An open letter from a Wikipedian

[Hurricanehink]

Wikipedia and Storm2k go hand in hand. I regularly see people refer to Wikipedia, and several of us Wikipedia members are on here to discuss storms and such. However, us on Wikipedia are having a problem. Basically, we're running out of writers. Now, there are plenty of people updating current storms, and fixing typos. What we need are people who are willing to do some research and help write articles.

For what it's worth, I was a Storm2k member since 2003, and I joined Wikipedia in 2005. I found it easy and enjoyable to research storms and write about them. Since 2005, when the Tropical Cyclone Wikiproject was founded, we have basically streamlined the process for writing articles. However, there are so many left that need work, and every year the backlog increases with new storms, reanalyzed storms, and newly-released data.

It's not that difficult. My most recent storm article was Tropical Storm Debby in 1994 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Debby_(1994) It wasn't a retired storm, and it wasn't terribly notable, but it's important enough to have an article, and our coverage before I started working on it was pretty scant. If you're willing to look through the NHC data and do a Google and Google news search, then it's quite easy to write articles. For those of you afraid of editing an existing article, I'll just copy what's at the bottom of the edit window.

If you do not want your writing to be edited, used, and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here.

Basically, anything you write might get edited by someone else, but you have the same right to edit what someone else did. None of it is particularly difficult to do. I've written 59 featured articles (4th most on all of Wikipedia), and none of them have been particularly difficult. Is there anyone around here who is interested in editing? If so, there are plenty of people, including myself, who could help you along. I hope some of you weather enthusiasts will consider this!

[RL3AO]

Hey hink. I used to be on there a lot (I'm CWY2190 over there). Just got to a point where I just didn't have the time I used too. Sad to hear about WPTC struggling. Certainly a shining project on WP.

[Yellow Evan]

Wikipedia and Storm2k go hand in hand. I regularly see people refer to Wikipedia, and several of us Wikipedia members are on here to discuss storms and such. However, us on Wikipedia are having a problem. Basically, we're running out of writers. Now, there are plenty of people updating current storms, and fixing typos. What we need are people who are willing to do some research and help write articles.

For what it's worth, I was a Storm2k member since 2003, and I joined Wikipedia in 2005. I found it easy and enjoyable to research storms and write about them. Since 2005, when the Tropical Cyclone Wikiproject was founded, we have basically streamlined the process for writing articles. However, there are so many left that need work, and every year the backlog increases with new storms, reanalyzed storms, and newly-released data.

It's not that difficult. My most recent storm article was Tropical Storm Debby in 1994 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Debby_(1994) It wasn't a retired storm, and it wasn't terribly notable, but it's important enough to have an article, and our coverage before I started working on it was pretty scant. If you're willing to look through the NHC data and do a Google and Google news search, then it's quite easy to write articles. For those of you afraid of editing an existing article, I'll just copy what's at the bottom of the edit window.

If you do not want your writing to be edited, used, and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here.

Basically, anything you write might get edited by someone else, but you have the same right to edit what someone else did. None of it is particularly difficult to do. I've written 59 featured articles (4th most on all of Wikipedia), and none of them have been particularly difficult. Is there anyone around here who is interested in editing? If so, there are plenty of people, including myself, who could help you along. I hope some of you weather enthusiasts will consider this!

I agree with the above as an editor of Wikipedia. I would not let that work to be edited scare you (it did for me for six months). We have a variety of articles that need work (from all TC basins to general weather articles). Good luck nd I'd hope to see you soon over there.

[Hurricanehink]

Hey hink. I used to be on there a lot (I'm CWY2190 over there). Just got to a point where I just didn't have the time I used too. Sad to hear about WPTC struggling. Certainly a shining project on WP.

Right! I remember your edits. Part of the problem with the WPTC is that it's done so well for so long that I think people are afraid to join and help out. Only, now, we're losing editors, and there are still tons of storms out there that either need articles or need to be expanded. Granted, it's still one of the best projects on Wikipedia, but that doesn't mean it's perfect and there isn't work left to do. It's a shame when we have short articles like Hurricane Diane - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Diane - when Hazel's article blows off its pants - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Hazel. With regards to the time thing, I totally get that, I'm busy working myself. I tend to work on an article for a week or two, with a little bit of work each day. That's how I did articles like Hurricane Alma in 1966 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Alma_(1966)

[Yellow Evan]

I tend to do the opposite, writing an article in a day or two since I have more time. So, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[Cyclenall]

I've thought about it lots of times, but the main issue is always time. If I had an infinite amount of time on my hands, I'd be all over Wikipedia's Tropical Cyclone Project and Weather portals. I actually thought you guys had it under control and I'm amazed at how much progress has been made in just years. Its always top notch stuff and I make an effort to visit the main pages regularly. The reasons why some with the effort think its getting behind is just because the subject of weather is just so enormous...hard to wrap your mind around, and as a result the scope becomes dizzying. I believe in Wikipedia all the way and really think it has changed knowledge gathering so being a part of that is something that has always been in my future plans. An area of weather that's calling me is heat waves which I have said are heavily under-represented on Wikipedia despite causing the most amount of deaths and creating billion dollar disasters in a long range. The lack of information on the historic March Heat Wave Article currently is criminal! It could be the size of a devastating hurricane in page length but it would be a daunting task...even Dr. Jeff Masters didn't know how to summarize such an insane item.

[Yellow Evan]

I've thought about it lots of times, but the main issue is always time. If I had an infinite amount of time on my hands, I'd be all over Wikipedia's Tropical Cyclone Project and Weather portals. I actually thought you guys had it under control and I'm amazed at how much progress has been made in just years. Its always top notch stuff and I make an effort to visit the main pages regularly. The reasons why some with the effort think its getting behind is just because the subject of weather is just so enormous...hard to wrap your mind around, and as a result the scope becomes dizzying. I believe in Wikipedia all the way and really think it has changed knowledge gathering so being a part of that is something that has always been in my future plans. An area of weather that's calling me is heat waves which I have said are heavily under-represented on Wikipedia despite causing the most amount of deaths and creating billion dollar disasters in a long range. The lack of information on the historic March Heat Wave Article currently is criminal! It could be the size of a devastating hurricane in page length but it would be a daunting task...even Dr. Jeff Masters didn't know how to summarize such an insane item.

We have it under control, just that we are removed from the project's glory days in 2007 and 2008 and we need some support to get us back there.

[Hurricane Jed]

Pity we can't lock those articles. I've seen some articles once good trimmed down to nothing like the 1926 Miami Hurricane. Or sometimes people will just insert stupid stuff like an article on Lili someone said the tropical cyclone became cheese. If ever I run across wrong information, I try to correct it.

[CrazyC83]

I've been way too busy with school. I do a lot of minor updates from time to time (especially during hurricane season) but not historical findings.

[Yellow Evan]

Pity we can't lock those articles. I've seen some articles once good trimmed down to nothing like the 1926 Miami Hurricane. Or sometimes people will just insert stupid stuff like an article on Lili someone said the tropical cyclone became cheese. If ever I run across wrong information, I try to correct it.

You can, see WP:RPR, but it has to meet certain criteria.

[thegreatdr]

Remember that all articles have a history page, which shows previous edits. Nearly all edited versions of a page lie in the history section. The one for the 1926 hurricane is located at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... on=history

Click on the date/time of the version you want and you'll see it. For the most part, the most recent version should be the best version of the article in regards to verifiable content. I joined there in January 2006, and generally edit the meteorology and history-related articles. I leave the storm articles to others, most of the time. If you're in a position where you have a bit of free time, it's a good use of that time. When you write articles, particularly about topics of which you are not an "expert", you learn a lot about it. Even if you are an "expert", you tend to pick some knowledge along the way.