and he should be blocked but the account should be globally locked, not blocked 847 individual times. —Justin (koavf)TCM 23:56, 14 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

───────────────────────── @IanDBeacon: Your user talk page was hit by vandalism again. I've now deleted the page. That's the fourth time in about four and a half months that any of us admins has had to delete your user talk page. As a precaution I have now semi-protected it for three months, meaning that for the duration of that time your talk page is now off-limits for all new and unregistered users. Since it's only semi-protected, registered and (more or less...) experienced users can still reach you there. If necessary that can off course be changed too, prohibiting any user except admins to edit it, but hopefully we don't need to go that far. Best regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 05:24, 26 February 2019 (UTC).[reply]

@Tommy Kronkvist: Thanks! --IanDBeacon (talk) 05:39, 26 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Problem editor

Could a Spanish speaking Admin have a strong word with @Penarc:? See Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis as a example of their persistent creation of non standard stub pages. If you have a look at the taxon edit history and talk page I have tried to be helpful. In addition, I have attempted an unsuccessful coaching approach as you see on her/his talk page and where I have corrected some of their created/edited pages. Unfortunately this editor has not communicated or learnt how we do things on WS. In their favour they are clearly well meaning, which means that I am reluctant to take strong measures. Perhaps @MILEPRI:, as a now valued editor after a bit of a dodgy start, could help as well? Please help and best regards! Andyboorman (talk) 17:03, 20 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The user also employ a non-standard naming scheme when creating pages, see for example Peter H.Hanelt (lacking a space between the middle initial and surname) for the German botanist Peter H. Hanelt, born December 5, 1930 in Görlitz, Saxony. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 16:20, 25 February 2019 (UTC).[reply]
"Having a word" can be done by any (Spanish-speaking) editor; admins only need be involved if admin tools are needed. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:50, 14 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Technical news

Attention fellow administrators AccassidyAlvaroMolinaAndyboormanBurmeisterCirceusDan KoehlEncycloPeteyFaendalimasFloscuculiFranz Xaver GeniHector BottaiKeith EdkinsKoavfMariusmMKOliverMPFNeferkheperreOhanaUnitedPeterR PigsonthewingRLJThiotrixWikiklaas

Please note that there is a new tool available to help determine if a given IP is an open proxy, VPN, webhost, or compromised host. To use it you first need to log in: simply select species.wikimedia in the drop-down menu and click the "Send" button. Add an IP number to the following search box, click the "Submit" button – and voilà!

If you want to try it out you can use 91.198.174.192 i.e. the Wikimedia Foundation's IP in the Netherlands. Of course the tool should mainly be used for unregistered vandals though... Tommy Kronkvist (talk) 21:41, 10 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Death threats

Admins, please have a look at this user's edits here regarding the user talk page of another Wikispecies user's (User talk: Zzuuzz history). The user also have a history of abuse on the Outreach wiki aimed towards the same Wikimedia user (Outreach: User:Zzuuzz talk page history). The user account "I will stab zzuuxuzz in the chest" is indefinately blocked by me here at Wikispecies (User's block log), but perhaps legal actions must also be taken? The Stewards at Meta-Wiki have been notified. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 17:27, 14 March 2019 (UTC).[reply]

I've deleted the victim's talk page, as it comprised nothing but vandalism. Otherwise, in such cases, edits should be hidden, along with user names and edit summaries which contain threats. Ping me if you need advice on how to do so. You're right to block, and to notify stewards, also. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:47, 14 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Pigsonthewing: Please feel free to take care of the hiding part if you have the ability to do so, since I'm really pressed for time right now and have to log out (off to visit a friend at the hospital). Contacts with stewards was made through IRC and Meta User:Emergency, and they've replied that they will look in to it. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 18:09, 14 March 2019 (UTC).[reply]
There's nothing to hide, as the page has been deleted. I was speaking more generally. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 18:21, 14 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I see. Nonetheless, thanks again for your assistance – my timing yesterday wasn't the best and I was under a lot of IRL stress, so your assistance was much appreciated. Also, at the time of my last writing the said talk page on Outreach was still up, and (contrary to me) you are an admin there too. It has since been deleted by Tegel, so I guess we're okay anyway. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 10:12, 15 March 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Blocking request

Hi, I'm sysop on the french wikipedia. Could you block definitively Pillsborer that insulted on my talk page ? => He's a cross-wiki vandal. Thank you in advance by notifying me after your action. OT38 (talk) 03:29, 2 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@OT38: Done, and I've semi-protected the page. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 08:53, 2 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Deletion of a redundant page

Please delete Template:Hyperiopsida, which is the misspelling of Template:Hyperiopsidea. 魔法少女静樹 (talk) 15:00, 3 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 Done. Thank you @魔法少女静樹 for the information. In the future you can simply add the {{Delete}} template to pages that needs to be deleted. Then that page will be automatically listed in Category:Candidates for speedy deletion which is constantly monitored by administrators, and you don't have to make a note of it here (or anywhere else). Please see Wikispecies:Criteria for speedy deletion for details about the "Delete" template works. Best regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 15:43, 3 May 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Ahem

Special:Contributions/186.11.18.24 - diff is NSFW. Guy has a tendency to post stuff like this on all my talkpages on projects where he isn't already blocked. Yunshui (talk) 10:03, 20 June 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Deleted and blocked. Talk page and user page semi-protected. @Yunshui: Thank you for your prompt action and report; I'm sorry you have to put up with this. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 10:13, 20 June 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Meh, it's water off the proverbial mallard's posterior; doesn't bother me in the slightest. Just figured you guys would want him here about as much as he is wanted on other projects. Yunshui (talk) 10:15, 20 June 2019 (UTC)[reply]

user Kiwi Rex edits to Reptile taxonomy

Kiwi Rex is making large changes to the reptile higher order taxonomy with little to no referencing. I have asked for an explanation but the changes are a bit of a mess; Just a heads up, I have left a query for them on their talk page, cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 06:43, 30 June 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Aves has been changed several times as well, without any added citations. Diffs: diff, diff, diff. Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 02:32, 2 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
@Faendalimas: and other admins: please have a look at User talk:Kiwi Rex#Template recursion depth limit and feel very free to give some input there! All the best, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 01:24, 9 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Big spam attack

Dear fellow administrators AccassidyAlvaroMolinaAndyboormanBurmeisterCirceusDan KoehlEncycloPeteyFaendalimasFloscuculiFranz Xaver GeniHector BottaiKeith EdkinsKoavfMariusmMKOliverMPFNeferkheperreOhanaUnitedPeterR PigsonthewingRLJThiotrixWikiklaas.

We've been suffering from a rather big spam attack the recent couple of days: please see the Block log and Deletion log for details. I wish to extend my thanks to the users and admins at Wikispecies, and also Meta-Wiki stewards, who helped out either by deleting promotional pages or marking them up for deletion. Good job!

Right now most of the malicious activity seems to have faded, but the attack may gain new energy yet. Just to be safe I would therefore urge all admins to be a little more vigilant for a day or two, and keep an extra eye out for any unpatrolled edits listed in RecentChanges.

As always: thank you for all of your efforts, and may the force be with you! –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 03:17, 8 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Hm. I just found another. Thanks, Tommy. —Justin (koavf)TCM 03:33, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I deleted a couple more, about three hours ago. Maybe there are some common links, that can be black-listed? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:08, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I usually patrol every few hours. I shall step that up. We always have capitalist robospammers trying to sell something, but lately there seem to be more rambling nonsense posts by people with serious issues in English gender assignments. Mental illness stuff is new. Neferkheperre (talk) 13:00, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Check out the mass account creations as of 12.29 pm, today. Any chance of a trace as to what or who is responsible? Andyboorman (talk) 13:09, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I dunno if account creation can be checked via checkuser. Should this go through a formal Wikispecies:Requests for checkuser? Circeus (talk) 16:40, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Andyboorman: A "cleaner" and more straightforward way to check new user account creations is to use the Special:Log/newusers log rather than the "RecentChanges" interface, since it leaves out all other, mostly unrelated edits.
@Circeus: Yes, a checkuser request is most likely needed – or several, rather. However I don't know either whether a CU can do any good in regards to checking user account creations. Checking IPs can in some instances clash with the Wikimedia Privacy Policy. I presume our three checkusers know more. Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 17:12, 8 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
I noticed an unusual high rate of new user-account creations. Can this possibly be connected to the spam attack? Mariusm (talk) 16:00, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I'm REALLY tempted to prehemtively block every single one of those that end in a number. Circeus (talk) 16:40, 8 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Mariusm: Yes, that's more or less a given: this doesn't look coincidental. @Circeus: Me too, but let's not start breaking any admin policies now, okay? :-) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 17:12, 8 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
@Circeus: I'm also an admin on Swedish Wikivoyage, as well as here. That particular sister project doesn't have very much traffic right now, since most users are out spending their summer holidays doing some real traveling rather that wiki-voyaging... Anyway, I've started cross-checking all edits made by new user accounts there with the equivalent ones made here, and vice versa. It's important to know that blocking a Wikispecies user solely based on their activity on other wikis is a very big no-no, but then again it's nice to be forewarned about any potential future cross-wiki abuse, right? Since you're an admin on the English Wikipedia, perhaps you could do the same? I understand that checking all new enWP accounts for any Wikispecies activity is a near impossible task without some very spiced up software, due to the share number of new enWP accounts constantly being created (about 10,000 a day, right now). However the other way around wouldn't be all that much work, checking new WS accounts for any enWP activity. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 13:38, 9 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
You can tell local from cross-wiki creation easily in the user creation log: cross-wiki are labelled as "created automatically" (at least that's what I assume they are!). I was referring only to the local creations, which is pretty much all of these "numbered" accounts. Circeus (talk) 20:47, 9 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Yes I know, and when I looked it up yesterday less than a handful of the "ending-in-number" accounts created yesterday were auto-created. That doesn't necessarily mean that a fishy looking account created manually on enWP (and then subsequently auto-created on Wikispecies) is going to play nice. Thankfully almost all new users are here to contribute in a very positive way, but then again most users don't opt for a weirdly formatted user name with a long series of digits at the end... Anyway it seems we are now back to the "usual" amount of random odd spam attacks again, so I guess we can leave it at that. Thank you for your input, and happy editing! –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 21:28, 9 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
On top of it all it looks like the Wikimedia abuse filter has been down for the last couple of days too, but only the global filters (i.e. the ones handling our stuff). It's up and running now though: the spam attack hitting us lost its momentum just about the same time as the abuse filter issue was deemed resolved. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 22:36, 9 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Interesting, @Tommy Kronkvist:. Random...? In any case, maybe we should put more energy into the spamfilters, in order to save work and time later, and let the boring work to scripts and machines. Dan Koehl (talk) 11:54, 10 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Dan Koehl: yes, I think we should. I haven't got a clue how to edit the WS spam filters though... :-) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 03:05, 13 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Hello, please delete the page above, this species don't exist, I wanted to create Rhombognathus terminalis?!?, but I was wrong with copy and paste, my fault.. sorry... Christian Ferrer (talk) 08:17, 13 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 Done. @Christian Ferrer: in the future there is no need to add a note here at the Administrators' Noticeboard about deletions. If you want to propose a page for speedy deletion, simply insert {{Delete|Reason}} at the very top of the page, interchanging the word "Reason" with your actual reason for the specific deletion request. This places the page in the Candidates for speedy deletion category which is regularly monitored by admins, and the page will then soon be deleted. Best regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 09:37, 13 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Ok, thanks you! Christian Ferrer (talk) 09:40, 13 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Revoke

Please revoke my autopatrolled rights--DiMon2711 10:13, 13 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Why? I mean, it's automatically applied to people after a certain number of edits, IIRC. Circeus (talk) 21:27, 13 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Dimon2711: It's says "Goodbye" on your Meta-Wiki user page (mirrored as your user page here at Wikispecies), so I guess you are planning to stop contributing to Wikispecies. Therefore there's really no need to revoke any user rights: simply don't make any edits, and of course nothing will be autopatrolled.
@Circeus: Nope, that user right isn't automatically applied to accounts here on Wikispecies. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 09:03, 20 July 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Hello, I just wonder if it is possible to be exempted to type the words when I add a link, I'm not a spammer nor I use automated tools. Otherwise never mind, I will live with that. Regards, Christian Ferrer (talk) 07:23, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Christian Ferrer: This should be a right you already have. Where did you encounter the CAPTCHA? Where were you trying to link? —Justin (koavf)TCM 08:47, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Koavf: All the pages I created since yesterday, the last one is Copidognathus loricatus created two hours ago, I guess this is the BHL link... and maybe because the link is retrieved from a formated template. Christian Ferrer (talk) 08:53, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I just encountered the same problem when creating Template:Löbl & Calame, 1996. Korg (talk) 11:57, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I suggest one of you raises a bug ticket on Phabricator. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:06, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. Issue raised at phab:T228574. Korg (talk) 22:54, 20 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]
The Phabricator task was declined and closed at 02:48, 21 July 2019 as the issue is part of a bigger, security related Phab task already being processed. The CAPTCHA inconvenience is supposed to be a temporary change, and will be reverted as soon as the underlying problem is resolved. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 05:17, 2 August 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Christian FerrerKoavfKorgPigsonthewing As can be see on Special:ListGroupRights autoconfirmed users now again has "skipcaptcha" permission. Hence the problem the Phabricator task (T228574) describes no longer exists, thus can be considered resolved. (As far as I know, to the most part the underlying security related technical issue still remains, but no longer have a direct impact on any of the Wikispecies user groups.) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 20:31, 9 August 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Yes, thanks you, I already noticed that the bug stopped, at least with me. Christian Ferrer (talk) 20:59, 9 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Please, consider to block him. Thanks, Hasley (talk) 21:02, 10 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Blocked and deleted nonsense pages. OhanaUnitedTalk page 23:09, 10 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Also, as a counteractive measure the repeatedly vandalised IP user talk page is now semi-protected for a couple of weeks. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk)‚ 00:31, 11 August 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Unable to delete "Main Page/"

Earlier today an unregistered IP made a dozen or so vandal edits which are now all but one reverted, and the IP has been locally blocked by me (it's also globally blocked by Jyothis, one of the Meta-Wiki stewards). However the document Main Page/ created by the IP seems difficult to expunge. None of the normal "deletion commands" shows up when trying, see here: Main Page/&action=delete. I'm guessing the reason for this is that the name ends with a slash, i.e. Main Page/ (not to be confused with our standard Main Page without the slash). On the web a slash would normally act as a path component separator rather than be part of a file name, much in the same way as backslash acts as a folder separator in Windows (eg. C:\Windows\Prefetch).

Does anyone of you guys know if it can be deleted locally by us, or do we need to contact Meta-Wiki and/or MediaWiki tech staff? The page has been subsequently vandalised by another IP (and again reverted), so it needs to be deleted. In the mean time it is now write protected and can only be edited by admins. Note that in the same way as we can write protect pages here, it's also possible to write protect address space. Thus after deletion we can write protect the address for Main Page/ again, without having to recreate the page first. In that way we can make sure that the problem doesn't reoccur.

Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 23:14, 12 August 2019 (UTC).[reply]

I first moved the page to another name without creating a redirect, then I deleted the renamed page. I hope this helped. -RLJ (talk) 23:30, 12 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks! I should have thought of that myself really, but there you are... :-) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 23:50, 12 August 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Range block

(Moved from the Village Pump)

Will an admin please range block (without TPA) 159.146.0.0/16? Praxidicae (talk) 19:47, 4 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Praxidicae: Blocked by admins Andyboorman and Burmeister. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 04:01, 5 September 2019 (UTC).[reply]

PreciousDemarest

See Special:Contributions/PreciousDemarest. Everything they've done so far appears to be just spam. --Monster Iestyn (talk) 00:52, 23 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Thankyou, I have deleted the pages and given him a warning. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 03:44, 23 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]
The user account has since been blocked. Please see User talk:PreciousDemarest for details (not you Scott, you already know all this :) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 04:39, 29 September 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Spambot

Please block this spambot and nuke the pages they created. --WhitePhosphorus (talk) 03:52, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Vandalism

Please block 37.154.175.127. 大诺史 (talk) 05:10, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@OhanaUnited, Circeus, Tommy Kronkvist, Burmeister, RLJ, Pigsonthewing, and Andyboorman:. 大诺史 (talk) 05:39, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@大诺史:  Done! Thank you for your note. All of the IPs edits were mass reverted by admin Koavf at 06:16, 2 October 2019 (UTC) and the IP was then subsequently blocked by admin Andyboorman at 08:04, 2 October 2019 (UTC). –Best regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 10:29, 2 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]
@Koavf, Andyboorman, and Tommy Kronkvist: Thank you. 大诺史 (talk) 10:58, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@大诺史: 不客氣/唔使客氣, 唔使客气/you're welcome. —Justin (koavf)TCM 15:56, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

───────────────────────── I would like to thank our very resourceful contributors @大诺史, Praxidicae, and WhitePhosphorus: as well as the admins @Andyboorman, Burmeister, Koavf, and RLJ: for your successful joint venture using quick edit reverts, blocks, mass deletions and IP range blocks to fight off the last vandal attacks. You rock! –Tommy Kronkvist (talk)‚ 22:00, 2 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]

There was a crazy amount of vandalism on mul.ws yesterday, too. I think bots are out in full force. :/ —Justin (koavf)TCM 22:10, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Koavf: Yes, I saw. Take a look at the Wikispecies user-contribs log Special:Contributions/159.146.0.0/16 if you like, and compare those dates to your Multilingual Wikisource logs. When checking yesterdays mul.ws logs the IP's match up to some extent, but I wonder whether users from within that range were causing trouble at mul.ws in early September as well? Maybe the vandal bots have a "hit in the first week of every month" thing going? –Tommy Kronkvist (talk)‚ 14:54, 3 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Technical news now has its own page

Attention fellow administrators AccassidyAlvaroMolinaAndyboormanBurmeisterCirceusDan KoehlEncycloPeteyFaendalimasFloscuculiFranz Xaver GeniHector BottaiKeith EdkinsKoavfMariusmMKOliverMPFNeferkheperreOhanaUnitedPeterR PigsonthewingRLJThiotrixWikiklaas

Please note that I've signed us up for Wikimedia technical community's "Tech News" newsletter. Starting September 23 we will now automatically get the weekly newsletter delivered to Wikispecies:Tech news. It's always in English but most often also includes links to translated versions of the text. Add the page to your watchlist if you like, so you wont miss an issue! Thank you for your attention, and happy editing! –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 05:17, 29 September 2019 (UTC).[reply]

@Tommy Kronkvist: Thanks, gracias, grazie, danke, etc. —Justin (koavf)TCM 05:38, 29 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Tommy Kronkvist: Following. Thanks, obrigado, gracias. --Hector Bottai (talk) 15:17, 29 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Its really good to get it to a page, instead of user pages, Thanks @Tommy Kronkvist:. Dan Koehl (talk) 10:44, 1 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Redirect script not working

Hello. Can any body help with a problem with the script common.js, found here on my page. It now shows a red link. It appears to be a conflict with wiki software updates in the last day or so. I am not sure @Rillke: is currently active. Here's hoping someone here with more coding knowledge than me can help. Andyboorman (talk) 08:47, 12 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Yes the tool shows that is working by the colour change, but if you then search for a synonym it is clear that the redirect has not been created. Here is an example - no I have not completed the edits!. Andyboorman (talk) 11:14, 12 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Problem solved by Changing Line 56 in User:Rillke/createRedirects.js to "token: mw.user.tokens.get('csrfToken')," Andyboorman (talk) 19:12, 17 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Can't create Module:Linguistic

I'm in the process of importing Module:WikidataIB to do some work on importing data from Wikidata. It uses Module:Complex date which has numerous dependencies, which I'm creating. All of the modules imported run perfectly well on the English Wikipedia, Commons and about another 50 language wikis. However, an edit filter is preventing the creation of Module:Linguistic:

Error: This action has been automatically identified as harmful, and therefore disallowed. If you believe your action was constructive, please inform an administrator of what you were trying to do. A brief description of the abuse rule which your action matched is: la="taxon name" in the VN section

Would someone be kind enough to sort out the edit filter, please? --RexxS (talk) 13:28, 19 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@RexxS: I've temporarily disabled the filter, but Special:Import is not finding Module:Linguistic on en.wiki - what's the source? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:04, 20 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Andy: The module is not needed on enwiki because it's a monolingual wiki. The master module exists on Commons (which is multi-lingual) at c:Module:Linguistic. Cheers --RexxS (talk) 13:27, 20 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@RexxS: Well, that makes sense! I've imported the module, and re-enabled the filter. Let me know if the latter causes any further problms; and please disable the display of la labels. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:37, 20 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Admin and Crat stats

Hi everyone, been a while since we did it was thinking we should do a run through the admin and crat stats and see if anyone should be contacted about keeping their rights. I last did it some time ago arounf June 2017. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 18:05, 13 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

That makes sense--once every 24 months or so is good for that. —Justin (koavf)TCM 18:27, 13 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Good idea. I regularly check every administrator- and bureaucrats latest activities once a month, using the links in the tables at Wikispecies:Administrators#List of Administrators and Wikispecies:Bureaucrats#List of Bureaucrats. That method is a bit crude though, and a more thorough check is in order. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 20:40, 18 September 2019 (UTC).[reply]
By the way the same should be done for the translation administrators. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 20:43, 18 September 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Hi everyone, ok I have looked at user stats, the only admin currently at risk of de-sysop due to our policy is Wikiklaas who has performed no actions at all since April 2018, and all crats have been active. Would someone like to double-check this for me and if in agreement I will send the letter of notification of this to Wikiklaas. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 14:31, 8 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Tommy and Justin: I have not done the translation administrators as yet but on quick view three of them maybe should be looked at. I am wondering though, these people are likely to have inactivity based on the needs of pages to be translated, so am wondering if our policy is fair to them? Thoughts? Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 14:37, 8 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
@Scott: About Wikiklaas (or more precisely admins and 'crats in general) I remember we discussed our de-sysop policies a few years ago. Those talks are buried deep within the archives of some of our admin pages, most likely together with text about the consensus they resulted in. Give me a few days and I'll try to excavate them. As for your remark about the translation admins yes, I think this needs to be discussed further. Perhaps we even need to differentiate de-sysoping translation administrators on a language-to-language basis? –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 16:21, 10 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]
@Tommy: The policy is at Wikispecies:Administrators/Admin Review but yes there was significant discussion on this around early 2017 from recollection. That will have been archived. I will wait for you to get back to this. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 21:05, 10 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

───────────────────────── @Scott: Thanks for the link, I had actually forgotten about that page... It's now added to Category:Wikispecies policies in order to make it easier to access in the future. Until I'm back please have a look at these fairly dated "Wikispecies:Administrators" sub-pages if you like:

  1. Wikispecies:Administrators/Inactivity Section
  2. Wikispecies:Administrators/De-adminship
  3. Wikispecies:Administrators/De-adminship/Warning message

They may contain wee bits of (links to) useful data we should scavenge, after which they should probably all be sent into oblivion by means of the Delete button... –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 23:50, 10 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]

I deleted the older message the one we use is De-adminship warning message. The older one was imported from Commons as a template for what we were developing. So I figure its best gone now so no one accidentally uses it. I will go through the de-adminship page as it covers more than just inactivity, it also discusses abuse. The Inactivity Section gives info on when the checks are done. We should have this all linked together somewhere behind the Crat or Admin pages so we can see it easily. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 00:30, 11 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
As an aside the reason I am trying to clear the RfC page is to possibly discuss policy on Translation Admins, or we could do it here. I would like @AlvaroMolina:'s opinion too if possible. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 01:30, 11 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I agree that the current RfC question needs to be resolved ASAP, however simultaneously running more than one task through the RfC mill wouldn't be a problem. </aside>Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 03:25, 11 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]
Anyway want me to go ahead and complete the review for admins and crats? I prefer to leave the translation admins for a week or so to have time to discuss and reflect on the issue. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 21:43, 11 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Yes. Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 02:02, 12 October 2019 (UTC).[reply]

───────────────────────── Ok left a message per our policy with Wikiklaas. Created October 2019 Review Page. It is linked on the Inactivity Review Page. I also sent an email and left a pointer to the message here on his Dutch Wiki Page. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 02:27, 12 October 2019 (UTC)[reply] ───────────────────────── @Tommy: Can we make sure this thread does not archive till after review is finished. User has till 12 November to respond then I have to take it to Meta if he does not. Should stay here till about 20 November. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 22:01, 2 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Scott Thomson: Sure thing. This page is not automatically archived: in the past it's only been manually archived by me, Koavf, and Andy Mabbett. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 12:52, 3 November 2019 (UTC).[reply]
this can be archived now is completed. Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 02:00, 30 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

User:Cloud forest

Could all admins please take a look at the talk page of User Cloud forest and in particular the latest discussion here. You should look through the entire page then if you wish to have an input please add to the discussion. I do not generally care too much what people put on their own talk page, but this is getting a little excessive. There is nothing that is vandalism or attcking anyone or anything, the user has not intentionally harmed anyone. Anyway some more opinions are asked for. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 19:57, 2 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I have blocked this IP, indef for now, for plaing large amounts of text on several accounts, Tommy, Maxim and MPF creating accounts which I deleted. Maxim saw this first and I thank him for undoing alot of the damage. I know blocking an IP is not ideal but I am busy tonight and cannot watch this so have blocked it to stop further damage for now. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 01:12, 27 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Showed up again, under a different ip. is also editing on Wiktionary. Blocked again. Undid edits. Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 00:34, 28 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Accounts

Not a translation – please delete

Can an admin (who is also a translation admin) please delete Wikispecies:Checkusers/ru? None of the translations are actually translations - its just the English. Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 10:30, 12 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 DoneJustin (koavf)TCM 10:48, 12 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. @Koavf: can you also take a look at Wikispecies talk:Localization#Some translations please? Since all of the edits are to mediawiki namespace pages, it needs an admin. Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 10:50, 12 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@DannyS712: I don't have bandwidth for this at the moment, no. :/ —Justin (koavf)TCM 10:59, 12 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 Done. I entered those translations to the localization database in December 14, 2019. Regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 16:42, 27 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Edit request – category

Hi. Can an administrator please convert [[Category:Wikispecies user access levels]] at Wikispecies:Administrators' Noticeboard/Archive 2016 into a link, so that it isn't categorized? The page is protected. Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 08:55, 17 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 Done Always good to see you around, DannyS712. —Justin (koavf)TCM 09:42, 17 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. Do you have the time now to take a look at the section above? --DannyS712 (talk) 09:45, 17 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 Done. I entered the translations mentioned "above" by DannyS712 to the localization database in December 14, 2019. Regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 16:46, 27 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Template:A/testcases

User:Circeus recently deleted Template:A/testcases, which I created, with the rationale of "housekeeping", and without the courtesy of checking with me first. I have asked them to restore it, on their talk page, and they have refused, giving a reason which seems wholly without basis in policy; contains a falsehood ("literally a copypaste of part of the template's documentation"); and which is contradicted by the boilerplate text on every template's documentation page. I won't wheel-war, but I'm seeking an uninvolved admin to restore it. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 23:47, 19 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I should point out you demanding me to restore it... literally just because you demand it is hardly a "basis in policy" to restore it. Circeus (talk) 23:54, 19 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
"Please restore" is hardly a demand. I can understand the original deletion, since the original edit note said only "test", so it looked like you were cleaning up something that served a temporary function. But when you are then petitioned to restore it because it was serving a purpose. . . I don't understand the refusal. --EncycloPetey (talk) 00:00, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 Done Item was restored. --EncycloPetey (talk) 09:43, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The page was restored with the summary "not in the mood to deal with more drama than I have to from someone who isn't even contributing content". This is an egregious - and patently false - personal attack that should not be allowed to stand. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 12:42, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Are any fellow admins reading this page? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:08, 24 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I see this. I don't see anything constructive coming from this conversation. I think some things were written here that shouldn't have been and I think the best thing is to move on and just forget this blip but if there's something outstanding to do here, let me know. —Justin (koavf)TCM 19:39, 24 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
So you - and all other admins reading this page - are content for another admin to make personal attacks of that nature with no censure and no consequence resulting? Remarkable. Meanwhile, I note that Pump&oldid=6861546 they made another personal attack against me, on the village pump, and again, not a single editor has commented on it. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 12:28, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think that personal attacks are acceptable and I don't like the tenor of this thread. I also don't see anything positive coming from this thread, so I hope that it just ends, we move on, and we keep on working on this taxonomic directory. —Justin (koavf)TCM 19:58, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
The "tenor of this thread" is that two personal attacks have been made by an adminstrator and should not be allowed to stand. And yet - despite claiming to find them unacceptable - you're prepared to allow them to. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 20:39, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
What do you want me to do? —Justin (koavf)TCM 20:48, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Nonsense pages – block and nuke

Can an admin please take a look at Special:Contributions/209.239.104.29? Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 02:00, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Deleted nonsense pages. --EncycloPetey (talk) 02:14, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Continues creating pages - Talk:Oxycentrus angustipennis --DannyS712 (talk) 02:38, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 Done Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 06:41, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

AWB request

Hi. Can someone please add me to Wikispecies:AutoWikiBrowser/CheckPage, to simplify translation cleanup? Eg, after adding a tvar, to replace each of the links. Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 07:18, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

 Done @DannyS712: please be conservative. Trusted cross-wiki user, so I'm fine with this. Thanks. —Justin (koavf)TCM 08:29, 20 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

They created several Nonsense talk pages. --WhitePhosphorus (talk) 08:15, 24 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Blocked one week. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 08:25, 24 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 DoneJustin (koavf)TCM 09:58, 24 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Regarding the Community Wishlist Survey 2020

Attention fellow administrators AccassidyAlvaroMolinaAndyboormanBurmeisterCirceusDan KoehlEncycloPeteyFaendalimasFloscuculiFranz Xaver GeniHector BottaiKeith EdkinsKoavfMariusmMKOliverMPFNeferkheperreOhanaUnitedPeterR PigsonthewingRLJThiotrixWikiklaas

The message below was copied from the Village Pump and added here in order to specifically note our administrators about the subject.

Please note that the 2020 Community Wishlist Survey includes a matter that directly involves Wikispecies, even though that particular issue has never been discussed here at Wikispecies. In my opinion implementing it seems like a very bad idea, and for several reasons, but you should decide for yourselves. Please read about it at meta:Community Wishlist Survey 2020/Wikispecies/Add Google's view in 3D to Wikispecies pages. Weigh all the pros and cons together, make up you mind about whether you would like to support the proposition or not, and leave a vote accordingly (same link). Please be aware that the voting on proposals ends in 2 December 2019, so be sure to vote as soon as possible.

P.S. I know that some of you has already taken action and participates in the Meta-Wiki poll, but for the sake of transparency and good "admin sportsmanship" I wanted to add all admins to the above recipient list anyway. Best regards, Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 21:54, 30 November 2019 (UTC).[reply]

I note that our admins are almost unanimously opposed, all support seems to come from other groups. Neferkheperre (talk) 23:14, 30 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I agree. I assume the proposal was put forward in good faith trying to contribute in a positive way, but as often before the participators of other Wikimedia projects aren't familiar enough with taxonomy to understand the rather specific demands we must have on how the data is presented. Also, out of the users who has so far supported this particular petition, only one has yet made any edit to Wikispecies. That being said it's definitely a good thing that non-WS wikimedians show an interest in the Wikispecies project, and we should of course be open to new ideas and dialogue with the entire Wikimedia community. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 00:08, 1 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Thanks for the ping! Took a look, don't like it, added another oppose vote . . . MPF (talk) 23:31, 30 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I wouldn't worry about it and pile on more oppose. They will only implement top 5 proposals with the most number of net supports. This specific proposal isn't going to pass even with the number of supports. OhanaUnitedTalk page 19:32, 1 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
I didn't know about the "top 5 proposals" limit – thanks for that. The main reason I brought it up at the Village Pump in the first place (and then here) is that when I did, I was the only one to have voted "oppose" while five other users had voted "support". However as a result of your update on the proposals limit I guess we can now consider this whole issue closed. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 11:35, 2 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

We already support 3D objects through .stl files. While they might be viable for things like type specimens for fossils I really don't see them being viable for things with fur or feathers until computers get a lot more powerful. Additionally the limits of current tech would make most insects really difficult and most trees really expensive to scan.Geni (talk) 23:41, 30 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Speaking as a taxonomist and looking at this from my perspective I do not find 3d photos that useful in taxonomy, in all honesty a good drawing is better most of the time as it brings out the important details and leaves the rest less obvious, In the case of photos, basic mugshots of types are better, by that I mean specimen is centered, 90 deg to camera, gives good perspective, preferably with a scale. Fossils are somewhat of an exception I agree, 3d photos can be useful. However the example given on the page is useless, this is not a taxonomically useful photo, its what I tend to call a pretty shot. Looks good but has no useful information. I voted against it because I felt its beyond our scope for the most part. I was also not impressed that we were not consulted before this was done. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 04:23, 1 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed. Also, more generally speaking I have a hard time believing that Google et al. would release all the necessary images under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. –Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 11:59, 1 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Conclusion

As we've already more or less concluded, the proposal didn't make it "to the finals". That's a good thing. The results of the Community Wishlist Survey 2020 can be seen here. As OhanaUnited pointed out only the top 5 proposals with the most number of net supporers are even considered for future implementation, and the proposal we've been discussing here ended up as number 70 out of a total of 72 (plus 50 that were "disqualified" for Wikimedia tech reasons, or because the proposer didn't supply adequate information, or simply because the problem is already solved etc.) Tommy Kronkvist (talk), 21:49, 15 December 2019 (UTC).[reply]

Speedy Deletion, 2 translation items need to be deleted.

@Tommy Kronkvist: There are currently two speedy deletes going that can only be deleted by a translation admin. if you or another TL Admin could take care of. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 21:08, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not entire sure (dubious even) that these actually require deletion, but regular users are not allowed to edit these pages at all, so there is nothing normal admins can do. Circeus (talk) 22:43, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
agreed, I am not sure either, but since I cannot do anything about it figured I would just flag it for those who could to decide. Cheers Scott Thomson (Faendalimas) talk 23:47, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
 Done Thanks, danke, gracias, grazie, tack, etc. —Justin (koavf)TCM 00:37, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this archive.