Forum:SH Archive/Wookieepedia IRC cloaks

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This page is an archive of a community-wide discussion. This page is no longer live. Further comments or questions on this topic should be made in a new Senate Hall page rather than here so that this page is preserved as a historic record. Graestan(Talk) 03:34, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Proposal

Hey, everyone.

For some time, months now actually, I've been thinking about the possibility of requesting Wookieepedia-specific IRC cloaks within the freenode network; however, things kept coming up that pulled my thoughts away from pursuing it :P Recently, though, a friend of mine from Uncyclopedia advised me that their wiki community had been able to successfully request the creation of their cloaks for use in IRC from Wikia. Now, for a number of reasons, not the least of which are that we're one of the largest Wikia wikis, and also of our long history with Wikia, I'd like to ask the Wookieepedia community if this is something that we want -- more specifically, I'm asking our IRC and #wookieepedia regulars is if this is something that they want. I've already spoken at length about this with my fellow administrators via our email list, and those who have answered have responded positively towards it and thus the possibility of creating a stronger identity for our users in IRC.

IRC is kinda like this…hmm, minus the guy with the horns, and maybe the guy who looks like the offspring of a snake and Santa Claus

IRC is kinda like this…hmm, minus the guy with the horns, and maybe the guy who looks like the offspring of a snake and Santa Claus. Also, Anakin isn't usually in IRC, so there's little to no chance that he'll just snap and kill us all — I mean, he never did anything like that, did he? #wookieepedia is a friendly place (right? :P), and, much like the Jedi in the picture, cloaks help show your wiki-pride!

For those of you who don't know what a IRC cloak is, their purpose is two-fold: first, their chief purpose to essentially hide your IP address and/or other sensitive IRC details which would otherwise be viewable by other IRC users; secondly, a cloak helps identify an IRC user with a specific project. To illustrate this point, if I were to login to IRC and not enter in my network-specific password, my login information may look like this:

@11.111.111.1-my-service-provider

Now, with my cloak turned on, it hides my address while identifying me to other IRC users as a member of a specific project. My IRC cloak on freenode currently looks like this:

@wikia/Greyman

As you can see in the example above, my cloak consists of @wikia (thus identifying me as a Wikia user) and then my wiki username, which is Greyman. So, what I'm proposing is to ask Wikia to do for us what they have done for Uncyclopedia, another of their largest wikis -- create wiki-specific cloaks, which when turned on, would look like this:

@wookieepedia/your-wiki-username

So, thoughts? Comments? If you're an IRC user and mainly a user of Wookieepedia, is this something that you would like to have the option for? I personally would love to have this available to our users, mainly because we are an enormous community, yes within the larger Wikia-community, but a large community within our own right. Having our own cloak would help identify those Wookieepedia users who want it as being a "Wookieepedia user" while they are in IRC, just like those users who contribute to many Wikia wikis find pride in their @wikia cloaks, or a user of Uncyclopedia finds pride in their @uncyclopedia cloak. Personally, I see this as a positive for all involved, including Wikia, even though some of us (like myself) would be handing in our @wikia cloaks for Wookieepedia ones. Why? Because it helps create an even more diverse wiki for Wikia, as well as her users, and offer more options to those users who consider themselves "Wookieepedians." Now, if you're not an IRC user, than this decision won't affect you in any way -- this is strictly for IRC, and won't really have any affect on the site. Note, however, that if this is approved (just like Uncyc's was), than any user of Wookieepedia who meets certain editing criteria (which will be established by myself and other #wookieepedia operators at a later date and time) will be eligible to request a cloak for their use in IRC on the freenode network. For example, to be eligible for a @wikia specific cloak, you have to be a registered Wikia user with at least 50 edits somewhere on Wikia.

Note: I don't really think this requires a vote, due to the nature of this thread, but if we determine that there should be one, than I have no problem moving this to a CT and opening it up for one :)

Anyways, I look forward to hearing the communities thoughts on this so that I can forward our intent onto Wikia Staff :) Cheers, Greyman(Talk) 19:31, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

Updates

Hey, everyone. I just spoke with JSharp and he advised me that he has submitted the modified GCF form to freenode (a form which allows for the cloaks to be issued out), and he's just waiting to hear back from them. Greyman(Talk) 22:11, 12 November 2008 (UTC)

Comments

Pure brilliance! MadclawShyriiwook! 19:33, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

I just saw this on IRC, you would need to file (or have JSharp file) a GCF (Group Contact Form) here now, while consensus is gathered. Wikia group has been around a while and Angela was the primary contact. Recently (within the past few months) JSharp became a secondary group contact for both Wikia and the year old GCF filed for uncyclopedia cloaks. I would suggest getting the formalities out of the way as soon as possible, sometimes GCFs have a 6-12 month turnaround depending on who you talk to at freenode. Just FYI :) --Charitwo 19:37, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

  • JSharp and I have been in communication about this, as have the other Wookiee admins, for about a week now. This forum thread is the result of those discussions, and also the result of a suggestion from Jae :) Cheers, Greyman(Talk) 19:39, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

HOORJ. That's all I got to say about that. -- Darth Culator (Talk) 20:01, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

  • I'm very much in favor of this. SinisterSamurai 20:02, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Per them. JorrelWiki-shrinkableFraajic 20:04, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Quite vocally in favor. Atarumaster88 Jedi Order (Talk page) 20:08, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • I heartily endorse this event or product. Gonk (Gonk!) 20:35, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Per above. Pinky Talk 20:49, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • About time IMO. Strong for. --Jack Phoenix (Contact) 20:49, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Yes. --Skizzerz 20:55, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Oooo, good idea :) I fully support. Pixelle(Talk!) 21:05, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Count me in. Graestan(Talk) 22:52, 23 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Sounds good to me. WhiteBoy 01:06, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • I like it. DarthDragon164BlackdragonDragon's Lair 01:15, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Yeeeeeeeeah. IFYLOFD (And now, young Skywalker, you will die.) 01:36, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • One more for the plus column. - Cavalier One(Squadron channel) 07:28, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Indubitably, per all. NaruHina Talk Anakinsolo 11:44, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • The Cabal approves. -- Manticore (talk) 12:49, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
    • There Is No... aw, forget it. :-P -- Darth Culator (Talk) 12:52, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • In favor. Great idea. Jaygo Katarr 13:05, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Is there any conceivable downside to this? jSarek 13:57, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
    • Side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, depression, flatulence, drowsiness, insomnia, blindness, AIDS, and death. Havac 20:40, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
      • Also, we will not be able to go onto the channels for other wikis and pretend to be Wikia employees. —Silly Dan (talk) 20:57, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
        • I think I can live with those consequences. Well, maybe not the death one, but we can work around that. jSarek 11:50, 25 October 2008 (UTC)