User talk:Rfc

Messages

Welcome to Marspedia! I look forward to seeing more of you in the future. You seem familiar with wikis but if you need any help, look at http://www.marspedia.org/index.php?title=Main_Page#New_Users_Start_Here.21 or contact one of the admins. Enjoy! Ioneill 16:37, 1 November 2007 (UTC)

Hi Ian, thank you very much for your warm welcome. I have started to write articles, and I should like to know your opinion. Is this the kind of article this project wants, or is it too fantastic, all-too much pointed to a speculative future? Rfc 10:55, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

Hi Rfc (do you have a first name, or are you staying anonymous?), it's good to see you contributing in such a positive way. The content you have provided so far is great - any speculative future is fine in my books. Also, you can include your personal opinion (so long as you clearly state "{{PersPosArticle}} ~~~" which prints "This article reflects the personal position of Ioneill") - personal opinions are fine. Besides, it may create some good discussion. For the main part, article creation is positive step regardless of opinion, speculation or ideas as long as you are fine with a good debate! Anyhow, you seem to have experience with wikis and the content is looking good, so keep it up :-) Ioneill 19:48, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

Site development

Hi, I'm just messaging the active contributers to Marspedia to get their views on the redesign of the front page. I've tried to highlight the important links and made the page more accessible to newcomers. Also I've created a Wikipedia-style "featured articles" section. I'd be really interested to hear your views on this. It's going to take a lot more work, but this is a good start. Primarily I want to extract the important info and cut down on the excessive text that may cause confusion (as suggested by a couple of you). However, I haven't removed anything as yet, simply jigged it around a bit. I'll look forward to getting your input :-) -- Ioneill 08:51, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

You did a great job, Ian! It really looks better. How about my changes? It is just a proposal, so if you see a problem, please redo it. I am not entirely sure about the place for the "Notice" section. Is it required to stay on top of the page? Rfc 10:18, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Hi Rfc! Thank you, glad you like the redesign :-) I really like your changes too, but for now the copyright notice needs to stay where it is - although I'm getting confirmation from the developers. We are able to change certain things on the front page, but I'm worried about the copyright notice. I love the fact you've moved the "mission statement", that will stay where it is, but for now the copyright will have to stay unmoved. Nice work though! I will let you know when I get a reply to my email about further changes and we can take it from there. Also, suggestions for the slogan after "Welcome to Marspedia!" will be gratefully received, not sure if "The collaborative resource for building a colony on the Red Planet." reads that well... Keep up the superb work! I've been reading your new articles and they are superb, I look forward to seeing more! Did you take a major in Mars settlement design?? Certainly looks like it ;-) Cheers, -- Ioneill 20:08, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Does a "major in Mars settlement design" really exist? No, I am not, but I am used to design complex telecommunication systems, including some system engineering. I would love to do "Mars settlement design" fulltime, but I guess this is not good for earning the money I need for living (on Earth for the time beeing;-). -- Rfc 09:13, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

I really wish it did exist! I think the Mars Foundation once had a volunteer who took an engineering course in settlement design, but I dont think he's with us any more. There are ways to make a little cash from Mars settlement concepts, but it's mainly educational. Have a look at our site: http://www.marshome.org/grants.php to see what can be awarded. Really only useful for students at the moment, but we are hoping to develop funding eventually. -- Ioneill 20:47, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

List of Lists

The List of Lists exists solely for site development. I've hopefully answered some of your questions about it and copied the discussion over to the talk page for List of Lists. Ask more questions and propose things (or leap into action for that matter), just note that I may not respond for quite a few hours. It's daybreak here and I've been up since yesterday... --Strangelv 12:46, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for explaining. Sweet dreams ... -- Rfc 14:50, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

Blocking repeated bot offenders

Hey Rfc. Thanks for the idea to block the MER category and Exobiology page - only registered users can edit them now. Between us we probably reverted a hundred edits! At least these pages should be quiet for a month (I put a 1 month limit on the block to see if that is enough).

Sorry I've been a little quiet of late, my laptop crashed last week and it looks like it's dead now, so i'm limited to using the family backup PC for now until I get a new machine. Any problems, I always have access to my email and will be checking Marspedia daily.

Hope you are well and having a nice Christmas in Germany :-) -- Ioneill 12:48, 26 December 2007 (UTC)

Featured Article

Hi Rfc. Thanks for the info on the MarsDrive article, will get to the bottom of who posted it :-)

I have changed the featured article on the front page to the Greenhouse article you added a lot of new concepts to. Have a look. I used one of your diagrams as I thought it was most descriptive :-) Enjoy!

Take care and catch you soon Ioneill 16:13, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Yes, it sprang into my eye, and I feel it's a great honor:-) Besides, "funerals and burials" seems to be double. Perhaps, burial is the better word, for it is closer to the act carried out in the greenhouse. Hope you had a great season, as well! -- Rfc 07:35, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

General

Hi Rfc. Good news, I now have a new laptop up and running so I hope to be a bit more active on Marspedia! I have some catching up to do, some superb articles have appeared, I'd better get reading. Hope all is good with you. -- Ioneill 12:38, 15 January 2008 (UTC)