User talk:Ixthis888

Christ is Risen from the Dead

Brevity and "Name" sections

Hello! Thanks for all the contributions you've recently been making. I have a concern about the "Name" sections you've been adding to various saints' articles -- they're often being put right at the beginning, before the "Life" sections, which indicates that the meaning of the saint's name is of more encyclopedic importance than his life. Additionally, they're often moderately extensive sections, a paragraph or more.

I think if you'll take a look at encyclopedias such as the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church or the Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, or any other encyclopedia, you'll find that etymology usually only takes up perhaps a few words in parentheses after the initial name of the entry, e.g., Stephen the Protomartyr (Gk. stephanos, "crown").

I'd strongly recommend that you take a look at these stylistically standard sources when editing articles to get a sense of the standards that we've been using on OrthodoxWiki for the past few years. Thanks! —Fr. Andrew ^talk contribs 10:40, January 17, 2008 (PST)

Hello, thanks for the entry on the Taxiarchis icon; I read a longer account of this once but cannot locate it at present; regarding the title of the Mantamados article, as far as I am aware the name of the icon is primarily “Taxiarchis” (Archangel) Michael" but the main entry here is listed as that of the village; and you have included two titles for this entry; if the name of the village is commonly associated with the icon, then I suggest perhaps the title be moved to "Archangel Michael of Mantamados (Taxiarchis)". Just a suggestion for clarity. This would put the title more in line with other entries for key icons, such as those of the Theotokos, and also include the other common reference to this icon, the Taxiarchis. Cheers. —Chris ^talk 9:10, January 20, 2008 (EST)

Hi Chris, yes the area is Mantammados but most Greek people actually name the icon as "Mantammados" as a stand alone nickname or pet reference ... We do not usually refer to the entire phrase Archangel Michael Taxiarchis of Mantammados ... its a 'nickname'. Just like the "Panormitis" icon (my article tomorrow) ... we dont call the icon ..the Taxiarchis of Symi the Panormitis, he is more commonly referred to as 'Panormitis' and known this way. Since I am not here on Orthodwiki long enough, do you still suggest that the article be moved anyway? Also, I dont know how to move the article ... I am happy either way, as long as the information is available for people to learn ... -- Vasiliki 18:35, January 20, 2008 (PST)

Helpful links

• Orthodox Research Institute listing of hierarchs (in three parts, accessible by the letters at the top)
• Honorifics

Edit summaries

You can include edit summaries in the space directly above the "Save page" button at the bottom of an article you're editing. It's labeled "Summary:" followed by a horizontal box. For more information, see Help:Editing.

Biblical text

• here.
• The Bible Gateway highly.

Bishops' article names

Style Manual: OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (People).

Inprogress template

I'm not sure whether you're aware that there's a Template:Inprogress.

You could put that on the articles you are actively developing, which would (1) let others know that you're working on it, and (2) when you click the "What links here" link on the lower left menu, you can more easily keep track of articles you are working on. For more information on how it should be used, check out the talk page.

Oh, and another thing: I find it helpful to separate "Sources" from which one gets paraphrased information, "References" or "Notes" which cite specific quotations within an article, and "External links" which allow readers to get even more information which may not be included. The term "External sources" confuses me a little, since all sources have to be external.

The key word here is, of course, actively. Generally, you should only use Template:Inprogress on no more than one or two articles at a time that you're in the process of changing significantly. The idea of the template is to mark an article you're working on right now so that major edit conflicts don't occur when multiple editors try to work on an article simultaneously.

Style Manual

Please make sure you're familiar with the OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (People). I find it helpful to review it every so often, and find myself going to the Saint commemorations page quite a bit. Also, when you are using an article as a source, please be clear about what you are quoting and what you are paraphrasing. Direct quotations need to be clearly marked with quotation marks; when whole paragraphs are quoted, they should be indented. In terms of getting information about a saint, what I usually do is check my three main sources of saints' lives (OCA, GOARCH, and the Prologue of Ohrid, all linked from my page), and, since so many saints are already included in our calendar pages, I often find a commemoration by searching OrthodoxWiki itself (often using google, adding "site:orthodoxwiki.org"); although the OCA pages are also good at that. I hope these hints help you as you continue to add so much to OrthodoxWiki. —magda (talk) 08:22, March 20, 2008 (PDT)

Google search

I just go to Google and search for each, and look at the words on the top right:

Results 1 - 10 of about [such-a-number] for [this search].

Then I do searches for whatever I want to compare, and look at the "such-a-number"s to see which is more prevalent. That's not to say that it's "correct," or more prevalent everywhere, just a general guide. If one search gives you a million, and another gives you ten, then you get a good idea of which one is more common. If one search gives you 1,940 and another gives you 1,950, it's more difficult. Best wishes! —magda (talk) 04:55, April 17, 2008 (UTC)

VasilikiCopy

Is that ok, Vasiliki? - Template:VasilikiCopy
--Inistea 23:45, April 17, 2008 (UTC)

Ask Fr John to delete one of the two templates - Template:VasilikiCopy or Template:Ixthis888Copy - and add the one you keep to this page: OrthodoxWiki:Templates#Personal. The template must work fine on the images, because I already use it for... :-) --Inistea 00:26, April 18, 2008 (UTC)

Vandals

Another day, another vandal.  :) It used to be much worse, but FrJohn installed some automatic software which helps filter out most vandals. We've had dozens over the years. —Fr. Andrew ^talk contribs (THINK!) 13:43, April 30, 2008 (UTC)

Thank you...

...for your insight. You are right - Stubborn is my middle name. Unfortunately, we have different opinion on the whole case about m. John. I will summarize it in short:

• I do not see the difference in importance between articles. To me, all of them have same importance.
• Judgment of God on the writings of the theologians is seen through Holy Spirit that works in The Church. Thus, The Church lead by the Holy Spirit appears as judge of the writings created either within The Church or outside of it. Having said that, I do not see myself as that "judge". My intent is to have valid opinions of the real judge (The Church) incorporated into the article.
• People that were involved in the dispute do not represent "general consensus". Fact that I can write you this note after being blocked yesterday by one of the sysops serve you as proof.
• I do not see OrthodoxWiki as "service provided to me" that I am "not paying for" and consequently "have no right to diminate it". I see OrthodoxWiki as a customer of my service and service of other contributors who keep improving it. Problem is when a group of contributors start thinking that they can dominate the customer (OrthodoxWiki) rejecting all other valid and existing Orthodox opinions on a certain subject. Problem is even bigger if sysops are in that group that tries to dominate, and misuse their administrator powers to support their cause.

Cebactokpatop 15:24, May 1, 2008 (UTC)