User talk:71.232.13.179

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[edit] July 2007

Please do not add inappropriate external links to Wikipedia. Wikipedia is not a mere directory of links, nor should it be used for advertising or promotion. Inappropriate links include (but are not limited to) links to personal web sites, links to web sites with which you are affiliated, and links that attract visitors to a web site or promote a product. See the external links guideline and spam policy for further explanations. Since Wikipedia uses nofollow tags, external links do not alter search engine rankings. If you feel the link should be added to the article, then please discuss it on the article's talk page rather than re-adding it. Thank you. MER-C 13:49, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

If this is a shared IP address, and you didn't make the edit, please ignore this notice.

[edit] Benefits of logging in as a regular contributor

Hello 71.232.13.179. From your posting at User_talk:MER-C it seems that you may work for the Boston Review. In this case it is highly appropriate that you go to the trouble of creating an account here on Wikipedia, and list your affiliation on your user page. As an anonymous contributor, you can't create a user page. Ensuring compliance with our conflict of interest rules is greatly assisted if people who have outside affiliations identify themselves. It also may ensure that people attribute good faith to your future work here. See WP:WELCOME for a guide to the Wikipedia rules.

When you leave comments on talk pages, it is helpful if you sign your contributions using four tildes: ~~~~ before hitting the 'Save Page' button. This makes it easier to follow conversations. Thanks, EdJohnston 18:52, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Link spamming

Please stop adding inappropriate external links to Wikipedia, as you did to Cass Sunstein. It is considered spamming and Wikipedia is not a vehicle for advertising or promotion. Since Wikipedia uses nofollow tags, additions of links to Wikipedia will not alter search engine rankings. If you continue spamming, you will be blocked from editing Wikipedia. --ShelfSkewed Talk 02:42, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

When your contributions consist almost exclusively of adding your own external links to articles, you are, perforce, a spammer. Your argument seems to be "My cause is worthy, and my links are appropriate, therefore I'm not a spammer." Wrong. What if every little-journal-that-could added their links to every relevant article? The articles would be overwhelmed by endless lists of undifferentiated links. We'd have a mess. (And pointing out that other possibly spammy links are present is no argument for your own: Two wrongs etc.)
Wikipedia is not a mere repository of links, no matter how appropriate. It's an attempt to create a collaborative encyclopedia, the content of which is produced by continuous discussions and negotiations among contributing editors. So, please, by all means create an account and participate. Offer your links on the talk pages of the relevant articles and join the discussion. But don't drop in here, do nothing but insert your links all over the place, and then get self-righteous when you are told that you are behaving badly.--ShelfSkewed Talk 19:19, 17 July 2007 (UTC)