User:Ghirlandajo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hello, I'm Andrey from Yaroslavl, Russia. I joined Wikipedia in 2004 and within two years made it into the top thirty most active wikipedians, although I disapprove (and never practice) semi-bot and serialized edits. Since early 2007, I have been the sole updater of the DYK section in Russian Wikipedia, for which I contributed quite a few new pages. My interests range far and wide, from medieval architecture and prosopography to Diego Velazquez and David Bowie. Some of my favourite writers are Andrew Marvell, Laurence Sterne, Andrey Bely, and Alain Robbe-Grillet. Curiously enough, I haven't yet contributed a single sentence on articles about any of these. My saved DYK bits are here (new pages), here (nominations), and here (something in between).

Views on mainspace

Having written many hundred articles for Wikipedia, I tend to think that the main challenge for this project is dealing with tendentious editors and one-purpose accounts, whose activities pose a fundamental threat to our ideals of reliability, accuracy, and neutrality. Dab does have a point. The community lacks an efficient mechanism for purging the project of kooks, whose neutralisation takes a lot of time and energy from superior editors. English Wikipedia looks to be increasingly aimed at truant adolescents and cranks with nationalist agenda on their minds. I admire those few wikipedians who still have the stamina to contribute with the aim of disseminating free knowledge, rather than promoting a certain agenda, looking for a chat buddy or seeking an authority position behind the scenes.

Currently, even if you know you are right and have sources to back up your claim, you may still lose your dispute with a lunatic, just because your opponent is more energetic, has a number of meatpuppets, or simply has more time for editing Wikipedia. You will go to ArbCom only after your opponent's behaviour (not views) has become obviously disruptive. We are told that we should argue or mediate with crackpots until we collapse from exhaustion. A number of valuable contributors and qualified specialists are driven away from Wikipedia, just because they would not engage in prolonged and ultimately pointless discussions with people they feel are intellectually dishonest or corrupt. The stubborn maintenance of the current situation undermines the credibility of Wikipedia. One reasonable solution is to set up a bunch of panels for content arbitration on mathematics, linguistics, humanities, etc. Their members need not be admins, just knowledgeable people who specify their real name and credentials.

Views on adminspace

Another core problem of Wikipedia is its inherent division between mainspace and talkspace. People interested in talking are sooner or later absorbed into off-wiki channels of communication, notably the Internet Relay Chat. People interested in editing start to suspect them of engaging in some unseemly activities aimed against themselves. People interested in talking suggest the latter join them in those off-wiki channels. Those who join IRC have no time left for mainspace editing, so they gradually lose interest in mainspace. Those who don't join IRC will still suspect that something inappropriate is going on behind the scenes. It's difficult to assume good faith in the face of puke-provoking logs of insulting IRC conversations which surface from time to time.

This natural division of editors has been exacerbated by the vague status of off-wiki communications. Either IRC is part of Wikipedia and its logs are open to discussion and arbitration, or IRC is not part of Wikipedia and there should be no links from Wikipedia to IRC. This strange dichotomy has never been satisfactorily explained, and ArbCom's efforts to work out a solution appear to have been bombed by the owner of their mailing list, who also happens to control #wikipedia-en-admins. Furthermore, the ever needy Wikimedia Foundation started making donations to Freenode, one external website that is persistently advertised on English Wikipedia (which purports to be free of ads).

As a result, any little ignoramus who has chatted on IRC for ten days can amass enough support to become an admin, and attack long-standing editors of the highest calibre, driving them away from Wikipedia. That these people (who universities would fight to employ) are treated with such disdain by a pack of semiliterate high school kids is depressing, because it spells the writing on the wall for wikipedia. As opposed to 2004, the vast majority of currently active sysops appear to be teens who, judging by their lack of interest in contributing content, fail at school and can't do Pythagoras theorem. Some seem to hate learning and hate knowledge. They spend most of their time chatting on IRC making infrequent appearances on Wikipedia only when rallied by other IRC admins to add their voices to a chorus of support. Hence my contempt for the Wikipedia officialdom.

In my opinion, IRC is the social networking that is alien to an encyclopedia, especially Wikipedia: favourable for cults of personality and basically untraceable. IRC regulars normally evolve in the direction of "everything untraceable on IRC so you can be as mean as you want" philosophy. The fear of openness has drained our project of all meaningful discussion which now takes place elsewhere, e.g., on the mailing list, where they still discuss "the failure of deletionism to serve the readers" as they did three years ago. Since I believe that Wikipedia's best days are in the past, my current interest in the project is rather slight.

DECEMBER 2004

Pages that I've started/written myself:

Biographies: Bartolomeo Rastrelli | Robert Campin | Kirill Razumovsky | Gytha of Wessex | Mstislav the Great | Bardas Sklerus | Bardas Phocas | Mamikoneans | Tolstoy

Geography: Uglich | Rostov | Kostroma | Smolensk | Koporye | Strelna | Pavlovsk | Ostankino | Kuskovo | Menshikov Tower | Sukharev Tower

History and arts: Hermitage Museum | Tretyakov Gallery | Pushkin Museum | Our Lady of Vladimir | Blachernitissa | Nevsky Prospect | Naryshkin baroque | Battle of Vedrosha | Battle of Vorskla | List of Russian Foreign Ministers

Articles that I adapted from EB 1911:

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin | Alexander Herzen | Alexander Gorchakov | Gorchakov | Galitzine | Menshikov | Repnin | Bezborodko | Ivan III of Russia | Constantine Pavlovich | Elizabeth of Russia

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow) | St Isaac's Cathedral | Ilya Repin | Wassily Kandinsky | Henri Matisse | Paul Gauguin | Georges-Pierre Seurat | Ivan Turgenev | Aleksey Grigorievich Razumovsky | Dimitrie Cantemir | Sochi | Veche

For your exceptional images and fine articles pertaining to Russia, I, KNewman, award you the original Barnstar. Keep up the good work!

JANUARY 2005

Pages that I've started/written myself:

Biographies: Konstantin Thon | Stasov | Dionisy | Yaroslav the Wise | Romanov Dynasty | Vasily Tatishchev | Vasily Zhukovsky | Alexander Blok | Afanasy Fet | Nicholas Trubetskoy | Nicholas Marr

Geography: Ferapontov Convent | Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery | Simonov Monastery | Novgorod-Seversky | Novospassky Monastery | Belozersk | Izborsk | Tmutarakan | Murom

History and arts: Boris and Gleb | Battle of the Ice | Muscovy Company | Sanguszko | Slavophile

Articles that I adapted from EB 1911:

Domenico Ghirlandajo | Giovanni da Pian del Carpini | Vasili IV of Russia | False Dmitriy II | False Dmitriy III | Mikhail I of Russia | Patriarch Filaret | Afanasy Ordin-Nashchokin | Miloradovich | Peter Wittgenstein | Joseph Gurko | Mikhail Katkov | Mikhail Speransky

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Saint Petersburg | Nizhny Novgorod | Staraya Russa | Khotin | Rurik | False Dmitriy I | Patriarch Nikon | Dmitry Mendeleyev | Vladimir Dahl | Modest Mussorgsky | Maud Gonne | Moulin Rouge | Franco-Russian Alliance | Konstantin Pobedonostsev | Amber Room | Edward the Exile

FEBRUARY 2005

Pages that I've started/written myself:

Biographies: Igor of Kiev | Rogneda of Polotsk | Vladimir Monomakh | Oleg of Chernigov | Svyatoslav II of Kiev | Vsevolod I of Kiev | Vseslav of Polotsk | Sviatopolk II of Kiev | Rumyantsev | Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov | Nikita Yakovlevich Bichurin | Mikhail Vrubel

Geography: Azov | Ostrog | Belgorod | Mozhaysk | Galich Mersky | Gatchina | Alexander Nevsky Lavra

History and arts: Russian Museum | Ostromir Gospel | Ostrogski | Kudeyar | Antonio Rinaldi | Kholstomer | Russo-Turkish War, 1787-92

Articles that I adapted from EB 1911:

Vladimir the Great | Gedymin | Olgierd | Boris Godunov | Feodor III of Russia | Count Orlov | Prince Potemkin | Madame de Stael

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Sviatopolk I | Mikhail Hlinski | Ode | Ushakov | Kutuzov | Sergey Uvarov | Decembrist revolt | List of famous duels | Mikhail Lermontov

To Ghirlandajo for exceptional contributions to DYK. We appreciate all your hard work -- Samir धर्म 05:50, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

JUNE 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

Biographies: Alexandre Benois | Alexander Vorontsov | Catherine Woronzow-Dachkoff | Alexander Ivanov (painter) | Mikhail Nesterov | Vsevolod III | Michael Rostovtzeff | Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov | Andrei Konchalovsky | Iosif Kobzon

Geography: Ladoga | Kem' | Kholmogory | Vologda | Galindae | Rzhev | Tver | Krutitsy | Volga Bulgaria | Vladimir-Suzdal | Sikhote-Alin | Western Caucasus

History and arts: Albertina University | Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod | St. Vladimir's Cathedral | The Last Day of Pompeii | Madonna Litta | The Benois Madonna | Salvator Mundi | Tented roof | Mir iskusstva | Russian Symbolism

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Biographies: Alexander Nevsky | Sophia Paleologue | Ivan the Young | Karl Briullov | Vasily Surikov

Geography: Pskov | Vladimir | Novgorod | Vyazma | Staritsa | Volokolamsk | Rostov-on-Don | Seven Sisters (Moscow) | Pushkin Square | Kizhi | Laon | List of country name etymologies

History and arts: Novodevichy Convent | Alexander Palace | Summer Palace (Russia) | Mariyinsky Palace | St. Andrew's Church | Onion dome | Notre-Dame of Laon | Gardariki

JULY 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

Biographies: Stefan Dečanski | Mstislav the Bold | Konstantin of Rostov | Yuri II | Yaroslav II | Andrei II | Yaroslav of Tver | Vasily of Kostroma | Dmitry of Pereslavl | Andrey of Gorodets | Yury of Moscow | Andrey of Staritsa | Vladimir of Staritsa | Alexander Gorbatyi-Shuisky | Metropolitan Philip | Patriarch Hermogenes | Aleksey Shchusev | Vorontsov

Russian monuments and localities: Kazan Cathedral | Red Gates | Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra | Andronikov Monastery | Zvenigorod | Ostashkov | Toropets | Ksnyatin | Dmitrov | Ivanovo | Shuya | Kineshma | Gorodets | Astrakhan | Pitsunda | Kazan Kremlin | Söyembikä Tower | Kitay-Gorod

World Heritage Sites: Uvs Nuur | Old Urgench | Itchan Kala | Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi | Soltaniyeh | Shemakha | Bahla Fort | Rohtas Fort | Thatta | Orkhon Valley | Nesvizh Castle | Dečani

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Biographies: Max Vasmer | Vasily Dokuchaev | Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve | Aleksandr Oparin | Nikolai Fyodorov | Boris Kurakin | Michael VIII | Batu Khan | Yury Dolgoruky | Dmitry Konstantinovich | Dmitri Donskoi | Ivan the Terrible | Simeon Bekbulatovich | Demidov

Geography: Curonian Spit | Shahrisabz | Nakhichevan City | Torzhok | Kashin | Yuriev-Polsky | Balakhna | Tula | Kirov | Arkhangelsk | Novorossiysk | Tobolsk | Sukhum | Sudak | Narikala

History and arts: Knyaz | Okolnichy | Slavery in medieval Europe | Mat (language) | Mongol invasion of Russia | Donskoy Monastery | Great Northern War

Ghirlandajo is awarded the Trollstar for not feeding the trolls. Latinus 18:30, 2 February 2006 (UTC)

AUGUST 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

History: Mons family | Lopukhina Conspiracy | Massacre of Khotin | Moscow International Film Festival | Trebizond Gospel | Kiev Psalter of 1397

Biographies: Vyacheslav Ivanov | Vladislav Khodasevich | D.S. Mirsky | Faddei Bulgarin | Osip Senkovsky | Afanasy Shchapov | Sergey Aksakov | Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin | Ivan Samoylovych | Feodosiya Morozova | Fyodor Rtishchev | Eudoxia Lopukhina | Anton de Vieira | Sulamith Messerer | Viktor Kulikov | Ekaterina Furtseva | Dmitry Likhachev | Lev Gumilev

Localities and monuments: Halych | Kirzhach | Vyazniki | Starodub-on-the-Klyazma | Zalesye | Golden Gate (Vladimir) | Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir | Saint Petersburg Mosque | Rossikon | Alexander-Svirsky Monastery | Palace Square | Arbat Street | Russian architecture

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Ghirlandajo is hereby awarded this Barnstar as late recognition for all the hard work he has put into Wikipedia.

!מזל טוב

from Izehar

NOVEMBER 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

History and geography: Battle of Avarayr | Battle of the Caucasus | Kiev Expedition (1018) | Upper Oka Principalities | Daugavgriva | Dorogobuzh | Vorotynsk | Tsaryovo-Zaimishche | Klushino | Belyi | Kholm | Rybinsk | Volga-Baltic Waterway | Taganka Theatre | Taganka Square | Hussar Ballad | Tsarevich

Genealogy: Descent from antiquity | Family life and children of Vladimir I | Charlemagne to the Mughals | Dondukov | Sibirsky | Shuisky | Belsky | Prozorovsky | Romodanovsky | Vorotynsky | Bobrinsky | Zubov

Biographies: Mstislav of Chernigov | Saint Narses | Mikhail Pogodin | Georgy Ivanov | Mikhail Zemtsov | Andrey Kvasov | Ivan Fyodorovich Michurin | Dmitry Ukhtomsky | Charles Cameron | Ivan Starov | Filipp Golikov | Ivan Tyulenev | Yury Yakovlev | Tatyana Lioznova | Andrey Zaliznyak | Dmitry Shuisky | Mikhail Shein

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

DECEMBER 2005

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I hail Ghirla for his efforts in improving DYK entries and present him the inaugural DYK medal. —Gurubrahma.

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

JANUARY 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

FEBRUARY 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

MARCH 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

For being a driving force of DYK, and for adhering to the core goal of the project, you are awarded this. Blnguyen | BLabberiNg 05:37, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

APRIL 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

MAY 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

JUNE-JULY 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

Architecture: French Baroque | English Baroque | Dutch Baroque | Spanish Baroque | Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg | Ernst Neizvestny | Hospicio Cabañas | Vladimirskaya Church | Anichkov Palace | Tauride Palace | Pella Palace | Nicholas Palace | Suvorov Museum | Moscow Rail Terminal | Vitebsk Rail Terminal

History and biography: Coat of arms of Moscow | Novgorod First Chronicle | Gostomysl | Vadim the Bold | Sveneld | Dobrynya | Konstantin Dobrynich | Vyshata | Putyata | Ivan Neplyuyev | Ivan Kozlov | Vasily Kapnist | Denis Davydov | Aleksey Remizov | Ivan Betskoy

Geography: Sarir | Avarian Khanate | Petrozavodsk | Kola (town) | Turukhansk | Mosalsk | Kadnikov | Lake Sterzh | Kivach | Aapravasi Ghat

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

Peace and sorrow!

AUGUST 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

SEPTEMBER 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

For your excellent work on Sviatoslav I of Kiev, please keep it up! Khoikhoi 21:39, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

OCTOBER 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

NOVEMBER 2006

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

I only just today looked at all your article starts and contributions... fine work! MONGO 05:18, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

DECEMBER 2006 / JUNE 2007

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

JULY / AUGUST 2007

Pages that I started/wrote myself:

I substantially revised and edited the following articles:

		The Barnstar of Diligence
		I, Durova, award Ghirla the Barnstar of Diligence for 40,000+ very useful edits. Durova 15:37, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

REFERENCE DESK COLLABORATION

Articles started as part of the Reference Desk Article Collaboration (in most cases credit is due to incomparable Clio):

Some other articles enhanced in tandem with Clio as part of the Reference Desk project:

		The Half Barnstar
		I, Rockpocket, hereby award you the Half Barnstar, for your superb work with Clio in generating encyclopaedic content from the Humanities Reference Desk.

I have uploaded hundreds, if not thousands, images both to English wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. I formerly kept a list of my uploads but stopped updating it quite some time ago. I highlight below some of my uploads which have been indentified by the community as featured pictures:

		The 200 DYK Medal
		sorry that this is a bit late, but you are deserving of the 200 DYK medal!! You are now either the first or the second contributor to recieve this award. If you are the first, your name will be noted down on the template for this medal. Keep up the great work! -- Anonymous Dissident ^Talk

		The Kul Tegin Medal of Honor
		I, Briangotts, hereby award you with the Kul Tegin Medal of Honor, for much hard work and dedication in expanding coverage of the Göktürks on Wikipedia. --Briangotts (Talk) (Contrib) 02:59, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

User:Ghirlandajo

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