User talk:Old Dickens

For discussion from the previous era, see Discworld & Pratchett Wiki:User talk:Old Dickens/Archive 1

(Here begins a new administration)

You should be able to delete users now by going to the users page and selecting the Delete tab from the dropdown in the upper right. --Osiris (talk) 18:24, 5 November 2012 (PST)

Kowabunga! --Old Dickens (talk) 18:29, 5 November 2012 (PST)...but I can't: I don't see the dropdown either in the User's page or in the User list. --Old Dickens (talk) 18:48, 5 November 2012 (PST)

Try Again. --Osiris (talk) 19:05, 5 November 2012 (PST)

Aha. --Old Dickens (talk) 14:40, 6 November 2012 (PST)

Interesting event

WikiShaper334 - I can't fathom this one out either.... on the face of it a legitimate entry, which is why the user remains, for now, unmerged. But the entry itself is fairly banal and unoriginal; the sort of thing that can be quickly deduced from a skimming of the rest of the article. The thought has occured to me that this could be a new tactic from somebody behind the spambots, to establish a legitimate presence here that will enable them to launch new spam attacks through the opening. Or am I being paranoid? I did a bit of Googling and atraffic shaper is apparently a person, or automated software, seeking to order traffic onto a website so as to manipulate data - one use is to bump preferred links up a search engine. "Link-shaping" or "link-blogging" specifically targets blogs and Wikis so as to insert links that push favoured sites up a search engine listing. And adding a number after the name.... could be coincidence. But how can we prove or rule this out for certain? AgProv (talk) 20:01, 3 February 2013 (GMT)

Of course we can't, just now. It's hard to believe an SEO parasite keen enough to go through that, but also hard to believe the username. Either we'll delete him when he gets down to business or he'll fade away. --Old Dickens (talk) 20:31, 3 February 2013 (GMT)

00:14 GMT. Is it me, or have we had no spammers since 17:21 - nearly nine hours ago. I don't like it, sergeant. It's far too quiet. They're up to something out there...AgProv (talk) 00:16, 4 February 2013 (GMT)

They will come in bunches, but then Osiris could be tinkering... --Old Dickens (talk) 00:21, 4 February 2013 (GMT)

(The next one arrived two hours later. --Old Dickens (talk) 02:07, 4 February 2013 (GMT))

I'm tinkering.... I put in a blacklist of words and phrases. For example, try to make an edit using that Justin guy's last name and you'll see it's not allowed. --Osiris (talk) 05:16, 4 February 2013 (GMT)

Is there a way to make it so that known users can use the blacklisted words/know what they are?--Zdm (talk) 06:01, 4 February 2013 (GMT)

when you hit one it tells you what it was. It's based upon this example though. $wgSpamRegex

Re: Johnny Maxwell

Oh, sorry. Should I get rid of it? Drakon467 (talk) 16:57, 13 May 2013 (GMT)

I did already. Twice, actually. --Old Dickens (talk) 21:33, 13 May 2013 (GMT)

I've replaced it with a less guesswork-dependant one. Is it okay this time? Drakon467 (talk) 18:39, 2 July 2013 (GMT)

Thanks. Rest assured, Yo-less definitely did say it. Of course, this being a Terry Pratchett book, it lost under accusations of Satanism and how Yo-less's mother wouldn't approve. Drakon467 (talk) 05:37, 3 July 2013 (GMT)

Junk page

Apologies if there is a better place for this, but this seems a bit out of place. Girls Dont Abide By The Rules. I did try blanking it, but alas I can't make it disappear. Aldibibable (talk) 22:53, 31 May 2013 (GMT)

Create page permissions

There seems to be an issue with permissions regarding creating pages as I don't seem to have that option today. Yesterday I had the option but not today. Is there an issue with permissions? Is it just me being a newbie here or are there times when things work only when they feel like it? It seems quite sporadic and most peculiar. --CelticWanderer  ^{talk | contribs | email} 22:48, 8 June 2013 (GMT)

I've also had trouble with permissions for the last few days, as I mentioned in the Mended Drum. Have you tried going back and trying again? I've found that the error messages aren't necessarily final. Otherwise you'd have to ask the man behind the curtain. --Old Dickens (talk) 23:28, 8 June 2013 (GMT)

I noticed your comment the other day. Yes, I have tried several times but with no luck. When trying to create an additional user subpage I get the generic response:

There is currently no text in this page. You can search for this page title in other pages, or search the related logs, but you do not have permission to create this page.

Yesterday, it didn't say this. When trying to create a page in the main namespace there's no create page tab and I get the generic search response when there are no results:

There were no results matching the query.

A curious case that I hope is resolved soon. Out of curiosity what roles do the different admins serve on this site just so I know for future reference? --CelticWanderer  ^{talk | contribs | email} 23:44, 8 June 2013 (GMT)

Osiris is the owner/operator, I'm the Editor Quia Nemo Vult (housekeeper?) and AgProv has been the major content provider for many years. (Also, your sig really fills up the edit box!) --Old Dickens (talk) 00:56, 9 June 2013 (GMT)

Ok, thanks. I was curious as you are shown as the creator in the active user list. Regarding the signature, methinks that is a hint to change it. I actually still need to create another sig page for transclusion that should fix this but I still can't create new pages. If it doesn't work when the permissions are fixed I will change the signature if you prefer. --CelticWanderer  ^{talk | contribs | email} 08:34, 9 June 2013 (GMT)

Osiris changed the permissions for me so now everything seems to be working at the moment. Also, I have changed my signature, takes up less much space in the editor and made it less distracting. --CelticWanderer  ^{talk | contribs | email} 21:58, 9 June 2013 (GMT)

Mass Deletions - a double-edged sword

There's got to be a better way... I'm ashamed to say while I've deleted a thousand spam accounts, two legitimate users have been deleted in error too, in the last week. And in the last month three thousand spam accounts have been created and are yet to be dealt with. That error rate is just too high (I've left fulsome apologies where I hope they'll be seen. Wish I had their email addresses so I could apologise in person. are these stored anywhere?) While I've cleared out all the spam accounts beginning with "A" and a good few of the "B"'s - as well as routine demolition of new ones as they pop up - I'm now hideously aware that mistakes will inevitably happen and I do not want to make any more. So tonight I've just identified a few known legitimate users who still have to make an entry on their user pages and left temporary messages there, so they show up blue in the user list and are less likely to be deleted in error. but there has to be a better way around this. Otherwise I'd keep on zapping through the B's...

It ain't that bad, really. Sharlee figured it out immediately; if Aldibibable is also on Wikipedia he(?) is probably capable too. Generally, though, I'd rather prod Osiris (after a decent interval to recover from his shock) to execute his script to remove all the dormant accounts at computer speed. A problem with your valiant efforts at doing it manually is that the rest of us (especially me) can't see what else has happened in "Recent changes", even at 500 lines. --Old Dickens (talk) 01:37, 22 June 2013 (GMT)

List of Characters

Not done, just for the day. Can change back if need be, have saved original on my computer. Rictus

Finally...

Enjoy! I'll try not to post too many jaw-dropping spoilers.AgProv (talk) 23:10, 14 November 2013 (GMT)

User: Netterku, possible spammer

Please check out User:Netterku, as I suspect he may be a spammer who has got through the net. Inept, as it's in Indonesian, which I speak as fluently as Vimes speaks Dwarfish (in fact, Vimes is native fluent compared to me). But interesting, in that the spamming sems to be arranged differently and not to the old well-known pattern. If you agree, and the user has not responded to my yellow card warning, shall we block? AgProv (talk) 08:26, 25 November 2013 (GMT)

No need for discussion: I did. --Old Dickens (talk) 22:41, 25 November 2013 (GMT)

User:AgustinSnider‎;

User:AgustinSnider‎;Spambot? Noted this user made an account on 31st August but has only "introduced themself" now. The wording of the introduction is also horribly familiar, although the declared location checks out. But no actual spam, as yet? Shall I delete, or will you? AgProv (talk) 10:11, 6 December 2013 (GMT)

Yes, I seemed to remember the "Agustin" and the mismatched name and poor spelling are depressingly familiar, but I don't see actual grounds for merging. Inquire, if you like, but it can wait for an actual offence. --Old Dickens (talk) 14:42, 6 December 2013 (GMT)

offense committed. Goodbye! --Osiris (talk) 04:00, 9 December 2013 (GMT)

Good shot,sir! --Old Dickens (talk) 01:39, 10 December 2013 (GMT)

Mine's a Boy

Congratulations to you and your family. Mine's a boy and he's coming today! Don't expect to see me much for a while. --Osiris (talk) 12:14, 29 June 2014 (UTC)

Good on ya, mate (or more so the wife)! No, you'll be busy for a few years as I recall. I hope we can raise you in an emergency. --Old Dickens (talk) 13:53, 29 June 2014 (UTC)

BS, regarding your userpage post...

Old Dickens, thanks for the Independence Day wishes from this American. I'm hoping that recent developments in GB remind American rationalists not to take anything for granted re the man with Orange Hair.

On that note, a few days ago Rhianna Pratchett retweeted someone's suggestion to her that henceforth, in honor of Terry, Boris Johnson shall be known as "Bloody Stupid" Johnson. -- Moishe Rosenbaum (talk) 22:54, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

Hee Hee. I should have thought of that one myself. Good luck in November; we're at least as interested as the Mexicans here in the Great White North. --Old Dickens (talk) 00:43, 5 July 2016 (UTC)

Reply from new user Wonderful Fanny

Thank you, Old Dickens. I will learn to avoid becoming historical. I do not see how to remove a page, but Ramkin House may be deleted. Before adding the page, I did look for Ramkin House under the Locations page listed in the Navigation bar to the left, but I didn't see it there. I now know that this is not the same page as your footer category link Locations, where Ramkin Residence is clearly listed, and which I found much easier to use. The two different locations pages are confusing. Anyway, I have added a few points to Ramkin Residence, as you suggested. I also edited the Snuff section on ACCOoDD, to clarify.

Article on The Keep?

Hey, Old Dickens... hope you and Canada are doing well. I just reread (okay, re-listened-to) Monstrous Regiment, and I don’t see an article on The Keep in here. I’m ready to write something up, but first I want to be sure I’m not missing the article under a different title; and also to ask your opinion on what the title of that article should be. “The Keep”? “The Borogravian Keep”? “Keep”? Thanks! Moishe Rosenbaum (talk) 13:24, 30 July 2018 (UTC)

I see no article or even link to the Keep. An officer refers to it at one point as "Kneck Keep", which sounds useful although a redirect or two would be wanted in any case. A problem with audio books is bookmarking or searching or generally finding anything in particular. --Old Dickens (talk) 18:30, 30 July 2018 (UTC)

Hello!

Hello. I'm here for anti-vandalism work. Do you have the ability to make me an admin here? I'm pretty sure that you have bureaucrat privelleges. My main goal around here is to ensure that this wiki is what it should be, a user-made encyclopedia, and not a playground for vandals. --DCool1 (Talk to me!) 15:18, 22 July 2019 (UTC)

Novelpedia

Hello, Old Dickens! I am starting a new wiki project called Novelpedia. Novelpedia will become the largest encyclopedia in the world because there are more books in the world than of all Wikipedia articles. There are actually over 129,864,880 books, that means 129,864,880 articles. http://editthis.info/novelpedia. There will also be Terry Pratchett novels too. --Yoshi (Talk to me!) 10:39, 21 November 2019 (UTC)

Very ambitious, but still irrelevant here. --Old Dickens (talk) 16:01, 21 November 2019 (UTC)

Help!

I want to die. I have had too much for 20 years and I have had enough. It is my time to go. --Yoshi (Talk to me!) 14:31, 26 November 2019 (UTC)

Morporxit?

Terry would have Something to Say about current events, no doubt. But in his putative novel, one could rest assured that the Patrician would be hiding somewhere, and the reader knew he’d make BS Johnson look stupid while he calmly took power back. I don’t see Vetinari or anyone rescuing Britain. Or America, for that matter.  :-( Moishe Rosenbaum (talk) 21:59, 1 February 2020 (UTC)

No, I don't see any Vetinari there either. Stephen Fry, of course, should be in charge, but he's not even trying¹, it seems. Probably they'll have to rely on their older skill: muddling through. --Old Dickens (talk) 02:24, 2 February 2020 (UTC)

¹ _{Well, he can be very trying; another problem in politics.} --Old Dickens (talk) 03:22, 2 February 2020 (UTC)

The situation also calls for comment from our UK correspondent AgProv, but he hasn't been heard from for seven months: not dead, I see, but gone

Category pages to delete

Thanks for cleaning up those two categories. You may also want to delete the (currently 5) ones on Special:UnusedCategories. JesseW (talk) 03:28, 1 March 2020 (UTC)

Willing to help

Hi, Old Dickens... got your email. So, I'm happy to help out any way I can. You need another administrator, I'm willing to step up if you need me. I do look at recent changes most days; thing is, I'd need some help figuring out the details of the janitorial end of a wiki. I do edit wikipedia sporadically, but I'm not at all familiar with how blocking, moving pages, dealing with vandalism, etc. works. Willing to learn. Let me know what you think!Moishe Rosenbaum (talk) 00:59, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Hello Old Dickens, thank you very much for your offer. If you are still looking for people to help I would be glad to and willing to learn how to further edit the wiki environment. Looking forward to your reply. (Jagra (talk) 16:05, 22 January 2022 (UTC))

Haven't seen so much SEO for years!

Guess it's time for an upgrade :( --Osiris (talk) 03:28, 6 June 2024 (UTC)

Well the wiki is updated... wonder what's going on. I'm working on it --Osiris (talk) 15:29, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

Switched Captcha for the moment. --Osiris (talk) 16:29, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

I am a normal user attempting to edit.... --Osiris-normal (talk) 16:33, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

Let's hope. My gods, the last legitimate account created was in Dec '23! --Old Dickens (talk) 18:03, 10 June 2024 (UTC)
What if these SEO spammers start using AI? ? --Old Dickens (talk) 02:35, 11 June 2024 (UTC)

Hi, Old Dickens! I've been looking in a bunch recently, and you've nabbed the spammers pretty quickly. Looks like they're always in about 4-6pm my time. My question for you: The last few days there've been more accounts registered than you blocked. Makes sense - it doesn't look like the unblocked ones created anything. But then, I don't see the creation of the spam pages, either. I can only see them if I look at the deletion log. I just want to verify that I'll see the userpage spam in recent changes if it happens while you're away... or do I have to go somewhere else to see the spam? Thanks for being on top of these folks. And while I'm not nearly as fast as you, I'm on it if you take a few days off.  :-) Moishe Rosenbaum (talk) 15:46, 29 June 2024 (UTC)

They appear as any other page until someone deletes them. Times vary, but usually from the East Asian time zone. --Old Dickens (talk) 16:21, 29 June 2024 (UTC)