The Anorak Zone Forums

[Stevolution]

As we all know, Wikipedia is supposed to be an encyclopedia, so why do comletely un-noteworthy people, known almost only for being a fan of Doctor Who, seem to have pages there, and why do they almost always read like self-promoting dating service entries than biographies that have clearly been written by the subject?

Here's a few examples...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Topping - "Topping's hobbies include socialising with friends, foreign travel, loud guitar-based popular music, trashy SF television and even trashier British horror movies of the 1960s and 70s (as celebrated in his 2004 book A Vault of Horror: A Book of 80 Great (and not-so-great) British Horror Movies 1956-1974), football and cricket, military, social and local history, genealogy, archaeology and wondering whatever happened to Arthur Two-Stroke and the Chart Commandos." Who gives a f***?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Levine - "In May 2000, Levine organised the reunion of his entire school class from the 1960s at Arnold School in Blackpool. All 30 members of class 3A were found and brought together to experience lessons, P.T. in the gym, a rugby match, and an assembly with their original teachers, all in original style school uniform." Who gives a f***?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Blum - "More recently, Blum has returned briefly to the world of no-budget film production. In 2003 and 2005, he edited two no-budget, Doctor Who "inspired" indie shorts for Australian fan Andrew Merkelbach, The Curse of the Del Garria and Red. Though both films enjoyed premiere cinema screenings, neither is presently available to purchase or view." Who gives a f***?

Anyone feel up for a bit of editing down and redressing the academic balance? None of this is noteworthy in the slightest is it? The most any of them have done is written a low selling genre franchise paperback or had a bit part on a god awful 80s single's production, which deserves about 3 lines and a partial bibliography at most in my book. The Keith Topping one is particularly hilarious for this if you check the history and see the multiple changes vanity edits and deletions made by the suspiciously named "Keith2610" that are a prime example of a man repeatedly sucking his own cock, then feeling remorse, then doing it again.

[Sidesk]

Do you not think it might serve on the principle of a General Warning: IF APPROACHED BY ANY OF THESE MEN, BACK AWAY SLOWLY. DO NOT PROVOKE THEM. GET THE SHIT OUT OF THERE A.S.A.P.

[ajd]

Well, as "professional Who fans," they'd have a lot of time on their hands.

[bandraginus6]

They'd probably like everyone to think that someone other than themselves actually wrote their entry.

[Shaft-o-Gigsville]

So Wikipedia claims if you make any changes without a logged-in account, they'll record your ISP number.

Just to double-check on an idiot tech question: That's your Internet Service Provider number, right? So if I logged in from, say, a public internet cafe with wifi or from work, they wouldn't be able to trace my laptop specifically, just where I was connected to. Is that right?

[ajd]

I'm sure you're just asking for academic purposes...

[kencar]

So Wikipedia claims if you make any changes without a logged-in account, they'll record your ISP number.

Just to double-check on an idiot tech question: That's your Internet Service Provider number, right? So if I logged in from, say, a public internet cafe with wifi or from work, they wouldn't be able to trace my laptop specifically, just where I was connected to. Is that right?

That is correct.

(I can hardly wait to read the "Shaft-o-Gigsville" wiki entry.)

[bandraginus6]

Considering the photo Topping has chosen to accompany his Wiki entry, someone needs to edit the page to simply read 'Keith Topping is the World's foremost professional Jabba the Hutt impersonator'.

[Anorak]

Someone needs to sort this shit one way or the other, that's beyond doubt.

(Though maybe not declare here that they have done).

[Pex]

Levine organised the reunion of his entire school class from the 1960s at Arnold School in Blackpool. All 30 members of class 3A were found and brought together to experience lessons, P.T. in the gym, a rugby match, and an assembly with their original teachers, all in original style school uniform.

Now either someone has sneaked a massive piss-take past the Wikipaedia revertor clones, or Ian is a lot more cunning than we gave him credit for. Can you imagine the organisation he must have put into setting up that ultimate fantasy scenario?