Karpinski

Richard H. Karpinski 1941-2015

Ideas to make Wikipedia even better

Let's improve access to knowledge.

• Make links more self explanatory.
• Add folksy commentary about each link.
• Add "portion and outline" in rollover message.

Let's make these pages more informative.

• Add more metadata for context and meaning.
• Make more associations conveniently available.
• Add conventional sections to discussion/talk/meta pages
  • Checklists, current projects, open questions

Let's notice what people do.

• Edit the wrong page.
• Choose confusing words.
• Choose clumsy constructions.

• Let's give the best result we can arrange.
  • Provide checklists.
  • Provide automated review on request.
  • Provide convenient appropriate next step choices.

Basic Questions

Are any of these good goals? Leave a note here.

• Inviting YOU to make notes here.
• How could you tell if a goal is good?
• What goals do these people share?

Where are Wikipedia goals discussed?

• Is there a Mission Statement for Wikipedia?
• How are policies evaluated?
• How are policies enforced?

Where are Wikipedia practices or Wikipedia best practices discussed?

• What constitutes going too far?
• What belongs elsewhere?
• What questions do we avoid asking?
• What forms of information do we encourage?
• How introspective and self referential should Wikipedia be?

What are the popular generic questions?

• Statistics of page popularity are easy to gather.
• Establish a question category and generic sub-category.
• What words and meanings are popular in links from here?
• What kinds of searches are convenient and useful?
• What searches were popular recently?

What are good goals in general?

• What could anyone possibly put on this page?
• How good is each goal why?
• What is the utility of good goals?

Are there good patterns for improvement?

• What have people suggested?
• What have people tried?
• Ehat have people evaluated?

Other peoples notes

Dick Karpinski - - - - Leave notes here, if you like.

Personal data

My current project:

• Make cell phones that are easy to learn and use.

My current interests:

• Wikis everywhere.
• Understanding current politics.
• Advancing science.
• Advancing technologies.
• Improving efficiency.
• Improving educational opportunities.
• Having fun every hour. (Not necessarily ON the hour.)
• Having great sex. (Not necessarily ON the hour.)
• Being generically provocative.

My open questions

Any comments?

A welcome from Sputnik

Hi, Karpinski, Welcome to Wikipedia!

I'm Sputnik. I noticed that you were new and/or have yet to receive any messages so I just thought I'd pop in to say "hello". We're glad to have you in our community! I hope you like this place — I sure do — and want to stay. Wikipedia can be a little intimidating at first, since it's so big but we won't bite so Be Bold and get what you know down in microchips! If you do make a mistake, that's fine, we'll assume good faith and just correct you: it'll take a few seconds maximum! Here, however, are a few links to get you started:

• If you haven't already, drop by the New user log and tell others a bit about yourself.
• Always sign your posts on talk pages! That way, others will know who left which comments.
• The Five Pillars of Wikipedia
• Simplified Ruleset
• How to edit a page
• Editing, policy, conduct, and structure tutorial
• Picture tutorial
• How to write a great article
• Naming conventions
• Manual of Style
• Wikipedia Glossary

---

Additional tips

Here's some extra tips to help you get around in the 'pedia!

• I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Though we all make goofy mistakes, here is what Wikipedia is not. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to see the help pages or add a question to the village pump. The Community Portal can also be very useful.
• If you want to play around with your new Wiki skills the Sandbox is for you.
• You can sign your name using three tildes (~). If you use four, you can add a datestamp too.
• You may want to add yourself to the new user log.
• If you ever think a page or image should be deleted, please list it at the votes for deletion page. There is also a votes for undeletion page if you want to retrieve something that you think should not have been deleted.
• If you're still entirely confused, or would like to get a better grasp of your wikipedia skills, and you have an IRC client (or don't mind getting one), check out the Bootcamp. It's not what it sounds like, but it is fun and can help you with your editing skills.
• If you're bored and want to find something to do, try the Random page button in the sidebar, or check out the Open Task message in the Community Portal.
  • P.S. Feel free to leave a message on my talk page if you need help with anything or simply wish to say hello. :)

Happy Wiki-ing.

- Sputnik