Scratchpad:WikiGnomes

This page documents a Scratchpad guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense, and occasional exceptions may apply. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss your idea on the talk page.

The WikiGnome

WikiGnomes have been spotted here.

The elusive WikiGnome

A WikiGnome is a wiki user who makes useful incremental edits without clamouring for attention. WikiGnomes work behind the scenes of a wiki, tying up little loose ends and making things run more smoothly. Examples of WikiGnome-like behavior include fixing typos, correcting poor grammar, creating redirects, adding categories, and repairing broken links. The WikiGnome is the original example of WikiFauna, having originated in the first wiki, WikiWikiWeb. WikiGnomes are also known as WikiGardeners.

Many highly active wiki contributors exhibit WikiGnome-like behavior as part of their work, while others may limit themselves to only WikiGnome activity.

WikiGnomes are considered to be friendly like WikiFairies and WikiElves. The rough opposite of a WikiGnome is a WikiTroll.

WikiGnomes love to work in the shadows (making what are called minor edits) in various nooks and corners of Scratchpad. Look at recent changes and you may even spot one at work.

WikiGnomes who are feeling familial or desirous of a grander sense of purpose often adopt a typo; gaining fulfillment by raising themselves into existence on the main/article namespace. Of course editors are encouraged to gather up some courage and come into the light of day as a gesture of open friendliness and make their edits in a straightforward manner without being afraid of what others think.

How to identify WikiGnomes

The list of Scratchpad community members who wish to advertise their status as WikiGnomes is at Category:Scratchpad WikiGnomes.

If they so choose, users can advertise their WikiGnome-like qualities on their pages by adding a userbox to their user page with the following code:

{{User Scratchpad/WikiGnome}}

It produces:

This editor is a WikiGnome.

If editors prefer not to use userboxes, they can still list their user pages in the WikiGnomes category by putting the following on it:

[[Category:Scratchpad WikiGnomes|{{PAGENAME}}]]

Another way for someone who self-identifies as a WikiGnome to advertise this is to display a small picture of a mushroom or WikiGnome at the top of the page next to their user name, which can be done by adding the following to your user page:

{{WikiGnome topicon}}

If editors do not wish to advertise themselves unduly, they can make a simple textual note of their interest in wikignomic activities.

Care and feeding of WikiGnomes

Scratchpad community members should know that, despite their humble and very unassuming nature, WikiGnomes nevertheless still need to be told from time to time that their work is valued. If WikiGnomes don’t feel the love from any of the people their work has helped often enough, they may sneak into the kitchens of such users at night and sit on their dairy products. Their needs in this regard are modest, however, and it only takes a brief word to them once in a while to avert such an unfortunate outcome. A collection of kind messages left for the WikiGnomes can be found at Scratchpad:WikiGnomes/Kudos.

See also

• Wikipedia:WikiGnome