Bsouthwell

Welcome!

Hello, Bsouthwell, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few links to pages you might find helpful:

• Introduction and Getting started
• Contributing to Wikipedia
• The five pillars of Wikipedia
• How to edit a page and How to develop articles
• How to create your first article
• Simplified Manual of Style

Please remember to sign your messages on talk pages by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question on this page and then place {{Help me}} before the question. Again, welcome! bobrayner (talk) 22:43, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

Docker

There is already a Docker (disambiguation) page, with the software on it. --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 23:26, 21 December 2014 (UTC)

I saw that after I made the change, so blanked it and went on IRC to ask someone to remove the page. (since I don't have the privs) I pointed out that when you -Search- for Docker, it takes you to the page I edited, which only redirects to the Stevadore article, rather than the disambig.

It seems only sensible to me that when you search on Docker, as there are multiple meanings, you should get the disambig. I have never heard of a Stevadore being called a Docker, and I'm American (the largest English-speaking group). I think a search on Docker should take you to disambig, but I was overruled on IRC that it should whisk you to the one minor meaning of the term.

I don't really care. I was just trying to help, but was vehemently opposed for some perplexing reason. There are many cases like this on Wikipedia, where Search takes you to one single meaning, when the disambig is actually in order. I do not understand why they like it that way. If you can explain this I would appreciate it. Bsouthwell (talk) 15:39, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

Well, by that measure; I had never heard of a Stevedore. But the issue here is what is the best known meaning for Docker? I don't see anything on the disambiguation page that comes anywhere close to as well known as "a type of waterfront workman".

Many words have multiple meanings, and it is preferable that people go to the most likely meaning (with a link to the disambiguation if it's not what they were looking for) than having to search and click through a disambiguation page every single time. --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 18:10, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

I take it you're English. Not meaning any offense but America has a much larger population than England, and it's the intent of the majority of users which must be at issue. Most Americans haven't heard of a "docker" as a waterfront worker. I don't know what you see on G**gle there for Docker, but on the first page, 5 out of 7 links are for the software. (The other two are for Dockers pants). On the second page all but one link are for the software. (The other is for a seafood restaurant) On the third page, all links are about the software.

Is this really about regular users not being allowed to make changes? I have specialized knowledge in several subjects which aren't covered in Wikipedia, but if I am going to have to fight to make any changes, it's not worth it. I'm not a fighter, I'm a researcher. Bsouthwell (talk) 00:24, 25 December 2014 (UTC)

Regular users are welcome to make changes. Please do not let this put you off. However it can take a little while to understand some of the policies and guidelines and why some things are done the way they are. The numbers of speakers of the differing variations of English aren't really the issue. I can assure that the meaning of "docker" the word defaults to currently is what is understood by many millions more than that of a recent software package. Counting google hits is never a reliable way of measuring these things, because naturally it will be biased towards the world of technology. However, if you feel that things should change, please feel free to raise the matter on one of the appropriate talk pages and see how others feel. Wikipedia is all about dialogue, discussion and reaching consensus. You may find this a laborious and time consuming process, unfortunately that's the only way a massive collaborative project like Wikipedia can function, but it shouldn't be a "fight". --Escape Orbit ^(Talk) 22:43, 25 December 2014 (UTC)

There is currently a discussion about what the redirection page for Docker should point to Wikipedia:Redirects_for_discussion/Log/2014_December_26#Docker if you would like to comment. HappyCamp23 (talk) 14:09, 27 December 2014 (UTC)