User talk:Tom walker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Welcome!

Hello, Tom walker, 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:

• The Five Pillars of Wikipedia
• How to edit a page
• Editing, policy, conduct, and structure tutorial
• Picture tutorial
• How to write a great article
• Naming conventions
• Manual of Style
• Merging, redirecting, and renaming pages
• If you're ready for the complete list of Wikipedia documentation, there's also Wikipedia:Topical index.

I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! By the way, please be sure to sign your name on Talk and vote pages using four tildes (~~~~) to produce your name and the current date, or three tildes (~~~) for just your name. If you have any questions, see the help pages, add a question to the village pump or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! Shimgray 13:38, 12 August 2005 (UTC)

Contents 1 Same-sex marriage in the UK 2 Your RfA 3 Your RFA 4 Welcome! 5 Template:User monty python 6 Bow Brickhill railway station 7 The Hub:MK 8 My userpage is semiprotected 9 August 2006 Firefly Newsletter 10 MK expansion 11 Xscape 12 Varsity Line 13 Barnstar 14 TWINE 15 V8 Marlborough Street 16 Minor

[edit] Same-sex marriage in the UK

Regarding your comment on Image talk:Laws on homosexuality.PNG: the United Kingdom does not have same-sex marriage. The law that recently came into effect in the UK allowed for Civil partnerships. NoIdeaNick 00:32, 19 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Your RfA

Hi there,

I placed a comment on your recently-posted Request for Adminship, suggesting that you withdraw the request until you have some more editing experience here. Rather than just leave it at that, I thought I should explain what I mean in some more detail:

Most people that regularly vote on RfAs have some criteria that they like to see in candidates before they decide to support them, such as: that the candidate has made a certain number of edits, that they have experience that would help them as an admin, and so on. The bottom line is that people need to feel comfortable that a user needs the administrator tools, and that they wouldn't misuse them (as an innocent mistake, or out of malice). Unfortunately, while your editing record is a good one, most users are very demanding about RfA candidates.

If you wish to run in a successful RfA there are a few activities you can take part in that - aside from being pretty fun - will help build up a basic level of trust and familiarity with other users. Here are a few good ones:

1. Consider joining a WikiProject, and take part in improving the articles that fall under its scope. WikiProjects are a pretty good way to get involved in editing regularly, if you'd like to make more contributions to articles.
2. Join in Recent Changes/Newpages Patrolling. It is pretty monotonous work, but is extremely useful for learning how Wikipedia works behind the scenes. They also demonstrate a committment to fighting vandalism, which is often a determining factor in gaining others' trust.
3. Use edit summaries for each and every edit you make. It may not seem like much, but edit summaries make like much easier for everybody. It's not a big thing, but it is very helpful.

Don't be disheartened if you decide to withdraw, or if your request doesn't succeed. You're welcome to make another Request for Adminship at any time in the future, and your new request will be viewed as totally separate to the previous one - some users will take the second self-nomination as a mark of enthusiasm, and factor that into their vote. I look forward to seeing more of you in the future. If you have any questions, or want to talk to someone about anything, please don't hesitate to leave a message at my talk page.

Cheers, and good luck in the future. --RandyWang (^raves/_rants) 08:43, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Hi again. I have some answers for you, since you asked so nicely. :)

1. To join a WikiProject, all you really need to do is start participating in it - there's no formal requirement, really. For instance, to join WikiProject Television, you just have to start editing the pages they suggest (there's usually a todo list on the WikiProject's discussion page, such as the TV one here. If you want to become a committed member of the project, and for people to recognise that, there's generally some way to add yourself to a list of users in the project - using the Television example above, you just have to add yourself to the list at Wikipedia:WikiProject_Television, and optionally place the userbox on your user page.
2. I suggest that you put off any future RfA until at least 3-4 months from now, mainly because anything less is usually to little time for other users to be confident that you've addressed their previous reservations. Of course, it's certainly possible to succeed within two months or less of an unsuccessful RfA, but it's much harder to do so. If you're really determined, you'd might even consider requesting an Editor review, where other users are invited to critique your contributions and suggest ways in which you could improve. Alternatively, you could join the long, long line for Esperanza's Admin coaching program, although you'll have to be patient with that. There's quite a backlog: I've been in line for weeks, with no end in sight! :)

Anyway, feel free to ask any other questions you may have, and good luck in the future. RandyWang (^raves/_rants) 09:03, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Your RFA

There are periods during which you have not been on for one or more weeks. For example, the most recent example is your absence from June 5-30. While I sympathize with your desire to do more, you need to be active far more regularly. Administrators are also expected to make much larger contributions than several posts per day-it's a large job. You have fewer than 500 posts, and that is what many administrators achieve during one week performing administrative duties. I don't see how you would be able to do that as of now. I would recommend withdrawing and being far more involved in the future, submitting your name once more after an extended period. Michael 09:22, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

To withdraw, go to the RfA page and delete your nomination and the votes. That should remove mnetion of it, and you'll be able to start out fresh and re-submit your name in the future. Michael 09:31, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Dear Tom, in fact, since it's useful and common practice to keep an archive of closed RfAs, the appropriate course of action is to strike your original acceptance and explicitly state your desire to withdraw your nomination. That page will be preserved as a record, and whenever you see fit to re-submit yourself, you can created a bew RfA page with a #2 extension. In the current circumstances, the history of the existing page will still be displayed and the issue may be brought up against you at a new nomination. I suggest you to restore the text and state your desire to withdraw; I'll archive the page if you need. We can talk later about my modest advices on how to eventually submit yourself for adminship, if you wish, k? Cheers, Phaedriel ♥ The Wiki Soundtrack!♪ - 09:54, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

I was one of the people who suggested that Tom withdraw his nomination (mostly due to the WP:SNOW effect with no change in sight) but I feel the need to disagree on two points. First, I believe that he should be able to blank this RFA page if he wants to, although there is probably some sort of precedent which does not allow that to happen. Second, I think the wording "the history of the existing page will still be displayed and the issue may be brought up against you at a new nomination" is just a bit too harsh and over the top. Used against him? For wanting to contribute more of his own spare time to a non-profit organization? Come on. Silensor 17:04, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Dear Silensor, I feel you are misunderstanding me, or maybe I was unable to explain myself properly. Regarding the first point, it is my belief that every RfA process which has received at least one vote makes a valid process, regardless of its outcome, and as such it must be archived and preserved. Some time ago I was talking about this with NoSeptember, who also informed me that the sole circumstance in which the deletion of a RfA page can be considered in order to start anew is in the event that no votes have been posted and for whatever reason the process has been halted before getting any.

But I mostly wish to address your second concern. You're making it sound as if I was threatening Tom, which is exactly the opposite of my intention. I merely wanted him to leave the best image he could at this closed RfA process regarding a possible new nomination in the future. Haven't you ever seen a second nomination getting comments like "why has the nominee not mentioned he was nominated x time ago?" Both you and I know that reasons to oppose are very numerous, and seeing the opinions that are currently being expressed at RfA, a comment like "Oppose, the candidate blanked this page on his previous nomination (see this page history) - this looks like he was trying to silence the oppose votes he was getting back then", unfortunately wouldn't surprise me in the least - some people seem to oppose for less these days, don't you think?

This being said, I believe Tom is on the right track; and should he continue on this path, most likely I will support his nomination when the time comes. I'm sorry about the length of this reply, but I really wanted to clarify my point. The last thing I'd ever, ever want to transmit is that I'm biting a newcomer - on the contrary, he has my wholehearted will to help him in whatever he may need. Warm regards, Phaedriel ♥ The Wiki Soundtrack!♪ - 12:52, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

Thank you both for your concern - once I have built up my editing backlog a bit more and taken part in the Wikiproject I recently joined more (without computer failure striking again) I will re-run my RfA with a little more going for me. In the time before and during that (which will probably be a couple of months) I will welcome if not need the help Phaedriel is kindly offering me in order to be more ready and maybe even successful. Thanks once more, as for the page, I will leave it in place so that when I do run a second RfA I won't get someone going "ang on he's done one already and 'asnt told anyone". I will make it clear at the time that that is my second attempt also. Tom walker 14:03 GMT 23 July 2006.

[edit] Welcome!

[edit] Template:User monty python

Template:User monty python has been replaced with User:UBX/Monty Python, please see the new template which is much more versitile.
—Lady Aleena talk/contribs 08:18, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bow Brickhill railway station

You've been doing some great edits. But I think maybe you forgot to finish this sentence? "Up until 2004 Bow Brickhill was unique on the line for having staggered platforms. The purpose of this is so that road traffic on the level crossing is not held up by trains standing still in the platform. However recently a number of other stations including Aspley Guise." What about them? --Concrete Cowboy 12:25, 25 July 2006 (UTC

Oops!! That's a little embarrasing. I have now completed the line, thanks for pointing that out. Tom Walker 14:23 GMT 25 July 2006

[edit] The Hub:MK

really isn't notable enough to have its own article. I've merged it into Central Milton Keynes. --Concrete Cowboy 17:13, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] My userpage is semiprotected

Hello, your username seems familiar. Anyway, I have noticed that you proclaim on your userpage that all attempts to vandalised it will result in the user's ip adress being reported. However, if you do not allow new or anon users editing your userpage, you can request you userpage to be semiprotected here. What do you think? Myrtone (☏) 09:31, 6 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] August 2006 Firefly Newsletter

The August 2006 issue of the Firefly WikiProject newsletter has been published. You may read the newsletter, change the format in which future issues will be delivered to you, or unsubscribe from this notification by following the link. Thank you. plange 01:25, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] MK expansion

It would be great if you could give the whole article a good spring-clean. I wrote it with the info available at the time but the final strategy has invalidated a lot of what I wrote. It really needs a re-write based on the formal strategy. --Concrete Cowboy 10:43, 13 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Xscape

I think we should call it Xscape (building) and change the current Xscape article into a disambig. This is the style used for all other articles. It also leaves open the option to have an Xscape (company) article if something dramatic happens. I'll do that. --Concrete Cowboy 16:42, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Varsity Line

What's a "binliner freight train"? See talk:Varsity Line. --Concrete Cowboy 12:10, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Barnstar

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		This is a barnstar for all your work on stations, trains and other articles, well done LordHarris 19:07, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] TWINE

Hi mate. Sorry about the message its just initally I saw the page history and saw on the changes that you said cutting down these already exist eleswhere so you can see why I thought this. ON looking at the merged articles I can see now that no changes have been made. Thankyou. It's just that I but quite a bit of work into merging them and drawing up the main henchman page so you can see why I don't want my work deleted. I think they look a lot better on the same page because they put them in the film context rather than isolated stubs. Forgive me for my haste!. Ernst Stavro Blofeld 17:45, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] V8 Marlborough Street

Thanks for cleaning up, is my first attempted new article not to be deleted! Probably because I copy, pasted, and edited your V6 Grafton Street article. I was amazed to still see it the next morning!

Could other grid roads be done? Are there any that shouldn't be done?

OK, I was assuming standing, monks, tongwell, portway would be done because they have the A road status. Maybe have a section on the A road's article specifically about it. Maybe chaffron as well?

Ok. Gonna do V8 roundabouts first.

Done. Dont have time to start another article at the moment, need to do homework.

Started H4 Dansteed Way atricle, what do you think?

Heh, delete an article you suggested do. And, whaat harm is it doing by being there? Im not angry, just interested. Tractakid 10:40, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

Tractakid 21:05, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Minor

I am just puttin Category:Milton Keynes Road network for speedy renaming. Simply south 16:20, 12 March 2007 (UTC)