User talk:REMAX Northern Illinois

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Please select a new username
Welcome to Wikipedia. Because we have a policy against usernames that give the impression that the account represents a group, organization or website, your account has been blocked; you are welcome to create a new account with a username that represents only you. You should also read our conflict of interest guideline. If your username doesn't represent a group, organization or website, you may appeal this username block by adding the text below this notice. Thank you.

Dear Wikipedia, I do not understand why my account has been blocked. I am the official representative for RE/MAX Northern Illinois an independently owned and operated RE/MAX Region (source: http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Chicago/0gWOd2Q4Vi3HD/1). According to our IT person, very few people have access to the IP address (208.96.195.202, which is also stated as a reason for blocking.

This is my first time on Wikipedia and I am trying to submit an article in a neutral tone and have gotten excellent feedback from Calliopejen1. When I tried to edit the article, given her suggestions, I saw it was also blocked by her. The system also does not allow me to create a new account.

Please tell me what I need to do to enter a page that other real estate companies including Coldwell Banker, Century 21, have on Wikipedia.

The information regarding the block is below.

Sincerely,

User: REMAX Northern Illinois

•	Information about the block: account creation from this IP address (208.96.195.202) was blocked by Calliopejen1, who gave the reason This account has been blocked indefinitely from editing Wikipedia because your username, REMAX Northern Illinois, does not meet our username policy. '''Your username is the only reason for this block. You are welcome to choose a new username (see below).''' A username should not be promotional, related to a "real-world" group or organization, misleading, offensive, or disruptive. Also, usernames may not end in the word "bot" unless the account is an approved bot account. You are encouraged to choose a new account name that meets our policy guidelines. Alternatively, if you have already made edits and you wish to keep your existing contributions under a new name, then you may request a change in username by:
 * Adding on your user talk page. You should be able to do this even though you are blocked, as you can usually still edit your own talk page. If not, you may wish to contact the blocking administrator by clicking on "E-mail this user" on their talk page.
 * At an administrator's discretion, you may be unblocked for 24 hours to file a request.
 * Please note that you may only request a name that is not already in use, so please check here for a listing of already taken names. The account is created upon acceptance, thus do not try to create the new account before making the request for a name change. For more information, please see Changing username.

If you feel that you were blocked in error, you may appeal this block by adding below this notice the text, but you should read our guide to appealing blocks first. .

Here are a few key questions:
 * Do you understand that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, and not a business directory?
 * Do you understand conflict of interest?
 * Do you understand that to be considered for an encylopedia article, the subject must be considered to be notable?

You are currently blocked because your username appears directly related to a company, group or product that you have been promoting, contrary to the username policy. Changing the username will not allow you to violate the 3 important principles above. -- Kinu t /c  22:57, 3 February 2011 (UTC)

I understand the questions asked and agree to abide by them. — Preceding unsigned comment added by REMAX_Northern_Illinois (talk • contribs)


 * Based on your new understanding, what types of articles do you intend to work on? ( talk→  BWilkins   ←track ) 12:04, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Pieces that are more encyclopedic in nature rather than like a business directory. For example, the RE/MAX Northern Illinois article is an example of a sub-franchisor, which you do not have information on. How does that sound?


 * That makes it sound like your intent is to continue to make commentary or edits related to RE/MAX Northern Illinois, so no. If you are unblocked at any point, you will not be permitted to do so in any way, shape or form.  If you intend to edit on behalf of a company, you will remain blocked.  If you intend to edit as an individual with individual interests (such as Ice hockey or Golf) then you may have an opportunity to be unblocked. ( talk→   BWilkins   ←track ) 15:19, 12 February 2011 (UTC)

Does that mean that all other companies that appear in Wikipedia are submitted by someone who is not with that company? That seems almost impossible.
 * Short answer: yes. Long answer: Information about corporate entities on Wikipedia is not "submitted" by CEOs, PR departments, etc. Wikipedia is not a business directory, and companies do not appear on Wikipedia in the manner that you suggest; more correctly, encyclopedic information about notable companies is included on Wikipedia. Are there articles that probably have fallen through the cracks? I don't know, but people around here do a good job of making sure it doesn't happen. But the fact that such articles may have hypothetically slipped through the cracks does not justify the creation of the article which so obviously contravenes the conflict of interest guideline. -- Kinu t /c  19:23, 15 February 2011 (UTC)