Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2006 November 8

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[edit] November 8

[edit] Removing talk page comments

Quick policy question, not sure if this is the right place to bring it up. What is official policy on removing comments from one's own user talk page? WP:RTP seemed to deal mostly with article talk pages; is there a guideline or policy on personal talk pages? Thanks. MastCell 00:23, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

This is a question I have asked recently as well - I have got a few answers (warnings should remain for a short time, but should not be used as a "wall of shame" for users) so that but no link to an official policy. My opinion is that people leaving warnings on talk pages need to know, at a glance, if a user has been involved in vandalism/spamming/controversy/etc before, as this will reflect the type of warning given (eg. leaving {{test}} is useless if the user was given {{test4}} last week.) I also think anonymous users should have absolutely no "ownership" of their talk page, as IPs can change. This is all just my view, not policy. -- Chuq 00:55, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Summary:

  • Removing recent vandalism warnings and similar posts to your Talk page from administrators and users in good standing is not acceptable.
  • Removing recent comments from other users is impolite and impairs communication about editing articles, etc. This may be viewed as uncivil.
  • If your talk page becomes too long or has old conversations, it is standard practice—but not required policy—to archive them in a subpage within your own user namespace, and place a link to that archive on your talk page. See Wikipedia:How to archive a talk page. Leave recent vandalism warnings and recent, open conversations on your talk page; do not archive them for a while.
  • Note that if you want to make draft articles, have a separate to-do list, etc., you can make a subpage in your user namespace.
  • See also Help:Talk page#User talk pages.

—Centrx→talk • 01:01, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Could You Explain What This Does?

<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"></div> Thanks.100110100 02:18, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

It makes the text smaller and makes it go in two columns. —Centrx→talk • 02:36, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks.100110100 02:33, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] What happens after last warning for vandalizing?

Should I use another "last warning" template or move on to "temporarily blocked"? I assume only administrators can block users. Maxberners 02:40, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Post to WP:AIV. Also, if something is continuing obvious vandalism, just give them one warning {{blatantvandal}} and see if they stop. —Centrx→talk • 02:44, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Image Criteria for speedy deletion

What is the proper way to tag an image that obviously is "squatting" or using Wikipedia as a file server? Do you have to use IFD? Thanks. Dylan Lake (t·c·ε) 03:09, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes please list the image at WP:IFD. If it passes a speedy deletion criterion, please list it for speedy deletion using the appropriate tag -- Lost(talk) 06:04, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
  • If people use Wikipedia as a file server, the image won't be linked to an article. Orphan images can be deleted, speedily if I remember correctly. 0- 131.211.210.14 10:38, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] inquiry about new articles

Hello. This is my first time I'm editing in wikipedia and I don't know where to place this question. I just finished creating a new article that I saved. But how would I be able to link it with another one? Your tutorials are too vast and confusing for me to find out on my own. My personal email is <emial removed to prevent spam>. Thank you.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Dsilon (talk • contribs) .

  • Welcome to Wikipedia! Just wrap a double set of brackets ([]) around the word you want to link to. For example, link becomes [$[link]$] without the $ symbols. -- 03:55, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
You can make text in any article in Wikipedia link with another by surrounding concepts and words which have articles with doubled brackets. For instance [[Monty Python]] produces Monty Python (<---that's blue because it's a link). You can also tell the software to link text that is not the same as the article title by "piping" the link. This is done by placing a pipe (|) between the text you want to link and the name of the article you want that text to be a link to. Example: [[Monty Python|Python]] will make Python a link to Monty Python. Hope this helps. For further information please see How to edit a page: Links and URLs.--Fuhghettaboutit 04:00, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] wikipedia is very friendly..........

Hi, Have a nice Day ! Actually i came accross wikipedia since long. And i found really it is very much helpful. But here i would like to request that, if you can put the daily news of different kind of papers like Times of India, Indian Express then that will be really fantastic. And also if you can put the news of India Today, OutLook India, then that will be very nice.And if you can give some bollywood news, then that will be super.

Wikipedia is a very friendly site !


Thanks, Ashok.....

Have you considered using one of the Indian-language versions of Wikipedia? There are many language-specific versions listed at the bottom of the Wikipedia homepage. --Kainaw (talk) 04:27, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
Also, try looking at Wikinews, and the Indian version of that. X [Mac Davis] (DESK|How's my driving?) 05:40, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
Also see Portal:Current events/India -- Lost(talk) 06:06, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] vandalism

How can Raul Julia-Levy prevent people from vandalizing his page? He has been finding defamatory comments on his page. Is there a way where we can make his page only edited by otooledupree? Otooledupree 04:27, 8 November 2006 (UTC)otooledupree

Wikipedia can be edited by anyone. However vandalism or personal attacks are not allowed. If you see vandalism, please warn the vandal. If he persists, please report at WP:AIV. To maintain the neutral point of view, it is important that more than one editor edit the article. -- Lost(talk) 06:02, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
Otooledupree, some articles that come under extreme amounts of vandalism can be temporarily protected, but the article you point to only seems to be subject to very small amounts of vandalism. As a politician and actor, I'm sure there are many people paying attention to the changes made to his page, and thus many people there to revert the changes any vandal is likely to make. If the subject of the vandalism is exceptionally offensive and may serve to harm the image of a living subject, it is possible to have an admin remove the offending statements from the article history, though this is not usually necessary. Also, please remember to fill out the Edit summary whenever you make edits. It benefits all editors watching the articles you edit on their watchlist.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  06:36, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Use of an image

Hi, I am new to this site and only came across the article within Wikipedia because I was searching for description of a particular item. Within the article I have found an illustration and would like to use it on my web site, just displaying it. I have looked through and it is all confusing to me. Would I be able to use the image and refer to the URL of the page in Wikipedia (just cut & paste) or do I have to do anything else. Your help is much appreciated.86.138.157.230 04:33, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Two things:
  1. If the image is used under fair use law (look at the image description page) then your website must, legally, qualify for fair use in the same way. This won't hurt Wikipedia, but it's law.
  2. Please upload Wikipedia's image to your own server: simply linking to Wikipedia's image is leeching, assuming that Wikipedia's servers allow images to display externally.
Hope that helps, Nihiltres 04:53, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
And a third thing: you need to read the licensing information for the image (which you just click on to do that). You must follow the terms there. In particular, the terms are likely to require you to reproduce any license information in full. This rather limits the casual use of images. Notinasnaid 08:36, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Thank you for your help, I will check out the laws & policies relating to this. Thanks again

[edit] Can an admin look at this user's contribs?

User:Llabronco has been uploading a lot of images and saying that they're free since you can find them on Google. I'm at work right now and don't have time to put each of them up at WP:PUI. And I can't put a notice on WP:AIV since I don't have the time right now to warn them 3 or 4 times. So this is the only way that I could think of to call an admin's attention to them. Thanks, sorry for the non-question nature of my post here, Dismas|(talk) 04:38, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Done. I have warned him that if he continues he will be blocked from editing. —Centrx→talk • 04:48, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
Thank you! I have time for small edits and when I come across something so large it's hard for me to file all the necessary forms, dot the Is and cross the Ts. Dismas|(talk) 05:18, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] graduated from year 1985-1990

Dear sir

Is it possible to find fellow graduated in that particular years in UWIST? If so please inform me how to search for it.please communicate back to me thro' my e-mail (email removed)

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. I would suggest going to an alumni or a social networking site. Sorry -- Lost(talk) 06:33, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] See also

Am I right in thinking there should be no red links in "See also" lists? (See, e.g. bow.) After all, that means there's nothing to see. On the other hand, perhaps there will be, one day. I couldn't find a policy on this. Thanks.--Shantavira 09:08, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

I dont think there's a policy for this. This simply means that if you know about the subject, go ahead and create the article. No point in removing the red link. -- Lost(talk) 09:24, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
It is confusing. I recommend removing the bad links - imagine a reader seeing "See also" blah blah blah...hey that's the one! What? No such page! Bah! Maybe you could store them in the talk page but the problem there is some pages, especially disambig pages don't get much attention. If you decide to remove the links try to include the links elsewhere in the article so it still shows a potential article to be created, or if it doesn't ruin the article, changing the heading See also to something that does make sense. But if in doubt don't do anything. --WikiSlasher 09:32, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] subject in teleug

Hi,

This is satyanarayana. I want to post messages in this. How can i post. If i went to any browsig center it's not possible. Even i dont have system system at home. please advise on this.

Regards, Satya

What is the problem which you are having? You seem to have been able to post to the help desk, so you should also be able to edit any article. Notinasnaid 09:46, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
If you want to contribute to the telugu wikipedia, please go to te: -- Lost(talk) 10:04, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Need help with redirection

I need some help with some redirection. I am trying to list a page for a cabaret composer, pianist named Christopher Marlowe. Obviously and unfortunately for Chris, he shares his name with such an influential literary giant. How may I add a page on this 21st Century music man on a "shared" Christopher Marlowe page (is there a page)? Nancylamottfan 12:24, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Create a page for your Christopher Marlowe at Christopher Marlowe (pianist), or whatever you thikn should belong in the brackets afterwards. Then, on the Christopher Marlowe page at the moment, add a note at the top saying "For the pianist, see Christopher Marlowe (pianist)". There is already one redirection at the top of that page for the film Marlowe; add it after that. Trebor 13:19, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] distributor

i want to be a sole dealer in Ivory Coast please tell me how to contact your company. i have used the oil and i found out how rich it is that is why i am intrested in doing buisness with your company.

Who are you trying to contact? Notinasnaid 12:43, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How can I recover the personal data (name, surname, e-mail) of a contributor?

I supposed that every contributor to Wikipedia would like to be identifiable and contactable. It seems to me that the links in the article history give no access to informations like the name or the e-mail of a contributor. Is there the possibility of knowing the identity (personal data like name, surname, e-mail address, institution) of the various contributors? 81.208.106.94 13:02, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

No, absolutely not. Except for e-mail (which is kept private), Wikipedia doesn't ask for or collect this information. Why do you suppose every contributor would like to be identifiable and contactable? Notinasnaid 13:11, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
  • Online most people don't want to be identifiable, which is why there are privacy laws. Providing the info you talk about is not only impossible because we don't collect it unless they willingly provide said info on their userpage, it would also violate our privacy agreement. - Mgm|(talk) 13:16, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
If you get a username and enter your own email address, you can send emails via the 'Email this user' function on some users' userpages (doing so will reveal your address). Some users will give their details willingly, in which case you can read them from their user page, but most won't. --ais523 13:27, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] I Created a New Article (first time) and cannot get text in subsections

to wrap so that text can be read without use of horizontal slide bar. How do I correct this? Coupdegra 16:43, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

I've responded at Wikipedia:New_contributors'_help_page#Created_New_Article.2C_and_I_can.27t_get_text_in_subsections_to_display_properly. Please only post in one spot, it keeps it from getting too confusing ;). -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 16:44, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] submitting an article

I've noticed that the encyclopedia contains a few articles describing radio stations. If we were to submit an article about the public radio station I manage, would we open ourselves up to anyone wanting to add something unflattering or otherwise to that content? Also, can just anyone submit an article about our enterprise?

Jeff Skibbe general manager, KXMS-FM

The answer to both your questions is yes. Anyone can add matter to an article as long as it adheres to the Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines. To start an article, you would need to first create an account. Secondly, especially if you are going to start one about something that you manage, please go through our neutral point of view policy -- Lost(talk) 17:11, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
And, given that you are directly involved in it, I would suggest you also read the conflict of interest guidelines. Confusing Manifestation 04:12, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Aviation

In my CAA oral i was asked a couple of questions which i didnt have answer to are mentioned below, 1) If i am a operator of a aircraft and want to delete the airconditioning system from my pistion engine aircaft as i am not operating it very frequently. what is the procedure to get it done?

2) If my aircraft flys outstation and found out that CMR has expried whats the procedure to get the aircraft back to base? Can CMR be issued outstation?

213.42.2.11 17:45, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Have you tried Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in knowledge questions, and will try to answer any question in the universe (except how to use Wikipedia, since that's what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link, select the relevant section, and ask away. I hope this helps. -- Lost(talk) 17:52, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] OPENING LARGE FORMAT PICS

99% OF THE LARGE PICTURES ONLY OPENS TO ABOUT 20% TO 50% OF THE ACTUAL PICTURE. THIS IS NOW FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO EVEN PICTURES AS SMALL AS 1,4MB DOES THIS. THE PROBLEM CAN BE ON YOUR SIDE BECAUSE I HAVE LOOKED AT IT FROM DIFFERENT BROWSERS. ( MOZILLA FIREFOX & INTERNET EXPLORER. ) EVEN TRYING TO DOWNLOAD THE PICTURE GIVE THE SAME RESULTS. PLEASE HELP SINCE I ENJOY YOUR SITE AND HAVE FOUND MANY INFO FOR THE KIDS AND MYSELF ON YOUR WEBSITE.168.209.97.34 19:37, 8 November 2006 (UTC)JJVR from SOUTH AFRICA.

Please do not write in ALL CAPS; It's annoying to users. To get your question, are you on a dial-up connection? Most likely, this is a connection issue. In the past, when I've been on dial up, I've experienced this. My guess is the connection to transfer the entire image is timing out. —Mitaphane talk 21:17, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] some said that tiesto died in a car accident.......is this true?????

'some said that tiesto died in a car accident.......is this true?????'some said that tiesto died in a car accident.......is this true?????

No. Please use the reference desk for any other inquiries of this sort of thing, and please clarify who you mean next time. --Wooty  Woot? | contribs 20:28, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Citation template

Where is the citation template for a newspaper article? Not a website, not a journal or research study, just a regular printed newspaper article.--MrFish 20:26, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

You can find templates for citation here. I would just use the news template. As long as you have the important details (paper's name, author, date, hyperlink if applicable) the layout isn't too important. —Mitaphane talk 21:21, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] colonial times of new york natural resources

i am trying to find information on natural resources of new york in colonial times... i have a two page project due with information pertaining to the natural resources of new york back in colonial times. Where can i find all the information i need?

The article History of the United States might help, under the colonial times section. You would get a better response over at the reference desk; the help desk is for help on using the Wikipedia, not reference questions. —Mitaphane talk 21:26, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] WIKIs and ACTIVISM

To Whom This May Concern:

I am a University of Miami communications student and my class is working on the website mediaforchange.org. Our website aims to draw attention to individuals and concepts that have used media to effect change. My particular entry is on how wikis are used for activism. I would greatly appreciate any commentary that the Wikimedia Foundation Inc. has on this use of wikis. What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Was this an intended use of the wiki? What further possibilities await wiki-activists? I would also appreciate permission to use your response as part of my online entry for not-for-profit purposes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,

G.Cardona

MFC Founding Student

This page is a help desk for assistance in using the English language Wikipedia. The Wikimedia Foundation home page has contact information for the Foundation. Hope this helps. --MCB 22:26, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] encumbance

What does encumbance mean

You mean Encumbrance? —Mitaphane talk 21:28, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Image resolution

Dear Sir or Madam:

Re: The image of a terraformed Mars at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Terraformedmars.jpg

I am planning on using this image for inclusion in a science article I am submitting for

publication. Since the image is in the public domain,I will, of course, give proper credit to

Wikipedia and NASA.

My question is: How can I obtain a higher-resolution image; my editor wants something 300 dpi

or greater?

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Joe Knight.

[email removed]

Actually, since the image is in the public domain, no credit needs to be given. If a higher resolution image exists, I imagine it would be found at the NASA site. Trebor 21:56, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] untitled question

hi im doing a class project but i need to know who wrote the article i cannot find it . and i also cannot find what date it was published. name of article Panama Canal

Wikipedia is collaborative - everyone writes the article. It is last published every time someone makes an edit. If you are looking for citation information, go to Panama Canal and click 'Cite this Article' on the left. --Wooty  Woot? | contribs 21:49, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How do i delete a photo i uploaded

I uploaded a photo scottluxenberg.jpg.jpg, and i would like to delete is that possible.


Thank you, 
          Hbk1888
Add {{db-author}} to the top of the page and someone should speedily delete it. Trebor 21:59, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] My User Page

I am having trouble with my User Page and do not understand the problem. All of my userboxes and written information is eith squished to the right or are blended over top of each other. Can someone tell me what the rpoblem is and how to fix it? (Steve 22:39, 8 November 2006 (UTC))

See Help:Table#Pipe_syntax_tutorial, particularly the very first point. -- zzuuzz (talk) 03:17, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] revert

how do i revert vandalism to an earlier version? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Falcon866 (talk • contribs)