Battlestar Wiki:Galactipedians Quorum

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Rewrote Council Security

I did a pretty much total rewrite of Council Security. Hope it passes muster. — SMcCandlish [talk] [cont] ‹(-¿-)› 10:35, 8 February 2008 (CST)

Looks good in general. Nice details of their appearances. Though we generally write the article bodies themselves from a strictly in-universe perspective and confine real-world references to notes (unless it's an article dealing with an obvious real-world subject of course). -- Serenity 10:45, 8 February 2008 (CST)

Yeah, I re-read the policy on that last night (after like 3 months); will re-re-write the article so that the real-world stuff is in the Notes section, unless someone has beat me to it. — SMcCandlish [talk] [cont] ‹(-¿-)› 02:47, 9 February 2008 (CST)

I removed it. It was mainly about the comparisons to the US police or Secret Service. The article is fine without that. Saying things like "In episode so and so they did..." is ok if it can't be avoided. Since the article partly deals with their different depiction in various episodes, that's appropriate in this case. So a completely re-write isn't really necessary. -- Serenity 08:54, 9 February 2008 (CST)

"Spoiler follows, highlight to read"

Does anybody else find the "highlight to read" style distracting and kind of unprofessional? Why can't we just use a little CSS to make a pop-down spoiler box:

Spoiler follows

Adama is a cylon!

(This is GFDL code from Wikipedia, I can copy it over to a template and give credit where it's due.) Evan 16:59, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

I don't see any problem with this. :) What does everyone else think? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 17:17, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

Format's pages wrong. Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 17:40, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

In what way? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 18:11, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

Colours don't work in BsgMonoBook, alignment is off in BsgBook, I don't see anything wrong in the default skin though. Evan 18:22, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

Nvm, the colours work in MonoBook. Actually I don't see anything wrong in any of the skins. Evan 18:38, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

If it doesn't screw anything up, this would be far better than the highlight thing we have now. -- Serenity 18:54, 20 March 2008 (CDT)

The drop down does not format on lists correct. Like before, it would create a new line and interrupt the list numbers. Also, from our previous discussion on javascript expanding boxes in the middle of episodes pages (which are not at the top), templates that expand huge things of text change the entire format of the page layout when they expand. Images get shifted and it creates an unnesseary new lines that were not there before. It's always 100% width. Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 09:30, 21 March 2008 (CDT)

OK, the template is created as Template:Spoilerbox, add it if you like. I'm not going to replace the existing spoilers since... I don't want to be spoiled :) Evan 07:39, 21 March 2008 (CDT)

Nice template. Less is more for me on some pages, especially now. --Spencerian 11:42, 21 March 2008 (CDT)

Uh, one question...what's the input format for the template? I can't glean that from the description. --Spencerian 11:45, 21 March 2008 (CDT)

I've updated the page, but the syntax is {{spoilerbox|This is a spoiler! Muhahahahha!}}. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 13:55, 21 March 2008 (CDT)

I like the idea, but I'm not sure it's universally better than the current method... Especially if it will create problems like Shane mentioned. As dumb as it seems, I think the current method does have some advantages: Depending on how someone highlights the spoiler, they can control how much of the spoiler is revealed. Also, people can gauge how much content the spoiler contains just by looking at the amount of unreadable text. --Galjamspe 00:40, 22 March 2008 (CDT)

Proposition for new article

Hi! Quite new here, and since I don't find a button for creating a new article, I figure I must go through the Quorum?

I'd love it if we could open a small article for adding notice for Caprica Six's unborn baby. There's no actual article for this person yet, and I have to write my mentions about it, in already existing articles like Gaius Baltar's and Caprica Six's.

Thanks for the attention! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Iniovan (talk • contribs).

Do we really know anything about the baby enough to write an article? At this point, we just know that Caprica-Six is pregnant and that the father is Saul. Other than that... any analysis on it could probably fit in the episode guides. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 18:28, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Question on editing etiquette

Hi,

I'm a newbie here. So this is a question so I can hopefully avoid stepping on anyone's toes. If you see an existing article and wish to add to the information and content, would it always be best to ask the original contributor before doing so? Especially if to do so, I would have to move some items around in the original article.

For example, I want to put in a new reference to supplement the article, however, it would need to go before an existing article, requiring renumbering of all of the references.

I'm just trying to get a feel of what is good editing and bad editing before I put foot in mouth.

thanks! Jeff Rabb

In a word, no. In addition to greatly slowing down the ability for the community to keep things up to date, it also ignores the fact that once you hit "save page" your edits become community property. There really isn't an "ownership" of articles, outside of perhaps articles in the "User" namespace. So feel free to be bold and get in those edits. If somebody takes issue with your edits they can either change it back themselves, take it up in the talk page of the article in question, and/or potentially bring it up on your talk page. New references are almost always welcome, as they're the glue that binds this place together. --Steelviper 23:23, 3 May 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the advice! Jeff

How Can This Not Be Canonical?

On the unnamed battlestars page, there is section dealing with the Berserk Class Escort. A notation notes the specific information on this class of ship is non-canonical. Presumably because it comes from the ship designer's own website vs that from one of the sanctioned websites or sources. But the ship WAS used in Razor. So how can one on one hand use it in the show and on the other hand say that any specific information on it from it's creator is non-canonical simply because TPTB never bothered to put it with a sanctioned source? It either is or isn't in my book. I'm sure this discussion has arisen many times before, but I'd like to find out the final arguement that finally determined why this source, which straddles the line, should be excluded as non-sanctioned? Jeff Rabb

The ship described on the website is on the show, but canon starts from the aired content and trickles down from there. So while we do see the ship, we aren't given any in-show identification of the ship. Also, there's nothing from the producers on the matter. However... the information coming from "crew" does seem to place it somewhere in category 3 in the source hierarchy, so it should have some weight (IMO). Anyway, I can see where the note was coming from (in that none of the information about the name of the ship, etc., came from any aired info or from RDM, etc), but I think you've got a decent argument. Given Joe's edit to the article, it appears he at least checked out the source website enough to correct the spelling to match it. Personally, I'd consider replacing the "canon" note and just replace it with a reference pointing to Chu's website. I do have to agree that it's not necessarily a battlestar, and in fact given the escort designation it's likely not a battlestar. Battleships don't "escort" battleships, and likewise with aircraft carriers. --Steelviper 01:35, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

The Caprican - Will We, Won't We

Hello all,

Very, very new here. I'm wondering if the contents of the newzine "The Caprican" will be included in info on the Caprica series?

It's been really great to read it, and join in the group that's been posting in character. I wouldn't think that the comments would be included as material, but the actual articles seem like they're going to be good fodder for Colonial life in general.

Thanks! Glasswalker33

I think we need to be very clear that whatever is in "The Caprican" isn't necessarily canon. If that's done, I have no qualm about including it, since it is put out officially by the SyFy Channel. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 03:36, 30 January 2010 (UTC)

As I am new to this website, I was looking for an answer to this question (that, and regarding whether we will include the information from Serge's Twitter account). How should we distinguish it is not "necessarily canon" - a separate non-canon section of a particular article, just note information in the background info./notes or just include it in the main article until it is contradicted? --JamiLeeD 23:45, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Everything's been canonical so far, including things first mentioned in The Caprican that appear onscreen days or weeks later. The latest example being Eros Day, which was mentioned in The Caprican a month ago and on the card in "End of Line". -- Noneofyourbusiness 23:52, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Also, the rather ominous note about new railings on the Pantheon Bridge appeared weeks ahead of End of Line: http://showblogs.syfy.com/caprican/news/pantheon-bridge-getting-new-safety-measures.php Other things that appeaned in the Caprican before they showed up on the show were Vesta, the terror alert being raised (which was a plot point in End of Line-- it was why they couldn't get Zoebot off-planet for another week), and (if I'm remembering right) v-date. Clearly whoever writes it is involved with the production of the show. -- Rjinswand 01:46, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes, V-Match first showed up there. Natalie Stark was also first named there, and the concept of a holoband sleeper weeks before it talked about Vesta and New Cap City. Furthermore, Serge and The Caprican's usage of place names and Pyramid facts all agree with each other. -- Noneofyourbusiness 15:38, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

Any ideas for what how citations should be formatted for: 1. Serge's Twitter account, and 2. The Caprican? - JamiLeeD 03:49, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

Question....Original Series

My teacher gave a clue to his laptop password...its "Three that was detroyed" from TOS can anyone tell me what it means? I tried D'Anna, Xena, And Six of one, none of the worked —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Snarky (talk • contribs).

"Three that was destroyed..." Hmm... Might be referring to a lot of things, actually. Like "Zac," the third child of Adama's that was killed in the pilot. Could be "Serina" too... I think your teacher needs to be a bit more specific. "Three" of what? Is "three" a specific thing, or does "three" mean a quantity? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 19:29, 10 February 2010 (UTC)

Color of links to other wikis

I'm not quite sure this is the right place to ask this. I find a bit confusing that links to other wikis (e.g. Wikipedia, Memory Alpha) share their color with battlestarwiki links. I think its cool to link to other wikis at times, for example to give real world perspectives on some matters but I'd like to directly know if a link leads me away from this site. Maybe another shade of yellow/orange could be used? -- Penumbra 22:12, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Hmm... We could do that. I'd like to get everyone's impression on it though. I might tweet this so we can get some idea of what people think. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 22:17, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Just to illustrate my point (and bring the discussion up again): Most of you are probably aware of this but I think Memory Alpha is a very good example for what I mean. The color of non-MA links is only slightly darker but it makes it very easy to spot them. -- Penumbra 19:51, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

I am very much in support of this, I keep on getting sent to Memory Alpha or wherever when I don't really want to be. -- Rjinswand 20:49, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

The discussion wasn't very lively, sadly. But do we (=you, Joe) want to make a decission? I'm still very much in favor of this. -- Penumbra 09:21, 30 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm very much in favor of this, too. --Pedda 12:39, 30 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm in support of this and will work on it. What color should the off-site links be? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 05:47, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

Cool. Two suggestions: Text Text. The greenish one is derived from the yellow color of normal links. But the orange one might fit better with the wiki's overall style. -- Penumbra

I definitely like the orange version. Any other suggestions? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 15:12, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

I've rolled out this change. We can tweak it as we go, but it was a simple fix. ;-) -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 22:01, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

Love it already. --Pedda 00:32, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Agreed! JubalHarshaw 04:34, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Cool! Just noticed that the new color doesn't show up in the note about the new color, though. ;) -- Penumbra 09:18, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Citation Links, Templates and...other things

I have a suggestion for the wiki, I hope this is the right place to put this (The above discussion leads me to believe that it is), but it concerns the citation links to episodes, their placement and formatting. I was thinking that a series of templates would allow the proper formatting this wiki wishes to obtain, while being able to properly link to the intended pages (for instance, having CAP lead to Caprica, instead of a disimbig page). Some others from other wikis may get an idea of what I am trying to suggest (and perhaps it already has been done so). This is not without it's flaws though, most wiki's have found (unless a better system can be put in place, or someone knows what they are doing are far better with wiki coding then I am) that episode pages all need to be moved to "title (episode)" to prevent false/unwanted page/wanted page requests. Basically, the idea here is, when one wants to cite an episode of the reimagined series, they'd have to write ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]"), my idea would have them writing out ({{TRS|33}}), you'd get the same formatting, but less coding to do, especially if you going to cite multiple episodes. --Typhoeus 07:25, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Thank you for the suggestion, however it's better to not go the template route for episode citations. First, this would not work for paragraphs where citing multiple episodes—perhaps across multiple series, like TRS & Caprica—would be necessary. Secondly, it's not really a matter of coding, but the number of database calls such a template would do each time the page is viewed—and, frankly, cost of increased database calls is not really worth that. Further, what you're suggesting is actually far more complicated than it has to be, both in terms of programming templates to deal with complex citation situations AND having people do it right the first time. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 14:23, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Alright, if it's going to end up costing more, I guess I can agree that it's not worth it, as for multiple episode citation though, Sorry, I forgot to add in, you'd simply add in another title after "33" as such "33|Title|Title 2" but anyway it doesn't matter, I wasn't aware that it would cause a database call that'd cost this wiki some money. --Typhoeus 22:24, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, I had figured that too. It's a good idea, or seems to be, until you realize that there are over 4,000 articles that'll probably use the template, compounded by the many thousands of visitors we get on a daily basis... Then, it gets to be a bit of a quagmire. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 22:44, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Query regarding suicide bombing in Battlestar Galactica

Hi. I'm currently writing an essay on the suicide bombing in the episode occupation. I'm framing it from Bill Adama's perspective looking back on the events of the suicide bombing and trying to debate the moral conundrums that the episode so cleverly draws out. I am going to try and reflect on past events both fictional and within our world now that may have happened in the past. I am intrigued to know whether there is anything in the scriptures of the twelve colonies or in cylon prophecy that mentions martyrdom or the cult of the hero? I was also wondering if you had any more info on how Adama's Mom and Sister died, I know it was a suicide bombing but is there any more specific information on how it happened and why? Thanks a lot, Joe -- —The preceding unsigned comment was added by JoeCarr (talk • contribs).

There's really nothing in the "Cylon scripture" or the Sacred Scrolls that tells their readers how to "deal" with "infidels." As for Adama's mom and sister's deaths, they were caused by Ben Stark of the Soldiers of the One, who have their own aims and goals—as well as their own factions. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 14:55, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

RDS / TRS

Why are articles in the reimagined series that need disambiguation marked "(RDM)" instead of "(TRS)"? I understand where the RDM comes from, but the series article itself uses TRS and reimagined series episode names in articles are supposed to be prefixed with TRS:, so it would appear that it's been decided that "TRS" is the appropriate series identifier. To use "RDM" in article names would seem to me, quite frankly, to be wrong. Lexicon 22:28, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Lexicon, it's a new thing... Before the advent of Caprica, we used "RDM" to disambiguate any articles pertaining to the re-imagined series; "TRS" wasn't used back when we started. In a nutshell, we now use "RDM" to describe anything in the universe created by the Reimagined Series (including Caprica), whereas "TRS" is used for any subjects depicted solely in the Re-imagined Series (sans Caprica). -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 23:12, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Ah. Lexicon 23:23, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Episode templates

I've created some simple templates like those on Memory Alpha for displaying episode titles with the appropriate prefixes and punctuation. They are:

• {{TRS}}
• {{CAP}}
• {{1980}}

However, as there's already a {{TOS}} template (which has been a candidate for deletion for some time), I couldn't make that one.

The template can be used by simply putting an episode name after a bar, and can fit up to eight episode names. So {{TRS|Miniseries, Night 1|Miniseries, Night 2}} produces ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1", "Miniseries, Night 2")}. Will these be considered useful? And if so, can we get that other {{TOS}} template gone so we can have a full set? Lexicon 23:45, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Not to splash acid on what you've done, but this was brought up before. Now this is not to remind people that the decision made from that discussion is final (as it isn't), but I think it highlights something that most people do not consider. Feel free to further discuss. :) -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 14:36, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Any idea what the "cost" of the use of such templates would be? And is there a way to substitute the results of templates instead of having the templates actually called? I thought that that was possible (I'm a regular Wikipedia editor and Admin). Further, are there no bot programmers around who could just whip up a script to crawl the wiki and make all the changes? Lexicon 01:43, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

Well, there are more than 4,000 pages that would call the script, and with the average page using roughly 5 of these episode templates per page... it gets to be a bit of a quagmire, as I mentioned before. Now times that by how many visits we get on a daily basis (40 to 50k)... So that's an additional 800,000,000(ish) calls per day—in addition to whatever the other templates (infoboxes and so forth) that each article calls. Now, Shane's done a good job at trying to reduce the server calls (because MW has this annoying habit of calling everything whenever the page is loaded, as opposed to when it is updated). Now our new server has some real power behind it, so I do feel that we could more than handle that... Still, I'm very cautious so I will have to speak to Shane about this, because he knows more about the tech stuff than I do.

As for the bot code, Shane wrote (or modified) many of the bots. I spoke to him about that a few weeks ago, and (from what he and I understand) MW changed the way bots work in the 1.15 series. So we'll need to work on that as well, whenever we're not busy working. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 14:36, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

SVG images

I get this error when I try to include an SVG image I uploaded on a page:

Error creating thumbnail: /usr/bin/rsvg: not found

Solution? Lexicon 02:38, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

I'll have to check on this. I've written this down on my TO-DO list so I do not forget. Cheers! -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Battlestar Pegasus} 14:36, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

Re-imagined Series definition: standard deployment of craft on defense posture, an anachronistic colloquialism used to refer to patrols in space