User talk:Matthewfairhall

Welcome
Hello  and welcome to Wikipedia! I'm glad you've chosen to join us. This is a great project with lots of dedicated people, which might seem intimidating at times, but don't let anything discourage you. Be bold!, explore, and contribute. If you truly love Wikipedia, you'll figure it all out soon enough. That said, if you still have a burning desire to grok this project
 * Bootcamp teaches you the basics quickly,
 * Tutorial is more in-depth, and
 * Topical index is exhaustive.

The following links might also come in handy:
 * Glossary
 * FAQ
 * Help
 * Manual of Style
 * Five Pillars of Wikipedia

Float around for awhile until you find something that tickles your fancy. One easy way to do this is to hit the random page button in the navigation bar to the left. You can write new articles, add to existing ones, or edit any and all pages that appear. There are also many great committees and groups that focus on particular jobs. My personal favorite stomping grounds are Translation into English and Cleanup for sloppy articles, but they may not interest you. Finally, the Wikimedia Foundation has several other wiki projects that you might enjoy more, but Wikipedia is the most popular by far.

There are a few crucial points to keep in mind when editing. Be civil with users, strive to maintain a neutral point of view, and show good etiquette like signing your comments with four tildas like this: ~

If you have any more questions, always feel free to ask me anything on my talk page or ask the true experts at Help desk. Again, welcome! -- Peppery 10:53, 30 October 2006 (UTC)