User:mikeblas

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This user is an administrator on the English Wikipedia. (verify)
This editor repairs links to disambi­guation pages - you can help!
This user tries to do the right thing. If they make a mistake, please let him or her know.
prog-N This user is a native programmer.
sql This user uses SQL queries to locate car keys.
C++-N This user has written C++ compilers, or tweaked C++ runtime libraries in Assembly language.
C# This user can program in C#.
vb This user is a fluent Visual Basic user.
M-3 This user is an advanced Mathematica programmer.
Perl-3 This user is an advanced Perl programmer.
This user has a dual monitor configuration
This user uses Windows Vista.
This user contributes using Microsoft Windows XP.
SI This user prefers the metric system of measurement.
This user supports Formula One.
This user tracks his or her money on Where's George?
en This user is a native speaker of English.
ja-1 この利用者は少しだけ日本語を話すことができます。


[edit] Position

Yeah, I'm the guy who wrote the letter to the editors that appeared in the April, 2007 issue of Business 2.0 about the magazine's overstatement of the size and accuracy of Wikipedia.[1]

I wrote the letter because I'm tired of reading articles here that are wrong, unreferenced, or about meaningless subjects. I'm weary of people insisting that Wikipedia is useful. While it's a marvelous concept, the execution has left us with lots of problems. Are we concerned enough with fixing them to make it right before some damage is done?

We learn that Wikipedia is used by more and more people every day,[2] and used as a primary reference, despite disclaimers that the information isn't accurate--or, is at least--fluid and unverified.

From media outlets to school children, people are relying on this information -- they're educating themselves and formulating opinions and learning. But because Wikipedia is so lax in assuring it is correct, and because people have been conditioned to "walk through" disclaimers and just get their work done, what they're learning and reading and thinking about is most likely incorrect.

If we let Wikipedia continue to publish and grow without fixing what it has, we're slowly poisoning the common knowledge of the people. An incorrect fact published here, gone unverified, given the credibility, replication, and reach the site has, means that bad information is spreading very fast. And it's lodging in people, where it's possibly the hardest to work out.

I hope you can help Wikipedia avoid becoming a bigger problem than it already is: either by working to correct and improve existing pages, having marginal information eradicated altogether, or by working to improve the policies that govern the site and cause these fundamental problems.

[edit] Position on Content

I'm disappointed at Wikipedia's focus on quantity rather than quality.

Numerous user pages boast about articles that have been created, but I've found few that describe how articles were improved or how crufty, non-notable, or directory-oriented articles were deleted.

While the number of articles continues to climb, Wikipedia's value doesn't. In fact, I'd argue that it drops as authors edit articles without citations, create new articles on obvious content without any value-added, and build lists out of thin air. While spending time cataloging frivolous but commonly appealing topics, articles with academic merit go unedited.

[edit] Closure

Wikipeida doesn't use itself as a source. Why would anyone else?

[edit] Interests

I like to race cars, drift around on my boat with my wife, dabble with electronics, and take pictures. I work as a software architect. I want to learn how to weld, and get better at flippin' wrenches.

[edit] Awards

Working Man's Barnstar

The Working Man's Barnstar
For your work disambiguating links Dina 18:53, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Queues

This section helps me keep track of AfD, prods, copyvios, and other "Come back" work I've initiated. Too bad there isn't an automated way to do this in the Wikipedia UI, huh?

[edit] AfD queue

[edit] Prod queue

[edit] Check back in March

[edit] Check back in April

[edit] Speedy queue

empty

[edit] OR Problems

[edit] Copyvio queue

[edit] Notability tags

Empty.

[edit] Merege queue

[edit] Personal sites

This is a list of websites I maintain. Or, pay for -- maintain would imply that I work on them:

[edit] Notes to self (and maybe you, too!)

Frequently used Templates
  • {{nofootnote}} for articles with references but not footnotes
  • {{Nonspecific}} for unspecific claims that are too weaselly to verify
  • {{refimprove}} improve references

[edit] My machines

These lists are a little ostentatious; you'll never catch me with something like this in my sig in a forum. But it turns out I actually find it helpful to remember what machines I have, and which are doing what with which parts. I hope you'll indulge me, then.


Machine Operating System Motherboard
or OEM model		 Processor(s) Memory OS Disk Storage Disk Video Case Role
burner Windows XP Pro SP2 P4C800-E Deluxe Pentium 4
3.2 GHz at 3.36 GHz		 2048 megs 120 gigs 500 gigs RADEON 9800 Pro LianLi PC-V1000B eMail, surfing,
media burning
caliper Windows Vista Ultimate Asus G1 Core 2 Duo T7400
2.17 GHz		 2048 megs 160 gigs — NVIDIA GeForceGo 7700 Laptop mobile gaming,
software development
chicane Windows XP Pro SP2 Intel D845PEBT2 Pentium 4
2.66 GHz		 1024 megs 120 gigs 150 gigs
500 gigs / RAID 0		 NVIDIA Vanta LianLi PC-V1200B data storage,
backup
dexter Windows 2003 Server Tyan S2882 Opteron 254 x2 4096 megs 160 gigs / RAID 1 2300 gigs / RAID 0 ATI RAGE XL LianLi PC-V2000BplusII Microsoft SQL Server
downstairs Windows XP Pro SP2 Asus P4B533-VM Pentium 4
2.20 GHz		 1024 megs 300 gigs — NVIDIA 6200 Cooler Master ATCS
Home Theater case		 Media, gaming
enduro Windows XP Pro SP2 Asus P5AD2 Deluxe Pentium 4
3.2 GHz at 3.76 GHz		 3072 megs 300 gigs — NVIDIA 6800 LianLi PC-60BplusII network downloads
cluster processing
hairpin Windows Vista Ultimate x64 Asus A8N-E Athlon 64 X2 4400+ 4096 megs 150 gigs 150 gigs
1500 gigs / RAID 5
 XFX NVIDIA 8800GTS LianLi PC-V1200B Software development
Gaming
mikeb Windows XP Pro SP2 Asus P5W DH Deluxe Core 2 Duo Q6600
2.4 GHz		 4096 megs 250 gigs 250 gigs
750 gigs external		 8800GTX 768 MB Antec Sonata Software development
mikeblas-hp Windows XP Pro SP2 HP Pavilion ze5700 Pentium M
3.0 GHz		 1024 megs 60 gigs — RADEON IGM 354M Laptop Mobile diagnostics
runoff Windows XP Pro SP2 Dell PowerEdge 600SC Pentium 4
2.4 GHz		 1664 megs 40 gigs 100 gigs, 100 gigs ATI Rage XL Dell mini-tower Backup domain controller
ISA Server
mikeblas5 Windows Vista Ultimate Asus P4P800 Intel Pentium 4
3.0 GHz		 2048 megs 200 gigs 200 gigs RADEON 9550 Generic mini-tower Cluster processing
montoya Windows 2003 Server Dell PowerEdge 600SC Pentium 4
2.4 GHz		 1152 megs 150 gigs / RAID 1 600 gigs / RAID 0 ATI Rage XL Dell mini-tower Domain controller
backup storage
musicroom Windows XP Pro SP2 Asus P4S533 Pentium 4
2.66 GHz		 1024 megs 120 gigs — RADEON 8500 Generic desktop Music playback
and capture
paddock Windows 2003 Server Tyan S2460 Athlon MP 1800+ x2 2048 megs 160 gigs 160 gigs RADEON 9600 Chieftech Tower offline
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