Help with references For Wikipedia
There was recently a review of the ZX Spectrum article on Wikipedia.
The reviewer raised a few concerns which I have started to address. However, there are some unsourced claims which I have Googled all over the "place" to find reliable references without success. Perhaps some of you know where to look and hence help to maintain it's status as a Good Article.
For your convenience, below are the main points regarding sourcing:
The reviewer raised a few concerns which I have started to address. However, there are some unsourced claims which I have Googled all over the "place" to find reliable references without success. Perhaps some of you know where to look and hence help to maintain it's status as a Good Article.
For your convenience, below are the main points regarding sourcing:
- The first paragraph of the Software section claims that "The Spectrum enjoys a vibrant, dedicated fan-base." Great, but who says so?
- The last half of the Distribution section is also completely uncited, as is the first half of Copying and backup software.
- "The Spectrum has an interesting method of handling colour ...". Interesting to who? Unusual?
Post edited by The President on
Comments
1. At one point the article talks about 14,000 titles (ref 36) and later on says that WoS has more than 18,000 (just before ref 46).
For what it's worth, the actual number of titles is in excess of 20,000; I have over 1,000 left to add (full Outlet index) and know that the various PD catalogues have many titles we don't list yet.
2. In regards to copiers, perhaps it's worth mentioning that the commercial magazines got fed up with them at some point (can't find a reference, sorry) and stated they would refuse to list any further ones, including in the smalls ads.
We know this led to copiers getting different names to get past that restriction, but it was an important statement; we wouldn't want to suggest that piracy on the Spectrum was condoned and encouraged (as you could read into it now).
Good point, but ... errr ... which activity logs would that be?
I have removed the sentence. The paragraph could do with a little more work as well. I'll see what I can do.
Another good point. Shouldn't be to hard to find references for.
For now I'll stick with the conservative number with reference to the Archive page.
I wasn't aware that such a ban was ever in effect. LERM, Kobrasoft, ZX Guaranteed and others thrived in the small ads section as far as I could determine from that era. When was this?
Excellent reference! I'll try to incorporate that into the article as well.
I tried adding a link to the Spectrum Games Bible (Which isnt exactly something we make millions from) but someone then kept taking the link off, annoying as anything.
The page is about the Speccy, we do books about Speccy games, ZXF Magazine is there with links to printed version which you pay for so i cant believe people are getting funny about 'commercial enterprises' ?
Its a book by fans with fan reviews in it and we make minimal money from everyone sold.
That page is the main one about the Speccy on wikipedia but i dont understand why someone keeps deleting the URL for the books at the bottom ? Under retro gaming for example are links to compilations you buy etc.
click on the 'History' tab.
'Wikipedia is not a place to advertise' is the reason.
"Links to sites that primarily exist to sell products or services"
and you should probably also read What Wikipedia is not while you're at it. What is on other pages is irrelevant; see WP:OTHERCRAPEXISTS. The solution is to remove the spam from other pages, not to add it to what is one of the better articles on Wikipedia.
At a guess, it was in 1986, when Lerm rebranded their Lerm Tape Copier 8 to Lerm Tape Utility 8 and started using 'Utility' instead for the next versions.
If so, Sinclair User would have a note somewhere, but, again, I haven't verified this (it's just a recollection).
The inly reference I found was this which sugges that this was more of a "forced response" based on industry pressure rather than a "mission of mercy".:-)
I have addressed all of the reviewers concerns, except that first paragraph above. Any ideas? If nothing else surfaces, I guess a link to the Forum pages themselves will do. What do you think?