Wikipedia talk:FAQ/Main Page

WP:NOT
Wikipedia is WP:NOT Lists of Frequently Asked Questions! Or am I missing something? Kirbytime 19:22, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
 * The relevant section is WP:NOT, which states, "Wikipedia articles should not list FAQs.". This is not an encylopedia article.  It is a page within the project namespace that informs editors.   The guidelines and rules for encyclopedic articles produced by the project are not the same as pages about the project. - BanyanTree 19:45, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

oh ok. So where can I find the guidelines for writing project pages, if any? Kirbytime 01:08, 4 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Wow, I've never seen this question or a relevant guideline before. You've stumped me.
 * The general definitions of the approximately 20 namespaces are at Help:Namespace. Generally speaking, anything that's an actual article is in the main space, discussion and policy about articles or the individuals/community creating the articles is in the project space, images are in the image space, content that is used repeatedly as part of other pages are usually in the template space, etc. Most namespaces have an associated discussion space, e.g. Talk, Wikipedia talk (as this discussion), Portal talk, etc.  If something looks like it's really in the wrong location (I've seen new users create user pages in the main space or articles in the main talk space) someone will move it.  You can ask at the Village Pump to see if anyone knows of a specific page with actual guidelines, but all I can suggest is browsing through all project namespace pages (skip the thousands of votes for deletion) to get a sense of what has been accepted as a project namespace page.  Hopefully that's of some use. - BanyanTree 02:32, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

metaquestion
Why isn't "Why doesn't the main page have a title like other pages?" on the list? Hyenaste (tell) 03:13, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
 * It's not frequently asked. If you look at the source code, it's identified as 'main page', which  in encoded in the default skin to remove the title at the top.  I don't think that div works for other pages though. - BT 04:57, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

I came here looking for the same answer. Maybe it would fit in the FAQ. I still don't know the answer. --Steinninn talk 21:43, 27 May 2007 (UTC)
 * What would I have to edit to remove the title on my Wiki? I am using Monobook.css - 02:24, 5 October 2006
 * Not sure how it was actually done with the skins. If there's nothing on the project space pages on skins, then a question at the technical section of the WP:PUMP will probably work. - BT 20:10, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
 * I think it's one of the Javascript hacks. I've changed the last item on the FAQ appropriately. - BanyanTree 22:36, 27 May 2007 (UTC)
 * You think it is, but your not sure, and still put it in the FAQ as a fact. Why? I tried putting this JS into a wiki that I manage and it doesn't work. --Steinninn talk 12:00, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Now I'm sure. Sorry I can't be of any help. - BanyanTree 12:04, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I don't understand. So is it the javascript "Main Page layout fixes"? And why did you rv the FAQ if you know it's correct? --Steinninn talk 16:30, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
 * It seemed logical that all of the layout tricks for the Main Page would be in the same place but, based on your account, it apparently is not. I would check at Talk:Main Page or WP:VPT to see if anyone knows. Don't forget to update the FAQ if you figure it out.  - BanyanTree 21:07, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

It was in Monobook. I added the answer. Needs to be rewritten maybe. --Steinninn talk 18:39, 31 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Neat! I've wondered about this but never seem an explanation.  Thanks! - BanyanTree 21:57, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

Why is an article that is prominently linked from the Main Page missing?
I've never seen this question asked before. Does the scenario happen often enough to merit an FAQ item? It seems to me that it might give bored miscreants ideas. Grace notes T § 19:23, 27 January 2008 (UTC)
 * It happened off and on, with at least one period when Talk:Main Page was discussing two separate incidents. As I recall, this was when oversight was still relatively new.  It's possible that all of those cases are now automatically referred to oversight users, rather than admins taking them on.  If so, we can probably just remove it. - BanyanTree 22:44, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Backup Main Pages
Shouldn't there be a section explaining why there are backup Main Pages? Maximillion Pegasus (talk) 01:53, 26 February 2008 (UTC)

How is the length of the Featured article section determined?
There is currently a discussion regarding the length of selected article sections of a featured portal candidate, in which one candidate, whose main article sections seem to conform to a statistical analysis of the main article sections of other extant featured portals, is being opposed by some reviewers on the basis that those sections, which meet those statistical averages of other FPs, are themselves "overlong". I've asked a few times for some indication as to what the proper length is, but haven't gotten a reply, because no one wants to be seen as "defining terms". Unfortunately, anyone who chooses to accept or reject a candidate on that basis, whether they want to be doing so or not, effectively are defining those terms. Are there any standard criteria which the editors of the main page use in determining the length of the section of the Featured article selected, either in word count, amount of vertical space taken, or other matters, so that FP reviewers could have at least some basic, clear-cut definitions of terms to at least start with in terms of any future FP nominees? Thank you all for any and all responses. John Carter (talk) 16:04, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Bypass redirect question
I added it because the question comes up every couple months at WP:ERRORS. When told about WP:R2D, which is apparently almost unknown, the response is often that the Main Page should be an exception. A link to an FAQ would be a quick demonstration that there's nothing new here. Is there a consensus? Well, if WP:R2D isn't a consensus it should be changed, or an exception should be made for the Main Page. Mostly, people apparently bypass redirects because they see others do it. I used to do it myself. And of course if it's important that it be grammatically a "question", rearranging a couple words would accomplish that. Art LaPella (talk) 22:25, 10 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Related: Wikipedia talk:Redirect‎. — Athaenara ✉  05:01, 11 July 2008 (UTC)

Withdrawn. I'll use Wikipedia talk:Redirect instead. Art LaPella (talk) 21:48, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

French Wikipedia image alignment
I had previously removed the claim that French Wikipedia aligns their images to their blurbs. This is obviously untrue. I see that a similar but more ambiguous claim has been readded. Could someone explain to me the difference at fr.wiki? - BanyanTree 02:30, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It may not at the moment - I'm not active on the French Wikipedia - but it used to; see right. I took that screenshot in December.  It solves the problem.  Tempshill (talk) 15:55, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I've reworded the item to reflect current practice and include your screenshot. It would be interesting to learn why they abandoned the practice.  Thanks, BanyanTree 23:09, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Problems of Zhuang Wikipedia
Hello, everybody. I am a native Zhuang language speaker. I’ve recently seen the Zhuang version of wikipedia (za.wikipedia.org). But I found that the former editor of this main page didn’t use the standard zhuang but an orthography based on his/or her dialect. I think it’s not agreeable. I would liker to change it into standard zhuang, but l found the main page is locked. Dose anybody could help me? Mail to: ailoker@hotmail.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by Daudis (talk • contribs) 13:37, 22 September 2008 (UTC)

Uh.
Also, the page for the pound symbol can exist only as a redirect to the Main Page for technical reasons: some web browsers reserve "#" as a shortcut for the front page of websites.

This is patently false. 91.105.102.96 (talk) 12:33, 23 October 2008 (UTC)

Tweaking section on bias
I've tweaked the section on bias to include more mention of how items are chosen and to try and make it more clear items are not excluded simply because they are uninteresting or there are more important items. These are issues that come up a lot ok TFA of course (OMG another video game etc) and TFP to a lesser extent (recently we're getting several too many insects complaints). I've also improved the wording to make it clearer how to participate in ITN & SA which we didn't really mention at all even thought these are probably the easier areas for basic participation. To be fair, many people who find the FAQ may also find the respective pages but it may help a few. Also I see Zzyzx11 added back my section on SAOTD but given the issue of why an item is not there is related to the issue of bias, some redundancy is probably unavoidable. Particularly since we say each section is largely autonomous (which is generally true) but it is a clear exception. So I've added a bit to the SAOTD to mention items excluded because they're in TFP/TA. The ITN section didn't really explain why an item is not there either but of course it's another issue that comes up quite a lot. I've tried to keep it brief which those of you who've seen my comments probably know isn't my strong suit. Nil Einne (talk) 10:31, 7 December 2009 (UTC)

Category?
Just curious, did it ever bother anybody in the English Wikipedia that the Main Page doesn't belong to any category? --Amir E. Aharoni (talk) 22:48, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * The last major discussion I am aware of on this topic can be found on Talk:Main Page/Archive 155. An older discussion, Talk:Main Page/Archive 111 specifies the major objections: a category link at the bottom spoils the appearance of the main page, and that no one needs help finding it via a category. Zzyzx11 (talk) 04:41, 25 November 2014 (UTC)
 * Thank you! --Amir E. Aharoni (talk) 10:45, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Homepage views
How many views does the entire homepage get in a day? A journalist asked me earlier today and I don't know the answer. Please follow this link and reply there as the journalist is keeping an eye on that location.  Schwede 66  05:05, 19 September 2018 (UTC)