Talk:Agent-Based Computational Economics

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Agent-Based Computational Economics (ACE) is now an active growing topic area. A Google search (5/1/2007) reveals 251,000 hits for this specific entry (see below). My ACE website happens to be the first entry that comes up under this search, because I have devoted an enormous amount of time to creating a useful resource portal for newcomers to ACE and to agent-based modeling (ABM) in general. Consequently, I would like to be able to point Wikipedia readers interested in learning more about this methodology to this resource site. The entire site is designed for self-study and use by long-distance learners. I am confused and disappointed that Wikipedia would choose to label a reference to such an educational site as "spammming".

Results 1 - 10 of about 251,000 for Agent-Based Computational Economics (5/1/07) Tesfatsion 02:49, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

Hi. If you had prepared correctly when entering the editor community at Wikipedia, you probably wouldn't be as confused as now. This entails a lot of reading about the do's and dont's, and many contributors have fallen at this hurdle.
First off, in your mind, please try to separate ACE as a topic or subject, and as an external project resource which you have been heavily involved in. The article cannot serve for both. That would be like saying "My website and the subject matter are one and the same" - your site can only be one example of the subject matter, surely?
Basically, your article may pass most Wikipedia guidelines on notability, I wouldn't particularly know. I have no argument there because that is not the issue. However, it is an absolute rule of Wikipedia, with regard to the already-mentioned (on your talk page) conflict of interest guidelines, that persons with a direct interest in the subject of an article should neither create nor edit it. It is deemed impossible for such actions to engender neutral point of view (NPOV) inclusions, another absolute imperative in Wiki articles.
For this reason alone, the article Agent-Based Computational Economics cannot exist in its current form. Other editors might be able to give it an NPOV makeover, but this would involve stripping it of all reference to ACE (your vested interest, I have to say), except if a valid external link were to be allowed within the article in the future. Considering that removal of your links from other articles has recently taken place due to conflict of interest or self-promotion concerns (spamming is perhaps too harsh a handle, on reflection) does not bode well in this direction.
None of this activity is meant in any way as a slur against your knowledge of the subject or personal integrity. The article contains a particular slant which makes it appear to be a vehicle for throughlinking to ACE (and it's also no reflection on the value or usefulness of your resource as an educational tool).
Wikipedia is not many things - it certainly does not exist to guide people to resources such as yours. Sometimes that could be a valid by-product when another properly NPOVed article has good reason to mention your resource within its page.
In closing my reply, I have to point out that you appear very proud of your creation at ACE, and probably rightly so. However, it just goes to illustrate that you can't possibly keep a neutral standpoint where it is concerned. I feel that deletion of the article can be the only course. Ref (chew)(do) 03:43, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
You are right that I had no idea regarding the various restrictions on Wikipedia editing. I should have done my homework.
I have now replaced all of my previously given external links with one external link to the homepage of the Society for Computational Economics, an international organization that is a member of the Association of Allied Social Sciences (ASSA).
It would certainly seem from other Wikipedia pages that links to major established organizations promoting general well-recognized fields of study are permitted. LT (5/1/07) Tesfatsion 04:49, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
The accompanying article has been made NPOV, sufficiently enough for me to withdraw my objections on the grounds of conflict of interest, including threat of speedy deletion. This does not relate to the article's notability; however, I do not feel qualified to assess this field of knowledge, and will leave others to decide on that. I am removing the tags to the article. Good luck. Ref (chew)(do) 05:17, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A little nudge...

Hi. In the right direction, hopefully. Have tweaked the article to conform to the Manual of Style, created 'lead-in' separated from other headings, formalised References, added stub tag, and other stuff. I'll leave it to you now. Ref (chew)(do) 05:38, 2 May 2007 (UTC)