Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2007 October 11

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1 October 11

[edit] October 11

[edit] writing a new article

How would one who has an account go about writing a new wikipedia article, starting one that doesn't already exist. I wish to write one about Third Eye Blind's song "Motorcycle Drive By". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.76.154.27 (talk) 00:29, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Start by reading: WP:FIRST, WP:WWMPD, Third Eye Blind, and check out {{Third Eye Blind}}. Be aware that Wikipedia deletes up to several articles per minute for failing to comply with our policies and guidelines. However, Third Eye Blind is already notable enough for an article, and several of the band's singles have articles (see: Category:Third Eye Blind songs). My suggestion would be to study all of the articles in Category:Third Eye Blind songs and try to write your article up to quality of the best of them. Also check the history of articles about the band and its songs (for example this one), to see what other editors have contributed. You might find some of those other editors who share your interest in the band and can help you avoid common beginner mistakes (which could end up getting your article deleted). And thanks for asking on the Help desk first. --Teratornis 00:44, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] forgot username

Is there a way to have your user name sent to you like you can request your password? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.88.52.180 (talk) 00:50, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

No, however you may be able to work out what your username was if you can remember an article (or other page) you edited while logged in. Go to that article, click on the "history" tab up the top, and go through all the contributions to see if you recognise any of the user names. Confusing Manifestation 00:58, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

dictionary wildcards —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.63.87.245 (talk) 01:13, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Nevermind, got it to work. Somehow the upload.wikipedia.com was listed as a site to block images from on Firefox.

[edit] help about biology

hello,I'm a student of class eleven & I've some problem with my newly taken subject biology.I need some pictures of botany.as I'm using Wikipedia for the very first time,I'm not being able to find my desired contents.can you help me?--59.152.90.105 01:43, 11 October 2007 (UTC)shihab hasan

Well, I would suggest going to the Botany article, and going to the reference desk. They should be able to help you much more than we can. Glad to see you here! Neranei (talk) 01:48, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You also might want to try going to Wikimedia Commens which is basically a Wikipedia of pictures. If you search botany they have a wider range of pictures and that might help you out more. ~ Bella Swan 01:53, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Consent

how does a physician get consent for insane or minors—Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.40.253.36 (talk • contribs)

Hello, you may want to try the reference desk, as they will be able to help you with factual questions. It's great to see you around Wikipedia! Neranei (talk) 01:58, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Your question is not well fleshed out but you might find the following articles relevant: legal guardian, involuntary treatment and involuntary commitment--Fuhghettaboutit 05:40, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] My user name

Hello! I have two questions.

My problem is that I have a number of sock puppets. (about 4 actually) They were not made because I was trying to fool anyone, I just didn't understand the system back then and kept changing my name because it was fun. Now I get how it works, and I want to know if there is a way that I can merge accounts together. Is that possible you think? I can still log on to all the acounts.
The other question is about User:Jason. Well, my name is Jason, and I thought it would be cool to have the User name "Jason". This account was created in 2001 and as far as I can tell, it has been inactive since 2001. Is there anyway I could have the username if it is not being used by anyone? I was just curious about that. Thanks!

Captain Phoebus 01:58, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Here are two things you need to do. Go talk to an administrator at the administrator's board; they will be able to block your sockpuppets and you will be able to only use your current account. I'm glad you've figured things out, and are here as a contributor! Unfortunately, there is no way to merge accounts, I'm sorry. As for your second question, you need to go to Usurpations and a bureaucrat will take a look at your request. You're very welcome; I hope this helps! Neranei (talk) 02:01, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes, thank you! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Captain Phoebus (talk • contribs) 03:37, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

It sounds like your "sock puppet" accounts are what we describe in our rare lucid moments as Doppelganger accounts. According to the page in the previous link:

They should be marked with the {{doppelganger}} or {{doppelganger-other}} tag, or simply redirected to one's own userpage. Such accounts should not be used for editing.

And argh, yet another guideline page says "tag" instead of the more technically accurate "messagebox." --Teratornis 06:02, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] how

how do i make a encyclopedia page —Preceding unsigned comment added by Suckyskater123 (talk • contribs) 02:00, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Since you are a registered user, first search to see if the article already exists. You may want to check out What Wikipedia Is Not and Your First Article. They will give you important information on appropriate encyclopedia articles. Neranei (talk) 02:03, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

The real question is how do you make an encyclopedia page (actually, we call that an article, with "page" being a more general term which includes articles, along with user pages and help pages and lots of stuff here) which does not get deleted. Wikipedia's administrators delete up to several articles per minute for violating various policies and guidelines. The most important factor determining a new article's survival chances by far is the particular topic the article is about. If you could tell us the topic you have in mind, we could give you meaningful advice instead of vague general advice. --Teratornis 05:56, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wikisyntax for using an image as a link's anchor

What is the wikisyntax for using an image as a link's anchor?

In html it is <a href="Your Link URL Here"><img src="Your Picture URL Here" alt="text here" ></a>.

Thanks. — ¾-10 02:46, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

The best way to do this is with the imagemap extention, as shown below--Werdan7^{T @} 02:55, 11 October 2007 (UTC):

Image:wikipedia-logo.png|40px

default [[Main Page]]

desc none

</imagemap>

which produces...

After looking at Wikipedia:Extended_image_syntax, I'm not sure if there is an equivalent. In my experience, most wiki images link to the full version of the image, rather than a thumbnail. (If I'm wrong, someone please correct me). Cheers, --Bfigura ^(talk) 02:53, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Ah. Thanks for correcting me :-) --Bfigura ^(talk) 02:59, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Very helpful. Thanks all. — ¾-10 22:27, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] help please

hello i'am having trouble creating my first article. im reading the basics. the do nots and the sandboxes. however, i cant figure out how to create it i read how to create a new article i still dont get it please help thank you very much

p.s. this article has not been written about yet.

You need to search for the exact name of the article you want, and then if it doesn't show up, click on the red link at the top to create the article. It will take you to an edit window where you may begin typing. Hope this helps! Neranei (talk) 02:56, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

(Edit conflict) Try searching for the article first, using the search bar is the left hand side of the screen. If the article doesn't already exist, you should see a link saying 'you can create this page'. That should do it. It sounds like you've read What Wikipedia is not and Your first article, so happy editing. Best, --Bfigura ^(talk) 02:58, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hello

I'm sorry if this seems like one of the most trivial questions you have ever heard, but how can I change the name of an article? And are there other things I must do when I do it? I have heard here and there things that involving fixing links, or people not being able to find it because they always type in the old article title or something. The word redirection always comes up. Thanks in advance! 72.234.46.115 03:24, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Pages are renamed by moving them to new target names. This procedure preserves the page's edit history. Please do not rename a page by copying/pasting its content to a new page name. If you have an account and it is at least four days old, you can move a page yourself, but please first review Wikipedia:Naming conventions. If you still wish to rename the page, go to it and click the move tab at the top (near the history and watch tabs). You can then specify a new name for the article. The old page name will automatically become a redirect to the new page. However, if the desired target page name already exists, you will need an administrator to move the page for you, which can be requested at Wikipedia:Requested moves. Hope this helps.--Fuhghettaboutit 03:25, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Wow, that was fast, and helpful. Thanks! 72.234.46.115 —Preceding signed but undated comment was added at 03:31, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You're welcome.--Fuhghettaboutit 05:27, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, the Wikipedia Help desk is great. All Help desk volunteers, give yourselves a virtual barnstar! Presumably the Help desk will become even greater when we get mw:Extension:LiquidThreads. And a word to all newbs reading this: as soon as you feel able, or even sooner, try answering some questions here. That's one of the best ways to learn Wikipedia. --Teratornis 06:10, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Confirmation

Hi I joined wikipedia about 4 hours ago and i never got the confirmation code email i checked all my junk folders, made sure it was not blocked, and checked my email address how do i confirm my email then? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wwerifleman1994 (talk • contribs) 04:01, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Sometimes it takes the email server a little time to respond. We get thousands of new accounts each day, most of which will register an email. Try checking tomorrow, and if it's not there then, ask at the Tech Pump. Welcome to Wikipedia, though. :-) Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 05:08, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] RfC

did i do this right?here? How can i get people to comment about somthing like this was this the right method? are there others? did i do the remplate right?Cholga^talK! 04:45, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Looks right to me. When calling a template, though, you only need two sets of curly braces, like this: {{template}} The history shows that you threw in a few extra, but they've been cleaned up. Someone should be around to check on it soon. :-) Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 05:15, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

thanksCholga^talK! 07:51, 12 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Indian State

Name the Indian State that maens 'Land of Rising Sun'? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nikhilspatil (talk • contribs) 08:23, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Try a Google search: [1]. PrimeHunter 10:05, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Advantages of creating an account

I would like to know about the benefits of creating an account in Wikipedia. In other words, what will be the difference for users having an account and without having an account in this site.

Thanks and regards

Sarfraz Hyder —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.135.28.7 (talk) 09:45, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Why create an account?. PrimeHunter 10:01, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How do I create my first article using Wikipedia?

I've signed up for my account but I can't see how to create my first article... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Toggleuk (talk • contribs) 09:59, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Before creating an article, please search Wikipedia first to make sure that an article does not already exist on the subject. Please also review a few of our relevant policies and guidelines which all articles should comport with. As Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, articles must not contain original research, must be written from a neutral point of view, should cite to reliable sources which verify their content and must not contain unsourced, negative content about living people.

Articles must also demonstrate the notability of the subject. Please see our subject specific guidelines for people, bands and musicians, companies and organizations and web content and note that if you are closely associated with the subject, our conflict of interest guideline strongly recommends against you creating the article.

If you still think an article is appropriate, see Help:Starting a new page. You might also look at Wikipedia:Your first article and Wikipedia:How to write a great article for guidance, and please consider taking a tour through the Wikipedia:Tutorial so that you know how to properly format the article before creation. PrimeHunter 10:02, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Correct procedure for moving a page to make room for a new page with same name?

Hello. Very briefly, this is what I would like to do, and I'm hoping someone can let me know if this is the correct strategy:

I recently finished creating a new page in my sandbox, and would like to add or move this to the "Phoenix Five" page. You can find my sandbox here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:DEMKID/Sandbox

The problem is, the Phoenix Five page is already occupied by a short-lived Australian TV series of the same name. You can find this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Five

As you can see, there is very little information on the TV series that ran for half a year back in 1970 in Australia. I feel that my Phoenix Five article deserves to be on the main Phoenix Five page. As you can see from the top of my sandbox article, I have made a link to the TV series under "Phoenix Five (TV series)", and would like to move the TV series article to that location.

If I do move the TV series, it is my understanding that I would have to have the old Phoenix Five page deleted, because there would still be a link through that page to the new TV series page. My question is, is this the right way to go about doing this? After moving the TV series page, would I then ask for the old page to be deleted by administrators?

Any help would be appreciated. I see that there are currently only a few links to the Phoenix Five page, and I can easilly change these to the new "Phoenix Five (TV series)" page, if needed. Thanks.

DEMKID 10:52, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You can't move a page over an existing page, or over a redirect created from where an existing page was moved from (other than to revert a page move). What you should do is move the old page out of the way, changing incoming links, and then place {{db-move}} on the resulting redirect, to ask an admin to delete the redirect you created. Place an {{otheruses4}} template (instructions) on both pages to make it easy for people who search for one article and find the other to sort the problem out. Hope that helps! --ais523 12:11, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

You are the only contributor to User:DEMKID/Sandbox. If you don't mind losing the edit history then you can copy and paste the contents to the redirect after Phoenix Five has been moved (you can reach a redirect page by clicking it at the top after it has redirected). Important note: To preserve edit history and comply with GFDL, a copy and paste move should not be made on a page with other contributors than the person making the move. By the way, it seems questionable to me whether the Phoenix Five student group is more notable than the tv series (it's not important how large or good the article is). I guess you are from their university and they are well-known there but this is an international encyclopedia. PrimeHunter 12:32, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the advice! So, after the page is moved, and I copy and paste the content onto the redirect page, what else needs to be done? Wouldn't something eventually have to be deleted from the redirect page? Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by DEMKID (talk • contribs) 13:40, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

The copy and paste would remove the material from the redirect page. However, first you need to read our guidelines on notability. Frankly, an article such as the one you want to put here is not likely to survive, since there is no significant evidence that this is anything other than a college prank of interest only to the students at the two schools involved. The article you are seeking to displace is about a television series seen (albeit briefly) by an entire country. The college prank might get a couple of lines, if that much, in an article on one school or the other; but anything more would be undue emphasis on a trivial matter not noticed by the rest of the planet. This is, as PrimeHunter says, an international encyclopedia. --Orange Mike 13:48, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, if we're talking about noticibility by the rest of the planet, my brief counterargument would be this: My Phoenix Five involves arguably the biggest college rivalry in the state that had a population almost three times the size of Australia at comparable times. The story was publicized in the two largest state newspapers as well as the largest sports magazine in the country. At the time of the short-lived TV series, there were about 12 million Australians. At the time of the "trivial matter" there were about 33 million Californians. This of course, doesn't take into account the number of TV viewers who have left this planet within the past 37 years. I realize this is an international encyclopedia, but fair is fair! DEMKID 15:17, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Creating An Article

How do you do that? i have a great idea its just ive never cretaed a article on Wiki. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mcspazatron (talk • contribs) 11:54, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia dictionary

How to use Wikipedia dictionary ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.167.176.228 (talk) 12:04, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You may be thinking of Wiktionary, a dictionary that's a sister project of Wikipedia (created the same way under the 'anyone can edit' principle, and with the Wikimedia Foundation in charge, just as with Wikipedia). --ais523 12:09, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia with a policy against dictionary-like articles: Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not a dictionary. If you want to use Wikipedia then please be more specific about what you want to use it for. You can find some tips at Wikipedia:About#Making the best use of Wikipedia. PrimeHunter 12:39, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Foreign Language Support

Often, foreign language fonts do not appear correctly on my computer (I've just bought a MacBook). On my PC this was never an issue. Do I need to download something? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.199.91.115 (talk) 13:10, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You may need to download some font packages from Apple to get things to display right. This page should give you instructions and links about what to do. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 13:29, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] festivals of india

festivals of india

               project
                      where could i get this?

please help —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.184.5.98 (talk) 13:52, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you looking for WikiProject India, a group of editors that works to improve India-related articles, or are you trying to research something? If it's the latter, you should try asking your question in more detail at the Reference Desk, which specializes in knowledge questions. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 16:53, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Changing Name of Article

How do I change the name of an article? I want to change "Marine Biological Laboratory" to "Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)" as the MBL is widely known as the MBL!

Thanks,

Dianakenney 14:17, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I see that you moved the talk page. I've moved it back. See our naming conventions. The only reason to place the name in parentheses like that would be to differentiate it from another item of the same name. MBL is a disambiguation page for othr MBL's. I think the name is good for this, if someone is looking for this MBL, they'll find it by searching for MBL. Leebo ^T/C 14:33, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul being abused by Ron Paul supporters

This article is being used as part of the Ron Paul campaign. Any attempt to move it to a neutral point of view is overwritten by Ron Pauls supporters.

Michaelh613 14:28, 11 October 2007 (UTC)michaelh613

This page is for help with using Wikipedia. If you're looking for dispute resolution... that would be Wikipedia:Dispute resolution. We can't solve content conflicts here. Leebo ^T/C 14:36, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] how do i post a comment on a deletion discussion?

how do i post a comment on a deletion discussion? Sfarim 14:51, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You can do that the same way you edit any page: By clicking the "edit this page" tab at the top and leaving your comment. Leebo ^T/C 14:55, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] help

how do you make a stub —Preceding unsigned comment added by Capricemosley (talk • contribs) 14:59, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Stub. Are you trying to create a stub article or a stub type? Leebo ^T/C 15:12, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] After submitting definition how long does it take to post

I submitted a definition in the sandbox and then thought that I would be able to go back and see once I saved. Does this process take time to post? Is it edited, confirmed? I am not able to go back and see. Can you help me? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Currentenergy (talk • contribs) 15:46, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Generally speaking, you can see an edit immediately after it's saved. Sometimes, due to caching problems, the edit is saved but you don't see its affect on the screen; in such cases, add ?action=purge to the end of the URL of the page you saved the edit on, and you should be able to see the edit then. There is no time delay between submitting and the appearance of the edit. --ais523 15:52, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

You can find your old edits by clicking "my contributions" (at the top depending on your skin). Sandbox edits are just for testing. They are not reviewed by others and quickly overwritten by other test edits. Your edit is here. PrimeHunter 18:58, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You edited Wikipedia:Sandbox‎. That's just a test area, and is not meant for the contents to be kept. Corvus cornix 18:55, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] PC SIG files

I searched for this topic. I'm looking for a list of all the files but I can't figure what they might be under.

PC SIG stands for Personal Computer Software Interest Group. They used to distribute freeware number by PCSIG numbers.

If you have an answer, contact me at <email removed for your security. Read the notice at the top of the page.> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.41.181.94 (talk) 16:20, 11 October 2007 (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 is what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link, select the relevant section, and ask away. I hope this helps. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 16:49, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

It sounds like you might be looking for files that were in the old Simtel archive. --Teratornis 21:08, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] questions

i was wondering how to advertise a new business that i just started and i want to tell people about these wonderful deals

thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jbrooks1997 (talk • contribs) 16:33, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

This page is for help with using Wikipedia. We cannot help you advertise a business, because Wikipedia is a neutral encyclopedia, not a platform for advertising or promotion. Leebo ^T/C 16:35, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You probably should've looked into that before you started your business. I suggest you head to the library and pick up some recent books on the subject. - Mgm|^(talk) 22:09, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] how can I find my search history in wikipedia

Hello, sometimes I need find my previous browse history in wiki, how can I do that? Thank~ —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shanfeng (talk • contribs) 16:51, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia doesn't record that, for privacy reasons. Your Web browser may record it, though; look for a 'History' feature on the menus or toolbars, which many browsers will provide, that shows you which web pages you've visited recently. --ais523 16:54, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

^{(Edit conflict)} You'll have to check in your internet browser's history (Usually a button that looks like a clock or Ctrl+H in most browsers). Wikipedia does not keep track of the pages you look at, only those you edit. If you're looking for what you've edited, that would be here. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 16:55, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You may want to install a desktop search engine such as Google Desktop, Beagle (software), or Spotlight (software). These allow you search (among other things) the pages in your Web browser's history. --Teratornis 17:29, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] disputing a change made to an article

How do I dispute and have an administrator review a recent change made to an article? Someone added an external link to their website to an article I created that has no relevance to the subject of the article, but is related to the subject's theme. I see it as a bid to link to their business, and does not in any way provide additional information about the actual company discussed in the article. But I don't know if what they did is within editorial guidelines.

The page is Home Decor Products.

Thank you - SyrinxZ 17:24, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I took a look at the link and (a) it doesn't have anything to do with the topic of the article, and (b) it linked to a site that was designed to sell home decor products with a bunch of specious "definitions". So I removed the link. I'm not an administrator, but it didn't seem unreasonable -- this is called "linkspam" in Wikipedia terms. Accounting4Taste 17:34, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Thank you very much! SyrinxZ 17:36, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

My pleasure. You could actually have removed this yourself, although it's to your credit that you consulted first. One of Wikipedia's tenets is "Be bold!". But if you created the article yourself, it's reasonable to discuss changes with other editors to avoid the appearance of "ownership" of the article. So, well handled, IMHO. Accounting4Taste 17:45, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Viewing Wikipedia

The blue linked words throughout Wikipedia overlap the regular faced words making it extremely difficult to read anything. Is there a cure for this?

Thanks!

-S —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.232.226.82 (talk) 17:37, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I've never heard of a problem like that before. First, try bypassing your cache, to make sure that you've got the most recent version of the stylesheets and to get rid of any incorrect version that your browser may have cached. If that doesn't help, the technical village pump is likely to have more ideas about what's going on. --ais523 17:40, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

[edit] Renaming username

I have currently two accounts, one under a nickname, and one with my real name. I would like to dismiss the nickname, but preserve the edits (I have it since a long time). Is it possible to "rename" my nicknamed entry to my real name?

Thanks for the help --munehiro 18:44, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Changing username if you'd like to rename your account. If the name you want already exists, but hasn't edited, you can go to Wikipedia:Changing username/Usurpations. Leebo ^T/C 18:46, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

(edit conflict) You can request that an account is renamed to a nonexisting name (see Wikipedia:Changing username), although such requests are not always accepted. There's no way to merge two accounts on the same wiki into one, though (if contributions were made by two different accounts, then they will always appear with different associated usernames). --ais523 18:47, 11 October 2007 (U T C)

If you haven't edited with the name you want to usurp (your real name) then you can request that. Leebo ^T/C 18:49, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Problems with < math >

I have problems controlling < math > command within wiki language. For example on page Mean free path: <math>\ell = (n\sigma)^{-1}</math> gives a nice looking equation :

$\ell = (n\sigma)^{-1}$

but <math>dI = -I n \sigma dx</math>

d I = - I n σ d x

does not. How do I convince wiki to treat second case the same way as first. A second question: Is there a way to search wikipedia help pages and village pump pages without searching all wikipedia articles? --Jarekt 19:00, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

As for your math question, I'm not quite sure what you're aiming for. The equation that's being displayed on my computer should be correct based on what you're putting in the code. I don't see anything wrong with it.

As for the searching question, yes there is. Go to Google or another search engine and add "site:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:" or "site:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump" to the end of your search string. That should return only pages in the Help: namespace (in the first case) or within the VP pages (in the second case). Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 20:36, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks--Jarekt 21:07, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Maybe you see the first formula as a PNG image and the second as HTML. You can choose how to display math formulas for your account in Special:Preferences at the Math tab. And see Help:Displaying a formula#Forced PNG rendering for how to force others to see PNG. Note that PNG loads slower and many people prefer to avoid it when possible. PrimeHunter 20:54, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

So that what it was. I have to say that HTML version looked horrible, mostly due to a very small font. Thanks --Jarekt 21:07, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Editing Kathleen Kennedy page

Hi, I work with 42West, the PR Agency that handles Kathleen Kennedy. On her page, her birth date and location are incorrect. I tried to correct it using the "edit" button and saving the changes, but it still shows the old information. Her birthday should be listed as June 5, 1953 in Berkeley CA. It is currently listed as Dec 9, 1954 in Surprise, AZ. Please let me know how we can correct this as soon as possible.

76.79.80.82 19:35, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You probably just have to bypass your browser's cache, because your edit did in fact get saved and the page looks fine to me. Leebo ^T/C 19:39, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Uploading images

I've included an image (Image:Monmouth Council patch.jpg for the article Scouting in New Jersey. I didn't realize that the image had so much extra white space in it. I cropped the image, and reloaded it with the same filename. Strange thing—the image in the page seemed to want to retain the same size, causing the thumbnail to be distorted. I reverted back to the original, but I'd like to know how to fix this, without having to load another image with a different filename. --Bwpach 19:37, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I've reverted back to the cropped version, and it seems to be working. If it still appears distorted on your computer, try clearing your cache or purging the server. If that still doesn't work, I'm really not sure what the problem would be. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 20:30, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks! It looks good now. Must have been a ghost. --Bwpach 20:42, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Finding my article

hello how do I know if my article is up and posted on Wikipedia? I keep searching my article and nothing appears? —Preceding unsigned comment added by PRWorld (talk • contribs) 21:02, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

According to your contributions, you haven't created any pages other than your user page. This means that it was deleted, or that you didn't click the "Save Page" button. You may want to review our Criteria for Speedy Deletion, which may explain why your page is no longer there. Searching in the Deletion log for your page may help shed more light on the subject. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 21:18, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Are you referring to your user page as it looked [2] before you blanked it? PrimeHunter 22:12, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Question from User:KevinErskine

Someone put an unauthorized story about me, I tried to remove it. Some User called "WriterListener" keeps replacing it. Every time I try to edit personal information out he restores it and threatens me whith blocking. What do I need to do short of retaining legal counsel??? KevinErskine 21:24, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You are using "Speedy Deletion" tags to contest the article. This article does not meet the criteria for speedy deletion. If you are Kevin Erskine, you seem to have been pretty widely written about and I do not believe you can simply remove the article. However, the article most strictly adhere to making only factual, sourced claims about its subject. See guidelines for biographies of living people for more detail on policy. Into The Fray ^T/C 21:30, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

(I kind of preferred it in the days when we would get "edit conflict" notices. :) --Moonriddengirl 21:37, 11 October 2007 (UTC))

As the editor has advised you on your talk page, you may request that the article Kevin Erskine be deleted at "articles for deletion", explaining there why you feel it is inappropriate. In the meantime, or instead, you might choose to discuss the situation at the Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons/Noticeboard if, after reading the biographies of living persons policy, you feel that your privacy is being unfairly infringed upon. The editors who man the BLP Noticeboard are generally experienced at looking out for and dealing with such situations, once it is called to their attention. --Moonriddengirl 21:36, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Also, please do not make legal threats on Wikipedia. They can result in your account being blocked. -- 68.156.149.62 21:44, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

On the article's talk page, you say you didn't authorize the page. Articles about people are almost never authorized by their subjects. Because we try to be neutral and objective. With the amount of verifiable information about you out there, I don't see how this article could affect your privacy and I don't see any immediate untruths. Without either of those, it's hard to make a case for alteration and without any non-fixable errors, it's incredibly hard to get the page deleted. - Mgm|^(talk) 22:05, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Alerts in Wikipedia

Hi,

I wanted to know if there is any tool available on Wikipedia, similar to the one on google news, where you can be sent an alert to your e-mail if someone makes a change to a specific wikipedia page you are interested in?

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.106.42.132 (talk) 21:25, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

The feature is possible in the software but has had to be switched off (if it was ever on) due to the fact it would involve sending too many e-mails. If you register an account, you can have a watchlist, however. GDonato (talk) 21:30, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Can I use a magazine cover for this?

For the Kata Kärkkäinen article, can I use the December '88 cover image? Basically, is the text of the article enough to justify the fair use tag that would be needed on the image? The image is here. Dismas|^(talk) 21:26, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes, that should be fine. The length of the article doesn't really matter when using images, although we do encourage a minimum of fair use images. Use the {{Non-free magazine cover}} tag and make sure the image and your rationale fits all criteria in WP:NFCC. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 21:35, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

No. Fair use images may only be used on an article about the magazine, not on an article about the subject of the image on the magazine's cover page. This is especially true for living people, since anybody with a camera can get a photo, unless the person is a hermit. Corvus cornix 22:14, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

But according to the tag, which states "...unless used to directly illustrate a point about the publication of the image". The image is specifically referred to in the article. The image from that cover was reused many times in Playboy special editions. Would this not constitute discussion of the image and not necessarily the subject? Dismas|^(talk) 22:23, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

My apologies, I'd forgotten about the "no fair use with people" rule. You should probably ask at Wikipedia talk:Copyrights/Can I use..., as the contributors there will have a much better idea of what to do in this situation. Corvus is correct in that fair use images of people generally aren't allowed, however since you are using it to illustrate her publication in Playboy, and no other image is going to show that, you may still be able to use it as stated previously. It's rather confusing, so I'd feel better about it if you asked a group that really does know what they're doing. Provide them with a link to the image and a link to this discussion so they don't just repeat what we've told you. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 22:34, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, I've listed it there. Dismas|^(talk) 03:17, 12 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Brown hair pic

Hey I need a picture of a teen boy with brown hair and a teen girl with blonde hair. Can you help? Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Frraasi Gaaodj (talk • contribs) 21:38, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

You should probably ask at the reference desk or try using the search functions. The Wikimedia Commons has a wider range of images that are all freely available. We're only here to help you use Wikipedia. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 22:28, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Entry was deleted?

I built an entry for The King's Cleaning Service, Inc. and it was removed. I was just wondering how come?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You Michael

Intravartolo 21:43, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

I remember it quite well, since I was the editor who tagged it yesterday evening for deletion (and it was actually deleted by an administrator). It was because it was totally an advertisement for your company, complete with company slogan and link to your website. If you're planning on creating another article about your own company -- and this is not something that Wikipedia encourages, because of its conflict of interest guidelines -- then you should ensure that the article maintains a neutral point of view, asserts notability with reference to arm's-length third-party sources (for instance, articles in newspapers and magazines), and is verifiable or, in other words, that another editor can check that the articles in newspapers and magazines that you've quoted are really in those newspapers and magazines. You may want to read up on the welcome message that I left you last night along with the notification that your article was tagged as spam -- it will give you guidelines for Wikipedia articles that you may want to know before you proceed. If I can be of any further help, you can leave a note on my talk page. Accounting4Taste 21:52, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

That entry was deleted because it was within the guidelines for speedy deletion. Its contents were directly copied from a commercial website and as a result it was an advert instead of a neutral encyclopedic entry. I suggest you try submitting it to Wikinfo or Yellowikis instead, but make sure you learn about their policies before you submit. Our rules about companies are at WP:CORP or WP:ORG. - Mgm|^(talk) 21:57, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

And see the pages: Wikipedia:Why was my article deleted? and Wikipedia:Business' FAQ. Another wiki you might try is Wikicompany, which wants to build a wiki listing every legally incorporated business if I understand its Policy page page correctly. --Teratornis 16:20, 12 October 2007 (UTC)