5 ms·

Thank you for writing this. Some years ago I served as a CTO for a major news media org. Google approached us and asked to implement some 'structured web' stu

by samat 6y ago

Thank you for writing this. Some years ago I served as a CTO for a major news media org. Google approached us and asked to implement some 'structured web' stuff on our pages, so I dug in and realised there is a mandatory field for a link to a book or movie reviewers personal page in wikipedia. So I've found out that one of the most notable Russian book reviewers does not have an wikipedia page. No big deal, I've created one with some very basic info and some links to prove she's 'notable enough'. What ensued shortly after is kafkaesque story of some entitled shitheads who have power because they know some local lingo and have unlimited time resources to waste. Luckily, someone poured too much time and effort and made that page 'standard wikipedia article about a person' with all those 'templates and boxes' and used the right lingo to defend it's notability. I swear I tried to do it myself and failed. I am not stupid, the wikipedia editing is just too complicated. Thanks for reading, a few years passed and apparently I still have not got it fully out of my system. That feeling of complete helplessness, when those bureaucrats are clearly toying with you and enjoying it. It sucks big time.

wnissen 6y ago
Do I ever feel this. I've created 50 Wikipedia pages and I still feel that way. I was attempting to midwife a good, but poorly formatted and sourced page, the "too much time and effort" you describe, and it still got shot down. The person in question has had three solo interviews published in national publications, a long performing career, even produced and starred in a TV show on a niche, but real, cable channel. That's not notable? Whereas every major league Bangladeshi cricketer is allowed a page? It's exhausting. And my Wikipedia account is old enough to vote. The only place you can make articles easily is when everyone involved is dead.

by samat 6y ago

wnissen 6y ago

Do I ever feel this. I've created 50 Wikipedia pages and I still feel that way. I was attempting to midwife a good, but poorly formatted and sourced page, the "too much time and effort" you describe, and it still got shot down. The person in question has had three solo interviews published in national publications, a long performing career, even produced and starred in a TV show on a niche, but real, cable channel. That's not notable? Whereas every major league Bangladeshi cricketer is allowed a page? It's exhausting. And my Wikipedia account is old enough to vote. The only place you can make articles easily is when everyone involved is dead.