As detailed in the No more categories for a while blog, the categories here are a mess and need to be completely overhauled. I am doing part of it right now with another account called Ferbot.
I need to make Ferbot an official bot account so that the updates can be done behind the scenes and not clog up the Wiki Activity or the Recent Changes lists. The edits will still be registered in the history of each page and in various logs, but they don't normally show up unless you select "show bots". We'll be able to tell what is a new edit and what is maintenance.
Another reason for making this a bot account is if we enable the Achievement badges, Ferbot won't have an unfair advantage over everyone else since it would be doing so many updates. It already has over 1500 edits now. Likewise, I try to do a lot of maintenance edits with bot accounts so that my account doesn't get boosted in the standings.
In order to get it registered as a bot, I have to go through the process of announcing it, allowing people to vote for or against it, and then turn in the request.
So here's the announcement. Cast your vote in the comments below. If you feel I shouldn't have a bot account here, it will help me to know why. It would be unusual for a person who is trusted to be an admin who is not trusted to have a bot account, but occasionally it does happen.
Votes can be cast until February 14, 2015 and you don't have to have an account in order to vote.
- Update, February 24, 2018
I have a bot request discussion going for this same account on another wiki that will end March 3, 2018, so if there aren't any new points to discuss, I'll turn in both requests next Saturday.
If you have any questions about what a bot is, there's a page on Community Central that explains it.