 | This page containsmaterial that is kept because it is consideredhumorous. Such material is not meant to be taken seriously. |
| WikiGnome | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A WikiGnome in its natural habitat | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Hominidae |
| Genus: | Homo |
| Species: | H. smalluseditus |
| Binomial name | |
| Homo smalluseditus | |
AWikiGnome is awiki user who makes useful incremental edits without clamoring 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 improvingpunctuation, fixingtypos, correcting poorgrammar, creatingredirects, addingcategories, repairingbroken links, and many other repetitive but still important tasks. Typical behaviors are ticking the "This is a minor edit" box before saving any edit, and not providing anedit summary. The WikiGnome is the original example ofWikiFauna, having originated in the first wikiWikiWikiWeb.[1] A WikiGnome is also known as aWikiGardener[2] (not to be confused with aWikiFarmer).
Many highly active wiki contributors exhibit WikiGnome-like behavior as part of their work, while others may limit themselves to WikiGnome activity.
WikiGnomes are considered to be friendly likeWikiFairies andWikiElves. The rough opposite of a WikiGnome is aWikiOgre.
WikiGnomes love to work in the shadows making what are calledminor edits in various nooks and crannies of Wikipedia. Look atrecent changes and you may even spot one at work.
WikiGnomes who are feeling familial or desirous of a grander sense of purpose oftenadopt a typo, gaining fulfillment by raising themselves into existence on thearticle namespace. Of course, editors are encouraged to garner up some courage and come into the light of day as a gesture of open friendliness and straightforwardly make their edits without being afraid of what others think.
The list of Wikipedians who wish to advertise their status as WikiGnomes is atCategory:Wikipedian WikiGnomes.
If they so choose, users can advertise their WikiGnome-like qualities on their pages by adding auserbox to their user page with the following code:
{{Template:User wikipedia/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:Wikipedian WikiGnomes|{{PAGENAME}}]]
Another way for someone who self-identifies as a WikiGnome to advertise this is to display a small picture of amushroom or WikiGnome at the top of the page next to their username, 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.
WikiGnomes have a humble and very unassuming nature, yet Wikipedians should know that they still need to be told that their work is valued from time to time. If WikiGnomes don't occasionally feel the love from the people whom their work has helped, they might sneak into the kitchens of such users at night and sit on theirdairy products. Their needs are modest in this regard, however, and it only takes a brief word to them once in a while to avert such an unfortunate event. A collection of kind messages to be left for the WikiGnomes can be found atWikipedia:WikiGnome/Kudos.
Examples of WikiGnome-like work include:
Media related toWikiGnomes at Wikimedia Commons
