Editing 1167: Star Trek into Darkness
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{{comic | {{comic | ||
| number = 1167 | | number = 1167 | ||
− | | date = January | + | | date = January 29, 2013 |
| title = Star Trek into Darkness | | title = Star Trek into Darkness | ||
| image = star_trek_into_darkness.png | | image = star_trek_into_darkness.png | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | The talk page of a Wikipedia article is used to discuss changes to the article. An {{w|Wikipedia:Edit warring|edit war}} is a dispute about a specific edit to an article, manifesting as a series of edits alternatingly making and reverting the change, and usually accompanied by a more-or-less heated debate on the talk page. | ||
− | + | Here, [[Randall]] is referring to a dispute on the Wikipedia article about ''{{w|Star Trek Into Darkness}}'' (an upcoming Star Trek film) about whether to capitalize the word "into." On the day before the comic was published the article was titled with a lowercase "into", the talk page looked [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Star_Trek_Into_Darkness&oldid=535271069 like this], (rounded off in a friendly way, with the posting of {{w|User:Frungi/Star_Trek_Into_Darkness_capitalization|a summary of the arguments}}, and an exchange of virtual hugs). | |
− | + | [[Cueball]] changes the title so that every other letter is capitalized, and adds framing tildes and asterisks (a common (childish) way of emphasising titles online). This will probably not go over well. | |
− | + | Megan's line of "They should have sent a poet." is a quote from the film ''{{w|Contact (film)|Contact}}''. The quote is also featured in [[482: Height]]. | |
− | The title text indicates Randall's belief that such arguments are perpetual and will always arise. He suggests that the edit | + | The title text indicates Randall's belief that such arguments are perpetual and will always arise. He suggests that the edit in the comic will result in a dispute over variants on Cueballs "compromise". Because the lowercase "L" and the capital "I" appear similar in many fonts, he also suggests the potential argument that the character in the movie's title is a lowercase "L". |
− | + | The old "favourite edit war" might be the one referenced in [[878: Model Rail]]. | |
− | [ | + | ===Outcome=== |
+ | After the publication the debate continued with full force, complete with [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Star_Trek_Into_Darkness&oldid=535664064#xkcd_Mention a section of xkcd-inspired suggestions]. The article itself was soon protected, so that only administrators could edit it. A day later the title was changed to a capital "Into" by the administrator {{w|User:Mackensen|Mackensen}}. (The debate continued on {{w|User talk:Mackensen#Star Trek into Darkness|his talk page}}.) | ||
− | The | + | {{w|The Independent}} had an article about the [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/trekkies-take-on-wikis-in-a-grammatical-tizzy-over-star-trek-into-darkness-8475705.html "grammatical tizzy"], and the thing was included in Wikipedias humorous list of the {{w|WP:LAME|lamest edit wars}}. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
:[Cueball staring at computer screen.] | :[Cueball staring at computer screen.] | ||
− | :Cueball: Oh, | + | :Cueball: Oh, wow. Look at Wikipedia's Talk page for Star Trek into Darkness. I have a new favorite edit war. |
:Megan (off-panel): Oh? | :Megan (off-panel): Oh? | ||
:Cueball: Forty ''thousand'' words of debate over whether to capitalize "into" in the movie's title. Still no consensus. | :Cueball: Forty ''thousand'' words of debate over whether to capitalize "into" in the movie's title. Still no consensus. | ||
− | :Megan: That's '' | + | :Megan: That's ''magnificient''. |
:Cueball: It's breathtaking. | :Cueball: It's breathtaking. | ||
:Megan: They should have sent a poet. | :Megan: They should have sent a poet. | ||
− | :Cueball: Well | + | :Cueball: Well I'm making an executive decision. I hope both sides accept this as a fair compromise. |
− | :[A | + | :[A wikipedia page titled "~*~ StAr TrEk InTo DaRkNeSs ~*~"] |
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+ | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
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[[Category:Wikipedia]] | [[Category:Wikipedia]] | ||
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