Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2015 April 22

= April 22 =

changing media in existing article
I'm editing an article about my late husband, saxophonist Art Pepper. The photo originally supplied to the article is not very good. I'd like to replace it with a better one. Is there a way to do that? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mslaurie (talk • contribs) 00:48, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * If you own the copyright to the image, you can Donating copyrighted materials and make it so that Wikipedia and the world can use the image. -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom  01:56, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Edits to the user talk page of a blocked account
I notice that User talk:Contribsx has been edited subsequent to the blocking of the User:Contribsx account. It appears that anyone can edit this user page and user talk page. This is an important issue, because it is has been alleged that this account is a sock-puppet for a prominent politician, Grant Shapps. This issue has gained traction in the UK general election, with substantial media coverage. This user page and talk page may be accessed by those investigating the story. These pages should be protected immediately, and any edits made after the account block should be reverted. Is this the correct place to raise this issue? Verbcatcher (talk) 00:53, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * The User talk:Contribsx page is directly linked from this Guardian article. Verbcatcher (talk) 01:00, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * I have reverted the userpage for now, Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents is where you want to take things like this, and as this is likely to continue to be an issue, I suggest you do bring it there. Monty  845  01:04, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Default sort message
Dear editors: This article Joseph Brent has the correct persondata, but there is a message complaining about the default sort. How can I get rid of this? Is this another one of those problems caused by using sandboxes to create articles?&mdash;Anne Delong (talk) 01:30, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * The error message said: . It was caused by having both   and   in the article. I have removed the first. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:41, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks, PrimeHunter. I looked for that; not sure why I missed it.&mdash;Anne Delong (talk) 01:45, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Deleting a previous version of a photo?
(reposted from question placed on my user talk page)

Hello - I'm hoping that you can help me with this. I uploaded a photo to File:Linden Tree and Gravestones, Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY - September 16, 2012.jpg. It looked too bright, so I tried to replace it with a better (slightly darker) version. That worked, but the original photo is still showing up in the file history. I looked for instructions on how to delete the original, but the only instructions I found said to request a deletion of the entire file (both the original and the good photo) and upload another photo under a different file name. Is there any way to get rid of just the original (in this case the brighter one) and leave the better one (slightly darker)? Or do I really need to upload the better photo under a different file name and submit a request to have the existing page/file deleted? Thanks in advance for any advice/assistance. --Msact (talk) 00:16, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * We do have the technical ability to delete (or really hide from the eyes on non-admins) the earlier version. But as a matter of policy, unless there is a reason it needs to be, I'd think we would prefer to keep both the original and the corrected version. If you really want it deleted, we could probably just do it under CSD:G7, which I guess is your right to request, but again, I don't see any reason you should want it deleted. Monty  845  01:56, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I would agree with Monty - although it is possible to "hide" it from the history, there is no real reason to do so - there is no harm in seeing the previous version, and no reason that I can think of to hide it.  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 17:56, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Is he a primary source? (session II)
In my opinion, the former U.N observer is not a primary source for : "as part of its strategy to annex more land". (see the talk page discussion). The observer had no personal knowledge concerning the Israeli policy, hence he is not a primary source for these words, according to the rule of Primary source : "Information for which the writer has no personal knowledge is not primary". Is that correct?

Please note this is the second posting of this question, since it was not referred to. Ykantor (talk) 11:04, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * He's quoted as expert (3rd party.) "Primary source" on Wikipedia is something in the direction of self-published, e.g., a blog (or actually any web pages) of a company, press releases, etc. Interviews by and with uninvolved 3rd parties aren't primary sources. The content can of course still be nonsense and/or not notable. but that's another question. –Be..anyone (talk) 13:20, 24 April 2015 (UTC)

Attached
How does an account get "attached" to another wikimedia project? If I click on my own contributions and then at the bottom of the page click on "accounts", it brings up a table. In the leftmost colum, it displays the name of the project. In the next column to the right, it shows a date/time. The heading of that column is "Attached on". What causes my account to be attached?--Bbb23 (talk) 12:24, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * See Unified login (m:Help:Unified login), read the "What it is" section and the penny will drop on what the dates relate to. - X201 (talk) 13:17, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks! I even looked at that page but obviously not carefully enough. Just a visit will suffice; that explains it.--Bbb23 (talk) 22:39, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Linking or citing a Wikipedia written in another langage ...
Dear sirs: Could you provide guidelines or a URL to how to link to or cite a Wikipedia article written in another langage when editing an English Wikipedia entry ?

Thank you --Neuralia (talk) 12:48, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * You can't. "Do not use articles from Wikipedia as sources." see WP:CIRC - X201 (talk) 13:12, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * As X201 says, you should not cite one. But you can link to one, maybe on a talk page, like this fr:Vin by using the code fr:Vin . Maproom (talk) 15:27, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Reiterating what's been said above, it's not wise, nor is it appropriate, to link to Wikipedia as a source. Ironically enough, we don't consider Wikipedia to be a reliable source. Reliable sources are external primary, secondary, or tertiary sources outside of Wikipedia which pass verifiability. If there is content on another language's wiki which is not available on the English wiki, I recommend seeing if you (or someone else) can translate the information and include it into the English Wikipedia article. Likewise for other language wikis, they can translate information from the English wiki and bring it over. The external sources from other language articles, as well as external sources in other languages, can be used as citations, though this is usually not recommended and only as a last resort when no English reliable sources are available. ―Nøkkenbuer (talk • contribs) 15:34, 22 April 2015 (UTC)


 * You may be referring to the list on the left hand side of interlanguage links. If there is a Wikipedia article in another language that is missing from that list of links you can add it by clicking the little thing that says "edit links" which will take you to Wikidata and enable you to add interlanguage links there.   Here's more information and instructions.
 * On the other hand, you may be asking about translating a foreign language Wikipedia article into English. If that is done, attribution is required.  See instructions at Translation. ~  ONUnicorn (Talk&#124;Contribs) problem solving 17:59, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Users on reddit talking about organizing a brigade on wikipedia for people opposed to gamergate
Make sure to watch the wiki pages of these people for malicious editing. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.228.172.162 (talk) 18:28, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Can you kindly link to a similar list of those people who are in favour of Gamergate? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 13:10, 23 April 2015 (UTC)

Macros in AMS-LaTeX using Wikipedia
Does AMS-LaTeX allow me to create my own macros(definitions), this way I could create some new symbols to use in my text on a Wikipedia Page.Such symbols are not in the LaTeX package but can be created through combining several symbols within macros. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Lijimathew (talk • contribs) 20:44, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I can't help with LaTeX, but you might find what you are looking for at Help:Displaying a formula or LaTeX symbols. If anyone else knows more, feel free to add. SchreiberBike &#124; ⌨   21:03, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Wikipedia's &lt;math&gt; processing is not really run through the LaTeX software, but instead goes through one of several programs (depending on your math rendering preferences) that can recognize much but not all of LaTeX's standard mathematical markup commands. So trying to define macros will expose the fact that it's not really LaTeX underneath. If you want to combine different symbols within a mathematics formula, you'll have to write it out explicitly (manually expanding your macro) every time, I think. —David Eppstein (talk) 05:02, 23 April 2015 (UTC)

URGENT - I need to delete my account for Legal reasons
How do I do that? I've searched everywhere. Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ohwoworigamiowl (talk • contribs) 21:53, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * It is not possible to delete an account, but you may find what you are looking for at Courtesy vanishing. I hope that helps. SchreiberBike &#124; ⌨   22:01, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Since the above post appears to be their only edit, I strongly suspect the OP is just trolling. Ian.thomson (talk) 22:09, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * If Vanishing would not achieve your goal, about the only thing we can tell you is to contact the Wikimedia Foundation Legal Department Legal contacts are in the box on the right. While it seems unlikely you will get much traction, its really the only chance, as there is nothing more we are technically capable of doing with local permissions. Monty  845  22:19, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * But dealing with a pretty obvious troll would be a waste of Legal's time. Ian.thomson (talk) 03:28, 23 April 2015 (UTC)
 * A troll is a troll :P  Mlpearc  ( open channel ) 03:32, 23 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I assumed that the person logged in under a second account so as not to bring attention to their real one. If I were in such a situation, I might do that. SchreiberBike &#124; ⌨   03:43, 23 April 2015 (UTC)

User:Bob Kuczewski
Hello,

This entry on wikipedia is slanderous and an attack against a person of true good character. Please see that it removed. Thank You! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.251.102.238 (talk) 22:17, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Fixed. If you see vandalism like that, you can fix it too. Thank you. SchreiberBike &#124; ⌨   22:24, 22 April 2015 (UTC)
 * However, fixing it does not mean replacing it with your own comments. See WP:NOBAN. I have reverted your edit. &#8213; Mandruss  &#9742;  22:31, 22 April 2015 (UTC)