Please Act Now: Firefox extensions Wikipedia issue

sebastian.wain · Post by **sebastian.wain** » May 9th, 2007, 4:23 pm

Hi,

We are discussing all the day with wikipedia admins because they are trying to remove my Firefox extension from wikipedia for lack of notability: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:N and reliable sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:RS

What I am suggesting:
1) Please defend the right to have your firefox extension in wikipedia although its not the top in the ranking.
2) Put your own firefox extensions in the wikipedia.

The issue can be tracked and contributed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: ... /CookiePie and it's included in a bigger discussion related to other software we have.

Thanks,
Sebastian Wain

Post by **Daifne** » May 9th, 2007, 4:54 pm

Sorry, Sebastian, I see their point. I can think of much more notable extensions than yours that are not listed in Wikipedia. It's purpose is not for self promotion of your software/extension.

sebastian.wain · Post by **sebastian.wain** » May 9th, 2007, 5:34 pm

Hi Daifne,

The interesting thing is that my firefox extension was living in peace in Wikipedia from its inception more than one year ago, was contributed with a savvy firefox extension editor in the meantime and just because today I entered another discussion with Wikipedia admins they mark it for deletion.

You can see this kind of issue is repeating in other sectors, some articles from authorative sources:

Science Fiction Authors, Revolt from Wikipedia!: http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wor ... wikipedia/

Evicted From Wikipedia: Why the online encyclopedia won't let just anyone in: http://www.slate.com/id/2160222

Why the Wikipedia is Failing & Wikipedia & You: http://www.comixpedia.com/terrence_mark ... ia_and_you

Tad Ghostal · Post by **Tad Ghostal** » May 9th, 2007, 6:51 pm

I don't care what sort of personal issue may have led to the deletion of your article, but there's something you need to come to terms with: it's not notable.
I can think of maybe two of the largest Firefox extensions which could be considered as notable, maybe, but your extension is really stretching it. There are better venues than Wikipedia for promoting your extension.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but at least I'm not sugar coating it.

the-edmeister · Post by **the-edmeister** » May 9th, 2007, 6:59 pm

Why isn't your extension available from AddonsMozilla.Org ? It would gain the largest exposure to Firefox users. Ii looks to be a needed extension for some users, and I have mentioned it and linked to your website it in these fora when a user has had issues with multiple, simultaneous logins at webmail sites.

Ed

sebastian.wain · Post by **sebastian.wain** » May 9th, 2007, 7:00 pm

sumguy & Daifne, you can join the discussion on the wikipedia page, you are not obligated to be with me.
What I am learning is that wikipedia is removing articles other considered useful is not a reliable technical source from me.
Since I came from the sourceforge & freshmeat model I think Wikipedia must find solutions to this kind of things, somebody who is searching for some kind of software will never found it with this logic, because it's not notable.
Waiting for the buzzword: "Wikinext 2.0"

sebastian.wain · Post by **sebastian.wain** » May 9th, 2007, 7:06 pm

Hi the-edmeister, I have not posted it in AddonsMozilla.org because I like more the freshmeat model, when you post your software on a site and download it from yours, I am aware I have less exposure with this method.

Tad Ghostal · Post by **Tad Ghostal** » May 9th, 2007, 7:54 pm

You're right, this probably isn't the right place to discuss the validity of your article's deletion. So why does this thread even exist? It has little to do with Firefox.

Post by **Daifne** » May 9th, 2007, 8:01 pm

Moving to Mozillazine Tech for lack of anywhere else.

sebastian.wain · Post by **sebastian.wain** » May 9th, 2007, 8:06 pm

sumguy231, I would like to hear opinions from other Firefox extensions developers.

Tad Ghostal · Post by **Tad Ghostal** » May 9th, 2007, 8:50 pm

Fair enough. At least it's in a more appropriate forum now.

BenoitRen · Post by **BenoitRen** » May 10th, 2007, 9:58 am

70% of Wikipedia consists of articles that are "not notable". This crackdown doesn't make sense to me.

johann_p · Post by **johann_p** » May 10th, 2007, 9:59 am

What is notable is in the eye of the beholder. Generally I am in favor to allow more articles and generally also allow less notable entries in Wikipedia, because that makes Wikipedia useful not just as encyclopedia, but also as a kind of semantic directory of things, which personally, I find useful.
However, your extension is probably not reaching even that minimum threshold ... yet: it is obviously not even listed on addons.mozilla.org and it seems until now it was only known to a very limited number of people.
Delete it from Wikipedia and add it to addons.mozilla.org

Post by **BenBasson** » May 10th, 2007, 4:48 pm

BenoitRen wrote:70% of Wikipedia consists of articles that are "not notable". This crackdown doesn't make sense to me.

On the contrary, if what you suggest is true, it sounds like the perfect time for a crackdown.

If people start listing all of their Firefox extensions on Wikipedia, soon enough the "List of Firefox extensions" meta article will grow to become 3000 lines long for no conceivable purpose. I don't really see the point in a Wikipedia entry for individual extensions, consumers of extensions are far better served by Mozilla Add-ons than they are a generic text-based article elsewhere.

The case could be made that extensions used by a significant number of people should be mentioned, but ultimately, I don't really think it benefits anyone.

Frank Lion · Post by **Frank Lion** » May 10th, 2007, 5:33 pm

sebastian.wain wrote:I think Wikipedia must find solutions to this kind of things, somebody who is searching for some kind of software will never found it with this logic, because it's not notable.

Wikipedia is the last place anyone would look for software.