Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2022 September 9

= September 9 =

Invalid certificate block
I’ve tried to use Wikipedia via three different browsers on my computer this evening. All three say I can not connect because Wikipedia has “an invalid certificate.” I’ve asked others to try and they report no problem and I’m able to access via my phone. What might be the issue?

166.181.84.51 (talk) 01:31, 9 September 2022 (UTC)


 * Is your computer's clock/calendar correct? If it's not, set it to today's date and try again. Jak86 (talk)(contribs) 02:31, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

How do I make a category/subcategory?
I would like to make a category of articles regarding the city of Brisbane. There are several articles on the subject already, and I think a collection of them would be very helpful. I just lack the savvy, and possibly the permissions to create such a tool. Is this something I can do myself, or something that I can't or shouldn't do? Thank you in advance. ShortyMcShortFace (talk) 02:19, 9 September 2022 (UTC)


 * Hello, Shorty, and welcome to the Teahouse. Category:Brisbane exists, and contains 27 articles directly, and 18 subcategories. Is there something beyond this that you want? ColinFine (talk) 09:10, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Yes, I thought that if it was in a category, a sidebar would appear saying, "part of a series on x". How can I add this to the pages? ShortyMcShortFace (talk) 09:52, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @ShortyMcShortFace In effect, readers can already do what you want, not from a sidebar but from links at the bottom of the article. So City of Brisbane has a number of templates, including Local government areas in South East Queensland as well as (at the very bottom) the standard category links. Were there some other articles you had in mind which couldn't be reached via one of these existing links? Mike Turnbull (talk) 12:15, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Nevermind. That works just fine. Thank you both very much for your help. ShortyMcShortFace (talk) 21:00, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

need to correct my age
I was born on June 6, 1950. thanks for your help in correcting it. Nahid Rachlin 209.122.227.98 (talk) 04:05, 9 September 2022 (UTC)


 * . lettherebedarklight, 晚安, おやすみ, ping me when replying 04:09, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Hello, Nahid, and welcome to the Teahouse. Wikipedia works on the basis of reliably published sources, and the book cited there says that you were born in 1944 (not 1950, or 1946, which is what our article said until I edited it just now). Do you have a published source for the 1950 date? If so, please post an edit request with the source, on Talk:Nahid Rachlin. If you haven't got a published source, then there is little we can do. ColinFine (talk) 09:16, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @ColinFine: The lead now says 1946, the Life section says 1944 (which matches reference #4 Contemporary Authors), and reference #2 says 1947 (Sturr pg. vii). Unfortunately, it appears Google Books doesn't have the appropriate pages archived for references #1/3/5 to show the birth year.  Maybe we need to remove the year altogether?  GoingBatty (talk) 21:50, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

real time help
Can I get real time help to get my entry published. TopicMinotaure (talk) 06:37, 9 September 2022 (UTC)


 * See WP:YFA. But please bear in mind that if you are planning to create an article about yourself, your business, organisation etc it's very unlikely to get out of the draft stage and into article mainspace. Draft:Erik Foss has been turned down.-- ♦Ian Ma c M♦  (talk to me) 06:54, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @TopicMinotaure The second paragraph -- I see English words there, but I cannot make sense of the word salad. 71.228.112.175 (talk) 08:58, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Hello, TopinMinotaure, and welcome to the Teahouse. One thing to remember is that Wikipedia is not interested in what the subject of an article says or wants to say about themselves, or what their associates say about them. Wikipedia is only interested in what people who have no connection with the subject, and who have not been prompted or fed information on behalf of the subject, have chosen to publish about the subject in reliable sources. ColinFine (talk) 09:17, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Umm, ColinFine, this is not the tea house. Were I a new user seeking help here, your welcome to the Teahouse greeting (3× above) would just confuse me.  I'm not new, yet I find that greeting here to be WP:ASTONISHing.  If you have a script that does that for you, perhaps that script can be modified to use the title of the current page so that you can ping-pong between teahouse and help desk without astonishing the reader?
 * —Trappist the monk (talk) 11:50, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * I don't speak for ColinFine, but from personal experience I can say that I too have gotten the Teahouse confused with the Help Desk before. It's easy to do. 331dot (talk) 12:34, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * I too have done the same thing as and  before and got trouted for my mistake as I look at both, usually one after the other. Not a biggie. — Tenryuu 🐲  ( 💬 • 📝 ) 14:42, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Welcome to the Teahouse is a popular greeting here. PrimeHunter (talk) 17:19, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * I whipped up a quick template, welcometea, which should cut down on the number of inaccurate greetings. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 17:36, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @Tenryuu Could you tweak that a bit? Currently, if used here the template gives but would be better if Welcome to the Help desk. Thanks. Mike Turnbull (talk) 12:24, 10 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @Michael D. Turnbull: I made it that way so that whoever used it would be able to tell something's wrong if it's used on pages other than the Teahouse, and the definite article can be jarring when used before certain pages. I suppose if more people think that it should be more generalised to other pages the template could be renamed to something like welcometopage and made less complex. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 13:28, 10 September 2022 (UTC)
 * The template should also auto-subst ...
 * —Trappist the monk (talk) 13:01, 10 September 2022 (UTC)
 * @Tenryuu, @Trappist the monk While you're all looking at the template, I'll be taking advice from the draft of Erik Foss and be "examin[ing] the entropy and hierarchical chaos inherent in contemporary cognitive states". It might take a lot of my concentration... 71.228.112.175 (talk) 03:43, 12 September 2022 (UTC)

Bullying/Harassment
Greetings. I'm a professional writer/editor who occasionally accepts projects to create and/or edit Wikipedia pages. I follow all disclosure guidelines (unlike many others), as well as all writing/editing guidelines regarding bias. However, by disclosing my professional status, I have drawn the ire of one Wikipedian who continually bullies, harasses, and stalks me as I contribute to pages, paid or not. This individual has made it perfectly clear that they intend to interfere with any of my contributions and continues to harass me even after I've specifically requested that they cease and desist. What steps can I take to report and/or prevent this individual from future harassment? Thanks. Danceswithedits (talk) 12:27, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Without having looked at this matter- I will say that issues regarding user conduct are discussed at WP:ANI. You will need to notify anyone you are discussing of the existence of any discussion you start there. 331dot (talk) 12:30, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Thank you. I'll look into this asap. Danceswithedits (talk) 12:40, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Hello, . One would think that a paid professional editor would produce high quality work that fully complies with Wikipedia's policies, guidelines and Manual of Style. But no. You have produced several low quality, promotional drafts with glaring problems. Instead of complaining about the feedback you have received from highly experienced volunteer editors, why don't you do your paid job correctly instead? Cullen328 (talk) 16:37, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Hello, Cullen. Nice try. In the course of my work here I've reviewed, read, and revised countless pages written at a decidedly amateurish level, including poor grammar, dead links, pure bias, and issues stated quite clearly on the pages themselves. My work does in fact consistently comply with Wikipedia's policies, and when it does not, I immediately make the appropriate correction. That's what it means to be professional. As for doing my paid job correctly? My clients have been thrilled and I continue to receive offers (as do many other freelancers) for Wikipedia work. If you disapprove of paid/professional editors, vent to the powers that be. I'm simply earning a living producing quality work, as I have for nearly three decades. And if you honestly believe many are not being paid for Wiki work, you are sadly/comically mistaken. I receive only a tiny fraction of the Wikipedia projects posted on Upwork, meaning dozens of other professionals are hired each week in one venue. Instead of jumping on the "attack the professional" bandwagon and feebly attempting to bully me yourself, how about minding your own business and suppressing your anger for more productive purposes. I assure you, coming at me will not have the desired effect. Best wishes in dealing with your anger issues. Danceswithedits (talk) 14:06, 10 September 2022 (UTC)
 * And yes, I've reviewed your page as well. You could use a professional editor, too. Talk about poor quality work? Look in the mirror, my friend. Danceswithedits (talk) 14:13, 10 September 2022 (UTC)

Should I open an SPI for already-blocked accounts?
I found a couple of accounts that are blocked as WP:NOTTHERE, but who are likely sockpuppets. More precisely, two of them (both blocked per NOTTHERE) have very similar edits. Also, one of their edits seems to kinda-sorta imply they are the same person as a third account blocked for sockpuppetry (but the behavioral evidence is much weaker for that link). Should I open an SPI for the sake of having them tagged? Tigraan Click here for my talk page ("private" contact) 12:45, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Tigraan, I'm not an authority in this area, but I sometimes do one of two things in a case like this, depending on my sense of the editor involved, based on their edit and talk page history and personal style:
 * If they still have TP access and you think they might respond, you can politely ask what other accounts they have used. This actually bears fruit sometimes.
 * If opening an SPI seems moot because of their block but you have some evidence which could become relevant if they're ever unblocked, you could leave your notes on their Talk page where future investigations may find it. If you have specific suspicions, you can name them without making an accusation, and link an SPI archive ("this reminds me of  SockUsername ..."), recalling that Special:WhatLinksHere/ will make your notes permanently findable to anyone searching for notes on that case.
 * HTH, Mathglot (talk) 05:44, 10 September 2022 (UTC)

aarp uhc insurance
Which of the following is TRUE about the production requirement for the Authorized to Offer Elite status? 47.196.211.81 (talk) 13:49, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * This is not a general help desk, this is for asking questions about using Wikipedia only. 331dot (talk) 13:53, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

Can I use a non-free image?
To improve the quality of a GA on a person, I'd like to use a non-free image to identify who that person is. I could not find any photo under our licenses. Can I use a non-free image? Dr Salvus 14:28, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * More information needed. Is it a living person? Can't you just say who it is and what image you want to use? Deor (talk) 14:45, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * It's more or less a no-no to use non-free images in the infobox for a living person. You might be able to do it for a dead person if the choice of images was limited.-- ♦Ian Ma c M♦  (talk to me) 15:56, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * The page in question is Fabio Miretti. But, I'd like to include photos in every page which is linked in this template and to Andrea Rinaldi. Dr Salvus 15:58, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Ok, reading IanMacM's answer, I can just add the photo to Andrea Rinaldi. Damn copyright... Dr Salvus 16:01, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Almost certainly no for Miretti per WP:FREER and item 1 of WP:NFC and possibly no for Rinaldi per WP:FREER. Non-free photos can be used for deceased individuals per item 10 of WP:NFCI, but it's not automatic. There should be a reasonable effort made to make sure there is no free equivalent image that can neither be found nor created. How "reasonable" is defined varies depending on who you ask, but I think most generally consider it to be something more than Googling "Free images of Andrea Rinaldi" finding none or none that you might like and then uploading a non-free one. Moreover, "created" doesn't necessarily mean "taking a new photo"; it could mean contacting a copyright holder of an existing photo and asking them to release it under an acceptable free license per WP:PERMISSION. Since Rinaldi has been dead for more than two years, it might not be as inappropriate trying to contact a copyright holder (or even one of his former clubs) now than it would've possibly been right after he died. You could also try looking for a Flickr image, a YouTube screenshot or something else on social media since sometimes such content is released under an acceptable free license by its copyright holder; you just need to be careful of things like c:COM:LL. -- Marchjuly (talk) 22:48, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

"This user may have left Wikipedia"
How do i remove this from my profile page User:Meldouglass Mel (talk) 22:54, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * I've removed it for you. It was the first line of code on the page. 331dot (talk) 22:59, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Hi . The syntax for Template:Not around was most likely added to the top of your user page by someone else as a courtesy since you hadn't edited in quite a while. If you're back, you can simply edit your user page and remove the template's syntax (i.e. } yourself. If you're not sure where it is, you can ask someone else to do it for you. If you're back, you may want to take a close look at WP:USERPAGE for guidance on what kind of content is allowed on your user page. A bit of personal information is allowed, but you need to make sure you don't go too far as explained in WP:UP. Be careful about trying to use your user page as some sort of social media or personal website type of profile page since those type of user pages often end up being deleted per speedy deletion criterion U5 or per WP:FAKEARTICLE. -- Marchjuly (talk) 23:05, 9 September 2022 (UTC)