Babel user information
en-GB-N This user has a native understanding of British English.
en-N This user has a native understanding of English.
fr-1 Cet utilisateur dispose de connaissances de base en français.
pt-1 Este utilizador tem um nível básico de português.
pt-BR-1 Este usuário pode contribuir com um nível básico de português brasileiro.
Users by language

I'm Tom. I'm an admin on English Wikipedia and English Wikinews. I speak English. And that's about it.

I'm also a Semantic Web dork. Which is probably a good thing here.

Todo

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Properties I originated

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BLP sensitive properties

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In order to protect BLPs, we should pay particular attention to the following properties:

Example query to find some of these for UK politicians: here.

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Principles of schema design

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Having worked on Semantic Web systems and schema design in the past, I decided to put together some basic principles to guide people designing properties, schemata, categories and so on.

  1. Prioritise pragmatism and common sense over theoretical unity.
  2. Categorisation schemes are used by humans and implemented by humans. Design for humans rather than for hyper-intelligent robots or geniuses.
  3. Actual usage takes priority over hypothetical use cases.
  4. Use by Wikimedia projects takes priority over use by third parties.
  5. Optimise for common use cases per Pareto's Principle.
  6. You can apply two different types to something. Avoid creating union types. Wikipedia may have "Jewish LGBT scientists from Portugal with a cleft lip", but we don't need to replicate that kind of silliness.
  7. If explaining your proposed category/property/schema to the man on the Clapham omnibus would cause him to laugh to the point where it would disturb his fellow travellers, you need to rethink your proposal.
  8. Take your necktie off. You are designing a fancy computer index card system, not going to meet the Queen of England.