Template talk:Helpme

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Instructions
  • {{helpme}} is for helping new Wikipedians in building the encyclopedia. It is not for requesting help with designing userpages or signatures.

Contents

[edit] Usage

This template is a self-reference and so is part of the Wikipedia project rather than the encyclopedic content.

It is designed to allow new users to get help from more experiences editors.

Placing {{helpme}} on a page automatically places it in Category:Wikipedians looking for help.

Also, a bot in the Boot Camp IRC channel monitors the category and notifies the IRC channel of any additions.--Commander Keane 08:03, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] What links here?

Problem is, if you check what links here, the use of {{helpme}} is included too. How to tell the difference? The Minister of War (Peace) 12:47, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

If the template is included, it says "(inclusion)" after it. Also, the template has a category in it, which is what is being used to find out who needs help. Talrias (t | e | c) 12:56, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] New layout

I suggest that the layout is slightly changed to be less obtrusive and a reason for the parameter given.

I am looking for help!
Reason: None given

I agree with the guy above me to an extent.

Note to helpers: once you have offered help, please remove this template.

Comments? x42bn6 Talk 07:48, 4 March 2006 (UTC)

A template parameter (I'm assuming that's how this would work) is unnecessarily complicated for newcomers. They can put their question under the template if they like, and many do. The bolding looks ok though.--Commander Keane 08:04, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
I Aggree with Commander Keane. How is a new user supposed to learn how to do this: {{helpme|I am having trouble with something}} Usually new users don't know why they use {{ }} instead of [[ ]], so they just copy & paste {{helpme}} from a welcoming message to their talk pages and don't change it once they've copied it. --GeorgeMoneyTalk  Contribs 05:34, 17 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Requests to be unblocked

Should we add something about not using {{helpme}} for requests to be unblocked? Many of us who respond to helpme don't even have the ability to unblock. Then again, I suppose using {{helpme}} in conjunction with {{unblock}} can help some collateral-damage victims get the attention of an admin more quickly. --TantalumTelluride 00:37, 7 June 2006 (UTC)

Mmm. I just added two instructions, the ones I thought were most critical (then I saw this question, a good one). It will be interesting to see if the instructions are followed. Perhaps we could include "Don't use {helpme} to get unblocked", I have no problem with that.--Commander Keane 21:43, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
Other annoying questions are about signatures and userpages. Ideally {helpme} users should only ask questions about building the encyclopedia, but if we add that the template will be getting long - so I'm not sure.--Commander Keane 22:20, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
Actually, I don't mind questions about custom signatures or userboxes. Of course, we don't have time to actually design signatures and user pages, but we can simply provide links to WP:SIG and WP:UBX, respectively. Also, I doubt that many newcomers read the template talk page before transcluding the template, so we should probably put a brief set of instructions on the actual template. That way, the users would be able to see the instructions after placing the template. What do you think?--TantalumTelluride 03:42, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
Anyone who faces this problem regularly may get some use out of {{helpme-unblock}}. I made a few weeks ago, after some discussion on IRC. It seems like a good start, but if anybody sees a way to improve it, feel free. :) Luna Santin 23:09, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Wikilawyer help

Is it possible to design a self-referencing template like {{lawhelp}} so that the owner of the talkpage in which this template is added gets added to a page called Category:Wikpedians seeking legal help? If yes, then how? The purpose would be to help newbies who do not know the complex laws of the Wikipedia and are being bullied by old users (including admins). ♔BADMIN♛ (आओ✍) 08:28, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

There are no laws on Wikipedia. If you feel you are being treated unfairly, go to the admins' noticeboard. Dan100 (Talk) 18:05, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] added a warning tag

...I added a warning tag to this template. When putting this template on non user talk pages, a warning tag will appear. Anyone opposes to this idea? AQu01rius (User • Talk) 01:08, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

Mmm, I just removed the warning tag system. I think a note like "Use {{helpme}} on your talk page" in the template is enough to steer people in the right direction (I suppose you could use the namespace detection to enable this warning, it doesn't matter much to me). The problem with the warning is that it is confusing and a little scary (eg "Oh no I have broken something I better stop using the {helpme} thing now"), and the people using {helpme} are sometimes more susceptible to confusion.--Commander Keane 00:19, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Reason

I've removed the

Ask your question by typing {{helpme|question here}}.

part. Most who use this template don't actually do that. They type heaps and heaps underneath the template. For the ones that only do write a short bit, it makes it easier for the helpers to replace the {{helpme}} with {{subst:tl|helpme}}. If they've got text as a parameter it makes it {{helpme|How do I make text bold?}}, which can't be changed to {{subst:tl|helpme|How do I make text bold?}}, because it only has one parameter, the template name. . Of course we could just copy and paste it below, or just delete it, and leave it in the page history, but it seems the easiest option, not to encourage users to use the parameter, for the sake of ease of use :) — Deon555talkdesksign here! 22:29, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

You can just use 'tlp' rather than 'tl' when the use in question's given a parameter. --ais523 15:45, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Removing the Template

Why did it get changed to say: "Note to helpers: once you have offered help, please replace this template with {{tnull|helpme}}", when it used to say: Note to helpers: once you have offered help, please revove this template"? Nocturnal Wanderer Sign here! 21:13, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't know, there no special reason why the template should not be removed, and the additional syntax makes the template less straightforward. —Centrx→talk • 23:25, 12 August 2007 (UTC)
One problem with the "tnull" is that if the same helpee adds a 2nd {{helpme}} request, it will not work if there is already a {{tnull|helpme}} on the page.--12 Noon 2¢ 19:40, 13 December 2007 (UTC)
It should work. Why doesn't it?--Werdan7T @ 23:13, 19 December 2007 (UTC)
Strike that, either that was one of the days when things were funky with WP, or the user did not put it on the page properly and I did not look closely. In any case, I cannot locate the specific page that this was on and it works fine when I test it. So...Never mind.--12 Noon 2¢ 23:44, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Userbox

I added this here once before, I'm not sure where it went:

Code Result Users
{{User:UBX/helpme}}
This user helps Wikipedians by monitoring the {{helpme}} page.
Transclusions

Feel free to use —— Ryan (t)•(c) 09:11, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Namespace restriction

Why is this restricted to the user talk namespace? Although it's nice when people put it in the right space, it makes more sense to answer helpmes wherever they may be, rather than confuse new users trying to get it right. What's more hassle: removing a helpme from the wrong namespace and asking the question anyway, or cleaning up after a new user who's botched trying to put the helpme in the right place, and simultaneously tracking down what happened to the question? --ais523 18:09, 9 June 2008 (UTC)