Welcome to my (rather minimalist) user and user talk page: please leave comments, questions, complaints, or just general chat below. Please provide direct links to issues you raise. I am contributing rather sporadically at present and can't promise to reply, but if I do I will reply here: if I take a while and it is important, I will drop a note on your talk page.
Thanks for your comment here. I'm from a much more recent generation of active content editors (I was rather young in 2007 :) ) and have an interest in wikihistory. Around the time of that archive, I was running a GAN backlog drive that led to, so far as I can tell, the statistically largest decrease in the project's history, and reading a lot of archives of GAN-related talk pages from the 2007-2009ish era to try work out a historiography of the process. I coincidentally noticed that comment recently and was excited to notice you were still looking around. If you have a longer answer on that, I'd love to hear it, but the short answer is of great value as well -- I noticed the same tendency reading those late-2000s archive, and it's interesting to try trace the history there. (I was surprised to find out how contentious "GA icons on articles" were.) Vaticidalprophet11:33, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231121113300","author":"Vaticidalprophet","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Vaticidalprophet-20231121113300-Wikipedia_talk:Good_article_nominations\/Archive_30","replies":["c-Geometry_guy-20231121231700-Vaticidalprophet-20231121113300"],"displayName":"Vaticidal"}}-->
Nice to meet you Vaticidalprophet: I'm impressed by the most recent GAN backlog drive, and that now 1 in 174 articles are GAs. With your interest in wikihistory, you probably know more about GA project history than I can remember accurately. For example, you may already know about the Featured Content Dispatch Workshop. This is no longer active, but a list of articles it produced can be found at Template:FCDW.
I can understand your surprise about how contentious GA icons were in 2008, as I felt this at the time. I think the problem in part was a polarization of positions (similar to what we see in US politics today) where one side (mostly GA reviewers) insisted that GA deserved the same recognition as FA, and another side (mostly FA reviewers) insisted that it had not earned such recognition. Moderate positions are boring, but there were moderate editors on both sides, who put forward the view that a GA icon should not be a big deal, but GA needed to improve its quality control.
I suspect GA Sweeps, which checked all early GAs for quality, had a significant impact on the ultimate acceptance of a GA icon. However, you can also see around 2008 that many editors (such SandyGeorgia and myself) already saw that we were on the same team regarding article improvement, and GA and FA came to understand and respect each others' processes.
I have not been active on Wikipedia for a while, but it seems to me that GA and FA are islands where editors care about article quality above ideology and social status, and hope that the collaboration and common interest between the projects remain good.
I will be happy to say more about the history as I recall it, but perhaps you should write down the results of your researches somewhere, and ask for comments. Geometry guy23:17, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231121231700","author":"Geometry guy","type":"comment","level":2,"id":"c-Geometry_guy-20231121231700-Vaticidalprophet-20231121113300","replies":[]}}-->
Glad to see you're occasionally active. Hope you're doing well; would be good to see you around more. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 02:44, 22 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231122024400","author":"Mike Christie","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Mike_Christie-20231122024400-Howdy","replies":["c-Geometry_guy-20231122224300-Mike_Christie-20231122024400"]}}-->
Nice to see a familiar name after so much time. Geometry guy22:43, 22 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231122224300","author":"Geometry guy","type":"comment","level":2,"id":"c-Geometry_guy-20231122224300-Mike_Christie-20231122024400","replies":[]}}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONDESKTOP__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-Spinixster-20231127011000","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill-20231127011000","replies":["c-Spinixster-20231127011000-Good_article_reassessment_for_University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill"],"text":"Good article reassessment for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONMOBILE__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-Spinixster-20231127011000","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill-20231127011000","replies":["c-Spinixster-20231127011000-Good_article_reassessment_for_University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill"],"text":"Good article reassessment for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"}-->
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been nominated for a good article reassessment. If you are interested in the discussion, please participate by adding your comments to the reassessment page. If concerns are not addressed during the review period, the good article status may be removed from the article. Spinixster(chat!)01:10, 27 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231127011000","author":"Spinixster","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Spinixster-20231127011000-Good_article_reassessment_for_University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill","replies":[]}}-->
Hello! Voting in the 2023 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on Monday, 11 December 2023. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.
The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.
If you wish to participate in the 2023 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, you may add {{NoACEMM}} to your user talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:26, 28 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231128002600","author":"MediaWiki message delivery","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-MediaWiki_message_delivery-20231128002600-ArbCom_2023_Elections_voter_message","replies":[]}}-->
Nice to see your name on my watchlist! - I returned to DYK because (almost) nobody else handled the topics, and survive the discussions which also have become shorter. - Today's story is about Maria Callas, on her centenary. - Aaron Copland died OTD. -- Gerda Arendt (talk) 18:15, 2 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231202181500","author":"Gerda Arendt","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Gerda_Arendt-20231202181500-December_music","replies":[]}}-->
My story today is about Michael Robinson, - it's an honour to have known him. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 15:00, 13 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231213150000","author":"Gerda Arendt","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Gerda_Arendt-20231213150000-December_music","replies":["c-Geometry_guy-20231216155200-Gerda_Arendt-20231213150000"]}}-->
Nice to see you here also, Gerda. I admire your energy in highlighting daily stories, music and places. Geometry guy15:52, 16 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231216155200","author":"Geometry guy","type":"comment","level":2,"id":"c-Geometry_guy-20231216155200-Gerda_Arendt-20231213150000","replies":["c-Gerda_Arendt-20231222090800-Geometry_guy-20231216155200"]}}-->
Thank you ;) - today, I have a special story to tell, of the works of a musician born 300 years ago. Don't miss the pictured doggie! --Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:08, 22 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231222090800","author":"Gerda Arendt","type":"comment","level":3,"id":"c-Gerda_Arendt-20231222090800-Geometry_guy-20231216155200","replies":[]}}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONDESKTOP__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-AirshipJungleman29-20231217025400","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_Norfolk,_Virginia-20231217025400","replies":["c-AirshipJungleman29-20231217025400-Good_article_reassessment_for_Norfolk,_Virginia"],"text":"Good article reassessment for Norfolk, Virginia","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for Norfolk, Virginia"}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONMOBILE__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-AirshipJungleman29-20231217025400","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_Norfolk,_Virginia-20231217025400","replies":["c-AirshipJungleman29-20231217025400-Good_article_reassessment_for_Norfolk,_Virginia"],"text":"Good article reassessment for Norfolk, Virginia","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for Norfolk, Virginia"}-->
Norfolk, Virginia has been nominated for a good article reassessment. If you are interested in the discussion, please participate by adding your comments to the reassessment page. If concerns are not addressed during the review period, the good article status may be removed from the article. ~~ AirshipJungleman29 (talk) 02:54, 17 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20231217025400","author":"AirshipJungleman29","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-AirshipJungleman29-20231217025400-Good_article_reassessment_for_Norfolk,_Virginia","replies":[],"displayName":"~~ AirshipJungleman29"}}-->
Same location pictured as 2019. -- Gerda Arendt (talk) 21:01, 2 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20240102210100","author":"Gerda Arendt","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Gerda_Arendt-20240102210100-2024","replies":[]}}-->
Today a friend's birthday, with related music and new vacation pics --Gerda Arendt (talk) 23:04, 30 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20240130230400","author":"Gerda Arendt","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Gerda_Arendt-20240130230400-2024","replies":[]}}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONDESKTOP__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-NegativeMP1-20240202055100","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_Call_of_Duty_2-20240202055100","replies":["c-NegativeMP1-20240202055100-Good_article_reassessment_for_Call_of_Duty_2"],"text":"Good article reassessment for Call of Duty 2","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for Call of Duty 2"}-->
__DTSUBSCRIBEBUTTONMOBILE__{"headingLevel":2,"name":"h-NegativeMP1-20240202055100","type":"heading","level":0,"id":"h-Good_article_reassessment_for_Call_of_Duty_2-20240202055100","replies":["c-NegativeMP1-20240202055100-Good_article_reassessment_for_Call_of_Duty_2"],"text":"Good article reassessment for Call of Duty 2","linkableTitle":"Good article reassessment for Call of Duty 2"}-->
Call of Duty 2 has been nominated for a good article reassessment. If you are interested in the discussion, please participate by adding your comments to the reassessment page. If concerns are not addressed during the review period, the good article status may be removed from the article. λNegativeMP105:51, 2 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20240202055100","author":"NegativeMP1","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-NegativeMP1-20240202055100-Good_article_reassessment_for_Call_of_Duty_2","replies":[],"displayName":"Negative"}}-->
Hello! Voting in the 2024 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on Monday, 2 December 2024. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.
The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.
If you wish to participate in the 2024 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, you may add {{NoACEMM}} to your user talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:12, 19 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20241119001200","author":"MediaWiki message delivery","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-MediaWiki_message_delivery-20241119001200-ArbCom_2024_Elections_voter_message","replies":[]}}-->
