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This is an informal place to resolve content disputes as part of dispute resolution. It may also be used as a tool to direct certain discussions to more appropriate forums, such as requests for comment, or other noticeboards. You can ask a question on the talk page. This is an early stop for most disputes on Wikipedia. You are not required to participate, however, the case filer must participate in all aspects of the dispute or the matter will be considered failed. Any editor may volunteer! Click this button
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Open/close quick reference
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| Case | Created | Last volunteer edit | Last modified | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Status | User | Time | User | Time | User | Time |
| Battle of Maritsa | Failed | Aeengath (t) | 41 days, 22 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 12 days, 11 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 12 days, 11 hours |
| Tetris | Closed | Lazman321 (t) | 39 days, 12 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 9 days, 3 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 9 days, 3 hours |
| Trie | In Progress | ~2025-35909-34 (t) | 30 days, 15 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 3 days, 4 hours | Example (t) | 2 days, 12 hours |
| Francis Amasa Walker | In Progress | Gramix13 (t) | 25 days, 17 hours | Mesocarp (t) | 21 days, 5 hours | Gramix13 (t) | 6 days, 7 hours |
| Pizza effect, take 2 | Failed | Gotofritz (t) | 12 days, 13 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours |
| The Protomen (album) | Closed | Pingnova (t) | 11 days, 3 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours |
| Talk:Antonin Scalia_Law_School | Closed | Snaidemoc (t) | 9 days, 5 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 2 days, 4 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 2 days, 4 hours |
| Maire Tecnimont | Closed | TextGardener (t) | 3 days, 13 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 16 hours |
| Luc Besson | Closed | Phoeromones (t) | 2 days, 14 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 2 days, 9 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 2 days, 9 hours |
| Sucralose | Closed | ~2025-42001-70 (t) | 1 days, 13 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 5 hours | Robert McClenon (t) | 1 days, 5 hours |
| Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim | New | Thedarkknightli (t) | 19 hours | None | n/a | Ostalgia (t) | 10 hours |
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Current disputes
editBattle of Maritsa
edit{{DRN archive top|Closed as probably resolved. There seems to be agreement on how to refer to where the army was before the battle. [[User:Robert McClenon|Robert McClenon]] ([[User talk:Robert McClenon|talk]]) 06:08, 8 December 2025 (UTC)}}
| Closed as failed. This dispute was reopened because one editor said that they disagreed with the resolution. After this case was reopened, that editor has not stated what they want, probably because they are on travel. We can't keep a dispute open for weeks until an editor resumes editing. There seems to be consensus, with one objection, to say Skadar (modern Shkodër. If anyone disagrees and is willing to explain why they disagree, they can explain on the article talk page. Do not edit-war. Either accept the resolution, or use some other method of dispute resolution. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:42, 11 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
|---|
First statement by moderator (Battle of Maritsa)editI am asking each editor to state exactly what they want the article to indicate as the name of the city. I am also asking each editor who wants additional information besides the name of the article about the city why that information needs to be in this article, rather than being in the article about the city. Are there any other questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 08:02, 26 November 2025 (UTC) First statements by editors (Battle of Maritsa)editThank you @Robert McClenon, answers below:
-Aeengath (talk) 10:32, 26 November 2025 (UTC)
Second statement by moderator (Battle of Maritsa)editTwo editors have said that they want the article to say that his army was in "Skadar (modern Shkodër)". Is there any disagreement? Are there any other questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 05:20, 2 December 2025 (UTC) Second statements by editors (Battle of Maritsa)editI support using "Skadar (modern Shkodër)" in the article. That wording reflects the English sources supporting that sentence. I have no further issues. -Aeengath (talk) 08:58, 2 December 2025 (UTC) Third statement by moderator (Battle of Maritsa)editThere appears to be agreement. Unless there is disagreement, I will close this dispute. Are there any other questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 23:43, 4 December 2025 (UTC)
Third statements by editors (Battle of Maritsa)editNo further questions from me. The wording "Skadar (modern Shkodër)" reflects the sources and has consensus here so I support closing the discussion. Thank you for moderating. -Aeengath (talk) 10:39, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
Fourth statement by moderator (Battle of Maritsa)editI have reopened this dispute because one editor disagrees with the resolution. The issue appears to be about where to say the Serbian army was. Some editors have agreed that the article should say that it was in Skadar (modern Shkodër). So I am asking each editor, again, to say where the article should say that the Serbian army was. If there are any other content issues, please state what they are. Are there any other questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 06:58, 9 December 2025 (UTC) Fourth statements by editors (Battle of Maritsa)edit
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Tetris
edit| Closed. An RFC is being used to try to resolve this dispute. Robert McClenon (talk) 07:01, 15 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Trie
editHave you discussed this on a talk page?
Yes, I have discussed this issue on a talk page already.
Location of dispute
Users involved
Dispute overview
Myself and another user have spent spent more than the course of a month discussing whether the Trie article ought to use "pseudocode" (a non-standardised high-level description of an algorithm that resembles a programming language) or a proper Java implementation. This other user has justified this on the grounds of MOS:ALGO and WP:PSEUDOCODE, but as brought up by the WP:3O user involved, this alone does not bind every article to its supposed guidelines, and that my arguments should be addressed for their merits. Meanwhile, my arguments were that the Java implementation was sufficiently descriptive and simple enough for readers, fewer noise words, and can be backed up by actual demonstration by compiling said code. Then, this user began to consciously cease to respond to the talk page, despite being prompted for a response from both myself and the user from WP:3O, and as per the words of the WP:3O user, such actions were WP:STONEWALLING any changes to the article. After more than a week of silence from that user, as well as someone else who weighed in and gave an opinion favouring the other user but failed to substantiate or reason for said opinion, I invoked WP:SILENCE and proceeded with restoring my changes. However, said changes were reverted yet again, and I argue that this constitutes edit warring, as I had given ample time to respond and consistently requested actual justifications rather than deference to WP/MOS pages.
How have you tried to resolve this dispute before coming here?
- Talk:Trie#Java implementation vs "pseudocode"
- A request at WP:3O
How do you think we can help resolve the dispute?
I would like either the other user to be made to engage respectably and meaningfully with the discussion at hand, or cease entirely with the dispute. I feel as if I have reasoned extensively with the other reason and implored them to see reason or at least engage with discussion meaningfully, and they have WP:STONEWALLED every attempt to do so, and it feels as if they are deliberately delaying responses to the talk page to prevent an agreeable conclusion.
Summary of dispute by Ergur
editAn IP editor rewrote all the code of Trie from pseudocode to Java and I reverted the changes. This lead to a discussion on the Talk page. It spanned a long time, but it was not productive.
I relied a lot MOS:ALGO which has a bias toward pseudocode, "when possible." Initially, I made my a case against Java, claiming it is noisy and that the implementation by the IP editor yields a weaker algorithm; One that only works on a specific alphabet. I made the point that this shows one benefit of using pseudocode, namely that it allows you to ignore the lower level details (such as mapping the alphabet to ) and focus on what matters. The IP editor replied "How or why is this a problem?"; a reply I felt summarized the discussion up to that point.
At this point I felt the discussion was becoming more hostile than I wanted, so I didn't respond until they pinged me. I wanted to wait for more people to comment on the issue, but the IP editor wasn't on board.
In total, there were three people who replied to the proposal with a definite stance; all of them were opposed.
I have been accused of WP:SILENCE and WP:STONEWALLING. I fail to see how the prior could possibly apply; There is clear evidence of disagreement. The latter, I think, is because I kept telling the IP editor to read MOS:ALGO. I did this, however, because the case for pseudocode was made well there and I saw no point in copy/pasting it into the discussion. The IP editor did not counter the points made in MOS:ALGO, they only cherry-picked quotes from there that agreed with them.
I have tried to assume good faith from the IP editor so far, but at this stage I am ready to claim they have been filibustering. At no point did they directly reference the code they wrote; Most of their arguments can be boiled down to "Java is more descriptive than pseudocode." Also, some of their other points would fall under WP:FIXFIRST. — xo Ergur (talk) 06:12, 24 November 2025 (UTC)
Summary of dispute by Katzrockso
editI came across this discussion at the third opinion noticeboard, where I commonly give third opinions. I have no technical expertise or any substantive knowledge of coding or programming languages, so I did not provide an opinion on the merits of the question, but I commented on the process of the discussion. I pointed out that the editors opposing such a change did so almost entirely based on the manual of style, specifically, MOS:ALGO, and that MOS:ALGO merely points to a consensus within a Wikiproject (Wikiproject Computer science), but provides no requirement that any given page follow the local consensus from that Wikiproject There are no universally accepted standards for presenting algorithms on Wikipedia
. On that basis, I objected to arguments that consisted solely of appealing to the Wikiproject consensus with no significant engagement with the points made by the IP (now temporary account) editor. By appealing to the wording of MOS:ALGO where it states the "consensus within the wikiproject", I alleged that some of the editors were WP:STONEWALLING, because they did not engage with the specific arguments put forth by the TA editor. WP:STONEWALLING states Status quo stonewalling is opposition to a proposed change without (a) stating a substantive rationale based in policy, guidelines and conventions or (b) participating in good-faith discussion.
I don't believe that referring back to MOS:ALGO's declaration of a WP:LOCALCON without engaging with the points raised constitutes "good-faith discussion" or "a substantive rationale based in policy, guidelines and conventions". If editors from Wikiproject Compsci want to elevate their local consensus to a project-wide requirement, that is certainly a reasonable proposition and I personally would not oppose (or support) such a motion. But until that is the case, I don't think it is right for editors to appeal to the local consensus of a Wikiproject when a good-faith objection to the content of an article exists and reject it on those grounds. The Wikipedia WP:MOS consists both of hardline "this is the correct way to write this on Wikipedia" requirements and softer "this is the recommended way to write this on Wikipedia" suggestions. MOS:ALGO's bias towards psuedocode is the latter, and objecting to a change away from the recommendation cannot be based solely upon appealing to that recommendation, as it is not a strict hardline requirement.Katzrockso (talk) 00:01, 24 November 2025 (UTC)
Trie discussion
edit- Volunteer Note - It will be difficult to conduct moderated discussion if the filing party has a changing temporary account. Can the filing party either register an account or at least maintain the same temporary account for the duration of discussion? Robert McClenon (talk) 18:11, 26 November 2025 (UTC)
- For the time being, I will use this temporary account. Thank you for volunteering. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 02:52, 27 November 2025 (UTC)
I responded on the talk page as an independent opinion. Yesterday, all my dreams... (talk) 13:11, 27 November 2025 (UTC)
- I have responded to each of your claims. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 22:45, 27 November 2025 (UTC)
- I gave an opportunity to respond to each of my responses, and this was spurned, and deferred to the age-old "third parties have disagreed with you, but still refuse to elaborate on why". I'll bring up again that just because I can get a thousand people to spam "Norway is located in the Southern Hemisphere", it does not compel any change unless there is truly undeniable evidence that this statement is in fact true. It's quite telling that no one who has disagreed with me has actually made any attempt to engage the comprehensive arguments I have given, and even those that have always seem to defer to MOS:ALGO or WP:PSEUDOCODE (which as explained earlier, does not silence my points). ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 05:26, 28 November 2025 (UTC)
Zeroth statement by possible moderator (Trie)
editI am ready to act as the moderator in this case. Please read DRN Rule A. Do not engage in back-and-forth discussion. Are there any content issues other than the programming language to be used to illustrate the algorithms? If so, please state concisely what you want to change in the article that another editor wants to leave unchanged, or what you want to leave unchanged that another editor wants to change. If you have an issue about how to illustrate the algorithms, please state concisely what your view is.
Are there any questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 08:01, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you. I think it should be mentioned that, since filing here, the IP editor has presented a counterproposal on the talk page. — xo Ergur (talk) 13:59, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
Zeroth statements by editors (Trie)
editFirst statement by possible moderator (Trie)
editIs the unregistered editor taking part in this moderated discussion, or not? They say, on the talk page, that they will implement their counterproposal if there is no objection to it. If there is moderated discussion here, there should not also be discussion on the article talk page.
Is there agreement to the counterproposal?
Is the unregistered editor taking part in this discussion, or are they discussing separately on the article talk page?
Are there any questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 00:30, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
- They have implemented the idea in their counterproposal and there is not agreement. I reminded them of this discussion. — xo Ergur (talk) 12:38, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you for taking the time to mediate this dispute.
- There is no agreement on the counterproposal or what a "revised" edition should look like.
- I have no further questions, but if there are any additional details please do remind me. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 17:40, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
First statements by editors (Trie)
editI wish to first bring attention to my counterproposal. The issue of contention was that pseudocode has a "wider appeal" (this is questionable as "pseudocode" does not refer to a standardised way of expressing an algorithm as there are numerous distinct ways to write "pseudocode", each with different syntax and keyword styles, etc.), and wishing to resolve the dispute as soon as possible I was willing to cease to force my implementation (in Java) in favour of a "pseudocode" (which was more neutral, supposedly). My own written form syntactically resembled Java, but did NOT use keywords or language constructs that made the code necessarily Java (rather, my intention was to write a version that had C/C++-style syntax with object-oriented programming characteristics), with included documentation comments that would make it very obvious to any reader, even those without programming knowledge, precisely what was going on. I wish to note that there is nothing less syntactically clear in Java, as the constructs are still identical. Observe the following algorithm which retrieves the largest element in a list:
findLargestValue(list):
if not list or list.length == 0 then
raise IllegalArgumentException("Array is empty")
end if
largest := list[0]
for i in list do
if list[i] > largest then
largest = list[i]
end if
repeat
return largest
Meanwhile, in Java:
public static int findLargestValue(int[] list) {
if (list == null || list.length == 0) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("Array is empty");
}
int largest = list[0];
for (int i: list) {
if (list[i] > largest) {
largest = list[i];
}
}
return largest;
}
The logic is expressed in exactly the same way. There are no Java-specific quirks in the Java snippet. Just because it contains the keywords public (which means that it is a publicly visible method) and static (which means that it belongs to no specific instance of any class) does not somehow make the code "inaccessible" to readers. This is the same example using Java streams, and the logic has changed completely.
import java.util.Arrays;
public static int findLargestValue(int[] list) {
return Arrays.stream(list)
.reduce((a, b) -> a > b ? a : b)
.orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Array is empty"));
}
In my revised proposal on the Trie page, I removed keywords that were particularly contentious, such as public and static, and agreed that these are more structurally related concepts rather than algorithmic, and could be omitted.
However, it seems that this proposal was not acceptable. Apparently this proposal was somehow misconstrued as Java (despite me indicating very clearly that it in fact, was not), and I begin to suspect that the only "acceptable" pseudocode style for my colleague is a pseudocode that resembles Python or Ada. Nonetheless, my proposed compromise still did precisely as I had declared that it would do on the talk page, which were:
- Continue using "pseudocode" (i.e., not any specific language), with the following changes:
- Add types to the code, for clarity
- Avoid useless scoping keywords that can be easily represented with braces for scope, such as
repeat,end if, etc. There will be no need for access specifiers such aspublic,static, etc. - Define in the code a constant for the alphabet size, but it does not have to be specified as 26. This can intentionally be left as a comment.
- Use syntax quirks that do not belong to any language. Right now I am drawing attention to string slicing syntax which is obviously Python-inspired, but is not universally obvious.
- Replace
xin the parameters with something likethisorself.
~2025-36699-87 (talk) 23:35, 7 December 2025 (UTC)
Second statement by possible moderator (Trie)
editI have asked whether the unregistered editor and the registered editors are taking part in this moderated discussion and whether they agree to the ground rules. I haven't gotten an answer to that basic question. Although the unregistered editor filed this request, they then continued discussing on the article talk page. This has caused confusion. So I am starting this discussion over. Please read DRN Rule A again. Is each editor taking part in this moderated discussion? If you agree to take part in moderated discussion, do not also discuss on the article talk page.
If an editor agrees to moderated discussion, please also state what you see as the article content issues. What do you want to change in the article, or what do you want to leave the same in the article? It appears that either the only issue or an issue is how to specify the algorithms. If there are any other issues, please state what the other issues are. If the type of code or pseudocode to be used is an issue, please state both how the algorithms should be defined, and why you think it is important that your choice rather than another editor's choice be followed.
If at least two editors agree to moderated discussion but have different opinions on how to specify the algorithms, then we will continue with moderated discussion.
Are there any questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 06:36, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you. I agree to take part in this moderated discussion.
- I want the code in the article to remain as pseudocode and I think the pseudocode should follow the guidelines in MOS:ALGO. This is the best way to make the article accessible and neutral. Choosing any specific programming language (either to follow or mimic the style of) will introduce keywords and concepts that are not needed to express the ideas of the algorithm; Even a simple keyword like int is not universal in programming. — xo Ergur (talk) 08:34, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
- I agree to take part in this moderated discussion. If there was previous discussion at the article talk page, I agree to cease it.
- I have gone into length in the section above, about why I am in disagreement with @Ergur's choice of depicting pseudocode, so I will not re-state everything again in the interest of keeping this opening statement short and sweet. If there is any point missing from here feel free to go back there and read it. But, fundamentally, I believe that:
- There is nothing "wrong" with using a C/C++-style syntax if the actual algorithm itself is still made abundantly clear by it
- That using object-oriented features (such as this) are not inherently destructive or without merit, especially when they can be used to simplify or otherwise bring specific meaning to the code
- That certain parts, such as types, which may or may not be depicted with keywords like
int(that @Ergur brought up earlier), depicts valuable information which should not be omitted - That at the present, the currently depicted pseudocode uses constructs that are not universal, already. I've explained earlier that the current pseudocode apparently resembles Python or Ada, whether that's "because the syntax is the most neutral" is another debate to be had, but I am simply pointing this out.
- I will also point out that @Ergur proposed alternate rewrites of their own, which seem to resemble more plain-English than using code constructs as it currently stands. While that certainly is more "clear" (and in the interest of making the article "accessible and neutral" as they have put it earlier), it makes the depiction of the algorithm less concise, when programming constructs are certainly well-defined or specific enough to refer to something. I also believe it is reasonable to expect a basic familiarity with control flow and basic/universal imperative programming syntax from a reader seeing as it is a computer science topic. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 18:28, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
Second statements by editors (Trie)
editThird statement by possible moderator (Trie)
editAt this point, I would like the editors to discuss their preference for how to represent the algorithms, in the section marked Back-and-forth discussion. Be civil and concise. In particular, be concise. See whether you can reach an agreement, and, if not that, see if you can each write a concise explanation of why your preference will be the most useful for the readers.
Are there any questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 07:15, 9 December 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you, and there are no questions from me. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 21:06, 9 December 2025 (UTC)
Third statements by editors (Trie)
editBack-and-forth discussion (Trie)
editThere is nothing "wrong" with using a C/C++-style syntax if the actual algorithm itself is still made abundantly clear by it
I have nothing to say to this directly and only include the point for completeness. You are just begging the question.
That using object-oriented features (such as this) are not inherently destructive or without merit, especially when they can be used to simplify or otherwise bring specific meaning to the code
I assume "destructive" is in reference to my earlier comment [1] on the talk page. I have already clarified that your initial edit is "destructive" because it removes things. Namely, your Java implementation is strictly inferior to the current version; It has the wrong time complexity and only works for a restricted alphabet (a-z). I would love to hear how they simplify anything.
this. All this does is rename a variable. The first thing you then do in the methods is rename it back tox.- Generics. You use the C++/Java style syntax for generics (
Trie<T>for a trie with data of typeT). How is this any different from what the current version has? In the current version there is mention of the data have some typeData-Type, but it doesn't have the potentially confusing angle notation.
That certain parts, such as types, which may or may not be depicted with keywords like
int(that @Ergur brought up earlier), depicts valuable information which should not be omitted
Why should they not be omitted? What confusion could arise in the current version? I would agree that adding a description of the arguments to the code would be an improvement (this is mostly what I did in my first suggestion [2]).
That at the present, the currently depicted pseudocode uses constructs that are not universal, already
As far as I can recall, this is in reference to a single use of a Python-style slice. No one has disagreed with removing, so I don't understand why you are mentioning it here. Neither of my suggestions include it and the only reason I haven't removed it from the current version of the article is because the article should not be edited while in DNR.
I've explained earlier that the current pseudocode apparently resembles Python or Ada, whether that's "because the syntax is the most neutral" is another debate to be had, but I am simply pointing this out.
I fear you have the causal direction flipped. This style of pseudocode is older than Python and Ada. Python and Ada look like pseudocode. Also, the claim of neutrality comes from MOS:ALGO.
To avoid the previous confusion, I will include some points from MOS:ALGO:
- Pseudocode is completely language agnostic.
- Pseudocode is more NPOV with respect to programming languages in general.
- Pseudocode provides far more flexibility with regard to the level of implementation detail, allowing algorithms to be presented at however high a level is required to focus on the algorithm and its core ideas, rather than the details of how it is implemented.
- Suitably high-level pseudocode provides the most accessible presentation of an algorithm, particularly for non-programmers.
— xo Ergur (talk) 09:37, 10 December 2025 (UTC)
- Hi, I still intend on responding to this. I have been tied down with some real-life obligations at the moment, but will resume shortly. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 22:42, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
- Hello again @Ergur, and thank you for your patience. I am now ready to address your points:
- I am not as I have demonstrated earlier that the control flow is precisely the same. Any observer will be able to remark that the two snippets of code have precisely the same logic.
- This is the first time you have brought up "having the wrong time complexity" in the entire course of this discussion. If this were really a problem I'd have assumed you would bring it up earlier, such as on the talk page, yet alas this is the first time I've heard this problem be raised and haven't heard any other person mention it. But go ahead and demonstrate where the "wrong time complexity" is. If I made a mistake I'll own up to it.
- As for the "restricted alphabet", this is just rehashing the same argument from earlier about me explicitly writing a constant directly in the class for the alphabet size, and frankly bringing this up doesn't bring anything new to the conversation. In practice code for accessing the index of the array of Tries is going to look something like that, not directly by accessing the contained element by plugging the letter of the alphabet into the array as you seem to insist on. That doesn't make anything clearer. Meanwhile, using the lowercase English alphabet (i.e. writing a line like
int index = key.charAt(0) - 'a';) demonstrates the layout of how the array appears (by associating an explicit numeric index with each entry, and demonstrating how it is accessed), which in practice is what an application of a Trie looks like. If anything, omitting it accomplishes nothing at all other than just expecting the reader to "imagine" the alphabet. - Why am I using the keyword
this? Because it is explicitly used to denote the current instance of the structure. It gets renamed back toxso that reassignment during iteration (i.e. assigning it to one of its children) makes sense rather than assigning the current context to its child. - All you've done by writing
Data-Typeis hard-coding the type into the example. - You ask why types like
int, etc. ought not to be omitted. As I have stated before and I am stating again, because they convey directly in the code the type of the parameter and how it interacts with the algorithm. This kind of argument could just as easily have been turned on its head by asking what words likefunctionandalgorithmadd - nothing. It is inherently obvious that we are depicting a function or algorithm because this is what we have told the reader in the paragraph above. - If anything, repeating the same points from MOS:ALGO: that "pseudocode is language-agnostic, therefore it ought to be used", etc., is "begging the question". ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 21:21, 15 December 2025 (UTC)
- However, all this being said, I would like to address in specific, your proposed rewrite. I am not opposed to the examples you demonstrated on the talk page, as I do not oppose a more plain explanation of the algorithm, which that rewrite seems to do. In such a proposal there is no need to use types either. That being said, I would also like that the structure be renamed from "Node" to "Trie" to be more obvious that that structure itself is the Trie in discussion. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 21:24, 15 December 2025 (UTC)
- That's great. I will take my suggestions for another spin (as I promised to do and then didn't). Renaming it from "Node" to "Trie" is a great idea and a definite improvement.
- Which of the two suggestions do you prefer? [3] Personally, I like the idea of doing it recursively (like in Suggestion 2) since it fits with the mental model of a tree. This can of course also be done in Suggestion 1. — xo Ergur (talk) 10:14, 17 December 2025 (UTC)
- However, all this being said, I would like to address in specific, your proposed rewrite. I am not opposed to the examples you demonstrated on the talk page, as I do not oppose a more plain explanation of the algorithm, which that rewrite seems to do. In such a proposal there is no need to use types either. That being said, I would also like that the structure be renamed from "Node" to "Trie" to be more obvious that that structure itself is the Trie in discussion. ~2025-36699-87 (talk) 21:24, 15 December 2025 (UTC)
Fourth statement by moderator (Trie)
editIt doesn't appear that there has been any progress toward agreement. Has there been any progress toward an agreement on how to represent the algorithms?
I have tried to be neutral, but I still have a question for the unregistered editor. I don't see a significant reason for departing from the guideline that recommends the use of pseudocode rather than a language. Since there is a guideline, and we don't have agreement, I would suggest that a tie goes to following the guideline. However, I will not act as a decision-maker and will not close this discussion arbitrarily. Can the unregistered editor state concisely why they think that a C-like syntax for the algorithms will better serve the interests of the readers?
If there is no agreement, I will prepare a Request for Comments to ask the community to decide. I would prefer not to use an RFC, because it uses community time, which is a limited resource, but I will launch an RFC if there is otherwise no agreement. I have another three-part question for each editor:
- 1. Would you agree to use the pseudocode versions of the algorithms, either to avoid an RFC or because you think that is advantageous?
- 2. Would you agree to use the C versions of the algorithms, either to avoid an RFC or because you think that it is advantageous?
- 3. Is there a compromise that you will agree to, either to avoid an RFC or for any other reason?
If there is no agreement, we will have to resort to an RFC. I think that an RFC will probably result in a rough consensus to use pseudocode as per the guidelines, but that is only my opinion.
Are there any other questions? Robert McClenon (talk) 05:24, 18 December 2025 (UTC)
Statement 4.1 by moderator (trie)
editI have not seen any response to the above question after three days. Robert McClenon (talk) 05:35, 21 December 2025 (UTC)
- The IP editor is receptive to a proposed pseudocode implementation that would be of a higher level nature than the current version. I think it may best to close this DNR and continue that discussion in a new thread on the talk page, where other interested editors can participate. — xo Ergur (talk) 22:18, 21 December 2025 (UTC)
Fourth statements by editors (Trie)
editFrancis Amasa Walker
editHave you discussed this on a talk page?
Yes, I have discussed this issue on a talk page already.
Location of dispute
Users involved
- Gramix13 (talk · contribs)
- Smellyshirt5 (talk · contribs)
- Sdkb (talk · contribs)
- Concordhistory (talk · contribs)
- SecretName101 (talk · contribs)
- Melchior2006 (talk · contribs)
- Robminchin (talk · contribs)
Dispute overview
The locus of the dispute is about using Anne Hyde's book Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West in Francis Amasa Walker § Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Discussion on the topic was sporadic on the talk page from 2022 to 2023, leading to a {{POV}} template being placed on the article without resolution to the dispute. The article was recently brought to Good Article Reassessment due to this dispute remaining unresolved as compromising the article's GA status under WP:GACR6#4.
How have you tried to resolve this dispute before coming here?
Talk:Francis_Amasa_Walker#Work_as_Commissioner_of_Indian_Affairs Wikipedia:Good_article_reassessment/Francis_Amasa_Walker/1
How do you think we can help resolve the dispute?
I'm looking to reach a consensus on the dispute to save the article's GA status, and I hope that having the participants of both discussions talk out the issue here will help to come to a consensus.
Summary of dispute by Smellyshirt5
editSummary of dispute by Sdkb
editThanks for bringing this here, Gramix13. I've never had a chance to do a deep dive into Walker's legacy (apologies), but I came across his removed bust at the MIT Museum, discovered that his article at the time was out of alignment with the description of his reputation there, and added a bit to address that, along with the neutrality tag in case there was more. I'm willing to leave it to others to judge whether additional tweaks are needed to address the posthumous shift in his reputation, and happy to see the tag removed if nothing else is needed. I've copied the description from the MIT Museum below in case it's hard to read from the photo.
Description of bust at MIT Museum
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In January 1898, on the one-year anniversary of the death of MIT president Francis Amasa Walker, the MIT community gathered to install this bronze bust in MIT's main lobby. The sculpture commission was a student initiative, conceived of and paid for by students. Their devotion inspired MIT alumni and others to raise funds for an even grander tribute on MIT's new Cambridge campus: Walker Memorial, a building dedicated to student life. Attitudes toward Walker could not be more different today. In January 2018, students in a new class, "MIT and Slavery," created shock waves when they revealed that MIT's founder, William Barton Rogers, had enslaved six people when he lived in Virginia. Since then, students, faculty, staff, and alumni have also drawn institutional attention to the flagrant bigotry of Walker's appalling views on race, immigration, and indigenous people. His vitriolic writings and genocidal urgings would likely have remained obscure without the efforts of these insistent voices. The students' work today has been the needed catalyst to draw attention to earlier calls by MIT's Black community in the 1970s and 1980s to cease venerating Walker. The MIT Museum has intentionally removed the Walker bust from its pedestal. |
Sdkb talk 16:53, 28 November 2025 (UTC)
Summary of dispute by Concordhistory
editSummary of dispute by SecretName101
editSummary of dispute by Melchior2006
editSummary of dispute by Robminchin
editFrancis Amasa Walker discussion
edit- I'll definitely look more into depth into this matter if I find time to become further versed. My contribution to this particular article has so far been only in the realm of formatting, as far as I can discern. Such as adding an infobox to its lede. So I have not really versed myself with literature dedicated to its subject.
Excuse the length of my initial response here:
I have not looked overly-deep into Walker's life and relevant yet. At this point, I would presume it would be against the interest of neutrality to make no or too-little mention of the more critical takes offered by Hyde's newer work (which was authored a notable and reputed academic author, published by an established publisher, garnered praise from outlets such as the New Yorker). However, there could very much be an interest in avoiding reshaping the entire article to align with Hyde's takes. Particularly where Hyde's conflicts with earlier-published works on Walker are not persuasively/relatively equivocally debunked by her. Where both Hyde's newer takes and older takes both hold genuine merit, it may be worth incorporating both in to offer more more diverse take on Walker. Also, even where Hyde's has debunked previous accounts , it may be worth that there were long commonly-held understandings that have since shifted due to recent literature and re-analysis.
A cursory look at the current article does reveal that it seems Hyde is not entirely alone in (relatively) recent revisiting of Walker's attitudes and ideology on race with Leonard's 2005 and Mae's 1999 journal articles; Garfinkel's 2021 article; and Malcolm 2022 news report being cited for this as well. I have not read those works yet, though.
I would imagine it is possible that there may have been a extended gap in new substantial literature on Walker. If this is so, a lot of previous scholarly analysis of him was written in a very different eras from today, and may hold biases more common of such eras.
@Concordhistory: did note that they believed a number of Hyde's characterizations were inconsistent with Walker's words and actions. I definitely would flag this as (if it is with merit) an important concern. It is very much possible[a] for Walker to have both at times demonstrated a friendlier attitude towards indigenous people, and at other times demonstrated a more virulent attitude towards indigenous people. And if so, appropriate note can and arguably should be made in the article.
I will note that there is a a service in accurately-summarizing and contextualizing the life and work of prominent individuals. Sometimes a new work emerges on a figure, and changes our modern understanding of who that person more-fully was, and what the influence their work/actions more-fully was.[b] I would definitely like to see if other academics largely praised any new takes Hyde brought about and the research she cited, and/or whether there has been compelling academic criticism of her book.
If the article does ultimately make more additions aligned with Hyde's work, I urge Concordhistory to bring up individual points of concern as they arise. When they see an addition they think is a mischaracterization or is missing context, I'd love it if Concordhistory or others will bring to the talk page their arguments for what such additions may be getting wrong (as well as the sources they have used to conclude that), and proposals for tweaks and additional context to remedy such concerns. (and please ping me). That could aid in getting things right, and is the collaborative community-based approach this project ideally wants articles to be shaped by. Where substantial and merited division of thought on a subject exists, no Wikipedia article should be exclusively-shaped by any one individual's viewpoint.
- ^ There are multiple reasons why someone like Walker could have espoused differing viewpoints. People can be complex, can evolve, and can take different actions over the course of their lives and fall into different extremes during their lives. Additionally, not all the actions or quotes of an individual in politics are always their reflective of their primary viewpoints. Especially true of politicians and government officials, since appointees often are restrained by the need to serve the administration they are appointed by, and elected officials are often restrained to appease the constituents who vote for them (A contemporary example of this is how many American politicians' quotes and public stances on same-sex marriage circa 2005–2008 are very different from the same politician's quotes and public stances on same-sex marriage a decade later). Also, politicians are prone to politicking, and often have/do at the the same exact period-in-time voiced support for multiple stances on an issue ("talking out of both sides of their mouth", "flip-flopping", giving "mixed messaging"; tailoring their words to appeal to whatever audience they expect will be reading/hearing them). There is also the reality that many politicians have throughout history deceived: delivering words and writings that say one thing, while taking actions which speak to entirely different values (it is worth recognizing there may be outlying quotes and misleading spin by any political figure; and the work of discerning if a quote is unrepresentative of their primary views requires analysis)
- ^ The Power Broker by Robert Caro is one such example
SecretName101 (talk) 18:00, 28 November 2025 (UTC)
Zeroth statement by possible moderator (Francis Amasa Walker)
editHi folks, I'm willing to help moderate this discussion if desired. Something I do want to say at the outset is that Hyde is a serious and notable contemporary historian who specializes in this subject area, plus her book on this topic is quite recent, so that makes it an ideal source for the article in question here (see WP:HISTRS for common views on history sources, views which I share). There's really just no solid basis for excluding her position from the article outright because of that, whatever her views are. We can weigh how to couch the material from her book and how much prominence to give it and so on, but I don't think we should really focus on the question of whether or not it should be included at all—it definitely should per NPOV and I think the GAR reviewer made the right call there.
So, basically, my approach to moderating this discussion will be to focus the conversation on how we should represent her book in this article, as opposed to whether or not we should at all. If that isn't the sort of conversation y'all want to have, I can withdraw and someone else can take over. ('"') (Mesocarp) (talk) (@) 02:34, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
Zeroth statements by editors (Francis Amasa Walker)
editZeroth statement by Gramix13
editThank you for the offer to moderate the discussion, Mesocarp! I must confess that I haven't read any of Hyde's work relating to Francis Amasa Walker, so I don't have anything additional to contribute when it comes to what specifically to draw from the source. I do agree with SecretName101's statement that we should also consider including other contemporary sources on the subject, aside from Hyde's work. 83 of the 143 citations currently in the article (roughly 58%) come from Munroe, James P. (1923). A Life of Francis Amasa Walker. New York: Henry Holt & Company. (I am guilty of adding some of these citations myself when trying to ensure the article was fully cited per the GAR) That source, while fairly comprehensive when I was skimming it over, is over a century old, which might not reflect the knowledge we have on Walker today. I'm not bringing up this source to derail this dispute on the merits of this source, rather I think it emphasizes the need for more current and recent scholarship on Walker to ensure the article meets the GA requirements we have today. I don't have any arguments or further suggestions on what other sources aside from Hyde to include, but SecretName101's list might be a good starting point if others here have taken the time to read them. I am also not sure if bringing in all of these sources will be necessary to ensure the neutrality of this article, but I do hope that perhaps Hyde's work will be sufficient in this regard.
In short, I would be supportive of the approach you laid out here to discuss how to represent Hyde's book in the article provided that there are no raised objects about using her work in any capacity. Gramix13 (talk) 03:20, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
- Hi Gramix13, I appreciate your comments. I'll note that I think the age of the Munroe source is a totally reasonable point to raise, speaking generally—American historical methods have changed immmensely since the 1920s, and as you point out contemporary historians are likely to have access to primary source material someone back then might not have had. Contemporary historians are also best-equipped to judge how far to throw the work of older historians; past a certain point even the work of historians from days gone by becomes primary source material in its own right and we shouldn't put much weight on it directly. Since the case here was started with a specific focus on Hyde, we should probably just stick to that question here, but in terms of how to couch her work I think it is important to note the work of other historians that echo her points, because it suggests that those points deserve more space and prominence in the article than they might have otherwise. ('"') (Mesocarp) (talk) (@) 04:50, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
- Yeah I'm totally fine keeping this discussion directly focused on Hyde's work then, and letting others include sourcing of more recent sources if they so wish outside of here. I'll leave it to others to comment on her work then since I have nothing else of insight to offer here. Gramix13 (talk) 05:13, 3 December 2025 (UTC)
- It's been over two weeks since my last reply here, and sadly no other editor has responded. At this point, I don't see this DRN forum as succeeding in not only getting a consensus but also getting the relevant material onto the article if necessary. I'm not quite sure what to do going forward. On the one hand, I could consider starting an RFC and notifying the listed participants of this discussion as well as each of the wikiprojects listed on the article's talk page about the RFC in an attempt to achieve some form of resolution and consensus that can be acted on. My concern with that option is that I'm not sure if the minimal discussion so far warrants the big step of calling for an RFC. On the other hand, without any resolution, that may mean that the article might have to lose it's good article status if no one can come to an agreement on the neutrality of the article (I don't currently have the time nor means to access Hyde's work myself to do this, unfortunately), although I do think that losing good article status would be a net negative to the encyclopedia all because of editor inactivity in addressing the dispute. Gramix13 (talk) 02:56, 18 December 2025 (UTC)
Pizza effect, take 2
edit| Closed as failed. The other editor has not replied, and is assumed to have declined to take part in the case. The filing editor has wasted the time of the moderator and of the community by demanding that this case be kept open, and asking about a procedure to establish consensus, and then not providing input when the moderator agreed to prepare the RFC that would establish consensus. If there still is a content dispute, the editors should resume discussion at the article talk page. Report disruptive editing at WP:ANI after reading the boomerang essay, being aware that both parties will come in with a history of failing to edit collaboratively in this case. Robert McClenon (talk) 18:23, 22 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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The Protomen (album)
edit| Closed as apparently not a continuing content dispute. There has been no input about the content dispute within four days. If there are any content disputes, resume discussion on the article talk page. Robert McClenon (talk) 18:11, 22 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Talk:Antonin Scalia_Law_School
edit| Closed as declined by the other editor. Participation in DRN is voluntary. Resume discussion on the article talk page. Report conduct issues, such as false reports of vandalism, at WP:ANI after reading the boomerang essay. Robert McClenon (talk) 06:18, 22 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Maire Tecnimont
editAdditional information about closed case. Italian Wikipedia is a separate encyclopedia, and discussion is not applicable to English Wikipedia. Robert McClenon (talk) 18:07, 22 December 2025 (UTC)
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| Closed without prejudice for two reasons. First, the filing editor has not notified the other editor on their user talk page. Notification on the article talk page is useful but not sufficient. Second, there has not been discussion on the article talk page, because the filing editor has not engaged in discussion. Discussion consists of at least two comments by each editor. The other editor has not been discussing. The filing editor should attempt to engage the other editor in discussion both on their user talk page and on the article talk page. If there is inconclusive discussion, a new case can be filed here. If the other editor continues to edit without discussing, read the discussion failure essay. Disruptive editing may be reported at WP:ANI after reading the boomerang essay (but failure to discuss is not in itself disruptive). Conflict of interest concerns may be reported at the conflict of interest noticeboard. Robert McClenon (talk) 02:00, 21 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Luc Besson
edit| Closed as also pending in another forum. DRN does not handle a dispute that is also pending in another content forum or in a conduct forum such as WP:ANI or sockpuppet investigations. There is also a sockpuppet investigation about one of the other editors in this dispute and some unregistered editors about the editing of the article. Wait until the sockpuppet investigation is closed. When the sockpuppet investigation is closed, surviving editors who have a content dispute may file a new case request either here at DRN or at the biographies of living persons noticeboard. BLPN might be a better forum for this dispute, but this dispute can be refiled here at DRN if the filer prefers, but not at both DRN and BLPN at the same time, and not at any other forum and DRN at the same time. Wait for the resolution of the sockpuppet investigation. Robert McClenon (talk) 00:59, 22 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Sucralose
edit| Closed without prejudice as incompletely filed. The filing unregistered editor has not notified the other listed editor on their talk page, and has not listed and notified the other editors. If there are conflict of interest concerns, the conflict of interest noticeboard will probably be a better forum. The filing editor is advised to register an account. The filing editor may file a new report if they list and notify all of the editors. Robert McClenon (talk) 04:53, 23 December 2025 (UTC) |
| Closed discussion |
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Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
editHave you discussed this on a talk page?
Yes, I have discussed this issue on a talk page already.
Location of dispute
Users involved
- Thedarkknightli (talk · contribs)
- Mellk (talk · contribs)
- Ostalgia (talk · contribs)
- Absolutiva (talk · contribs)
- Dresson354 (talk · contribs)
Dispute overview
There's an ongoing dispute over how to format |birth_place=. I think we should write |birth_place=Louhisaari Manor, Askainen, Finland, Russian Empire, given MOS:INFOBOXPURPOSE and that writing "Grand Duchy of Finland" instead of simply "Finland" triples the unit's length. Mellk isn't sure about writing simply "Finland" instead of "Grand Duchy of Finland" and thinks "it would also look a bit odd
" if we write simply "Russia, Soviet Union" instead of "Russian SFSR, Soviet Union". Ostalgia considers |birth_place=Louhisaari Manor, Askainen, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire fine as it is cuz GDoF "was a very particular subdivision of the Russian Empire
"; '"Finland" on its own simply does not capture this situation, and it also runs the risk of
' falsely implying Finland was independent at the time. Absolutiva thinks we should simply write |birth_place=Askainen, Finland, citing INFOBOXPURPOSE and Talk:Jean Sibelius/Archive 3#Infobox?. Dresson354 thinks we should write |birth_place=Louhisaari Manor, Askainen, Grand Duchy of Finland, given GDoF's "distinct and special status within the Russian Empire
" and that "the name Grand Duchy of Finland already states that it belonged to Russian Empire
".
How have you tried to resolve this dispute before coming here?
Talk:Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim#Place of birth in infobox
How do you think we can help resolve the dispute?
By providing an independent sixth opinion.
Summary of dispute by Mellk
editSummary of dispute by Ostalgia
editI did not remember this being an actual dispute, unlike the Sibelius article, where despite a 5-2 headcount the 2 still managed to retain their preferred option. Frankly, I have been put off from editing Wikipedia in general, beyond minor fixes, because I am fed up with having to deal with petty nationalist SPA accounts PoV pushing on every conceivable article. Thanks for the notification, but this is not something I am interested in participating at all. As far as I am concerned, feel free to list Proxima Centauri as his birthplace. Cheers. Ostalgia (talk) 23:41, 23 December 2025 (UTC)