User talk:RickScully

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Welcome!

Hello, RickScully, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Where to ask a question, ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome! 

[edit] Explanation of my comment in VfD

No, no, no, you're welcome, in Wikipedia in general and VfD in particular. And thanks for pointing out her books, which I added to the article. [[Wikipedia:Be bold|Be bold!}}

Let me explain about "sockpuppets."

VfD is not really a vote. The decision is made by whatever sysop chooses to act on the discussion. The sysop evaluates "rough consensus." A common guideline is a two-thirds vote.

Anyone can create an account on Wikipedia at any time. Anyone can create any number of accounts on Wikipedia, with different user names. People who are new to Wikipedia and whose article is in danger of deletion often get the bright idea of creating many accounts and casting many "votes."

Multiple identities created to giving the appearance of many users supporting an opinion are called "sockpuppets."

It is very difficult to prove that anyone is a sockpuppet. However, there are a number of indicators that are usually regarded as being strong evidence of sockpuppetry.

Sysops normally discount votes that they think were probably cast by sockpuppets. It's customary for participants to point out evidence of sockpuppetry when they see it. When sockpuppetry is going on there is usually a lot of it. Furthermore, the sockpuppet remarks are often suspiciously concordant in style and content.

It's regarded as very suspicious when a user's first edit is to a VfD discussion. The assumption is that most people just read Wikipedia, and when they decide to create an account and edit something, it's very unlikely that the first thing they would happen upon would be a VfD discussion. So you'll often see remarks like this:

  • Keep, Jessamyn West is very famous!!!!!! Mr. Hosiery 19:49, 6 Apr 2005 (UTC)
    • Comment User's first edit. abcde
  • Keep, I was just reading about Jessamyn West today!!!!! Marionette
    • Comment User's first edit.

Your edit history is not that of a typical sockpuppet, nor is the style and substance of your comment. Nor does the entire VfD discussion have the "look" of rampant sockpuppetry.

My comment was badly phrased and directed at experienced Wikipedians. I was just suggesting that the sysop who decides what to do with the article may want to glance at your edit history before deciding how to weigh your vote.

I didn't mean to give any offense. Please feel free to continue to contribute, in VfD or elsewhere.

I have a problem myself with making chain edits. What you're supposed to do is use the "Show preview" button to preview your edit before using "save page," but somehow I always notice little problems only after I save the page. Dpbsmith (talk) 19:49, 6 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../r/i/c/User_talk%7ERickScully_2695.html"