| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"a_plutonium" |
| Date: |
07 May 2007 02:34:47 AM |
| Object: |
nicknames for scientists in Encyclopedias |
I posted the below to User Talk Mr. Wales the founder of Wikipedia. It
involves a encyclopedia policy that sneeks
mockery into a persons biography. So that in worst case scenario, if
an author hears someone call someone
a profane name or simply makes up a profane name and includes it into
a book, and then Wikipedia picks
up on this profane name and includes it into a Wikipedia entry.
I have never heard anyone call me Arky, and if I did, I would
immediately scold them.
I have never seen a nickname applied to a scientist in any hardcover
encyclopedia.
Perhaps this silliness is something that Mr. Wales is adversely
bringing to Wikipedia from his nickname
of "Jimbo". Perhaps such silliness is appropriate for sports and
entertainment figures but not for
scientists who see nicknames as a form of mockery and in poor taste.
This is what I wrote on that Talk Page since Arthur Rubin constantly
reverts my real nickname of "AP".
--- quoting what I applied ---
[edit] Nickname Policy, please
Hello Mr. Wales, I have had a problem with the Wikipedia entry of
Archimedes Plutonium. It just so happens that Wikipedia has some
irrational policy over nicknames, and yours of "Jimbo" is a case in
point. You may not feel that Jimbo is deprecatory, but to a scientist,
these sort of things touches sensitive nerves. Scientists don't want
nonsense but want seriousness. There is not a scientist that I know of
in Encycl Britannica who is encumbered by some dumb and stupid
nickname. Nicknames are fine for sports figures or entertainment, but
for scientists nicknames smack of mocking. Arthur Rubin is a Wiki
editor who insists on retaining this deprecatory fanname "Arky". The
source which that was found is a deprecatory source in the first place
and not a biography source. The people who discuss my ideas on the
Internet have largely used the nickname AP. Nicknames are different
from fannames. And a person has a say over what his/her nickname is.
Others cannot give me a nickname which I reject. Arthur Rubin is
acting like a bully on this nickname issue. He has never posted the
full Wiki policy on nicknames, which leads me to suspect there really
never was a policy and that the insistence on "Arky" is a form of
mockery which the Wiki editors are delighted over.
I do not believe you have a policy for nicknames and that you do not
have a definition of nickname versus fanname, nor does Wikipedia have
a steadfast rule for nicknames as witnessed by scientist versus sports
entries. So the evidence indicates Wikipedia is acting arbitrary on
nicknames.
-- Archimedes Plutonium
--- end quoting ---
Archimedes Plutonium
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom
where dots of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
.
|
|
| User: "Richard Tobin" |
|
| Title: Re: nicknames for scientists in Encyclopedias |
07 May 2007 01:02:23 PM |
|
|
In article <1178523287.650490.252110@w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
a_plutonium <a_plutonium@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hello Mr. Wales, I have had a problem with the Wikipedia entry of
Archimedes Plutonium. It just so happens that Wikipedia has some
irrational policy over nicknames, and yours of "Jimbo" is a case in
point. You may not feel that Jimbo is deprecatory, but to a scientist,
these sort of things touches sensitive nerves.
In my experience, scientists are just the sort of people not to care
about that.
-- Richard
--
"Consideration shall be given to the need for as many as 32 characters
in some alphabets" - X3.4, 1963.
.
|
|
|
| User: "a_plutonium" |
|
| Title: Re: nicknames for scientists in Encyclopedias |
08 May 2007 01:36:45 AM |
|
|
Richard Tobin wrote:
(snipped)
In my experience, scientists are just the sort of people not to care
about that.
-- Richard
I think the prevailing attitude by scientists is that nicknames in a
encyclopedia is childish and
out of place. I would bet that not a single scientist in any Encycl
Britannica has a nickname
listed. And I think Wikipedia is quirky about nicknames since the
founder has a
listed nickname. Nicknames are not for science but
can be appropriate for sports or comedians or entertainment or
politicians, but not for scientists.
Someone ought to write a book on the rules and etiquette of nicknames.
The rule I am interested in
is to what extent the person has control over his/her nickname,
whether 100% or how much. So maybe
the quirkiness of Wikipedia over nicknames may bring about some
erudition on nickname rules.
Archimedes Plutonium
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom
where dots of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
