User talk:J. Noel Chiappa

J. Noel Chiappa

Current talk page

Archive 1, Archive 2

just hi

thanks for your helpful suggestions. (Did you work at BBN? I did, also from the MIT-enclave tho not a grad of any school with such a pedigree!)

I have a very early draft of the Halting Problem, what is your sense of it thus far? I'm trying to make a more accessible exposition for topics typicslly explained in dry and somewhat cryptic ways, without dumbing down the topic.

So I spose i am asking your opinion as to this style and approach in general ... http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Halting_problem

(I am planning to write a small cluster of related articles : Lambda Calculus, Godel's Incompleteness, Church-Turing thesis, and 'Quining' (self-replicating computer code). The latter provides a rather simple and clear (and referencable) proof-sketch of GIT and CTT. </more-than-you-needed-to-know> Christopher J. Reiss 14:37, 8 March 2008 (CST)

Thanks for your post on my Talk page about my article output

J. Noel, I have responded at quite some length to your post on my Talk page. Please read my response and let me know if you can help. Regards, Milton Beychok 22:34, 12 March 2008 (CDT)

subpages coded in metadata

I think we had a conversation on this topic although I forget where? Anyway, I was just doing some house keeping on the subpages template and noticed that there is a little known feature that remains in there, although not used or sanctioned. I had completely forgotten it was in there. Three fields, tab1, tab2 and tab3 can be used to create an unique subpage tab in any article. This idea did not really progress and I don't recall if any discussions happened or whether the idea was cut off fast. Chris Day (talk) 02:28, 15 March 2008 (CDT)

Hi

I must say Noel its a breath of fresh air having you around (I've noticed you've only being here a month!) Was wondering how the application for becoming a history editor is going? If you get accepted, I'd love to help you out with nominating articles for approval. Richard has written many articles on the early US history and I think many of them could be approved. Since he has been the only active editor in that workgroup he hasn't been able to nominate them himself. Regards, Denis Cavanagh 18:00, 22 March 2008 (CDT)

Borderline Personality Disorder

Noel:

Not sure what prompted your comments to Innis. I started this article, and am virtually the only one who has worked on it. There are no edit wars, of any sort, going on as your post would imply. Further, the large delete was appropriate, as the content was unabashedly anecdotal and not citable. --Michael J. Formica 11:04, 8 April 2008 (CDT)

So, Noel, as long as you're checking out dawgs and stuff...

...could you have a read through of Miniature Fox Terrier? Thanks! Aleta Curry 03:07, 13 April 2008 (CDT)

Template Recursion

OK, so what about ways to truncate strings? Has Wiki markup got anything like that?--David Yamakuchi 13:07, 14 April 2008 (CDT)

Well, I saw that where you linked me to the MediaWiki docs it says we can't do this, but this[1] is basically what I was talking about _trying_ to do. So,...how dey do dat? (Category:Editorial_Council)

Now, the template that is "called" to produce this, {{Editorial Council}} "calls" another one named {{Community}}, and that one kinda hurts my brain...or at least I'm having trouble seeing how we end up with what we do. Thing is, it's not really what we want for this template, I don't think...it really does look to me as if the author of {{Editorial Council}} didn't intend this to be the result. So now it's maybe really two things I'm asking...

1. how dey do dat?
2. how do we not do the recursion here, and so get the intended results?

Ain't computers fun!? :^) --David Yamakuchi 22:27, 18 April 2008 (CDT)

Metadata hack

Go ahead. I don't own these templates. Any improvements are very welcome. Chris Day 12:27, 15 April 2008 (CDT)

We should definitely start migrating documentation to {{Subpages/Doc}} and similar, I just didn't have time to start that. With regard to the metadata template it could definitely be metadata specific but I'm not sure how much you would save since we still want the tabs at the top of that page too. Or do we? Have a go at it if you wish. Looking at {{Subpages}} documentation with fresh eyes the metadata section should be with the core function at the top. let me know if anything else there makes no sense at all. I wrote that for myself rather than for other users so i expect it looks a little odd in places. Chris Day 12:47, 15 April 2008 (CDT)

abc

Interesting you noted the Fleming problem. I missed it when I passed through. Since this was by the bot this means we have many autobiographies out there that need to be fixed. Chris Day 12:56, 15 April 2008 (CDT)

Status works fine with the space. I did that when I was trouble shooting the {{WGTable}} template. It turns out that a space after an article title, before a pipe or bracket, means the status value cannot be read from the metadata template. I just went through the biology bio's and my guess is about 50% were wrong. You're right we do not have a bio cat although I saw someone suggest a biography workgroup which would help for the future. Chris Day 14:04, 15 April 2008 (CDT)

Transparency

I changed transparency to a disambig page, and I marked the metadata page as a speedy. I didn't see any need in just deleting it when it will probably do fine in its present incarnation. --Robert W King 10:24, 16 April 2008 (CDT)

Confused students

I've got more than one. In fact, one did an article on Wikipedia by mistake. I'm probably going to submit the page in question for speedy delete on Friday (unless there is a 180 degree turnaround). Hey I noticed you went to Andover. My niece is a junior there. I actually grew up in North Reading. --John J. Dennehy 14:07, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Templates

If you make any changes to templates, can you go to CZ:Templates and make adjustments there? --Robert W King 15:20, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Also, why not just tag obsolete templates for speedydelete? --Robert W King 15:54, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Checklist_ templates

The names have historical significance rather than functional significance. I agree we should change them all to something more logical.

I've been meaning to delete all the obsolete subpage related templates for a while, since they just get in the way. i can barely remember what some of them were for so the sooner we axer the better in my opinion. Chris Day 17:22, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Template:Subpages3

That is just my test article. I need to delete all that now. Just noticed your use of "automagically". Very funny. I think i used magically in there originally as Joe Quick was so surprised that the checklist appeared as if by magic. Your usage is far better. Chris Day 21:19, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Actually it was Aleksander Stos who coined "magic". Chris Day 21:23, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

checklist term; keep or reinvent?

OK, I'm in two minds about this. Since we are talking about a subset of the metadata functionality (the other being management of approval status) maybe we should keep this term? One change that would make sense would be to have the pagename and variant included in the checklist. The only reason they were kept separate is that they were not part of the original checklist. I added those two later and did not want to confuse people who were already familiar with the old checklist. I also want to have the pagename as a distinct entity since it was critical it got filled in. Now we have the automatic error checks and better instructions (not to mention preloaded text for a new metadata page) I think they can all be lumped together.

Back to the name. Possibly we could call it Checklist metadata vs Approval metadata rather than Metadata content? Chris Day 21:48, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

I'll check the forum re: by field. I agree lets mull over the metdata format and nomenclature. If we're going to make changes we might as well make a lot all at once. We can use out recent experience to tighten it up and possibly make it more user friendly. While you're at it, let's think about any major improvements we can make. Your perspective is very different to mine since you are seeing it with fresh eyes. Any other things you can think of while you are at it, besides the by field? Chris Day 22:04, 17 April 2008 (CDT)

Editorial Council loop...aka doctor, it hurts when I do this.

I see now that, as you point out, the loop does indeed come from the page being a category, _and_ being in that category...that answers Q#1. Also, I think you answered Q#2 with a form of "doctor, it hurts when I do this....." to which naturally "well, don't do that" is an acceptable answer, but I still suspect we might be able to come up with a work around, what with all you guys are teaching us about templates and such...

BTW, Russell's paradox hurts my head when I think about it too... :-) --David Yamakuchi 23:26, 18 April 2008 (CDT)

Or we could just make a {{Editorial Council Category}} and be done with it...I think...except maybe for the double editing ( {{community}} and {{community without category}} ) if we want to change things later.

You know, it's curious but since you mentioned it, I just now was reading that Russell's solution to his paradox was to create a new level of "category" (tho he called them sets I think) that was "above" the one in question. I guess maybe he was right?

Either way, someone should check the thing (Category:Editorial Council) now that I've tweaked it to see that I didn't break something I just am unaware of...--David Yamakuchi 23:44, 18 April 2008 (CDT)

thanks

Noel, thanks for the link help on Computer Workgroup page. And more generally, for helping out in Computers around here.Pat Palmer 18:49, 20 April 2008 (CDT)

Noel, I think you should concentrate especially on those networking and computer history-related topics. You'll have a unique perspective that should be captured, and I think this is a good place for that. But before you dive in, can you tell me how you think disambiguations should work? For example, search on "apple". It goes to the page of the fruit, which has a disambig at the top, but shouldn't it go straight to the disambig, which then lets one find the fruit? I wanted another opinion before I go and change something like that.Pat Palmer 10:21, 21 April 2008 (CDT)

subpage bug

Thanks for pointing that out. I forgot to test the template on those pages so I forgot that header message would be there too. Now I see that subpage type I should automate the addition of the archive box too. For some reason those pages have never been on my radar screen. Chris Day 12:26, 21 April 2008 (CDT)

thank for the heads-up

Dam instead of dam. No problem. Thanks for the heads-up. George Swan 16:35, 21 April 2008 (CDT)

ABC

Joel, for the ABC= field, I have not been using capitalization unless the actual word is capitalized normally. I don't know if this is a rule or not, it just seemed logical to me. Do you if there is a rule one way or the other, or if the software automatically capitalizing the aphabetical listing anyway? Just curious. David E. Volk 08:33, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

header footer

Hi Noel, good job so far with all the documentation. Before you write more, for the article specific subpages i just realised that I can write the subpages template in a way that will generate the tab1, tab2 and tab3 subpage header and footer templates automatically. That will make the tab system much more user friendly (at least i think I can do it). I may even be able to do that with the all the subpage names which would make adding any new subpage trivial. I'll think about it a bit more tonight. Chris Day 17:10, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

your advice please...

I have some notes stored on Guantanamo medical care. You and I discussed it a bit within the last week or so. I have come across some new developments. And I would like your advice.

I am still trying to adapt to the different standards here. Articles here may require a higher level of scholarship. That is a good thing. But it may also require a greater level of interpretation. I am having a bit of trouble with this aspect. In my online comments prior to working on that other big wiki I didn't shy away from intellectually honest interpretation. But, on the other big wiki, I got out of the habit of doing so, trying to let the facts speak for themselves, to avoid challenges over POV.

Some of the feedback I am getting here seems to be telling me I should include a measure of interpretation, to provide context, and improve readability.

I think this recent article erodes the assertions that Guantanamo captives have received good health care.

• Joby Warrick. Detainees Allege Being Drugged, Questioned: U.S. Denies Using Injections for Coercion, Washington Post, Tuesday, April 22, 2008, p. A01. Retrieved on 2008-03-01. “Nusairi, now free in Saudi Arabia, was unable to learn what drugs were injected before his interrogations. He is not alone in wondering: At least two dozen other former and current detainees at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere say they were given drugs against their will or witnessed other inmates being drugged, based on interviews and court documents.”

So, do you think I have that right? Should I try to allow a limited measure of interpretation into an article about medical care at Guantanamo?

Thanks! George Swan 18:49, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

More for your doppleganger file

Or, Why Redirects are a Good Idea, by J. Noel Chiappa

See Talk:Rap and Hip Hop#What's in a name? and hip-hop

Aleta Curry 19:33, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

Hold up here, Noel-- I'm not sure that we want to have Rap redirect to Rap and Hip Hop. Let me and Raphael and whoever else figure out how we want to organize this group of articles, and then you can feel free to redirect away. (Not that I don't appreciate the efforts, but just that you jumped the gun on this one.) Thanks, Brian P. Long 20:28, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

automated header footer

I was thinking of automating the categories at least (for example in the form of [[Category {{{tab1))) subpages]] etc.). But I have not thought about the repercussions. For example, spelling errors in the metadata for the tab name might be harder to catch if the categories are automatically generated. Let me thing some more. Chris Day 23:10, 22 April 2008 (CDT)

Just finished this. See what you think: {{Tab footer}} and {{Tab header}}. Example can be seen at Oxygen/Isotopes (tab1) and Oxygen/Element (tab2). Your thoughts on the generic language and the choice of categories would be useful. There is one big flaw here: If users mistype the tab name, i.e. Isotope instead of Isotopes, i cannot think of an easy way to monitor for such mistakes. On the other hand, i think this might be made up for by the usability issue, in that a unique tab name does not require an new footer and header each time. On my third hand, but maybe requiring a header and footer for each case might stop a massive proliferation of unwanted subpage names. One the fourth hand, isn't the freedom to create new subpages the whole idea. Basically, I keep going back and forth on this and have not really found a satisfactory position. Please dismantle and deconstruct these random thoughts as needed, thanks :) Chris Day 12:13, 24 April 2008 (CDT)

Also check out Cadmium for a potentially good example of the tab feature. In this case the subpage Cadmium/MSDS is used rather than the more obscure Catalogs tab. Further, the Infobox can link to sections in that MSDS subpage. Chris Day 15:34, 24 April 2008 (CDT)

Faraday

Noel, didn't you offer to copyedit Michael Faraday? Approval will be soon and it is better that you do it before. Thank you, --Paul Wormer 12:53, 23 April 2008 (CDT)

Article structure

Question for you on CZ talk:Article structure. --Larry Sanger 15:40, 23 April 2008 (CDT)

Romanization Proposal

Hey Noel-- You got the same email I did, I think, but I was wondering if you would mind being the other co-sponsor (along with me and Anthony) for the Romanization proposal. You are one of the very select group of people who has paid attention to the proposal at all, and the only other one (as far as I know) who is a member of the Editorial Council. It's not a big deal if not-- I'm sure we can find someone else, but you seemed like a logical choice. Thanks, Brian P. Long 05:24, 25 April 2008 (CDT)

Never mind about this-- Roger Lohmann has already asked to be the co-sponsor for the proposal. Thanks anyway! Brian P. Long 09:53, 25 April 2008 (CDT)

Two things

First, Noel: can you make a case for requiring the "strings" package to the citizendium tools list? And second, I'd like to send you some interview questions for the next issue of the Citizen; would you be intetrested? --Robert W King 10:00, 25 April 2008 (CDT)

Need some advice

Noel, I recently created a new article Large-scale trickle filters for wastewater treatment ... which is quite a mouthful. I did that so as to exclude any future editing to include small, rural residential trickle filters which deserve a separate article.

But I am having second thoughts. Perhaps, the article title could be shortened to "Large-scale trickle filters" and still accomplish what I want. I have not yet made up my mind on this.

But if I did decide to change the title, would you please give me the step-by-step procedure for moving an article and all of its subpages (including the Metadata and Approval pages)? I am not asking you to do it for me. I would much rather you told me how to do it ... so that I can learn to do it myself.

Thanks in advance, Milt -- Milton Beychok 17:08, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Thanks, Noel. I have read the article you suggested on how to move an article. I have only one question. After moving the subpages, do I move the article Talk page before or after moving the MetaData page? - Milton Beychok 01:36, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

Noel, you asked for feedback on CZ:Using the Subpages template#Moving an article with subpages. I found it to be quite understandable. The only thing I would suggest is that it should make it very clear that the main article and its assocated Talk page are the last things to be moved. Thanks again, - Milton Beychok 13:26, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

I'm not making more work for you, I promise..

Hi Noel, I've got a question for you since you seem to be more familiar with the various help/how-to pages than I am. Whenever I notice a question about what English variant to use, I refer people to CZ:Editorial_Council_Resolution_0005. This is not something that anyone who didn't already know it was there would find. I'm wondering if this information is a more visible location that I am unaware of? I've checked Article Mechanics but didn't see it. --Todd Coles 12:56, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

{{Physical properties}}

Chris/Richard/Noel, would one of you be able to take a look at Phosphorus/MSDS#Physical__Properties and help me figure out how to get rid of the extra whitespace in the Mass and Electronegativity cells? I'm stumped. It looks like it's coming from the line breaks in between lines in {{Physical properties}}, but when I remove them, the table stops recognizing the new rows for some crazy reason...#^%$!!!. It seems like it's possibly something so simple someone with a fair amount of wikitable knowlege will scoff at it, but sadly, that aint me. So, if you have a couple of minutes to spare, please...scoff away :-) --David Yamakuchi 21:45, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

Never mind. I got it!--David Yamakuchi 23:07, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

Checklist22

How can you not love this name? ;) Chris Day 00:23, 29 April 2008 (CDT)

No, no, not a joke. It's a crap name. You're right. But now you mention catch 22, we could always make up some yarn for it's "true" meaning. Chris Day 00:32, 29 April 2008 (CDT)

Light dawns on Blockhead?  :) And who is this DaVinci fellow? Artist and scientist you say? Next you'll be telling me he was an engineer too! Chris Day 00:40, 29 April 2008 (CDT)