User talk:James W. Long

Welcome
Hello James W. Long, and welcome to Wikipedia! We're really glad you've chosen to sign up for an account; it offers numerous benefits in case you weren't already aware of them.

Thankyou for your contributions if you've been editing before you got this message. If you haven't, don't worry: there are numerous ways you can contribute to Wikipedia if you're not sure where to start yet. Either way, we hope you'll like the place and decide to stay. We all remember what it's like to be new, so don't let others scare you off.

Useful links
Here's some useful links that will help you get started.


 * [[Image:Isimple system icons app edit.png|25px]]  How to edit a page - it's a lot easier than you might think.


 * [[Image:Crystal Clear action info.png|25px]]  Tutorial - a collection of pages explaining the most important things for contributing to Wikipedia.


 * [[Image:Crystal Clear app karbon.png|25px]]  Sandbox - the best place for trying things out. If previous edits you made to articles have been reverted because they were experimental or unconstructive, this is the place to make test edits.


 * [[Image:Nuvola apps filetypes.svg|25px]]  Where to ask a question - Wikipedia has numerous places for you to put your questions and comments forward.


 * [[Image:Crystal Clear app linneighborhood.png|25px]]  Five pillars - Wikipedia's official policies and guidelines are summarized here.


 * [[Image:Nuvola apps kdict.png|25px]]  Manual of Style - our style guide outlines our standards for ensuring that we present information in a consistent manner that promotes cohesion and professionalism.

Contributing
With these references at hand, we hope you find it easier to contribute to Wikipedia. Here's a brief synopsis of some ways you can:


 * We obviously wouldn't have an encyclopedia without articles. This page shows how you can help them grow.


 * Removing vandalism and keeping the integrity of articles intact is a great way of contributing. More information on how to do so can be found here.


 * Fixing typos, correcting poor grammar and repairing broken links are just some examples of useful, behind the scenes contributions. Even just making things look nice makes using Wikipedia more pleasant for everybody.


 * If you like working with images, you might be interested in the Graphic Lab. Similarly, this page shows you how to work with images in Wikipedia articles.


 * This page lists the many types of tasks you can do to maintain Wikipedia.


 * There are numerous WikiProjects that aim to provide coordination and collaboration on particular subjects. From this list, you can join a project and contribute within an area that interests you.

Of course, there are many ways of contributing, but I hope that this message is helpful to you, and that you'll enjoy editing Wikipedia and continue to do so. You can respond to this message by clicking  here  if you have a comment or need help - don't forget to sign your name on talk pages using four tildes ( ~ ), or you can place  on your talk page and write your query there. Again, welcome to Wikipedia! WilliamH (talk) 12:08, 17 May 2008 (UTC)