| Revision as of 09:39, 14 August 2009 editSmokeyJoe (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers44,345 edits →Examples of poking: Fussing with another user's userspace← Previous edit | Revision as of 13:36, 6 December 2009 edit undoJack Merridew (talk | contribs)34,837 edits File:Dog The Teddy Bear.jpg per recent events ;Next edit → | ||
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| {{essay|WP:BEAR|WP:POKING}} | {{essay|WP:BEAR|WP:POKING}} | ||
| {{nutshell|1=Some actions that may appear harmless or helpful, may actually be counterproductive or provocative and result in being growled at<!-- or mauled -->.}} | {{nutshell|1=Some actions that may appear harmless or helpful, may actually be counterproductive or provocative and result in being growled at<!-- or mauled -->.}} | ||
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| * Vandalizing high-traffic pages | * Vandalizing high-traffic pages | ||
| ==This metaphor could mean more than you intended== | == This metaphor could mean more than you intended == | ||
| Be careful not to imply that a specific individual ''is'' a bear. In ] "bear" may be a compliment, but elsewhere<sup>()</sup> it can mean ''a rough or bad-mannered person'' and "like a bear with a sore head" means ''very irritable''. Using "don't poke the bear" to hint that an editor is over-sensitive on a subject might not be true, and could be construed as a ]. You might also offend fellow editors if they think you are accusing them of "bear-baiting" |
Be careful not to imply that a specific individual ''is'' a bear. In ] "bear" may be a compliment, but elsewhere<sup>()</sup> it can mean ''a rough or bad-mannered person'' and "like a bear with a sore head" means ''very irritable''. Using "don't poke the bear" to hint that an editor is over-sensitive on a subject might not be true, and could be construed as a ]. You might also offend fellow editors if they think you are accusing them of "bear-baiting" – a cruel entertainment which involved setting dogs to attack a captive bear.<sup>()</sup> | ||
| == Analogous phrases == | == Analogous phrases == | ||
Revision as of 13:36, 6 December 2009
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 | This page in a nutshell: Some actions that may appear harmless or helpful, may actually be counterproductive or provocative and result in being growled at. |
Bears are lovely creatures that often hibernate and are, for the most part, non-violent. However, when poked, bears can become quite angry. As such, it’s always best to not poke the bear.
Examples of poking
- Following editors to articles they are editing during an unrelated dispute
- Adding wikibreak/retired tags to userpages of other users without their consent
- Adding block templates to a blocked user's page or talk page if the blocking admin has not
- Having been asked not to (or otherwise knowing it is unwelcome), continuing to post on a user's talk page
- Fussing with another user's userspace
- Vandalizing high-traffic pages
This metaphor could mean more than you intended
Be careful not to imply that a specific individual is a bear. In Russia "bear" may be a compliment, but elsewhere it can mean a rough or bad-mannered person and "like a bear with a sore head" means very irritable. Using "don't poke the bear" to hint that an editor is over-sensitive on a subject might not be true, and could be construed as a personal attack. You might also offend fellow editors if they think you are accusing them of "bear-baiting" – a cruel entertainment which involved setting dogs to attack a captive bear.
Analogous phrases
- The Latin phrase Nunquam titillius dormitorius draconis (the motto of Hogwarts) translates as "never tickle a sleeping dragon".