Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2011 June 19

= June 19 =

moving new short article to article space
I wrote a new stub at User:Cloveapple/John_Pham. I tried to create it in article space first but didn't see how. It said an article by that name had been deleted a few times. I'm guessing that other article was about a different John Pham? Or else he didn't have notability yet? The article is referenced so it should be ok. Do I just ask an admin to move it? Cloveapple (talk) 00:11, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * I've checked the deleted versions of John Pham and the deleted articles (plural) were about two different John Phams, not your comic creator. I'll move it for you and add a couple of categories to get you going.  BencherliteTalk 00:15, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Thank you Cloveapple (talk) 00:20, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

phonetics
only the phonetically educated know hoe to read them. That's a small number of those who use this web site. Can you edit all articles to include English examples to help pronounce things?? For instance, rectitude,  rek ti tood,     thank you 108.64.24.253 (talk) 04:44, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * See IPA for a description of how to pronounce each symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet with a corresponding common English word that has that sound. -- Jayron  32  04:51, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * There's also the Pronunciation respelling key (used in Template:Respell) which is present in some articles. It doesn't require specialist knowledge of phonetics (aside from knowing what a schwa sounds like). "Pronunciation" for example (IPA: ) is rendered as prə-'-see-'-shən.


 * However, we can't really "edit all articles" as easily as that. If you know how to add them, you can help.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  05:31, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * 108, you can also hover the cursor over each IPA symbol to get an alt-text box showing you how to pronounce it. You'll find that the IPA is incredibly easy to pick up. Brammers (talk/c) 15:25, 20 June 2011 (UTC)

How to customize username?
How do I customize my username (signature) in discussions permanently? Thanks. Wikifan12345 (talk) 09:17, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * You can change it via your preferences. See Signatures. Wikipedia signatures are limited to 255 characters, but they can use WikiMarkup and HTML coding, the same as normal text in articles. Please stick to the usual guidelines regarding signatures (i.e. within reason) - not too long, not disruptive, must not contain images, must not impersonate another user, must not deviate too much (if at all) from your actual username, and must contain links to your user page or your user talk page.


 * You can find examples of custom signatures below. Edit them to see how they were done and copy it or customize it to your liking.
 * User:Athaenara/Gallery
 * User:NikoSilver/Signature_shop
 * Additional instructions can also be found here: Smurrayinchester's signature tutorial. --  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  09:34, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks. I kind of figured it out. I wanted my talk link to say "Be nice" but it wouldn't work right. Thanks again. [[Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg|25px]]  Wikifantalk 10:38, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * You're welcome, but I must remind you that images are not allowed in signatures. Reasoning here: Signatures.


 * As for a "Be nice" version, did you mean like this? - WikifanBe nice.


 * You can copy the following code of that version to your preferences or modify it:  --  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  11:47, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Wikifan probably got the idea of the flag from the example galleries. I notice that both galleries include flag images, and the first includes other images as well. —teb728 t c 12:06, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Wait, images are not allowed? How come those signatures include images?? [[Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg|25px]]  Wikifantalk 12:25, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Yep. Those pages were made way before my time. Probably made during the 'heyday' of signatures when policies affecting them today were not in effect. I just linked them as examples, as they featured the most variety of things you can do with your sig (unlike the 'official' entry on custom signatures). Both of them do link to the policy pages on signatures though. Wikifan, if it's any consolation, special characters and fonts are allowed. The spade symbol in my sig is a special char.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  12:54, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * All right makes sense. Thanks for the clarity. How might I change the color of my username? The "how to" is rather confusing. WikifanBe nice 22:13, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Use the  tag.
 * Will give you: Wikifan Be nice
 * Will give you: Wikifan Be nice
 * Html color codes can be found here. I strongly suggest you experiment in your own talk page. Easiest way to learn and to preview how your codes and sig looks like on a page. You can always blank it again when you're done.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  22:57, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Okay I think I figured it out. To change the color of my talk (Be Nice) I just do the . You have to look at the edit of this page to see what I wrote it won't show up here.  Wikifan Be nice  00:27, 20 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Yep, just like that. Oh and to make code show up in Wikipedia without having to hit the edit button just use Template:Nowiki. I have added it. An example in red and green ( Wikifan Be nice) would have the following code:
 * Note the placement of the closing  tags.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  08:14, 20 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Yep, just like that. Oh and to make code show up in Wikipedia without having to hit the edit button just use Template:Nowiki. I have added it. An example in red and green ( Wikifan Be nice) would have the following code:
 * Note the placement of the closing  tags.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  08:14, 20 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Note the placement of the closing  tags.--  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  08:14, 20 June 2011 (UTC)

DVD region release dates
Is it necessary to list all information regarding DVD release dates in other regions on TV episode list pages? Sarujo (talk) 09:42, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * It is recommended at Manual of Style (television) that "The inclusion of DVD releases in episode [television lists] ... should include all primary release dates (e.g. Region 1, Region 2, and Region 4)."--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 12:40, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

Google/WP search
This link, http://www.google.com/custom?domains=en.wikipedia.org&sitesearch=en.wikipedia.org seems to have gone to Google heaven. Anyone know what happened and is there another way to have Google do a WP specific search? hydnjo (talk) 12:33, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Looks a bit like what happened the day Michael Jackson died – so many people wrote the same words into Google it thought it was being spammed. For me in Australia, just entering site:en.wikipedia.org whatever into Google's search box works fine.  Adrian J. Hunter(talk•contribs) 12:46, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

Snake Cube chart
How do I insert an EXCEL chart that I have created?Terry (talk) 13:35, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * You cannot directly. However, there are tools available. See Help:Table generally, and the list of External links at the bottom of the page.-- SPhilbrick  T  15:19, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Note that puzzle solutions, like tutorials and game walkthjroughs, break this policy, and are not generally suitable for Wikipedia. In this case the solution also appears to be original research. I have removed the Solution section from the snake cube article. Gandalf61 (talk) 12:45, 20 June 2011 (UTC)

Carthaginian parrot tattoos
I’ve read in a couple of places that interpreters in ancient Carthage had yellow parrot tattoos on their arms. It sounds a bit like some sort of urban legend though. Can anyone find a good academic source to back it up? — Chameleon 14:08, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * You should ask this question at the Reference Desk. The Mark of the Beast (talk) 18:07, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Oops, that’s where I thought I was. Ta.  — Chameleon 06:08, 20 June 2011 (UTC)

MfD problematic?
I'm attempting to delete an unhelpful essay through MfD, and I think I've screwed something up, since I'm seeing a lot of red links. The essay is WP:BLP zealot. SDY (talk) 17:16, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Sorting it out for you even before I saw this, don't worry! BencherliteTalk 17:21, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks. SDY (talk) 17:24, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

The IoE Template
There is a problem with the IoE template ( Template:IoE ). A new field has been added ( English Heritage.. ), but it has two dots after it, instead of one. The template is locked, so who fixes it? Bob1960evens (talk) 18:02, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Done. In fact, as it's only a semi-protected template, any auto-confirmed user could have fixed it. BencherliteTalk 18:07, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

Looking for a better warning template
Is there a warning template about using non-English in edit summaries? The best I could find is, but part of its warning refers to Talk pages, and I'm not "complaining" about using non-English on a Talk page.--Bbb23 (talk) 18:34, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Manually warn them perhaps? Better to get the point across that way. :P --  Obsidi ♠ nSoul  22:09, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Do we have a policy or guideline I can point to that says we shouldn't use foreign languages in edit summaries? I couldn't find anhything in WP:EDSUM. We have WP:NONENGEL for external links. It'd be nice to support a hand-crafted warning with something other than just my say-so.--Bbb23 (talk) 23:20, 19 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Talk page guidelines says: "Use English: No matter to whom you address a comment, it is preferred that you use English on English Wikipedia talk pages. This is so that comments may be comprehensible to the community at large." (emphasis theirs) An edit summary is a comment to the community at large.  A manual warning, using this as your reference, would seem the best course of action.  Dismas |(talk) 05:05, 20 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Thanks.--Bbb23 (talk) 01:00, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

ISBN numbers used in article space
The following question is in 4 parts:
 * What is the policy or guide line referring to the use of ISBN numbers in the article space such as a list of books written by an author?
 * Where is this policy located?
 * If it is allowed in the article space, how is it exempted as an external link?, (not an external link)
 * If it is allowed in the article space, how is it exempted as an external link?, (not an external link)

Thank you!--Amadscientist (talk) 19:32, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Hi, take a look at WP:ISBN, I think this is what you want.  Captain Screebo Parley! 19:57, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Thank you, but I have looked on that page and it does not contain the information I am looking for.--::Amadscientist (talk) 20:09, 19 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Try WP:WORKS. --ColinFine (talk) 22:06, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

Yes ColinFine, that has some information, but not much. Basicly stating "Provide the ISBN of one or more editions when doing so seems to be helpful". How does one define helpful. But Thank you so much. Is there any further information in this regard?--Amadscientist (talk) 00:12, 20 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Well, consider that we walk a line between trying to do the finest possible work and encouraging others to help to whatever degree possible, given their own skills, experience, and time. We don't require ISBN numbers, but it's a good idea, in my opinion, as that's one standard way of locating a work, and anytime anyone takes the time to flesh out a citation fully, that's a good thing. --Nuujinn (talk) 00:22, 20 June 2011 (UTC)