Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2007 April 16

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[edit] April 16

[edit] Searching Help and/or Portal areas?

Frequently I can't find what I want in the Help menu. Is it possible to search the Help and/or Portal areas? Thanks H Bruthzoo 00:59, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Searching Wikipedia with google is often better than searching Wikipedia with Wikipedia. You can type in google's search box "site:en.wikipedia.org", then " ", and then your search terms. For example, asking google to search for "site:en.wikipedia.org fiction essay" is the only way I can find that essay on differentiating between fact and fiction. I think this may be the best way to search the portal and help spaces, although google will search the mainspace as well. -Haikon 01:22, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
(Edit Conflict)Sure! First, just search for the term regularaly (make sure you press "search" and not "go"). Scroll down the results page, and you should see "Search in namespaces:" with a bunch of checkboxes next to it. Uncheck "(Main)," and then check "Help," and "Portal," or wherever it is you want to search in. --YbborTalkSurvey! 01:24, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
More Wikipedia search options are here: User:John Broughton/Editor's Index to Wikipedia#Sea. --Teratornis 01:58, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wrong spelling of title of page-how do I alter it or alert Wikipedia?

My page has the title Arthur Apsinall instead of Arthur Aspinall; ie the s and the p of the family name have been swapped around. This means that I cannot create links to my page or access the page directly from the search window.

How can this main title be corrected, please? ```` —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Phayla (talk • contribs) 05:05, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

If your account is four or more days old, you can use the "move" tab at the top of every page to move pages to different titles. I've fixed the problem in question already, but you can do it yourself in the future. Hope that helps, Nihiltres 05:39, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Graphical or template resouces to create a time line?

Are there some kind of templates that can illustrate a time line, marking years, and making some kind of opportunity to add notations or text? -- Yellowdesk 07:01, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. This gives me something to work with. -- Yellowdesk 21:46, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The combination of Ephedrine

I hereby would like to introduce myself I am Sumpi and eager to see the combination of Ephedrine .I also collected some information like 1. Methyl and amino acid will combine and then Ethylene Gylcol will be the solvent but here I found a problem ie do I need to give this solution to remove H2O ? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sumpi (talk • contribs) 08:48, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Cant post a logo with my link

Hi,

I’ve added an external link to a page within the Wikipedia however my logo which I uploaded yesterday is not showing, can anyone tell me why?

I’ve given it the appropriate permissions to enable it to be used however it doesn’t seem to want to become visible with the link can anyone help?

The page is called ‘text to screen’ and the link to my company is called fantasticmedia.

Thanks in advance. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Fantasticmedia (talk • contribs) 08:58, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

  • Please read WP:COI, WP:EL, WP:SPAM to avoid problems with external links. It's not a good idea to link to a company you're involved with (also see WP:CORP). As for the image. We don't add images to external links, but the reason yours isn't showing up is simply because you just uploaded it, it isn't actually inserted anywhere. - Mgm|(talk) 09:47, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
(ec) Three issues. First off, I reverted your link addition. External links are tricky business, and you should never add links to your own website. It is seen as spam, and regardless of good intentions, external links should be very carefully added to make sure they are encyclopedic. Second, you never included the image in the page. Including a company logo in a general purpose article is not a good idea, but for further reference you need to add [[Image:*imagefilenamehere*]] to the article. Third, I proposed deletion of the article due to notability concerns, the fact it is probably a neologism, and definitely a spam magnet. -Wooty Woot? contribs 09:51, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The combination of Ephedrine

I hereby would like to introduce myself I am Sumpi and eager to see the combination of Ephedrine .I also collected some information like 1. Methyl and amino acid will combine and then Ethylene Gylcol will be the solvent but here I found a problem ie do I need to give this solution to remove H2O ?

2 And then Benzene and Methonol will be the solvent or the benzene will add to the solution .This is the problem that I am facing so Please send me a solution for my problem. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sumpi (talk • contribs) 09:44, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Theories and Concepts..!

Hi,

I have some articles of some theories and concepts of my own.

Can i publish them in wikipedia? If i publish the documents, can i use the posted document as my profe for copyright(ownership of the concept or the theory)? If i have to take the licence from somewhere else beforhand, where should it be?

im looking forward to hear from you...

Thank you Regards.... 09:55, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

You might try another wiki such as Wikinfo which allows original research. --Teratornis 17:02, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] linking a page to a list

I noticed a page which should be listed under a certain category. How do I link this page to the (alphabetical) list of the said category? I tried and failed... - cristixavCristixav 10:31, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Note: a list is something else in Wikipedia terminology. - Mgm|(talk) 10:45, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] NPOV

Hi, if NPOV is so important, how is it that we have articles like Energy policy of Australia that are just skeletons, with a few bits of text at added at random? Surely there is no balance there? -- Johnfos 11:26, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

  • It's obviously not finished. But why do you think it's POV? - Mgm|(talk) 11:49, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Yes, obviously not finished! I added some material on renewable energy technologies but there is very little on non-renewables. So the whole article is now slanted towards renewables. This represents a lack of balance, a lack of a NPOV. So doesn't it need a POV tag in order to alert readers?

I always thought that WP articles had to meet certain basic standards to avoid deletion. Or are there special WP guidelines for fledgling articles? -- Johnfos 13:03, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Articles are deleted if they do not meet basic standards of notability. They are not deleted because they are incomplete, because that way no articles would ever have been completed. If the article doesn't show NPOV, or has other faults, any editor is free to tag it and comment on the talk page to say what is wrong. New articles aren't likely to provide full balance because the initial editor won't have all sides of the picture; this form of subtle NPOV problem is dealt with by asking for expansion, not deletion. Indeed...why not expand it yourself? Notinasnaid 13:12, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
With reference to the lack of information on fossil fuels in Energy policy of Australia, I'm just guessing here but perhaps that is because fossil fuels have been widely used for centuries, the technology associated with fossil fuels is for the most part Mature technology, and consumers appear perfectly willing to squander fossil fuels as fast as industry can plunder them, without any need for governments to make "energy policies" to promote even more fossil fuel use. Governments generally do not need to make "policies" to persuade people to keep doing what they are already doing, i.e., to sustain the status quo. When governments make "policies" they are usually trying to promote some sort of change which the private sector and consumers are either failing to undertake on their own, or are failing to implement as quickly as someone in government would like. --Teratornis 16:58, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] citing

how do you cite an artical from wikipediain MLA format?

                                   66.143.236.110 13:47, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
  • use the "cite this article" link in the tool box on the left bottom under the Wikipedia globe. Jeepday 13:55, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


[edit] help

Psychology Project article.

I'm editing an article called 'Attachment Therapy' that has got stuck. How do we appeal for more interested psychological types to help edit? Fainites 14:25, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


Articles are edited if they need attention via templates (such as {{cleanup}}) etc but except for that their is not much you can do really, I suppose those interested in that stuff will edit it. Thanks - TellyaddictTalk 15:01, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
Also see: WP:PROJGUIDE#Recruiting and WP:ACID. --Teratornis 15:45, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Updating/revising search text in URL

I have recently revised my wikipedia submission (due to extended content), but when I conduct a google search on "Barbara Fris", I get the following URL description (in bold), http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Fris - 20k


== Barbara Fris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBarbara Fris (born May 10, 1956) is a Canadian operatic soprano. Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Fris studied at the Nova Scotia Teachers College in ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Fris - 20k - Cached - Similar pages ==


The URL does point to the latest, correct version of the article but the old text appears in the google search URL description rather than,

Barbara Fris (Soprano) is a Canadian operatic soprano, specializing in opera and classical symphonic works for voice. She has performed across Canada, in Europe and the United States where she has come to be associated most closely with the Mozart heroines, although she performs a wide range of works that include operettas, light classics, lieder and art songs.

Is there a way of deleting an earlier version of a URL desciption?

Please advise, with thanks LAN1BAR1 15:24, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Google Search updates its content automatically, usually after a lag of several days. I have not heard of any way to speed up Google's schedule. You just have to wait for Google Search to reflect your edits to Wikipedia. You would have the same problem no matter what Web site you update. --Teratornis 15:42, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
(edit conflict) The Google bots periodically revisit pages to see if the content has changed. The quoted text is from their latest visit. Clicking "Cache" on the Google search page shows it was April 11 2007. Wikipedia has no control over when Google visits again and updates the quote. Some Google search results from Wikipedia don't even use text from the Wikipedia page. PrimeHunter 15:47, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] help

how do i get to the definitions???

Go to http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page for the dictionary part of the project. --LuigiManiac 15:41, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
Also see List of glossaries. --Teratornis 16:38, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Copyright Review

Is there a place to have images checked to make sure they have the appropriate copyright status? Or even a tag that I can put on the image itself like {{ReviewThisImage}} or something? I've been finding a lot of questionable images, and I don't quite know what to do with them. tiZom(2¢) 17:20, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

There's Wikipedia:Copyright problems. --ais523 17:23, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
And Wikipedia:Possibly unfree images. Garion96 (talk) 17:26, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Editing Title's

In my haste in adding articles, I would like to go back and change the official titles of (2) articles I have written. I am not sure of the most efficient way of doing this. I need to change: Carhartt (Automobile ) to Carhartt (automobile), changing the capital A to small, remove the space after e. The other is: Ann arbor (automobile) to Ann Arbor (automobile), changing the name Arbor to start with a capital A. Thanks.--Drussel3 18:11, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Use the "move" tab on the top of the page (which moves the article to a new page, but it's the best you can do) All you have to do is type in a new title, and everything (including the talk page) is in its right place. Sloverlord 18:36, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Images are not appearing in Wikipedia

Wikipedia is slowly breaking down on my computer, and I have no idea what's wrong (I have not changed any settings on my browser [Firefox 2.0.0.3]). First it stopped displaying mathematical formulas. I assumed that I change of my display settings would fix the problem, but no luck. Then it stopped displaying images on Wikipedia, I see the "alt" text only (if I click on the link and follow the image to its source, it will display then.) And as of today, even the buttons above an editing box are not working. Does someone know what is going on??? I know it has something to do with the wiki system, because I am having the same problem on Uncyclopedia, and nowhere else. Sloverlord 18:35, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

I don't know. I was using a new mozzila browser and as you said it all started going to pot, thats when I went to using an older version of Fifefox (1.0.6) and it works perfectly now. I really have no idea as to what is happening though... «razorclaw 21:09:51, 04-16-2007»
  • I suspect it has something to do with Firefox 2. Razorclaw, you should probably install Firefox 1.5; Firefox 1 is so old it might have security holes. - Mgm|(talk) 07:51, 17 April 2007 (UTC)
Actually, it was doing it on Firefox 1.5 too, I upgraded to 2.0 to try and fix the problem. Sloverlord 14:58, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] blatant advertising question.

Good day,

This is my first time properly using Wikipedia, and I am trying to post about a summer camp that I work at. After I posted information for it, a blurb came up telling me that I had been "blantantly advertising", or something to that point. I read an re-read the rules for it, and I do not understand how to write it so that it is fitting for an encyclopedia. I have tried deleting any website listings that were already on it, as well as dates for registration and things alike. If you could, would you please just try to take a look at it and fill me in on what I can do in order to get it up and running, without it being a blantant advertisement. Thank you very much for you time, and I apologize for you having to do so at all in the first place.

Cheers,

Joel H. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by JoeLouiStl (talk • contribs) 20:06, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

responded at length on User talk:JoeLouiStl. DES (talk) 20:25, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] personal opimion

Hi!

I'd like to know if it's allowed to put commentaries and personal opinions on talk pages of the articles? (I know you can't do that in articles themselves). Bazsa 20:09, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

  • It depends - just for talking about them, or promoting them, no. Talk pages are for talking about how to improve the article - you're not barred from speaking freely on them, but the talk should be about how to improve the article. WilyD 20:21, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
Since Wikipedia forbids original research, you will need to look up reliable sources for your personal opinions. This can be an interesting exercise, in which you try to determine where your opinions originated. Most people have opinions, often strongly held, but it's rare to meet someone who has a solid understanding of where they got their opinions, and how those particular beliefs evolved and spread. From the standpoint of writing an encyclopedia, what you believe is not nearly as interesting as why you believe it, and who invented and popularized it. --Teratornis 01:24, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Changing a title

I am so thoroughly confused by the directions for changing a title I'll just have to ask for help here.

The link from a template said the article would be about WHLQ in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. I couldn't just create an stub article about WKXU because the template wouldn't link to that. I started to just move one to the other but realized what the problem would be.

Now I don't know what to do because every time I try to follow the directions I don't know what to do. Vchimpanzee 20:44, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

So what are you actually trying to achieve? Your heading suggests that you need to rename a page, but then you mention two different articles. And where does a template come in? Adrian M. H. 21:10, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Okay, I did it. While I was editing something else, I noticed the word "Move" at the top of the article. I never saw that before.

Thanks.Vchimpanzee 21:16, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Adding a link to a website

I have clicked the button to identify a word or phrase as a link to an external website. How do I then place the link to a specific URL? Andy Falconer 20:48, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

The syntax for a link is just [URL text], like this, for example:
Main Page (produced using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Main Page])
– mcy1008 (talk) 20:56, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Script

//


function welcome() {
  if (document.title.indexOf('Editing User talk:') == 0) {
    document.editform.wpTextbox1.value = document.editform.wpTextbox1.value + '==' + 'Welcome' + '==\n' + '{{subst:' + 'w-link|heading=true}}\n~' + '~~';
    document.editform.wpSummary.value = 'Welcome to [[WP:Welcome|Wikipedia]]!';
  }
}
function welcome_tab() {
  add_link('javascript:welcome()', 'Welcome');
}

if (document.title.indexOf('Editing User talk:') == 0) {
  addOnloadHook(welcome_tab);

//

What is wrong with my stupid script? I get no tab to welcome anyone. Sorry but this is angering. «razorclaw 21:05:51, 04-16-2007»

  • It looks like the tab is supposed to appear in edit screens only. Did you refresh your browser cache before trying it out? = Mgm|(talk) 07:46, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Metadata Problem

I keep uploading images that end up having false metadata.
Ex: Phillip Pip.JPG. See that image, there's metadata there even though I customly created it with MS Paint. --98E 21:21, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Like you, I thought that MS Paint didn't add metadata. I can't really answer that one. I guess you'd know if you had used CS2! I wikilinked your image title for you, by the way. Just stick a colon infront and a pipe behind to display it as a text link. Adrian M. H. 21:36, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How do I Search Wikipedia Pictures?

moved from Help desk talk page

Is there any way I can search the pictures uploaded to Wikipedia? Thanks.--YOSHIANDLINK1 21:29, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Whwn you do a search, there will be a set of check boxes at the bottom of the page. Uncheck all but "Image" and search again. There is also a much bigger selection of images at the Wikimedia commons that you can search as well. Mr.Z-mantalk¢ 21:46, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
  • The searching menu on my userpage has a link to Mayflower which is a nice fully-fledged search engine for Wikimedia Commons images. - Mgm|(talk) 07:45, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] RCAF 16 "X" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia.

I am disappointed and surprised to note the exclusion of the subject formation that was in existence well prior to my arrival in 1951, and was still operating there for some time after I left in 1954. Note also the apparent exclusion of Explosive Depots in Angus, Ontario, and Kamloops, B.C. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.106.72.42 (talk) 21:49, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

If you feel that a topic needs to be included in our project, you can create an account and create a new page or you can request an article here. Hersfold (talk/work) 00:02, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Adding picture help please

I just want to add a picture to a page simply the page i want to add it to is Gemma Davis page the file i want to add is a normal .jpg file —The preceding unsigned comment was added by KDhosford (talk • contribs) 22:34, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

You have to upload the image to Wikipedia first, then you include the image using wikimarkup. See WP:IMAGE on how to do this. x42bn6 Talk 23:55, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] info

what constitutes a federal crime? At the end

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. Hersfold (talk/work) 23:59, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] user page

hiya could anyone direct me to a help page tha twill give me some help with creating a user page for myself. i am really unfamiliar with the major formatting since i only edit the content.

thanks very much!Dylan2106 23:22, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Userpage --24fan24 (talk) 23:27, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
Also see Wikipedia:User Page Design Center. That set of pages provides some useful codes and examples of other well-designed pages. Hersfold (talk/work) 23:57, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] need help

how do i email this to a friend or school for homework —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.244.43.57 (talk) 23:30, 16 April 2007 (UTC).
You could link to the file http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c8/Example.ogg or you could download it and attach it. --24fan24 (talk) 23:43, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Forum Posts as Sources

What is the official policy on using forum posts as sources. I'm pretty sure that this is frowned upon, but I can't seem to find any page officially stating this. Am I wrong in thinking this? Otherwise can someone post a link to a policy page where it mentions this? Zomic_13 23:43, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

I don't think its forbidden, but generally to be avoided. I used a forum as a source once, but I was very careful in what I actually used it to cite. The article went through an FAC, which failed, but no one objected to its use. The article is now a GA and still no objections. The article is Geography_Cup#Website_problems (linked to the specific section). It would also depend on the forum. The one I used was mainly used by educators, I would avoid any sort of youth-based forum, except in an article about the forum. Mr.Z-mantalk¢ 23:52, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
(Edit Conflict) Self-published sources shouldn't be accepted as reliable unless it can be verifiably proven that the person posting the information is an established expert in that field. In general, blogs and forums are not acceptable as tertiary sources. See WP:V#SELF. Hersfold (talk/work) 23:52, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
  • Blogs usually have a single author that can be traced to a real identity (so it can be determined if the author is an expert of some sort). Unless the forum post you're citing is that of the owner of the website it's attached to, it's unlikely to be reliable. - Mgm|(talk) 07:42, 17 April 2007 (UTC)