User talk:Gradivus

... Enjoy! --DarkLantern (talk) 05:36, November 5, 2012 (UTC)

Thanks, Dark Lantern. I've seen this site before, usually finding it via Google. I'm also a frequent contributor to Wikipedia, under a different "handle." I haven't put "4" down in the lore and literature knowledge sections, because I don't think anyone (including myself) without a full-time job researching and/or editing Tolkien literature (or an eccentric millionaire with nothing else to do) could be justified in saying he has an "encyclopedic" knowledge of those subjects. Christopher Tolkien could probably qualify, but few others. I have, however, spent the past 20 years at a job that requires me to edit English language documents while paying very careful attention to the specificity of language and the demands of preciseness and style. I'm not perfect, but I'm not half bad at it. - Gradivus, 17:52, December 18, 2012 (UTC)

Task
I have a task for you if you'll accept it. I have been trying to get others to do it for years now but neither have come through. The pages List of Minor Battles in Middle-earth and War of the Ring Battles has been voted to be merged into one article known as Battles of the War of the Ring will include all the battles of the War of the Ring summarized but not detailed with a link to the already existing page if there is one. This means all the battles of the War of the Ring major or minor will be listed modestly summarized but NOT detailed like the main battle articles. If you could do this it would be most helpful. Do you accept and understand?--DarkLantern (talk) 03:33, December 20, 2012 (UTC)


 * If I need only merge them I could do it, if I didn't have to add new info that isn't already on the pages (I have only the text of LotR handy). But I probably couldn't start doing it until January at least. Although if it's only the battles listed on those two pages it shouldn't take long  --Gradivus, 03:53, December 20, 2012 (UTC)


 * Consider tackling the rewriting issues here as well: Forum:Project: Tolkien Gateway and Wikipedia copies removal Thank you for your contributions here.--DarkLantern (talk) 05:11, December 20, 2012 (UTC)


 * Rewriting entire articles is a considerably greater undertaking. Short of hiring someone to do the research it would take (i.e., for real money), my suggestion (and what I would be willing to do) would be to put a basic (one or two paragraph) "summary" of the topic, perhaps essentially lifting it (perhaps slightly edited) from the "Encyclopedia of Arda" (which actually encourages that sort of thing, as long as it includes a proper citation back to the source), deleting everything else, and then allowing people to subsequently add their own material to build the article in a typical Wikipedia-type manner. That would, of course make the pages drastically shorter (to start with), and I'm not sure you'd want me to do that.


 * If I did that, then for example this (or something like it) would be my entire entry for "Elves":"==Summary=="
 * "In Tolkien mythology, the Elves were the first children of Eru, The One, called Ilúvatar by the Elves."
 * "The first Elves awoke by Cuiviénen, the Water of Awakening in the far east of Middle-earth, long Ages before the Rising of the Sun or Moon. Unlike Men, the Elves were not subject to illness or physical aging."
 * "Some, known afterward as the Eldar (People of the Stars), were brought by the Valar from Middle-earth to Valinor, where they were taught by the Ainur. But after the Silmarils were stolen by Melkor, some of the Elves returned to Middle-earth, where they remained until the end of the Third Age."
 * "==History=="
 * "==References=="
 * And then I'd delete ALL of the material that was lifted entire from the Tolkien Gateway and Wikipedia, and leave the article to build naturally. Is that what you'd want me to do? Actually, since I've just done the work, I'll go ahead and do it. Just reverse it if you don't like it. --Gradivus, 14:03, December 20, 2012 (UTC)
 * And then I'd delete ALL of the material that was lifted entire from the Tolkien Gateway and Wikipedia, and leave the article to build naturally. Is that what you'd want me to do? Actually, since I've just done the work, I'll go ahead and do it. Just reverse it if you don't like it. --Gradivus, 14:03, December 20, 2012 (UTC)


 * As it turned out, I didn't even have to lift anything from the Encyclopedia of Arda (not enough to need a citation, anyway). --Gradivus, 14:18, December 20, 2012 (UTC)


 * I agree with your total removal of the stuff copied from The Complete Guide to Middle-earth but as for the others what I really had in mind was for somebody to rewrite the article in their own words based upon what they know or have read. If that is too much for you in one go, well then I guess you could do a few every now-and-then or we'll just have wait for some else to become interested.--DarkLantern (talk) 16:35, December 20, 2012 (UTC)
 * Okay. Not something I'm knowledgeable enough to do in one swoop, but since I left the subject headings I think you'll see folks start to fill them in with their own knowledge in collaborative Wikia/Wikipedia style. Here's hoping, anyway. --Gradivus, 16:43, December 20, 2012 (UTC)

On Current polices location
You are right about your suggestion on the location of the LOTR:Current polices page. Could you help me find out the place in the System messages where I can make that change?--DarkLantern (talk) 01:18, December 22, 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm not a Moderator or Admin, and I don't know how to do that - or even how the "System messages" section works. How does one edit the basic page template to add a new selection under the green "On the Wiki" tab?

I'd put "Wiki Policies" to the right of "Photos".

Un-easily-reachable User-page
Is there a reason that your signature is un-linked? That would be helpful. HiddenVale 21:51, December 27, 2012 (UTC)


 * I don't know why that is; I just do ~ or press the signature button. No idea why no link is made, or how to fix it. --Gradivus, 22:13, December 27, 2012 (UTC)