Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2014 May 11

= May 11 =

Serious problem with the "Roots-type supercharger" article...
This may sound silly, but the supercharger is a Rootes-type designed and originally built by the Rootes Group. I'd like to make the multiple find and replace fixes, but I'm not the skilled with HTML and I think I'd break the links to the references and artwork.

Rootes Group — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.221.162.33 (talk) 03:59, 11 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Well, since the the Roots supercharger was not a product of the Rootes group, I certainly hope that no one helps you with this effort. When you wish to make factual edits, please ask again.&mdash;Kww(talk) 04:54, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Yup - the Roots Blower was patented in 1860. I've not been able to find the original patent online, but a reference to a British patent taken out on behalf of the Roots brothers in 1869 can be found in The London Gazette here: AndyTheGrump (talk) 05:19, 11 May 2014 (UTC)

Is removal of a recent edit warring warning from one's talk page allowed?
See this edit where removes such warning from his talk page after 7 minutes. Petr Matas 05:09, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Yes, it is allowed - see WP:BLANKING. Removing it can be taken as an acknowledgement that it has been read. AndyTheGrump (talk) 05:21, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Petr, you really need to give it up and quit it with the forum shopping. Your attempts to get me into trouble seem to have become an obsession, are fairly transparent, and in the end don't accomplish much except reflect badly on you.Volunteer Marek (talk) 06:51, 12 May 2014 (UTC)

translated page
Is there a way to get an english version of a german wiki page ?

http://wiki.astro.com/astrowiki/de/Alfred_John_Pearce

Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.70.108.226 (talk) 05:58, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * wiki.astro.com is nothing to do with Wikipedia. AndyTheGrump (talk) 06:02, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * (edit conflict) Hi there - The Astrowiki you have linked to is unaffiliated with Wikipedia. Wikipedia is part of the Wikimedia Foundation, which does run a variety of wikis, but there are also thousands of wikis unaffiliated with Wikimedia.
 * I tried searching, but I do not believe the English Wikipedia has an article of Alfred John Pearce. If you'd like a rough translation of the article, there are plenty of ways to do so online; for example, here is Google Translate's translation of the article. Hope this helps, ~Super Hamster  Talk Contribs 06:06, 11 May 2014 (UTC)
 * We do, however, have an article on his father Charles Thomas Pearce which has some information on Alfred.  Spinning Spark  11:38, 11 May 2014 (UTC)

How do I remove an image that I have uploaded to wikipedia?
I've uploaded an image, intending on using it to contribute to a page, and have now decided not to. Is is possible for me to remove the image? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wiki Munkee (talk • contribs) 11:12, 11 May 2014 (UTC)
 * If it's on Wikipedia, you can place on the file which will tag it for speedy deletion. Hope this helps.  Acalycine ( talk / contribs ) 11:32, 11 May 2014 (UTC)

Using Subscription Research Services...
I still maintain friendly ties with my former universities, so I still have access to their various research tools like Lexis Nexis, EBSCO Research, Proquest, etc.

Am I unable to use these services to conduct research for Wikipedia since they are not available publicly?

Thanks --Supaflyrobby (talk) 13:19, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Of course you can do research using whatever resources are available. Edits to articles should be supported by citations to reliable published sources. Published does not mean free. See WP:PAYWALL.


 * An example of an unpublished source would be an internal company report that is only available to employees. Jc3s5h (talk) 13:57, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Just a clarification of the term research: Searching for sources and then verifying facts in articles by adding references to information published in sources which are available only by subscription or through purchase is great.  Original research, in which  opinions or new ideas are added to Wikipedia and published sources on the same general topic are used to develop an argument or promote an idea, is not allowed.  &mdash;Anne Delong (talk) 14:47, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the clarification Anne Delong. I already payed my dues to the original research gods, and I can assure you I have no interest in going back :) I have just grown so spoiled by using the academic databases that they are always my default method for acquiring solid, peer reviewed data.--Supaflyrobby (talk) 15:03, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Yes, peer-reviewed articles make excellent sources. If a publicly available article on the same topic is also available, it's often useful to add both; then the academics can choose to read the most authoritative material and the general public can choose something more accessible, and maybe easier to understand.  However, since you have special access, it certainly makes sense for you to concentrate on the ones the rest of us can't see, Supaflyrobby.  Oh, and by the way, in case your coverage isn't complete, the Wikipedia Library has some subscriptions available HERE. &mdash;Anne Delong (talk)

Whitespace in List of film production companies by country
I can't get rid of the whitespace (terminology?) at List of film production companies by country. I've made it tidier but it's still there and I can't see why. Thanks. Dougweller (talk) 17:05, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * It seems to be an effect of the template you've used along with the long contents page. As a test I added 3 additional sections before Canada, if you then preview you'll see the whitespace disappears because Canada gets pushed further down the page.  CaptRik (talk) 18:46, 11 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Not my template, but I guess you are saying we can't get rid of it as the toc is in the way. Dougweller (talk) 19:31, 12 May 2014 (UTC)


 * It's a bit of a cop-out, but how about or putting the Canada list into a single column?--Otus scops (talk) 22:28, 12 May 2014 (UTC)


 * I think that looks good, so I've done just that:  CaptRik (talk) 15:25, 13 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Thanks. That looks fine. Dougweller (talk) 06:15, 14 May 2014 (UTC)

Theodore Abu Qurrah / Abucara
Good evening,

As I indicated in 2012, the Theodore Abucara page should be deleted, as, in fact this "Abucara" is an old fashioned graeco-latine name for Theodore Abu-Qurrah, bishop of Harran, page that indeed exists.

Hope someone sometimes reads this. Sincerely

Albocicade (talk) 21:18, 11 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Thank you for drawing attention to this. Orangemike has [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theodore_Abucara&diff=608143421&oldid=588439433 replaced the duplicate article] with a "redirect". -- John of Reading (talk) 06:56, 12 May 2014 (UTC)