Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2007 August 27

= August 27 =

Created Page Not Searchable
Hello,

Last week I created a page called 'The Orchid and the Rose' but it is not searchable. I rechecked how to create a page and I can't see where I went wrong. It is listed at the top in my contrabutions page.

How to I get my information searchable in Wiki..?

Regards

a/[[User:03:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I can't find an article of that title, and neither can I find it in the deletion log. However, there does seem to be some text on your user talk page: User talk:Saetheus. Is that where you were creating it? Before you consider trying to make it an article in the "main" space (i.e. where the article actually are), you should read about Wikipedia's notability guideline on books, and the conflict of interest guideline, both of which mean that that article would be unlikely to last for long as it stands. Confusing Manifestation 03:34, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Voluntary work on site
I was just wondering if there was a way I could have a "job" to get emailed what to write on a article or a source to check and if someone could tell me when to do what?

--Willis Wikister 04:11, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * The closest thing I could think of is Category:Wikipedia_backlog... lots of work to be done. Just pick a list and start working through it. There's also the Special:Random link. Are you interested in a particular topic? There are many Wikiprojects that you could join. Many of them have a well organized and directed workflow. Sancho 04:32, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * You can also ask for some suggested articles to edit from User:SuggestBot. Confusing Manifestation 06:23, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

An editor who sometimes doesn't use inline citations

 * The following discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page.  No further edits should be made to this page.

has had more 30,000 edits, has tried to be an admin two times and she still believes (has said so explicitly as well) that its okay to insert texts into articles, while not putting in inline citations, for example. You can see this article is now a nightmare, with no way of verifying anything. What I would do is revert it back but after a couple of nasty disputes and an unfair block that I got over all this, I'm staying away from her talk page as far as I can. Could someone neutral and uninvolved tell me: Is it acceptable for an established editor to put in chunks of texts without using inline citations? I mean, otherwise it could be original research, right? If you agree, could someone please make this user understand that this is a bad practice completely against the spirit of an encyclopedia? We're better off having 5 lines of verifiable cited material than having 50 lines of unverified uncited text. Does anyone agree? I mean, isnt verifiability what encyclopedias are all about?

Although there are some references in the text she inserted in this certain article, there are many which are uncited that she has inserted herself. How can a reader then verify the uncited material? Sentences like these in the Modern Fustat section are all uncited:
 * The three capitals, Fustat, Al-Askar and Al-Qatta'i were absorbed into the growing city of Cairo.
 * Some of the old buildings remain visible in the region known as "Old Cairo", but much of the rest has fallen into disrepair, overgrown with weeds or used as garbage dumps.
 * Many archaeological excavations have taken place, and some buildings have been partially-reconstructed to waist-height, but the site is difficult and dangerous to access because of the nearby slums.

And so on. Sure, the article was bad to begin with, an unreferenced stub, but putting in further uncited statements is not a step in the right direction. The bottomline is: every statement inserted into an encyclopedia must be verifiable, or it should not be put in. --Matt57 (talk•contribs) 04:39, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Yes, the ideal is a referenced article. I've found one nice reference that may be able to help in this case: Historic Cairo - rehabilitation of Cairo's historic monuments from Architectural Review, The, March, 1998. Sancho 04:51, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I also left a note for Elonka directing her to take a look at this post. I think you'll be able to work together to improve the referencing in the article. Sancho 04:53, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Using inline citations isn't obligatory at all.
 * 1) Harvard referencing is also allowed, and the standard refs-at-bottom-of-article is quite satisfactory in most cases, especially for short articles.
 * 2) Inline citations are only particularly important for specific claims that might draw controversy. Ideally yes, everything should be referenced, but the citations are only truly critical in the case that one is making a seemingly extraordinary claim that needs to be backed up.
 * The vast majority of articles, even many very well-written ones, have nearly no inline citations. This doesn't mean they are bad articles, or that the thousands of skilled Wikipedians who wrote them are doing something wrong. — Da rk •S hik ari [T] 05:04, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I guess I have high standards then. I edit Islam related articles and if I dont reference anything, it gets taken out within 30 seconds by someone else. I thought thats what we went by. --Matt57 (talk•contribs) 05:09, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I agree that that's a problem with some Islam-related articles, because there's a lot of POV-pushing and so the need for citations is more time-sensitive. But on articles like Fustat, which are further back in the library's "stacks", things are a bit more relaxed. :) Matt, you're welcome to come in and help with references. There's a lot of information about Fustat that's already out on the web.  And if you can't find a citation, the proper thing to do is to add a fact tag after the sentence/paragraph that you wish to challenge. Ultimately I'd like to get the article to Good article status, and I'd appreciate any help in further expanding it. --Elonka 05:24, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Given recent warnings left on Matt57's user talk page, we're done here. --Core desat 07:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page, such as the current discussion page. No further edits should be made to this page.

Deleting a duplicate article
how do you delete a duplicate article??Jbublick 05:26, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * In the duplicate article, write, where "Other title" is what article is being duplicated. MessedRocker (talk) 05:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * See also redirects and merges. --h2g2bob (talk) 14:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

downloading
can i download the pages in wikipedia? if yes,plz let me know how.59.96.33.205 06:06, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Yes. Please see Database download. Shalom Hello 13:54, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Playwrights
HOW DO YOU FIND PLAYWRIGHTS? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.163.34.244 (talk) 06:15, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * Looking in this category might be a good start Category:Dramatists_and_playwrights. --JayHenry 06:44, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Messages ?
Some times other users send me messages, i dont know how ...i want to send other users messages but i dont know how --Max Mayr 07:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * You can send other users messages on their talk pages (for example, User talk:WODUP or User talk:Max Mayr).  W ODU P  08:27, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Drinking lemons
is it true drinking 10 pure lemons are good cleansing for the body? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.106.223.149 (talk) 09:14, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * Have you tried the Science section of Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in answering knowledge questions there; this help desk is only for questions about using Wikipedia. For your convenience, here is the link to post a question there: click here. I hope this helps.. Note that Wikipedia does not give medical advice. PrimeHunter 13:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Per PrimeHunter's final comment, please don't ask this question at the Reference Desk&mdash;while we at the Desk normally are pleased to offer answers and guidance in answering questions of a factual nature, we really can't give you medical advice. If you're considering a substantial dietary change or unusual therapy, you would be best to consult your physician or a qualified dietitian. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 14:03, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Elizabeth Bishop
I am writing an article on Elizabeth Bishop.

I want to include examples of her poetry.

She died in 1979.

Do copyright laws still apply 28 years after her death ?

Can I add her poems to the article ?

Tovojolo 09:59, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Yes, copyright laws still apply. Think 70 years before considering including copyrightable material. We don't quote poetry in full, for the most part. Short quotations are always acceptable, if fully cited, as that is a "fair use" of copyright material. See WP:COPY for lots more detail. AndyJones 11:04, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * See also Lyrics and poetry. PrimeHunter 12:57, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

This section under construction
Is there a "this section is under construction"-type maintenance tag. I think it might be useful for the top half of List of historical figures dramatised by Shakespeare, while I work on it, since it'll clearly take days (or weeks) to do, and in the meantime the article will inevitably look unpolished. AndyJones 11:00, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Have a look at Template messages/Maintenance. KTC 11:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Good one, thank you. {Underconstruction} seemed to fit my bill. AndyJones 12:06, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

List of Basic Topics
When using wikipedia a few weeks ago, I found a list of basic topics that are, I believe, supposed to be covered by wikipedia in all its major languages. The list included people (eg Dante, Shakespeare, Darwin etc.), civilisations, areas of science etc. I'm trying to find this page again and I can't. Could you tell me how to access it please? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.130.102.174 (talk) 12:12, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * See Vital articles. PrimeHunter 12:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

EDITING
hi i was wondering how would i add in a statement stephen harper said about kyoto, in the kyoto protocol page????Macrae1992 13:26, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Edit the page to include it. Pick a quote which is relevant, and make sure it's not over-long (ie not pages and pages of stuff). Finally, add a link to the source - you can use &lt;ref&gt; tags or just place the link in square brackets: []. Adding quotes is like any other edit, that is it should keep the overall article unbiased. See also Quotations. --h2g2bob (talk) 14:28, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

yes but kyoto protocol is blocked for me to edit so it is not possible how can i edit the page? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Macrae1992 (talk • contribs) 21:36, August 27, 2007 (UTC)

Kyoto Protocol is currently semi-protected, so that only registered users with accounts older than roughly 4 days can edit. As the big template on the top of the page says, "If you are prevented from editing this article, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or create an account." (although obviously you have created an account, it's just too young still). So, your best option is to discuss it on the talk page of the article. Just start a new section with your suggested changes, and someone whose account is old enough can help you make them. Confusing Manifestation 22:35, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Requests
Hi my Name is Mike Acher I have a speshalist intrest in Earth construction, which grew out of my Degree in Architectural technology and design. If my spelling or grammer is a little wanky please bear with me as I am Dyslexic and the writen word chalenges me rarther.

I am serching high and low for 2 maps:


 * one on clay types Montmorillonite, Kaolinite and Illite for the UK in particulare Cumbria.
 * the second map I am looking for is on types of clay Pozolanic etc.

I suspect that the 2 types are either the same or cross frefence the information in an implyed manner.

please call on or e-mail on

I am giving a talk at carlisile on the 4th of september 2007 at Tullli House and it would be help full if I could talk in moor detail about the materials and their loacations, related to earth builds in the area.

I have a couple of papers you might be interested in on earth construction how does it work for submision.

I have just done somthing> I'm not sure if I was right. I was on the Illite page and topic not found came up on the discution tab I put in the above text. I hope this was right?? it was not easily clear how to ask such a question —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mike Archer (talk • contribs) 13:31, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * Hello, Mike. I've removed your personal information, as this page is highly visible and at high risk for spammers. Since this is an informational question, you'd probably be better off asking at the Reference Desk, specifically the science section. Asking your question on the article's talk page (which is what you did) should work also, but may not get as fast a response. But yes, the discussion tab is the correct place for questions about an article. Just remember when you post a question such as the one above to sign it with four tildes ( ~ ). This way we know who we're talking to and when you posted the message. Thanks, and good luck with your talk. Hers fold  (t/a/c) 14:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

How do you make Infoboxes on articles
I was wondering how to make infoboxes for films as I am currently trying to write an article on the 1929 Indian movie A Throw of Dice. Could you please provide me with some information. Emishi 14:15, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * WikiProject Infoboxes has a Directory of Infoboxes. The film infobox is Infobox Film. --h2g2bob (talk) 14:31, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Requesting an Article
I wanted to submit a request for an article on "abax" so when I searched I got

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=abax&go=Go

So I clicked on the link in the sentence:

"You can create this page or request it."

And I clicked on the "Request it" link and got to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requested_articles

which doesn't seem to have anything to do with requesting an article.

I expected a form such as this help one where I could fill in the search I requested and perhaps categorize it.

So how do I submit a request for an article?

Thank you,

Softtest123 15:00, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * It appears that you didn't read the very first three sentences on the Requested Articles page: "This is Wikipedia's page for requested articles. If you want to request a new article, this is the right place to start. This is to help you request an article that is not in Wikipedia's database." -- Kainaw (what?) 22:27, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Sorry, but I did read it. There is no information there about how to request an article, only that this is the place to start.  I have gotten the answer to this question at a later post and have created Abax.  Crude, but a start.  I have also posted on Talk:Abacus to request coordination between Abax and Abacus.


 * I invite you to comment on my efforts there because I want to improve my Wiki skills.


 * I'm learning, but I do RTFM, as huge as it is.


 * Thanks for your help.


 * Softtest123 22:43, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * It is great that you started the article instead of just requesting it. It is my opinion that the article should just redirect to abacus, but I still think it is great you created it. -- Kainaw (what?) 00:42, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

the highest lakes.
i want to know about the highest lakes in the world as per their height. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.193.128.226 (talk) 15:04, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * You should ask this question at the Reference Desk, which specializes in knowledge questions. Hers fold  (t/a/c) 15:06, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, but not nearly the highest lake. See Lake for the highest (an unnamed pool on Ojos del Salado) and second-highest lakes. It stands to reason that the world's highest lakes must be in the world's highest mountain and plateau areas, namely the Himalaya, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Andes. A limiting factor would be that the highest elevations are above the snow line (depending on latitude, of course, as the snow line is highest at the equator) and thus you wouldn't find liquid water above those elevations. Wikipedia has List of lakes, List of largest lakes of Western Europe, List of world's largest lakes, and several more, but I do not find a list of lakes by surface elevation. Which isn't to say there isn't one. Of course we can try searching: list of highest lakes, which finds an interesting site: http://www.highestlake.com/ --Teratornis 19:12, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Problems in math symbols.
--201.88.18.222 15:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

It's hard to read math articles over you. Almost always they are shown as a little square on their place. I'm using from Brasil and my XP is portuguese.

Thank you, --email removed--


 * That is quite strange. Almost all nontrivial equations should automatically be rendered as PNG images, so if you're getting little squares in their place, there can be several causes:
 * Your browser is having problems showing PNG images. If you're using Internet Explorer, try it in another browser, like Firefox.
 * There could be something on your connection that filters or breaks the images. Perhaps some sort of proxy?
 * The Wikipedia servers could be overworked, and connections are being dropped before the image can be delivered. In that case the problem will go away on its own.
 * Not sure what to consider most likely, but I'd start by trying it in another browser first. --Pekaje 21:52, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Email address should be removed.Vchimpanzee 21:09, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

how to deleat a page
how can i remove a page permanently i created myself? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Thethoughts (talk • contribs) 16:14, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * You can't do this yourself, but if nobody else has edited the page, place db-author on the page and an administrator will delete it for you. --ais523 16:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Using search engines to find wikipedia pages
Hi there. ive recently write a page in wikipedia, and would like to know how can i make it searcheable for example in google? thank you —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ser33 (talk • contribs) 16:34, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * Search engines don't update their indexes immediately. If the article stays on Wikipedia for a while (within a few weeks, ususally) without being deleted, the major search engines will have indexed the article by then and it will be found by a search. --ais523 16:49, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

When do I get my money?
I have made an edit to Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, which is your featured article. How much do I get paid for contributing to this encyclopedia? Is there a page where I can enter my credit card details? Thank You. --Weinessaaer 16:44, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia doesn't pay its editors; Wikipedia is a charity. There was an April Fool's joke recently suggesting the opposite (that editors would have to pay to edit), but neither is true. See About for more information. --ais523 16:49, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * From the edit page when you edit anything on Wikipedia.

Please note:
 * By submitting content, you agree to release your contributions under the GNU Free Documentation License.
 * If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly or redistributed for profit by others, do not submit it.
 * Only public domain resources can be copied without permission—this does not include most web pages or images.
 * See our policies and guidelines for more information on editing.
 * -- KTC 16:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Well in that case, this is now a semi-legal matter. There is a e-mail address or a written address that I can write to regarding legality? Please dont bombard me with your "No Legal Threats" page. I am serious. --Weinessaaer 16:58, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I don't really know how else we're supposed to respond. Wikipedia is an entirely volunteer-run organization, which receives funding from charitable donations. I spend several hours a day on here, and I don't get a cent. Nobody, including the administrators and other higher-ups, gets paid. If that's not what you expected, then I'm afraid you're at the wrong site. Please don't make legal threats, as that is a good way to get blocked. I'm just as serious as you about that. Hers fold  (t/a/c) 17:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * goddammit! --Weinessaaer 17:08, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

WP:DFTT. Corvus cornix 16:01, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Section headings and infoboxes
This might be a bit of an obvious issue, but is there any way the CSS of Wikipedia can be changed so that the dividing lines underneath headings don’t clash with infoboxes or right-aligned templates? It creates a real visual clash on lots of pages, surely their must be a workable solution. Sorry if this question has been asked before. Max Naylor 16:55, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * You should probably ask at the Tech village pump - they'll have a better idea of what to do about this, but I do agree, it's a tad annoying at times. Failing that, try opening up a ticket on bugzilla. Hers fold  (t/a/c) 17:00, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

My Photo is on wikipedia without permission!
Look at: Image:Northern Line carriage - internal - night - London - 240404.jpg

'''I am the closest guy on the right hand side of the carriage seating down. Can you please remove this image? I was not asked for permission for my photo to be on Wikipedia. Thank You very much.''' --WoodenLadder 17:14, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I think it makes sense that if one is photographed in a public place, permission is not required to use the photo. Granted, perhaps if you wanted to take a replacement picture (and since you value permission, request that those photographed offer theirs) that would be acceptable. Sorry if I sound blunt, but I don't see another alternative. Is there some recourse for people making requests of this kind?  Leebo  T /C  17:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * ahh fine keep the picture.. I look good in it anyway. --WoodenLadder 17:22, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Complaint letter
Who is the "manager" of Wikipedia? I have a long and treterous complaint letter for him. How can I contact him? --000Cranleigh000Sauce000 17:26, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * FYI, You're going to wind up usernameblocked, too many 000s--172.165.207.81 17:28, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia is run by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, have a look at its contact page if you want to contact it. KTC 17:32, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Whats wrong with too many 000's? --000Cranleigh000Sauce000 17:30, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Nothing really, I'm not sure why the anonymous user 172.165.207.81 said that. Also, if your complaint is related to a specific article or user, you may have more luck discussing the issue at the relevant talk page.  Leebo  T /C  17:33, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Surprise surprise! This is actually Jimbo :) I was just testing the services of the Help Desk. Good Job guys, I will keep your names noted down. --000Cranleigh000Sauce000 17:38, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Somehow, I don't believe you, "Jimbo" ;) Neil   ム  10:14, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

subscripts/superscripts in TOC entries from section headings
Hello. I wish to use subscripts in section headings. I can do that with no difficulty; the markup is the same, only used with the heading text bracketed by the appropriate number of equals signs. However, the subscripts do not show up properly in the heading text when in the table of contents for the page.

Is there a way to make the table of contents show subscripts or superscripts correctly? Thanks, Baccyak4H (Yak!) 17:29, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Uncolor links
In order to standardize Wikipedia articles, is there a way that I can "temporarily" select all and re-color the text so it will not "tempt" me to click on the supplied link(s) so just concentrate on the article itself. I can achieve this by "highlighting" but is there a better way? Thanks. BR —Preceding unsigned comment added by Daedaleus (talk • contribs) 17:30, August 27, 2007 (UTC)

Skins
How do you create custom skins for Wikipedia? Also how do you use them and let other users use them?

Desalvionjr 17:35, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Look at Wikiproject CSS and Help:User style. - SigmaEpsilon → Σ Ε 17:42, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * THANK YOU! Desalvionjr 17:45, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Nominations and stuff
Is there any generator to generate pages like nomination pages for you. I would help people who don't know what they need in there nominations because this way you would just answer questions and type in other requested stuff. So is there any tool for doing that?

Desalvionjr 17:42, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Pardon me if I'm simply missing it, but can you clarify what you mean? Nominations for what in particular?  Leebo  T /C  17:44, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Like sysop nominations and stuff, because that process is very confusing. Desalvionjr 17:47, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, sysop noms already have something of a "generator". If you go to Requests for adminship/nominate and click the button for nominating another user with their name replacing "USERNAME" it takes you to a page were all you have to do is place their name and your nomination statement. Then the rest is up to the person who you nominated.  Leebo  T /C  17:51, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Well after that bit it is confusing. I am more thinking self nomination. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Desalvionjr (talk • contribs) 18:02, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * After that, the nominated user must accept the nomination, answer the questions by editing the page, and transclude it to the RfA page. With regard to nominating yourself, I recommend you wait and continue to gain experience.  Leebo  T /C  18:08, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I am experienced it is just the instructions are poorly worded to the extent where I don't understand. Desalvionjr 18:12, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * What I mean to say is that the amount of edits you have made does not really allow for users to see if you fully understand Wikipedia policy. This is usually achieved by participating in policy discussions, writing articles, and demonstrating the ability to effectively communicate with users over a broad range of areas within Wikipedia. I'm not trying to disparage the work you have done, just explain what is expected of RfA candidates.  Leebo  T /C  18:16, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I already know what is expected of rfa candidates it is just the process of nomination is poorly worded and confusing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Desalvionjr (talk • contribs) 18:19, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure what you need described. There are 5 instructions for nominating yourself and they're all 1 sentence. If your question is just focused on that, I recommend asking on the talk page.  Leebo  T /C  18:22, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Wait? What page are those instructions on? either I missed it or I thought it was referring to another process. Desalvionjr 18:27, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * The instructions for nominating yourself are here.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  18:30, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

How do I leave Wikipedia?
I just don't have time to do anything on Wikipedia and want to delete my account. How do I go about doing just that?JamesBJSU 17:47, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * You don't. Just stop logging in.  While it is possible to have an account deleted for special circumstances, the general answer is to just stop using the account.  See right to vanish. -- Kainaw (what?) 17:50, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

WikiCode
How do I contribute to wikicode itself? Desalvionjr 17:59, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Do you mean MediaWiki? Click on the the "Powered By MediaWiki" logo at the bottom of every page.  That will take you to the site about the program Wikipedia uses for the "wikicode". -- Kainaw (what?) 18:01, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * No, I mean the code for articles and stuff. not mediawiki. --Desalvionjr 18:04, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Can you give an example?  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  18:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * According to your edit history, you've edited many articles. So, you must not be asking about editing the content of pages.  Therefore, you must be painfully clear what you mean by "code".  Mediawiki is the program that translates all the weird "wiki" stuff into the stuff we see in the pages.  What other code could you possible be talking about? -- Kainaw (what?) 18:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I am Talking about "WikiMarkup" —Preceding unsigned comment added by Desalvionjr (talk • contribs) 18:10, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * Wiki markup, such as what changes double brackets around words into links to articles, is the mediawiki program, and you indicated that's not what you're referring to.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  18:11, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Kind of. I am reffering to the scripting language the double brackets belong to (I think...) --Desalvionjr 18:15, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * There's nowhere on Wikipedia to edit the way that Wikipedia functions from a scripting standpoint. That's the MediaWiki program, which Wikipedia shares with many wikis.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  18:17, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Then how do you contribute to mediawiki? --Desalvionjr 18:21, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Click on the "Powered By Mediawiki" icon at the bottom of every page. That will take you to the MediaWiki homepage - where you can get info on contributing. -- Kainaw (what?) 18:22, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Where on the page is the info?
 * See Developer_hub.  W ODU P  18:27, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Thank you wodup! I think that is what I was looking for the whole time!


 * Perhaps they should make the word "Developers" on the MediaWiki homepage is 96pt blinking font with a floating "click here for developer info" traveling around it. -- Kainaw (what?) 18:34, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * To do that you would have to use an elaborate JavaScript code and an applet scripted for that floaty text effect! --Desalvionjr 18:42, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Adding a Reference list in a wiki-style database
I write/edit articles for the computer services department at the college I go to. I am having trouble creating reference lists/citations as the Wikipedia style guide explains. We are powered by mediawiki, so I imagine that we can, but apparently must do so in a completely different manner. What do I need to do to begin creating reference lists on articles. Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.7.42.53 (talk) 18:01, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * If I read this correctly, you have your own MediaWiki install and want to use the &lt;ref&gt; tag. See the cite extension. -- Kainaw (what?) 18:36, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Each MediaWiki wiki by default has a Special:Version page which shows the installed extensions. When you install MediaWiki, it has few features compared to what you are used to on a well-developed and heavily customized site such as Wikipedia. A big part of running your own wiki is learning how to copy the features you like from Wikipedia. Most if not all of the information you need is on these two wikis, which you should bookmark, and then reference habitually:
 * mediawiki.org - Search MediaWiki.org with Google
 * Meta - Search Meta with Google
 * --Teratornis 14:59, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

liberal bias on wikipedia?!
What is the name of the wikiproject that is used to fight systematic liberal bias on wikipeida?! I want to join!--CCRT 18:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * WikiProject Countering systemic bias. KTC 18:10, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Some people who felt Wikipedia has excessive liberal bias (or in some subjects, particularly evolution and creationism, the problem appears to be excessive factual bias) went off and started their own Conservapedia. There are many wikis which cater to many different biases. In my opinion this is a good thing, because it helps Wikipedia keep crawling toward the neutral point of view. --Teratornis 14:49, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Fix a faulty redirect
I tried to set up a disambigution page and got a redirect set up instead. I need to restore the original page (the data is still there) but there should be a disambiguation page also. The page is the entry for the actor James Gleason.

Mabibliophile 18:17, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * If you go to James Gleason now, it is the start of a disambig page for you. -- Kainaw (what?) 18:25, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

creating a new entry
I looked through the FAQ and could not see exactly how to create a new Wiki entry. can you pls help me?

Thank you!

Pam —Preceding unsigned comment added by PamelaS821 (talk • contribs) 18:24, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * Before creating an article, please search Wikipedia first to make sure that an article does not already exist on the subject. Please also review a few of our relevant policies and guidelines which all articles should comport with. As Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, articles must not contain original research, must be written from a neutral point of view, should cite to reliable sources which verify their content and must not contain unsourced, negative content about living people.


 * Articles must also demonstrate the notability of the subject. Please see our subject specific guidelines for people, bands and musicians, companies and organizations and web content and note that if you are closely associated with the subject, our conflict of interest guideline strongly recommends against you creating the article.


 * If you still think an article is appropriate, see Help:Starting a new page. You might also look at Your first article and How to write a great article for guidance, and please consider taking a tour through the Tutorial so that you know how to properly format the article before creation. - SigmaEpsilon → Σ Ε 18:30, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

How do I add pictures?
How do I add pictures to Wikipedia? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohyeh (talk • contribs) 18:37, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * See WP:UPIMAGE -- Kainaw (what?) 18:48, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Service Corporation International
Hello,

I would like to inquire on how to include the correct information on your site. The information currently posted in the Wikipedia site for Service Corporation International is unfavorable. I tried uploading the company information based on our corporate website but then I was blocked from the site. Can you please advise on the approval steps to include our company content in Wikipedia? Also, as an example, I would like the page to look like Shell Oil Corporation. Thanks.

Florencia Parada Public Relations Service Corporation International florencia.parada@sci-us.com


 * The edits were removed due to a clear conflict of interest. Provide third-party resources for the changes you want made on the article's talk page (click "discussion" at the top of the article).  There is already a notice on the page that it appear unbalanced.  Helping by providing balanced references from third-party sources will quickly fix the problem. -- Kainaw (what?) 19:15, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

I would like to erase the content completely and start from scratch. How can I do that? Last week I tried to erase the content and include our corporate information and was blocked indefinitely. My ip address is 67.99.40.15. Please advise.
 * The issue is that you (the company, or those directly related to the company) should not personally edit the article in any way, as it is a conflict of interest. As stated, it is advised that you go to the talk page to suggest changes or the new article you wish to have created. But again, it will need third party sources, not your company's information.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  19:41, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Where in the talk page can I submitt my suggestions?


 * Just click the + at the top of the talk page. You will get a form with a title and text box.  This is nearly identical to sending an email with a Subject line and a Message box.  Your comment will be added to the bottom of the talk page.  I should note that requests to remove content that is documented by reliable third-party sources is difficult.  That is the point of Wikipedia - documenting notable topics through reliable sources.  It is not in any way a MySpace or Facebook site for companies to rave about how great they are (which is requested by one PR firm or another on a daily basis). -- Kainaw (what?) 22:09, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Editing a page doesn't edit... it tries to download index.php???
I am trying to edit a page I just created by click on the EDIT THIS PAGE tab at the top. ( I am using Firefox mainly ) However, everytime I do it, I get a download dialog box that asks me where I want to save index.php??? I opened the page in IE and suddenly it worked. However, after a couple edits, even IE started doing the download thing. I am lost as to how to edit the whole page.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you —Preceding unsigned comment added by Randomblink (talk • contribs) 19:27, August 27, 2007 (UTC)


 * While this is not a situation with which I am familiar, another user reported the same situation earlier this week, and PrimeHunter suggested the following: "Try clicking my preferences at the top, and then click the "Editing" tab. If there is a check mark at "Use external editor by default" then click it to remove the mark, and click "Save"." Perhaps this solution will work for you. --Moonriddengirl 19:33, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Thank you so much! That was it.... completely fixed the situation. Amazing.

Thanks for taking the time. --randomblink 08:19, 28AUG07 (CST)


 * Not a problem. I'd have been just as lost as you. Good thing PrimeHunter knew how to handle it. :D --Moonriddengirl 13:30, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Reverts for no reason
What do I do if someone reverts this for no reason, keep in mind that I was only following External links. I know that I could just delete them again, but that might become an edit war, which I don't want. Jeffrey.Kleykamp 20:36, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm confused... has anyone actually reverted you? If they haven't (the user after you even thanked you for the pruning of links) what is the concern? As a side note, your edit summary in the removal might be a bit of a strict interpretation of WP:EL (it doesn't say exactly what you say it does), but I'm not sure what your concern at the moment is.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  20:51, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I think you meant this page diff. Well, you were right to not delete again as edit wars are not fun for the people involved. What you can do is try discussing the link with the editor who re-inserted it and find out their reasons to keep it in the article. If you can't come to an agreement regarding the link, try discussing the link on the articles talk page. I hope this might help. AngelOfSadness  talk  20:56, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * No, this is the revert, the other one I approve of because it wasn't a neutral article. Jeffrey.Kleykamp 21:01, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Ah ok. Like I said try discussing the links re-insertion with the editor who re-inserted it and try to find out their reasons behind their edit. And if it doesn't work discuss it on the articles talk page. And if you've tried both of these, and none of them worked try mediation. AngelOfSadness talk  21:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * But it was later removed again as per concensus of past discussions. It sounds like the situation is under control, and I don't see an indication that this is going to balloon into a revert war. This has been discussed already, it doesn't need to be mediated.  Leebo  T /<small style="color:#2A8E82;">C  21:10, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I already started a conversation on the talk page, I just wanted to know if there were other, more powerful ways to resolve this considering that I read that RookZERO (the reverter) doesn't talk about problems. Jeffrey.Kleykamp 21:16, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Hmm, and he has numerous temporary blocks for 3RR violations ... There might be some edit war potential there. If he refuses to discuss it, you could consider mediation, or possibly a RFC on the issue. --Pekaje 21:27, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Display fonts
I have obviously deleted the font that Wikipedia uses for use 'behind the scenes'. I see Wikipedia entries just fine, but if I sign to edit, it displays in a font that is not readable. What font do I need to reinstall?

Thanks

Scielinski 21:20, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * You can try searching Meta for "fonts". That yields several results, including: Font support from the Wikimedia Foundation. Let us know whether that helps. --Teratornis 14:42, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Report potentially offensive userbox
Sorry I was just wondering how I can do this - I assume it is possible as there are places for offensive usernames, pages, etc. Guest9999 21:39, 27 August 2007 (UTC)]]


 * Generally speaking, Wikipedia is not censored, and users have a large amount of leeway on their own pages. However, in extreme cases, I suppose one could nominate it at Miscellany for deletion, which is the deletion debates for everything that doesn't fit another deletion method (I'm assuming the userbox is in the user namespace).  Would you mind pointing us to the supposedly offensive userbox? --Pekaje 22:00, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * If it's extremely problematic, and offensive, you can tag the userbox with enter the reason here. Wikipedia's criteria for speedy deletion include T1, which refers to templates in the Template: userspace - however, if it is not in that namespace, but is very offensive, it can also be speedily deleted under a variety of criteria such as A10 (attack pages). If you had told us what/where the userbox is, I could have suggested the best action to take.  Neil   ム  10:12, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I was refering to I feel that refering to people as Nazis based on there views on copyright issues could be seen as a personal attack as well as potentially being quite offensive. I think that using actual Nazi symbology - the swastika - takes it beyond the "soup nazi" style joke. If I'm completely misinterpreting it or am just over-reacting I apologise, I realise Wikipedia is not censored. Guest9999 17:51, 28 August 2007 (UTC)]]


 * Yeah, that is pretty bad. But what you show here is not a specific userbox that can be deleted.  This complicates things, as you would then have to resort to removing it from the userpage in question (which you still haven't specified).  Not sure what policy to invoke, other than NPA.  You should take your concern up with the editor on his talk page.  If he refuses to remove it, it may be a case for ANI, but I wouldn't go that far just yet. --Pekaje 19:33, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Greetings, this is my userbox, and it only appears on my page. I have had this conversation before when an Admin vandalised my userpage by removing it without stateing a reason, or quoting a policy. I respect the fact that Guest9999 has not done this. The userbox is ment to represent the fascism that tends to follow copyright around, hence the Nazi reference (an extension of The Soup Nazi). Nazi symbolism is (in its own right) no more offensive when used in this type of situation than when it is used in Buddhism. This is just my little protest against the current world police of copyright, and as has been stated above, wikipedia is not censored. - Fosnez 02:33, 29 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I am by no means a great fan of the world police of copyright, but you should also know that there are quite a few editors on Wikipedia that work on the extremely tedious and thankless (actually, not just thankless, but abuse-attracting) job of keeping the use of copyrighted material on Wikipedia to an absolute minimum. Without further clarification, this userbox could well be seen as a personal attack against the people who do this.  You should also know that using the swastika in combination with calling someone a nazi leaves very little doubt on the intent of the symbolism.  As such it can easily be considered quite offensive. --Pekaje 16:46, 29 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I am ok with justifiable copyright enforcement, but my defination of a copyright nazi would be this guy, who you can see on the 23rd of Feb, 2007 edited my userpage and changed the way that images THAT I CREATED were displayed on my userpage. Do you really think any of the so called "owners" of the material (Of which, as the re-creator I have SOME right to, even artists are alowed to display their portfolio or copyrighted works.) care if it is a link or a display? This is the sort of un-helpful crap that I am protesting against. Fosnez 21:02, 29 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Were these images which you created by manipulation of other people's works? Because by copyright law, those are derivative works and you generally have no "right" to display or use them without the permission of the creators of the originals (with certain limited exceptions for parodies, and the courts are unreliable on that exception in the U.S.). -- Orange Mike 21:20, 29 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Whatever your position, this is just too offensive, IMHO. It will do your cause harm. Do Wikipedia a favor and don't ever let it be seen anywhere but your userpage. Do yourself and Wikipedia a further favor and remove it from your userpage, too. DCDuring 21:11, 29 August 2007 (UTC)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by DCDuring (talk • contribs)

Question 1
What is the strategies (plans of action) for effective client liaison that the Personal assistant would have in place to ensure the following responsibilities are carried out effectively. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.89.145.220 (talk) 21:55, August 27, 2007 (UTC)
 * This question would be better directed toward the Reference Desk. -- Tλε Rαnδom Eδιτor  ( tαlk ) 22:12, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Be sure to specify the nature of work that the client and personal assistant do, otherwise the question is too vague to admit an answer. Notice the sequence of vague generalities which are, by themselves, almost completely devoid of any specific meaning: "strategies," "client," "liaison," "personal assistant," "in place," "responsibilities," "carried out," and "effectively." Those words could mean faintly analogous yet completely different things depending on the context (e.g., warfare, construction, bloodsport, software development, gaming, terrorism, prostitution, etc.). Politicians like to speak in glittering generalities because they want to invoke positive emotions in the largest possible audience. However, if your goal is to actually get something done (as opposed to getting elected to public office), you should try communicating specific information about something. Otherwise your underlings, if any, might silently mock your affected speech patterns by organizing games of buzzword bingo. --Teratornis 14:37, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Help without a Headline
I asked a question (# 7.15 Requesting an Article) but forgot to enter a Subject/headline. I went back and edited in a Subject, but I notice that in my history, the Subject of the edit is incorrect and refers to the preceding question. I haven't gotten an answer to my question and I wonder if this is why.

Softtest123 22:22, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I don't know why, but the easiest way to request a article be created is to go to the page you were at and select the appropriate sub category. Then when you get to that page, add the articles name in the appropriate sub category of that page. Soon or a later a editor will come along and create the page. It is easier just to create the page by yourself. -- Tλε Rαnδom Eδιτor  ( tαlk ) 23:49, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * You wanted an article about "abax" with no specification. A Google search shows many different things called abax. Which one do you want? Your user page says you refer to yourself as a "Cyber Entomologist". If you want the abax beetle which is a redlink in Ground beetle then you might request translation of it:abax or fr:abax at Translation. You also say you have an interest in the history of mathematics. In that case, we have an article on abacus which is derived from the Greek word abax. PrimeHunter 02:06, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Actually, I'm looking forward to contributing to Wikipedia, but right now I'm writing a book. Wikipedia really helps with research.  According to The History of Computing Project an abax is a sand table used for calculations predating the abacus and evolved, I think, from a scratchpad device to one having columns and stones for accumulation. I am reluctant, however to rely on a single source and was cross referencing to Wikipedia.
 * In any case, I am reluctant right now to spend the time to become proficient in all the ways of contributing to wikidom. I hesitate to just stick something in Wikipedia without spending the time to do it right.
 * In any case, I am reluctant right now to spend the time to become proficient in all the ways of contributing to wikidom. I hesitate to just stick something in Wikipedia without spending the time to do it right.


 * Softtest123 07:57, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * PS: a "Cyber Entomologist" is one who collects and classifies Software Bugs as shown in my user page. Did you try them out? Softtest123 08:02, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Abacus shortly mentions your meaning of abax. A subtle way to indicate an article should be created is to redlink a term in an existing artcile, for example "abax" in abacus, but it may not get attention. Regarding your bug, my Danish Windows Vista 32-bit calculator already crashes on (0=). PrimeHunter 14:58, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

There are roughly four ways to request an article: (1) Add it to the relevant page on Requested articles. If you just want to give the article title, this is the place to do it, although it is severely backlogged. (2) Write a stub at Articles for creation. Not really appropriate, since that's mostly a venue for IPs to create pages. (3) Just create the stub yourself. You don't have to make it pretty with full wiki-syntax and everything, but you can instead add a couple of templates indicating the kind of improvement the article needs. (4) I believe we have a new-ish procedure at Drawing board, where you give an outline of the article and someone else collaborates with you to make it happen, or something. Confusing Manifestation 13:29, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks, I believe that is the information I was originally looking for. I'll give (4) a try and see what happens or maybe I'll take the plunge and rough it in (3).  I am getting some of the hang of this.


 * Softtest123 18:11, 28 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Well, I took the plunge and wrote Abax. If you would care to, I would like your comments at Talk:Abax on my first effort.


 * Softtest123 22:48, 28 August 2007 (UTC)