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June 8
[edit]Wiki Workers United solidarity
[edit]| lta -fifteen thousand two hundred twenty four (talk) 07:02, 9 June 2026 (UTC) |
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Hello there, rd hosts. We know this is already been happening, could you please sign the Wikipedia:Wiki Workers United solidarity? I seen this at the recent news as of June 2026. For context, please take a look at these responses. Do not forget to write your own response after signing into it. I haved edited Wikipedia for years, and I'm using the temporary account. ~2026-33778-68 (talk) 21:28, 8 June 2026 (UTC)
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June 9
[edit]Thinking
[edit]How practical would it be to cite my experience on Wikipedia for college applications? (I'm planning to double major in journalism and some STEM-related subject, but the future isn't certain.) —TWOrantulaTM (enter the web) 04:19, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Their first question might be something about verifiability. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 04:26, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- For the college to be able to verify their activity? Editing their own user page to include their name or some shibboleth from the application seems like it'd do the trick. They could also link from the user page to diffs that demonstrate activity they're particularly proud of, so the person reading the application doesn't have to know how to use Wikipedia in order to dig it up. -- Avocado (talk) 10:54, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Very practical in the sense of being doable, and unlikely to be harmful, but is it effective? Assuming this is meant for application to a college in the US, it seems to me (not based on specific knowledge) that it is helpful if an application letter makes the applicant stand out among the possibly thousands of applications received. Merely being a Wikipedia editor may not contribute much to that aspect. As far as I could easily see, you created 11 new articles in the last two-and-a-half years, which is fine but not impressive. However, it may help to support an impression of being civic-minded, willing to put effort in bettering the world also for others, which may be something admissions officers are looking for.
- I've read more application letters for admission to some PhD-track position than I cared for. Many were fill-in-the-blanks boilerplate, not making clear why the applicant was seeking the specific position applied for, which immediately gave them a low ranking. College admission is something different, yet I imagine that a letter that also makes clear why you are applying to this college – because of something specific that distinguishes it from other colleges – can help to make you stand out. ‑‑Lambiam 05:44, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
you created 11 new articles in the last two-and-a-half years, which is fine but not impressive
-- Not sure I agree that that's not impressive. There are tens, probably hundreds of thousands of editors who have never created that many articles. And new article creation is not by a long shot the only work that's meaningful or even the most meaningful work.- Whether 11 new articles are impressive to a college admissions officer, I suppose, is another matter. What those articles (as well as Tworantula's other work here) do demonstrate, especially for a potential journalism major, is the ability to do research, determine what sources of information are reliable and support what statements, and cite that research appropriately -- which are skills plenty of college-bound kids graduate high school without.
- There's also the matter of demonstrating the ability to participate constructively as a member of an intellectual community, which I do see in their talkspace contributions. Heck, we get a lot of teenagers who come here just to vandalize, or who don't have the ability yet to be able to give or receive feedback politely. I wouldn't have guessed Tworantula's age based on their recent contributions, which says something about their maturity, both emotional and intellectual.
- The hard part, of course, is translating all of that into something a college admissions officer will both understand and give credence to without the admissions officer also being a wikipedian! -- Avocado (talk) 11:12, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Degree courses sometimes give marks for interacting with peers in the chosen field, like discussing a relevant problem. I think I've seen Wikipedia suggested as the venue for this interaction. (I remember because I was annoyed by the thought of students being sent to our talk pages to ask insincere questions for better grades.) Card Zero (talk) ※ 14:38, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
Creepiest Kim Kardashian pic ever
[edit]Good morning. What made this photo look the way it does?! https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/kim-kardashian-is-seen-on-february-25-2023-in-milan-italy-news-photo/1247470859 Nightmare fuel! ~2026-33908-31 (talk) 04:43, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Looks like just poor lighting. But what's with the neck brace, or whatever that is? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 05:24, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- It is a series of belts, each with holes reinforced with metal eyelets. ‑‑Lambiam 06:09, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- It makes me think of Chucky. ‑‑Lambiam 06:11, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Kim Kardashian is a vampire, and that is her real face. Didn't you get the memo? Clarityfiend (talk) 00:01, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
- Maybe she Is... ~2026-33908-31 (talk) 05:18, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
Cursive writing revival
[edit]| lta -fifteen thousand two hundred twenty four (talk) 07:02, 9 June 2026 (UTC) |
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When will cursive writing be revived as the of 2020s? SpeedOfLight100 (talk) 05:27, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
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Fiction books qualify as educational books
[edit]| lta fifteen thousand two hundred twenty four (talk) 06:58, 9 June 2026 (UTC) |
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When does educational books qualify as educational books? How do fictional books help you learn something new? ~2026-33899-80 (talk) 05:39, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
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Does Khabat Jahany speaks Italian?
[edit]Hi everyone! In this 2014 video the Swiss poker player Khabat Jahany speaks only English instead of German, French or Italian with the girls at the Campione d'Italia casino and it annoyed me a lot I don't know why. Honestly, can Khabat Jahany speak Italian? Thanks! DanielParoliere (talk) 15:27, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- The scant sources I can find give his name as Jahany Khabat and appear to place him in Zürich, but not everyone living there is Swiss. Do we have a reliable source establishing that he is Swiss? For all I know he could be ethnically Kurdish. ‑‑Lambiam 18:28, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Unfortunately not. For example, on this site says he is a foreigner (see: [1]) and this other one Swiss (see: [2]). It's not very clear. DanielParoliere (talk) 18:55, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Maybe he speaks Romansh and doesn't think the girls will understand it. --Trovatore (talk) 20:14, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- And most people living in Zurich don't speak Italian. —Antonissimo (talk) 08:39, 15 June 2026 (UTC)
- Unfortunately not. For example, on this site says he is a foreigner (see: [1]) and this other one Swiss (see: [2]). It's not very clear. DanielParoliere (talk) 18:55, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
- Google AI reckons he's "an Iranian Kurd, holding Iranian nationality while identifying primarily with the stateless Kurdish nation." If that's true, he presumably speaks Kurdish, maybe Farsi too, and apparently English. I imagine that if he did speak Italian, he'd be using it when speaking to Italian ladies in Italy. So no, he probably doesn't speak Italian. If that annoys you, that would be your problem and not his. Chuntuk (talk) 10:28, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
June 11
[edit]help identifying prop
[edit]In file:James bond girl (52594326026).jpg a woman holds a (presumably replica) pistol. There are other photos in that set with different angles of the object, but she is undressed (it's a glamour photography shoot, apparently). Which model of gun is it intended to represent? Arlo James Barnes 22:21, 11 June 2026 (UTC)
- Generic badass gun. I would guess it's actually a .22 target pistol based on the small caliber and the really long barrel and the distinctive rake of the grip. No idea what make or model. ~2026-34408-95 (talk) 06:18, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- The photo is in Category:Beretta pistols on Commons, but, looking over the other images in that category and its subcategories, I don't see any models that closely resemble it. Deor (talk) 11:56, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- It does kinda resemble the Beretta Target 87 but I don't think that's it. See: https://www.sigtalk.com/threads/beretta-87-target-review.106994/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x49JUtbTVq8 ~2026-34645-39 (talk) 12:54, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- The photo is in Category:Beretta pistols on Commons, but, looking over the other images in that category and its subcategories, I don't see any models that closely resemble it. Deor (talk) 11:56, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- This looks very much like a sports pistol to me. The grip is very far forward. The port is behind the grip - so it isn't a semi-auto ejection port. The barrel is overly long. The big thing under the tiny barrel is likely a laser sight. ~2026-21283-08 (talk) 17:04, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- Correction. Looking further, it looks like a target pistol. They fire pellets or BBs, not shelled rounds. Some have a CO2 cartridge that screws in under the barrel. ~2026-21283-08 (talk) 17:24, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
June 12
[edit]RIP to someone who is still alive
[edit]When did it become a thing to say RIP to someone who has been unlucky but still alive? I saw lots of social media posts after the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix saying RIP George and it gave me a fright. (~2026-34557-64 (talk) 11:47, 12 June 2026 (UTC))
- Did "George" survive? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 12:11, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- Yes. (~2026-34557-64 (talk) 13:47, 12 June 2026 (UTC))
- Yes, George Russell is alive and well. the "RIPs" in this case are referring not to his person, but the likely demise of his hopes for winning the World Championship this year, having come only 12th at Monaco, scoring no points and now lying 68 points behind the Championship leader, his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.
- These "RIPs" are somewhat presumptious, because although Antonelli is in great form, having scored five 1sts and one 2nd in the six main races so far (and having 156 points), he might sometime in the remaining nine race meetings be injured and left unable to compete, in which case Lewis Hamilton (with 90 points) and Russell (with 88), now 2nd and 3rd, would both have good chances of winning the Championship.
- (Note that the above points also include results from the shorter 'sprint' races that are additionally run at some, but not all, Grands Prix weekends.) {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-27434-43 (talk) 13:48, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
- RIP to someone still alive is the sort of thing one expects from gangsters and Provos and the like, as a threat. DuncanHill (talk) 01:18, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
- When it comes to silly and often meaningless expressions, there's literally nothing that (some) social media users won't copy and turn into a thing. It's like a mental illness. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 22:10, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
Requiescat in pace, et luce prima expergefactus refectusque diem laetus exspectet. (Yes, I used AI; I know a little Latin but this is beyond my competence, and I can't really tell whether it rings the right way.) --Trovatore (talk) 22:38, 12 June 2026 (UTC)- Perhaps laete? ‑‑Lambiam 03:58, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- After a little searching, laetē with the macron maybe. --Trovatore (talk) 05:38, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- For the sake of consistency, when using macrons to indicate long vowels, we should also write requiēscat, pāce, lūce, prīmā and expergēfactus. ‑‑Lambiam 19:56, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- Well, fair enough, but I don't think any of those uses are distinctive, whereas laete could be read as "O joyful one", though maybe not in that sentence position. --Trovatore (talk) 22:02, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- I'll have a laete, no spumae. Clarityfiend (talk) 01:11, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
- Macron? The only one of those I know is in the Elysée. DuncanHill (talk) 01:27, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
- I'll have a laete, no spumae. Clarityfiend (talk) 01:11, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
- Well, fair enough, but I don't think any of those uses are distinctive, whereas laete could be read as "O joyful one", though maybe not in that sentence position. --Trovatore (talk) 22:02, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- For the sake of consistency, when using macrons to indicate long vowels, we should also write requiēscat, pāce, lūce, prīmā and expergēfactus. ‑‑Lambiam 19:56, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- After a little searching, laetē with the macron maybe. --Trovatore (talk) 05:38, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
- Perhaps laete? ‑‑Lambiam 03:58, 13 June 2026 (UTC)
Units in Puerto Rico
[edit]Are metric units ever used in normal life in Puerto Rico? Puerto Rico is a US territory, but it is more similar to Latin America than to US, so has it ever had any metrication like other Latin American countries? I have not seen a single measurement in any Puerto Rico-related article with metric units first. --40bus (talk) 21:48, 12 June 2026 (UTC)
June 14
[edit]What MIDI software does the DEMO.MID file come from?
[edit]Good morning! I found this file titled DEMO.MID on the Olidata recovery CD-ROM for Windows ME, but I'm not sure which famous MIDI software from the '90s it came from... Could you help me? Thanks! DanielParoliere (talk) 09:04, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
- It is difficult to identify without knowing the full directory path. Many audio card and chipset drivers at that time came with some form of a demo audio file. MIDI was a common format because it is tiny. So, the first step is to identify which organization created the MIDI file (which driver is it bundled with) and then see if it is possible to identify that organization's favorite MIDI program. Alternately, if you can access the actual file, it may have embedded clues in the text. ~2026-35239-54 (talk) 11:52, 16 June 2026 (UTC)
- You could try using DiscMaster to search the Internet Archive's collection of CD images. Searching by file size is probably a good way to start, as you're looking for exact matches to the file you've got. (I did try looking through all the files called "demo.mid" that were about the same duration as your video, but didn't find anything that sounded the same.) Adam Sampson (talk) 20:43, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
June 16
[edit]Metric person’s height
[edit]In English-speaking countries that measure it in metric units, is person’s height usually measured in centimetres (like 175 cm), or in metres (like 1.75 cm)? In Finland, centimetres is the most common, but in English Wikipedia, I have almost never seen this format. -- 40bus
- [I assume you mean 1.75 METERS aka metres]. Anecdotally, I've mostly seen it rendered in centimeters, not meters. But there's no reason it couldn't be. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:20, 16 June 2026 (UTC)
- No, it's metres and centimetres in countries that actually use the units. But to answer the question, here in Australia it seems to have become normal for heights to be in centimetres. That's what hospitals do. HiLo48 (talk) 00:20, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- (And parenthetically, we spell it 'metres' to distinguish it from the measuring instruments called 'meters'. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-27434-43 (talk) 02:04, 17 June 2026 (UTC))
- "Centimeter, also centimetre."[3] ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 03:17, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- HiLo's point above is that Anglophone countries that fully use the metric system (Canada, Australia etc) tend to use the British and Commonwealth spelling "metre" (from the original French), rather than the American spelling "meter", but I take your point too, 1.75cm is rather small for a person's height. Alansplodge (talk) 12:50, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- In the UK, which is officially metric with some major exceptions (and a lot of unofficial ones), our National Health Service uses the format 1.75m rather than 175cm. Alansplodge (talk) 13:00, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- HiLo's point above is that Anglophone countries that fully use the metric system (Canada, Australia etc) tend to use the British and Commonwealth spelling "metre" (from the original French), rather than the American spelling "meter", but I take your point too, 1.75cm is rather small for a person's height. Alansplodge (talk) 12:50, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- "Centimeter, also centimetre."[3] ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 03:17, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- The UK's National Health Service (NHS) BMI index uses stone as the unit of weight and metre as the unit of height. Stanleykswong (talk) 18:05, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- That is not the result I get from the site. It first asks your height in cm, with an option to switch to ft and in, then weight in kilos, with an option to switch to st and lb. DuncanHill (talk) 20:08, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- https://best.barnsleyccg.nhs.uk/media/dosjkmdx/bmichart.pdf
- I don't know when they changed it. But the PDF files on their website still use metres and stones as units of measurement. Stanleykswong (talk) 21:01, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
- Until fairly recently, British bathroom scales used stones as the primary unit.[4][5] The change may have been occasioned by electronic scales with only metric weight units becoming the more common type. ‑‑Lambiam 04:59, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- Aaaargh! www.nhs.uk - Calculate your body mass index (BMI) for adults says:
- "The BMI is calculated by dividing an adult's weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. For example, if you weigh 70kg (around 11 stone) and are 1.70m (around 5 foot 7 inches) tall, you work out your BMI by: 1. squaring your height in metres: 1.70 x 1.70 = 2.89 2. dividing your weight in kilograms: 70 ÷ 2.89 = 24.22".
- Seems as though they use either metres or centimetres randomly; a proper British muddle. Alansplodge (talk) 12:29, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- Along with criticizing Americans for not using metrics, while continuing to use stone as a weight, which is not used in America except as a joke. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 12:44, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- My council still uses rods as units of measurement for my allotment. I was told that this has remained unchanged since 1607. Stanleykswong (talk) 13:08, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- Well, 4 rods mark the distance between the two wickets in cricket. Or, if you prefer, one-tenth of a furlong. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:50, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- I think the use of rods in allotments is statutory. And anyway, it's a useful measure, fitting neatly into an acre and ten being enough for a small family to feed itself. DuncanHill (talk) 14:48, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- Absolutely. 43,560 square feet sounds like a weird measurement for an acre, until one realizes it's 160 square rods. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 16:00, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- I think the use of rods in allotments is statutory. And anyway, it's a useful measure, fitting neatly into an acre and ten being enough for a small family to feed itself. DuncanHill (talk) 14:48, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- Well, 4 rods mark the distance between the two wickets in cricket. Or, if you prefer, one-tenth of a furlong. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:50, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- My council still uses rods as units of measurement for my allotment. I was told that this has remained unchanged since 1607. Stanleykswong (talk) 13:08, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- That's a reasonable use of meters, because of the square. If centimeters were used, after squaring you'd get four extra zeroes and then you'd have to divide by your weight in centigrams. Or I suppose continue with kilos, but your BMI would be 242,200. Card Zero (talk) ※ 14:40, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- The BMI formula is due to a Belgian statistician, Adolphe Quetelet, who considered the "ratio of weight to the stature", measuring these in metres and kilograms.[6] The earlier term "Quetelet's index" is still in use.[7] ‑‑Lambiam 07:13, 19 June 2026 (UTC)
- Along with criticizing Americans for not using metrics, while continuing to use stone as a weight, which is not used in America except as a joke. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 12:44, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- To date, many electronic bathroom scales sold in the UK have a button that allows you to select kilograms (kg), stone (st), or pound (lb) as the display unit. Stanleykswong (talk) 07:23, 19 June 2026 (UTC)
- Things are slowly moving in towards full metrication in Britain; my Cub Scouts (8-10 year olds) only know their height and weight in metric units. Alansplodge (talk) 19:47, 19 June 2026 (UTC)
- After thirty years of effort, it is perfectly reasonable for children to become accustomed to using metric units. Since 1995, all pre-packaged goods must be labeled using metric units. Imperial units can only be used as "supplementary information" and must be less prominent than metric units.
- Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/choice-on-units-of-measurement-markings-and-sales/outcome/choice-on-units-of-measurement-guidance-on-markings-and-sales Stanleykswong (talk) 07:56, 20 June 2026 (UTC)
- And the indoctrination continues. It reminds me of this Mark Twain quote: "It is un-English! It is un-American! It is French!" ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 08:50, 20 June 2026 (UTC)
- The British government officially launched the process of phasing out imperial units of measurement in 1965. However, the relevant legislation was enacted much later. So, for the imperial measurement system, this statement becomes: It is British; it is American; it is un-French; it is un-European.
- I believe part of the reason lies in the difference in thinking, which in turn stems from the difference in legal systems. Compared to our common law system, the civil law system did not develop gradually through case law, so they are not accustomed to lengthy discussions when implementing new rules. Stanleykswong (talk) 09:17, 21 June 2026 (UTC)
- Only thirty years? I remember having sets of weights in my primary school classrooms for both imperial (16x1oz weights = 1lb weight) and metric (10x100gm weights = 1kg weight), and this was in the late 60s/early 70s. Of course, at that stage we did not distinguish weight from mass. I have grown up with the innate UK freedom to use whichever scheme of measurements appears to me to be most convenient; often that involves using my span, which is approximately 8"/20cm. -- Verbarson talkedits 16:43, 20 June 2026 (UTC)
- Yes, only thirty years. By law, from October 1, 1995, all pre-packaged goods must use the metric system as the primary unit of measurement. That was 30 years ago. Subsequently, from January 1, 2000, all shops in the UK were also legally required to use the metric system as the primary unit of measurement for bulk goods. Before the law came into effect, some schools might have taught metric units along with imperial units, but I believe this was voluntary (or at least not mandatory). Stanleykswong (talk) 08:48, 21 June 2026 (UTC)
- I suspect, having completed UK Secondary school in the 1970s, that pretty well all UK schools taught the metric system even then, in the context of Science lessons. While metric units were not used (much) or evident in everyday life, I think many Brits were aware of them and knew roughly what metres and kilos were (rulers, for example, routinely had one edge of 4 graduated in cm), but didn't habitually use or think in them (or about them).
- (Speaking personally, I sometimes used cm and mm in my school days when I wanted to make small, precise length measurements.) {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-27434-43 (talk) 15:18, 21 June 2026 (UTC)
- Yes, only thirty years. By law, from October 1, 1995, all pre-packaged goods must use the metric system as the primary unit of measurement. That was 30 years ago. Subsequently, from January 1, 2000, all shops in the UK were also legally required to use the metric system as the primary unit of measurement for bulk goods. Before the law came into effect, some schools might have taught metric units along with imperial units, but I believe this was voluntary (or at least not mandatory). Stanleykswong (talk) 08:48, 21 June 2026 (UTC)
- And the indoctrination continues. It reminds me of this Mark Twain quote: "It is un-English! It is un-American! It is French!" ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 08:50, 20 June 2026 (UTC)
- Things are slowly moving in towards full metrication in Britain; my Cub Scouts (8-10 year olds) only know their height and weight in metric units. Alansplodge (talk) 19:47, 19 June 2026 (UTC)
- Until fairly recently, British bathroom scales used stones as the primary unit.[4][5] The change may have been occasioned by electronic scales with only metric weight units becoming the more common type. ‑‑Lambiam 04:59, 18 June 2026 (UTC)
- That is not the result I get from the site. It first asks your height in cm, with an option to switch to ft and in, then weight in kilos, with an option to switch to st and lb. DuncanHill (talk) 20:08, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
June 22
[edit]Wikipedia in the early years
[edit]I'd be curious to know how many editors were active on Wikipedia in the first era of its existence and how many of those editors are still active today. Are most of them still around or most of them long gone? How about editors that made over 10,000 edits and admins back then? Are most of them still around or inactive? For the purposes of this question, I am defining the first era as the period between 2001 and 2006. Also, what was the process of becoming an administrator in that same time period? I know what the process is now, but what was it like back then to become one? Was it easier or more difficult compared to now? Interstellarity (talk) 18:45, 22 June 2026 (UTC)
- For answers to some of these questions - see Wikipedia:Statistics and https://stats.wikimedia.org Nanonic (talk) 18:57, 22 June 2026 (UTC)
- It was much easier to become an admin back then. Just look at Wikipedia:RFA by month or read old RfAs (mine is here). In particular, it was not hard for dedicated vandal fighters to become admins without any content creation. As to how many of us "early" Wikipedians (I made my first edit in 2004 when Wikipedia was almost four years old, so it did not feel "early" back then) still edit: many have stopped editing, some have died, but hundreds of the old admins are still editing. —Kusma (talk) 19:14, 22 June 2026 (UTC)
- I have been editing fairly steadfastly from multiple Library, Workplace, 'Job Club' and Home PCs since 2002 (if not 2001), but have always deliberately remained an account-less IP (and now TA) user, so I will not figure in any recorded statistics. I can remember at least one other regular editor from that time who is also still active, but will not name them, since it's their choice whether or not to respond to this thread. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-27434-43 (talk) 02:31, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- 87.81.230.195, I've seen you around the 'pedia before. I'm curious; how long did you edit using the IP address you identify yourself by? And why do you choose not to have an account? Thanks. In solidarity, 🏳️🌈JohnLaurens333 (They/them • Talk • Contribs) 02:52, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- You can check it out in contributions by 87.81.230.195. :) ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 03:58, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- What Bugs said. That was my fixed home IP until my ISP was taken over by another, who switched to semi-dynamic IPs.
- Having overcommitted to diverse different interests early in my life, I long ago adopted a policy of joining or signing up to as few things as possible, online or off.
- I'm comfortable with only doing things on Wikipedia that don't require an account, and having one would be a psychological commitment on my part to doing more, and doing tasks that interest me less (because that's how my brain works). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-27434-43 (talk) 19:47, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- 87.81.230.195, I've seen you around the 'pedia before. I'm curious; how long did you edit using the IP address you identify yourself by? And why do you choose not to have an account? Thanks. In solidarity, 🏳️🌈JohnLaurens333 (They/them • Talk • Contribs) 02:52, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- 2006 is in the "first era"? I thought I came in in the middle. Clarityfiend (talk) 05:11, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- This is really for a different thread, but while we're here... I'm more interested in long-standing Ref Desk editors who are still posting. I started posting on the ref desk in 2006, firstly under another username. I think @JackofOz: was around at that time as well. Most other RD editors from that time seem to have fallen by the wayside. Who else is still around? --Viennese Waltz 08:57, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- Yes, I've been around since December 2003. I think I chanced upon the ref desks around mid-2004. I could check if you need details. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 11:37, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- Thanks Jack. I don't need details, I would just be interested to know if any RD editors you remember from the mid-2000s are still posting here. --Viennese Waltz 12:04, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- Wasn't there a database truncation around 2004? I remember something about it, but I'm basing the year on personal events that seem to align with 2004. Point being: User edits might stop in 2004 and not go back further. ~2026-35239-54 (talk) 14:58, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- I remember reading about that too, some years after the fact. I had thought it was more like 2005, but yes, somehow the oldest data got whacked. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:16, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- Yes, I've been around since December 2003. I think I chanced upon the ref desks around mid-2004. I could check if you need details. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 11:37, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- I've had a look at Category:Wikipedians who contribute to the reference desk. Most of those editors do not contribute any more. My memory says that the following have been around for many years, but I can't say how far back they go: User:Alansplodge, User:DuncanHill, User:Sluzzelin, User:Trovatore, User:Lambiam, User:Baseball Bugs. Some who were around when I came on board, like User:SteveBaker and User:Jayron32, have gone on a break and never come back. Maybe they're just biding their time. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 21:47, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- I think my first question was in 2007. I'd had an account for about a year before that, but presumably hadn't found the desks until then. DuncanHill (talk) 21:57, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- I hope Jayron's all right. DuncanHill (talk) 23:01, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
I see Steve on Quora from time to time. Personally I joined in mid-2005. I remember when there wasn't a math refdesk, and it got added. (It used to be a lot more interesting than it is now. The attempts to get rid of the refdesks failed, but they got people into a rule-following state of mind that made them, in my opinion, less valuable than they used to be.) --Trovatore (talk) 22:01, 23 June 2026 (UTC)- Here are a few definite results.
- TakuyaMurata contributed to the reference desk as early as 11 March 2003 (as a questioner) and as recently as 20 June 2026 (as a respondent).
- Jpgordon contributed to the reference desk as early as 30 September 2004 and as recently as 13 June 2026.
- Shantavira contributed to the reference desk as early as 11 December 2004 (as a questioner) and as recently as 10 June 2026 (as a respondent).
- Trovatore contributed to the reference desk as early as 30 November 2005 (as a questioner) and as recently as 23 June 2026 (as a respondent).
- The esteemed editor known to Wikipedians as Jack of Oz kicked of his ref desk career on 15 October 2004 with a question.
- My first ref desk posting is only from 26 April 2006, also as a questioner. ‑‑Lambiam 22:05, 23 June 2026 (UTC)
- I've had a look at Category:Wikipedians who contribute to the reference desk. Most of those editors do not contribute any more. My memory says that the following have been around for many years, but I can't say how far back they go: User:Alansplodge, User:DuncanHill, User:Sluzzelin, User:Trovatore, User:Lambiam, User:Baseball Bugs. Some who were around when I came on board, like User:SteveBaker and User:Jayron32, have gone on a break and never come back. Maybe they're just biding their time. -- Jack of Oz [pleasantries] 21:47, 23 June 2026 (UTC)