User talk:GuruBuckaroo
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Could image uploading be enabled so that bookcovers can be added to the relevant pages? Xedaf 04:28, 13 Aug 2005 (CDT)
- You know, I had never even thought about image uploading. It's set now, although ImageMagick is still building - wait about 10 minutes after this post's time, then have at! Guru Buckaroo 13:55, 13 Aug 2005 (CDT)
Image upload still online?
The wiki seems to be telling me that image loading is disabled at present. I have a couple of images to upload (the BC standards, old and new). Later I was considering having a crack at a new set of maps. Any way to turn this back on?
- My bad. Well, technically, it's MediaWiki's bad - when switching from 1.4.x to 1.5.x, they changed the variable name from "DisableUploads" to "EnableUploads". Bah. It's fixed now, either way. Guru Buckaroo 15:10, 25 February 2006 (CST)
Time for a little reorganization?
Thanks for getting the upload fixed. I have another question about the structuring of the wiki overall. As I get more information entered it strikes me that the current structure doesn't sort the entries as well as it might. Basically, here you have a group of entries each focused around a specific book or book series; everything, in other words, belongs to what would be a nexus or project in Wikipedia, and there are overlaps between the categories. It looks like right now all the characters from all the series are going into one category, for example, which is getting confusing.
May I suggest a slight reorganization of the entries, moving away from categories and towards a list-based structure similar to what some book projects in Wikipedia use? I would propose developing standard navigation box templates for each series (such as the one I've recently drafted, see "recent changes") and creating list pages to sort the entries. So there would be a page with an alphabetical list of Black Company characters, linked from that template box - rather than a category - and something similar could be done for the other series. I think it would make navigating within the related info for each series easier. What do you think?
- That absolutely works. We can also nest the categories - put "Members of the Black Company" under "Characters from the Black Company Series" under "Characters" - which would make things a lot clearer as well. I would suggest, however, modifying your template to take variables, so that you could use the same template for each series - say: {{bookbox|seriesname|charback|seriescats}}. Define a new template 'seriesname' for each book series that includes the logo & name (top row contents), 'charback' for each character (2nd row conents), and 'seriescats' for each series with major categories. More work to start, less work overall. Guru Buckaroo 13:56, 26 February 2006 (CST)
- Er... I'll give it a shot, I only learned to do templates yesterday. Owen de Lyon
Template
I confess the wikicoding is beyond me to set up the template. If you code it, I will install it throughout the pages.
I have been consolidating articles into series-specific categories. The top category "Black Company Series" only contains the main subcategories. Should I add this top category throughout the BC pages so there is a master index of all articles related to this series? --Owen 21:18, 28 February 2006 (CST)
- I can work on the template. It may be a few days.
- I think it would be good to have the pages linked to any categories they apply to, just for completeness sake. No hurry on that, it can be an 'update as you edit' thing. Guru Buckaroo 22:21, 28 February 2006 (CST)
French translation
Hey, I'm just a random French guy interested in giving you a hand for the wiki translation project. I haven't read many novels by Glen Cook yet, only the first five books of the Black Company, but I've already done translations before. Let me know if you're okay with it and/or if you want me to praise myself in a deeper way... Hem. --Maël 20:02, 6 August 2006 (CDT)
- Hell yes! I've been desperate for french translators. So far, the only translation work done is the German, and not much of that. Always looking for more translators! And feel free to contribute new content as well, if you like! Guru Buckaroo 23:12, 6 August 2006 (CDT)
Concerning the upcoming (I'll try to take care of it later tonight, once I'm home.) French version of Glen Cook's bibliography on the main page, er... Do you want me to include French AND English titles, or only the French ones ? I think both would be cooler and much more useful, but I'd like to have your opinion before proceeding to the translation. Let me know ! --Maël 16:04, 8 August 2006 (CDT)
- Either way is fine with me. Having both English and French titles would probably be better for those just finding the books. Sounds good! Guru Buckaroo 20:36, 8 August 2006 (CDT)
Er, just another little question... What the heck does Glen mean by "swamping out health bars" ? Health bars, uh... As in video games ? Or health bars, uh... Like... Very hygienic bars ? :P --Maël 19:47, 8 August 2006 (CDT)
- I have no idea. It may have been meant more as 'health clubs' - ie, gyms - but I've been told by Glen Cook himself that that 'official' biography was made up by his agent, and has no relationship with the truth. I'll be interviewing him at a convention in early October, so we should have some real info then. Guru Buckaroo 20:36, 8 August 2006 (CDT)
- Fine, thanks for the info ! --Maël 05:45, 9 August 2006 (CDT)
Oy ! Could you please check this out and tell me what you think about it ? I pasted the summary and various information for both editions. Of course, this is not the exact translation of the English version, I guess you understand why. P.S. : Notice the cool interlanguage link ! :P --Maël 14:21, 9 August 2006 (CDT)
- These are looking fabulous! I can't thank you enough! I may have to put some work into the English version now to make it look as good! I may just have to get a book signed for you! Guru Buckaroo 18:17, 9 August 2006 (CDT)
- Wohohoaw, I'm really, REALLY glad to hear such congratulations ! But please don't bother yourself with the book thing, we have a wiki to update ! --Maël 19:23, 9 August 2006 (CDT)
Just a quick update to tell you that I'm not quite dead, I've just been very busy lately, and thus haven't had much time to read any of Glen Cook's books or to work on the wiki, but don't worry, I'll be back ! --Maël 15:37, 9 September 2006 (CDT)
- No problem! I understand how much real life can limit fun time. I keep meaning to pick up some of the other series (non-Garrett and non-Black Company) books, so I can start adding content for them, but I never seem to get the chance. No pressure - it's not likeI'm paying you for this. Guru Buckaroo 15:44, 9 September 2006 (CDT)
Condensed entries, or more of them
Hey I'm looking to reread the Black Company novels, periodically adding more info, characters, and entries as I go through. What would be the best course of action to take on the matter of linked characters and places with only small amounts of info, that is, should I give each locus in Beryl and each of the New Taken its own page, or should I make subpages for each on the Beryl and New Taken page?
Since it's its less spread out and requires less clicking/navigating, I am inclined to follow the latter path. Especially in the cases where there is so little to say about certain persons and places. This would mean consolidating groups (Cletus and each other brother would redirect to Cletus, Longinus, & Loftus, and each would have a sub-heading with individualized info on them; the last, minor 5 of the New Taken would have sub-headings under the New Taken entry, etc.). Ideas? ——— Rook Fasthands 18:21, 25 February 2007 (CST)———
- Sorry for the delay - I've been swamped. Your suggestion is appropriate, sounds the the reasonable thing to do for smaller entries. Be my guest! Thanks for the input! Guru Buckaroo 17:13, 6 March 2007 (CST)
Non-English versions
While I'm all for tapping into the fan base throughout the world, I must admit that I don't see the other language versions of the wiki as a good investment in time. I had hoped to be able to contribute some to the French pages but confess that I have been able to do little more than edit around the edges of the English one. It is better to do one thing well than three things not so well. There remain many, many pages to fill out in the English version. I would suggest pulling the plug on the other versions if maintaining them is a logistical challenge. ---Owen 12:46, 23 April 2007 (CDT)
- Sounds like a plan; too much multitasking is no good. Btw men, I was very worried that this wiki passed on to that fifty-quadrillion yottabyte hard drive in the sky. Spent about an hour googling you, Guru, and I even had a little email-in-the-works, just about ready to send to your gmail account, asking if the GC wiki was really gone! Rook Fasthands 19:28, 24 April 2007 (CDT)
- Sorry to have concerned you all! I got eaten by SecondLife (sigh) - between work and SL, and the little stuff it takes to stay alive and keep my family liking me, I've been swamped since December. I need to put a timer on my internet connection, so I can do things like read books again. If you're in SL, and want to hook up (not that way, silly), I'm "Buckaroo Mu" in-world. Guru Buckaroo 13:52, 25 April 2007 (CDT)
Hello
No problem. I'm re-reading all the Black Company books right now, and I rather fortunately stumbled on this site right as I started. So I'll be updating any pages that I can glean new information for. I'm rather new to this whole Wiki thing, so if I do anything wrong, just let me know. Thanks for the compliments on my work, by the way! Some of the stuff I put up was a little sketchy, I'll re-write some of those articles when I've head enough time to fully digest the books, heh. See ya around Grimm 3:59 AM, 17 July 2007 (EDT)
