Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2007 October 16

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1 October 16

[edit] October 16

[edit] Article Lake Garda

In the Article Lake Garda the first picture (in the box) don't shows the Lake Garda. It shows the Lake Como. Look only at the boathouse in front of the picture. Sorry for my bad english. --62.226.6.216 01:02, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

A fellow editor covered this. He replaced the image with another one. - 131.211.210.12 08:15, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How can I make Wikipedia (or other MediaWiki sites) add page content when certain URLs are added to the page?

Problem: on pages where I'm adding links to an external book service, I'm getting a lot of questions from other users on how to sign up for the service. Unfortunately when they click through the URLs directly to the service, it doesn't give them any indication of where to go if they aren't already subscribed.

I'd like to automatically include a "sidebar", References link or some other recognizable callout, so that on any page where one of these URLs appear, there will also appear instructions like "Having trouble accessing the subscription content at the external links? Please go [here] to sign up."

I've experimented with Templates and they're helpful when I can visit the pages and manually insert the Template tag. However, I'd like to avoid having to track down all such pages as they're added by colleagues, strangers, etc - I'd just like the Wiki server to do this as soon as the page contains one of these URLs.

I.E. I'd like this "automation" to be able to recognize when the page contains a URL with one or more specific FQDNs, and to automatically append this "sidebar" text to the page's content. [I'd even be happy to generate the Template that would contain the inserted text.]

Request: can anyone tell me whether there's an extensibility capability in Wikipedia (or the MediaWiki software) that would allow me to do this -- _without_ having administrative privileges on the server? I'm hoping there's something similar to Templates, that the end user can create themselves, that would allow this kind of "auto-append" to work.

Thanks for any tips or hints you might have.--ParanoidMike 01:02, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I don't believe so, however you can search on the Mediawiki site. In general, however, it's discouraged to add sources to articles that require subscriptions, as it's more difficult for users to verify that information and may not be helpful to people researching that topic.

Note also that if you're asking how to do this on an external Wiki, we can only offer help with the English Wikipedia. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 01:33, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Mothballing

Is there a way to mothball, or freeze, pages? I currently have a number of pages on my watchlist for which I can not think of any legitmate reason to require a change, such as

past mediation cases in which I was the mediator;
archives of my talk pages;
simple templates in my userspace.

I only keep them on the watchlist to protect them from vandalism. I would be happy if I could shorten my watchlist. Would asking for page protection be appropriate in these cases, or is there a better way? (Ideally I would like to protect and unprotect pages in my userspace myself.) — Sebastian 02:27, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You've been here for quite a while, so if you know all of this, forgive me and skip to the end, but I'll add it for others to read who may not know the information: Page protection not done just to "freeze" a page because it appears to be "complete". Articles are an ever-changing thing, fluid and flexible, and this is part of what makes Wikipedia great; that millions of people can come together to improve information. What you may think requires no additional work, may be assisted by someone else by helping with grammar or spelling or formatting, or any number of other changes. Protection is done in extreme cases of disruption or vandalism to a page, usually only as a last resort. Locking people out of editing goes against the very basic purpose of Wikipedia: An Encyclopedia everyone can edit. If you'd like to shorten your watchlist, you can simply move the items into a subpage, such as User:SebastianHelm/Watch. This is what I often do, and it is quite helpful in keeping the number of pages on my watchlist down to under 300 or so. However, with regards to the specific items you mention: You could request partial protection of your own subpages (archives, templates) if you wish, but if you were to request full protection, only administrators could edit them, so you could make no changes. Normally archives are not a frequent target for vandalism, nor are templates, so it seems like just adding them to a subpage to keep an eye on them may work though. And I don't know that mediation pages would be protected unless they were undergoing heavy vandalism. Ariel♥Gold 02:42, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for your reply. I'm of course not asking for protection of articles; you're right in pointing out the good reasons why that wouldn't make sense. This is really only for pages that legitimately shouldn't change. Keeping them in a list (and using what links here) does indeed make the watchlist smaller, but that would be a Pyrrhic victory: Such a list not only has to be created and updated, but it requrires continuous monitoring. That would make things more complicated and increase work, instead of reducing it! — Sebastian 03:34, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

In general, archives and such will not be protected. They're not usually heavy targets for vandalism. The main motivation for vandals is that their "work" gets noticed and causes disruption - this isn't very likely for archives. The Protection Policy specifically states that semi-protection (and this can probably be extended to full protection as well) should and will never be used "As a preemptive measure against vandalism before any vandalism has occurred." I think you'd be safe removing the pages from your watchlist and just checking by them occasionally, if you really feel like you need to check them. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 04:55, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Hello Hersfold! It's nice to meet you again! Thanks to both of you, at least I know now that I'm not overlooking anything. Well, nothing is perfect; and I probably couldn't justify a feature request for it - I can live with it. — Sebastian 06:41, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Also note that there are occasionally legitimate reasons for other users to edit your talk page archives; see User:Android Mouse Bot 4, for instance. --ais523 08:21, 16 October 2007 (U T C)

As others have said, there are often legitimate reasons for editing such pages. I, for one, have made a personal "project" out of archiving talk pages and improving the archives with newer (and better IMO) navigation templates, so future readers will have an easier time reading old discussions.

I would actually like to see a "secondary Watchlist" for just such pages, something I check rarely but want to keep an eye on. For now, I just use a sandbox page with links, and glance through the history on those articles once in a while. -- Kesh 20:00, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] trademarks ?

I am looking for the factory trade (?) marks usually found

on the bottom of fine chine or porceline, viz: Dresden.

10/Q

RCP —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.244.42.195 (talk) 02:33, 16 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. Ariel♥Gold 02:38, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Make an article longer or split it into sub-pages?

I'm working on maintaining an article here Mississippi Sea Wolves, and since I started on it it's gotten to what I feel is about as long as is reasonable.

What is the accepted practice for determining when I should think about splitting an article into a main page and sub-pages or should I just let it grow as long as the information remains useful and appropriate? BiloxiGeek 03:07, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Article size and Wikipedia:Summary style. --Teratornis 03:14, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Incorrectly tagged WikiProject Biography articles

What does this mean and how do I fix it? I cannot find any explanation on Wiki. --Clhowson 03:07, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Where did you see the expression? Maybe Wikipedia:WikiProject Biography can be of help. PrimeHunter 03:24, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A Flickr sharing question

I have been asking people in users to change flickr photo permissions so that they can be uploaded to wikipedia. However, one photographer asked what would happen if the permission changed back to "copyright" after it was uploaded? For example

Monday - Photo was copyrighted.
Tuesday - Photo permission became "Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons". Uploaded to wikipedia
Wednesday -Photo permission changed back to copyrighted.

In this example, wikipedia is now holding an image that at one time had a good license. Not only that, but what if the user completely delete the image from flickr? Benjwong 05:00, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

It would be hard to prove, but having the image on Wikipedia would be completely legal. That's why you can't change the copyright status of material submit here, unless you do it to make the use more 'free'. Do people on flickr get a warning what releasing the image under a CC license could lead to before they do it? That should cut down testing changes considerably. - 131.211.210.12 07:59, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You have to opt in to CC on Flickr, so one would hope that users aren't seeking to change their licenses without any idea of what it means.

Back to the original question, if the image was uploaded to Commons, as it should be, the image would be put through the partially automated Flickrreview process, which would be able to state that image was under a free license at the time it was reviewed. Once the owner of an image gives up rights to put it under CC, those rights can not be revoked. In other words, even if the photographer deletes the image off Flickr and sends an angry letter to Wikipedia demanding that his image be removed, the Wikimedia Foundation is under no legal obligation to do so and can use the image under the terms of the CC license. - Banyan Tree 12:07, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] something that could help weki out

hey i dont know who you have to talk to but think of this maybe adding the idea of a forum type thing at the bottom of every page to have users speak their mind about the subject they just read —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jkane86 (talk • contribs) 06:35, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid such a feature doesn't help to reach Wikipedia's goals. There's already plenty of forums on the net where you can share your views on anything ranging from bricks to politics and everything in between. Such a feature would just hog server space. - 131.211.210.12 07:56, 16 October 2007 (UTC)
In case you don't know, there is a "discussion" tab at the top which leads to a talk page where improvements to the page can be discussed, but it's not for general discussion of the subject. PrimeHunter 12:03, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Issue with userpage

I have an issue with my userpage. I'm not a very good explainer, and my explination may be confusing, so I've provided a visualization HERE. I'm trying to put the service badge onto the page (I recently put "col-begin", "col-2", etc. into the page to put some items into columns). The problem is when I insert it in, the rest of the section (from "Wikipedia:Wikiproject..." down) moves down. I need the body to move up ("Templates", "friends" part to connect with the "Wikiprojects" header, while keeping the badge still on the right side. Thanks! The Chronic 07:19, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] improving of article

can anyone guide me as how to further improve my article? it has been deleted once already.

Boon Software

Thanks Dleewh 08:18, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

After a quick look, I think the article reads like an advertising brochure and some of the article is almost an exact copy of the company's website. For example: "...collaborative relationships with its clients through aligning their vision with their supply chain execution solutions, empowering their operations execution through best practices." is the kind of thing I could read here. If you are going to write about a company, you should not only ensure the company is notable, but take a look at the Wikipedia policies on the notability of companies and, if you have a close relationship with the company, the conflict of interest policy. Astronaut 09:46, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

See also Wikipedia:Business' FAQ. PrimeHunter 11:59, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the advice. however, why is it that my article is somewhat similar to Nike Communications or even Agility Logistics and theirs don't get deleted? Please further advice. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dleewh (talk • contribs) 02:32, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Appreciate if someone would review the article again as i have made improvements to the article. please do comment. thanks Dleewh 01:19, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] function of chief rector of University of Hyderabad

Insert non-formatted text here

Please remember to sign your posts with "~~~~". Do you have a question about using Wikipedia? Astronaut 10:33, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] format a text

Hello, I searched a lot the Wiki guide but i cannot find exactly what i need. I'd like to be able to position my text wherever i want in the screen. Example: <3 spaces>text <5 spaces> text <new line> text <8 spaces> text..... Is it possible? Many Thanks. Ettore Rossi —Preceding unsigned comment added by Spike ge (talk • contribs) 10:37, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Here are 3 methods which are suited for different situations. 1) Write   for every space you want and change line with <br> (this will usually not align words in consecutive lines due to non-fixed width fonts). 2) Start a line with a space and then write normally (produces a box around the text). 3) Make a table with text in different cells. Maybe we can give better advice if we know what you want to use it for. PrimeHunter 11:56, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You can create fixed-width text that allows multiple    spaces and newlines by starting the line with a space.
These two lines   are an example. (They're placed in a grey box.) --ais523 12:20, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks a lot for your help. I'm writing down some sql queries and they are better to be written with a precise formattation. I think the easiest way it's using   as you suggested. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Spike ge (talk • contribs) 13:23, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Source code is often written with a leading space, or inside <code>...</code>. PrimeHunter 15:19, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Meaning or the history of the word?

 Antartia

Thanks Annie —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.221.174.120 (talk) 11:06, 16 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. You might also want to fix the spelling of the word. I think you mean Antarctica. - Mgm|^(talk) 11:20, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] LInking To Wikipedia - is there an icon I can use ?

I see I can link to wikipedia freely with o permission needed but I would like to heve inks to several sites and would like an icon for each, hope this is usefull in explaining.

UK       G    T    W
USA      G    T    W
key G=official goverment site, T=tourist board   W=Wikipedia

I would like an icon for each link. I will design my own for the "G" ans "T" and will use a W design if I get no reply. Have tried to email Wikipedia but no responce from others that ave designed icons on th site.

Ashley Hellier

If this is the wrong plase to ask then sorry but I ust can't find where to ask —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.19.66.33 (talk) 13:30, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

The Wikipedia logo is trademark and copyright by the Wikimedia Foundation, so there are potentially problems in using that. You might want to use the Wikipedia favicon to mark the link; see Image:Wikipedia's W.svg for a scaleable GFDL- and CC-by-sa-2.5-licenced version of the image. You could either use that (follow the links on that page to find out more about the licences you can use it under; the CC-by-sa-2.5 licence is the one you'll likely end up using the image under if you go down that path), or you could just make your own image that looked similar. --ais523 13:41, 16 October 2007 (U T C)

Thanks for your help. I will use the "W" favicon

(I indented three lines in the question so they would format the way you were probably trying to format them. We're not supposed to edit other people's stuff on the Help desk, but in this case the formatting was crying out to be preserved.) I tried a Google search for "link to Wikipedia" in the Wikipedia: (Project:) namespace, but I did not find anything about a suitable icon for linking to Wikipedia from other Web sites. However, I did not look too far into the search results. Given the vast numbers of other sites that link to Wikipedia, one would think someone has thought of a nice way to do that. One would also think that somewhere in Wikipedia's project pages, someone has written about that. --Teratornis 13:57, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Should I Remove an External Link.

I have noticed that in the Virgin 1 article, the designer of the station logo has placed an external link to his website. Being new to Wikipedia I am not confident in removing this link, it seems to be self-promotion but could also be seen as a point of interest. Is there some way I can consult more experienced Wikipedians about this? What would the correct procedure be? Should I raise the matter on the articles discussion page? Prking68 14:34, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, the way you remove a link is simply to edit it out of the page. As for whether you should remove it or not, Wikipedia:External links and Wikipedia:Spam are the most relevant project pages; if you're not sure, you could ask Wikipedia:WikiProject Spam for their opinion. --ais523 14:37, 16 October 2007 (U T C)

It certainly seems a fair assumption that it was added [1] by the designer (only edit by 6 minutes old account). I reverted it. PrimeHunter 15:10, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia automitically on a search engilne

HOW DO I GET WIKIPEDIA LISTED ON MY FAVORITES. SOMETIMES WHEN I AM ON A SEARCH ENGINE MAKING INQUIRIES IT AUTOMITACALLY JUMPS TO WIKIPEDIA.

Seymour Ross <contact info removed for your security> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.233.152.254 (talk) 14:49, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Welcome to Wikipedia. Can you be a bit more specific? What browser and search engine are you using? I've removed your contact information for your security; see the warning at the top of the page. Leebo ^T/C 15:26, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

A Wikipedia page is often the first search result, so if you use Google's "I'm feeling lucky" then you will often jump to Wikipedia. This is unrelated to your favorites. If you have Internet Explorer and want a page in your favorites then go to the page and click "Favorites" or possibly a yellow star with a green plus. Then there should be an option to add the page to favorites. PrimeHunter 15:33, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Editing main title?

Today I created an entry for End Water Poverty. I would like to Edit the main title so that all the words are capped up, is this possible? Isabellam 15:12, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You need to 'move' or 'rename' the page. Because your account is at least 4 days old, you can rename a page by clicking on the 'move' tab at the top of the page, and entering a new name. See Help:Merging and moving pages for more information. --ais523 15:20, 16 October 2007 (U T C)

Wow, great, thanks so much for your help! Isabellam 15:25, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] cant edit the rs page

hi i have noticed several major mistakes in your runescape article (just search runescape and its the first one that comes up) and i want to know how to correct them. i know there should be a edit button but i cant find it so what should i do?---- —Preceding unsigned comment added by Terr ible 002 (talk • contribs) 15:45, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

It has been semi protected so that only established editors can edit it. If you have suggestions go to the talk page and add your suggestions there. If they are reasonable, editors will add them in. It has been protected due to an unusually high level of vandalism edits. Hope this helps. Woodym555 15:52, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

The article's been unprotected. Seeing as you are a new user, please see our welcome page. Best, PeaceNT 15:56, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Conflict of interest

Hi, I created the entry for end water poverty today and the article has now been flagged with conflict of interest/neutrality/advertisment. Is there any way I can make my case or are there any edits I can make that will remove these boxes? If not, it would probably be better that this entry is removed. What would be the best way to go about doing that? Thanks! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Isabellam (talk • contribs) 15:54, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Please see WP:COI, the article is currently in need of reliable third party sources so notability can be verified. Please try improving the article. Best, PeaceNT 15:58, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Finding

How do you make something respond to certain words. Like if you search for games, it will show relevant. Or naruto. Um like, if you did a search bar like naruto, how would you make the page come up for that because it's naruto related. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kirerellim (talk • contribs) 16:02, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps you could clarify your question further? Are you looking for help on the search function of wikipedia? — Lost^(talk) 16:30, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

If you want something to come up if you put in a certain word, even if it doesn't have much to do with that word. 24.113.246.98 19:20, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not a search engine; we do not have that capacity, and probably never will. --Orange Mike 19:25, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

Darn. But, it has a search bar. Whats that for if you cant search? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.113.246.98 (talk) 04:29, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] problems with footnotes

Inver471ness 16:06, 16 October 2007 (UTC)I believe that I have managed to get the cited references formatted properly in my( first ever ) article in my sandbox.

However, even though I have read the instructions, I am confused (stymied ) as to how to refer to three explanatory footnotes which I have placed at the end of the article. In the article itself I have used one, two and three asterisks respectively to refer to the footnotes, but I do not understand how to refer to these asterisks at the beginning of each footnote. I don't think I should be including cited references and footnotes in the same list.

 I would appreciate some advice, or even someone cleaning this up for me.

I am new to Wikipedia, but I have had experience writing scientific articles in journals. This problem has me beaten, however.

Welcome to Wikipedia. The most common method of footnoting involves the use of reference tags (e.g. <ref>your citation</ref>) and the {{Reflist}} template (which organizes the references you placed within tags). You can read about this at Wikipedia:Footnotes. Leebo ^T/C 16:27, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How do I tag an article?

I found an article that really needs to be separated into two articles? Where can I find the tag to put on this so I and others can work on it?

Heismanhoosier 16:39, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You'll probably want the {{split}} template; make sure you read all the instructions for it first though, located at Template:Split. Good luck! GlassCobra 16:48, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] how to cite wikipedia as a source

How do I cite wikipedia as a source for my college paper (who is the editor of the site)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.209.6.219 (talk) 16:59, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia is edited by anyone and everyone who wishes to contribute, it's an open wiki. You can find information about citing Wikipedia at Wikipedia:Citing Wikipedia, but you should be aware that most schools, universities, teachers, and professors don't allow citing Wikipedia as a source. Firstly, because Wikipedia makes no guarantee of validity (see: Wikipedia:General disclaimer) and because it's an encyclopedia, a tertiary source, the use of which in a paper represents poor research in most of academia's opinions. Your best bet is to use Wikipedia as a starting point and follow the references listed within the articles. Leebo ^T/C 17:05, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Vandalism

I was bored and vandalised wikipedia twice and im sorry and i want to take it back, how can i do this? 82.3.0.69 17:28, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Your vandalism on Hemoglobin has already been reverted. All you need do now is make more constructive edits in the future. Why not write an article on something you know a lot about? If necessary, ask for specific advice from one of us. No doubt you'll enjoy it. Lots of luck, Bessel Dekker 17:35, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia has some constructive editors who started out as vandals. See: WP:MOTIVATION#Ex-vandals and User:JetLover/Vandal Rehabilitation. If you find the guilt overwhelming even after you make some constructive edits, you might try this guy's methods for mortification of the flesh. --Teratornis 20:48, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

That should certainly bring the hemoglobin out. Bessel Dekker 02:52, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

You don't need to be an expert at anything to help. We need lots of help with spelling, formatting, and general wikification. Go to Wikipedia:Community Portal (linked from the left sidebar on every page) to find lists of articles that need help. spend at least as much time helping as you did vandalizing. You will probably find that it's fun. If so, keep helping. -Arch dude 21:45, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] re: "Boston Community Capital"

I am attempting to build this entry; it was tagged for speedy deletion and taken off the site as I was assembling outside sources and the necessary supporting materials to adequately support it; i.e., as I was writing it and before there was any time to complete the entry.

An article on BCC would be of practical value to anyone researching community finance, CDFIs, community development in New England, or any related topic on Wikipedia.

Based on the presence of "CDFI" and the few other CDFIs I have found on Wikipedia, it seems clear that BCC would be a consistent and useful addition. BCC was an inaugural recipient of the CDFI award, is a nationally significant CDFI in terms of volume ($250MM invested or lent), and its work with New Market Tax Credits (for which Wikipedia should also have an entry, and which I would be happy to create) allocations as well as equity equivalents are of value to anyone researching innovators in this field.

Presuming this fits the criteria of usefulness and edification set by Wikipedia-- which I would be surprised if it did not-- I would also appreciate a little advice in how to avoid having the entry taken down as I am creating it. I understand the requirements for 3rd party sources, etc., but it is hard to create the entry if it gets taken down as you build it up.

thanks,

Slimbuttons 17:57, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Without offering an opinion on whether this organization is noteworthy enough to merit an article, I might suggest that you try composing the article in a word processing application such as Word, include reliable sources and citations in your document, and then paste the more-or-less finished article into the editing box in Wikipedia. Marco polo 18:03, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

thanks, marco. Slimbuttons 18:06, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Another option would be to write the article in your sandbox: User:Slimbuttons/sandbox/Boston Community Capital. Sbowers3 02:45, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Table Formating Questions

Where do I find table formating info? ie, how to make the columns a set width, make the table lines disappear etc? Rocketmaniac 18:26, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Help:Table should have the information you need - in order to remove the border, you can add style="border: 0px;" to the table parameters - to make columns a set width, add width="###px" above each cell in that column. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 19:45, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

If Help:Table does not answer all your questions, see the additional links at WP:EIW#Table. --Teratornis 20:50, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Splitting Lists

I am also looking for information. There is a large list I am trying to split in half. Thank you. --192.193.220.202 19:17, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Could you provide a link so we know what you're referring to? You can modify the list by clicking the "edit this tab" link at the top of the page, but in order to create a new page, you will need to register an account or request that another editor do this for you. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 19:45, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Naming conventions (long lists) may be of interest. Also see: WP:EIW#Lists. --Teratornis 20:53, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Question about source lang="php"

I like how the use of source lang="php" works on Wikipedia, but I've had problems using it in other MediaWiki installations. Do I need to install something or adjust a setting to get it to work? In the example I've been using, it simply reiterates the text of the tag, rather than implementing the tag. Duckingham 18:51, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

We're only able to offer help with the English Wikipedia - I think you'd have better luck at the Tech Village Pump or the Mediawiki site. Sorry. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 19:41, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I think you refer to mw:Extension:SyntaxHighlight GeSHi. That is an extension, which a system administrator has to install in MediaWiki to enable syntax highlighting. To see the extensions installed on a MediaWiki wiki, browse to its Special:Version page. Installing an extension requires "shell access" to the server that runs MediaWiki for your wiki. This is more than even a bureaucrat can do from inside the wiki itself. --Teratornis 21:09, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. That helped!!! Duckingham 14:11, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] how do i change the name of an existing page which has been spelt wrongly?

how do i change the name of an existing page which has been spelt wrongly? adarsh hospital has to be ADHARSH HOSPITAL please help..thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Adu65 (talk • contribs) 18:53, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Once your account is at least four days old, you can click the "move" tab at the top of the page. Someone's already done this for you. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 19:39, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Make sure you pay attention to capitalization when you move a page. - Mgm|^(talk) 04:48, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Accuracy of my company's information

I have been asked by my company to periodically check the accuracy of the company's information on Wikipedia. This request was made because previously we had noticed some inaccurate information (it has since been updated). I have used my real name in creating an account and provided Wikipedia my company e-mail address so that everything is completely transparent.

Is it acceptable for me to make factual changes to information about my company (AAA) and also to be the source of the information? Several years ago I developed a history for the company (http://www.aaanewsroom.net/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=5&SubCategoryID=13&ContentID=83&) with the assistance of our research library. In addition, my department updates certain statistics every year some of which are included on Wikipedia. I (or my department) am probably the best resource for the information and would like to keep Wikipedia's information accurate. Jgraziani 20:22, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

In general, this would be discouraged, for the reasons discussed in Wikipedia:Business'_FAQ. (Essentially as this is a conflict of interest, and may lead to non-neutral articles). That said though, if your goal is to correct small mistakes in a neutral fashion, I'd discuss it on the articles talk page first. Best, --Bfigura ^(talk) 20:28, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I suggest explaining your COI, your concern and a proposed course of action on the article talk page. For example, "I work for the company that is the subject of this article. I noticed X, Y and Z are wrong, as you can see from [external link to credible page]. If there are no objections in the next seven days (and if nobody beats me to it), I'll correct the article myself." Then, assuming that editors see nothing wrong and are as laid-back as usual, make your edits after seven days. Please source your edits. Making edits that are more extensive than you've indicated on the article discussion page is sure to incur someone's ire. If you wish to confirm your account's organizational affiliation (the lack of which may in some cases lead to accusations of impersonation - a blockable offense), please send a note to the email address listed at the bottom of Wikipedia:Contact us/Article problem/Factual error (from subject) from an official address, being sure to mention your username. This will result in a volunteer doing the thankless job of fielding complaints from the general public placing a note on your user talk page once it is processed. - Banyan Tree 00:26, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] AmiDaniel and Vandal Proof

Hello. When I have searched for Vandal Proof, I was redirected to AmiDaniel's userpage. I believe that most Wikipedians are good, but I am only getting this program just to be safe rather than sorry. I do not mean anything offensive, but AmiDaniel is not a fraud artist setting up a redirect to his or her userpage to harm Wikipedians who have applied for Vandal Proof? Right? Thanks in advance. --Mayfare 20:39, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

The page in question is: WP:VPRF (a shortcut that redirects to: User:AmiDaniel/VandalProof). To estimate the "legitimacy" of a user page on Wikipedia, one indicator is the number of backlinks to it, in this case: Special:Whatlinkshere/User:AmiDaniel/VandalProof. Given that more than 1,000 pages (most of them other user pages) link to WP:VPRF, the odds are extremely high that the page is legitimate. If zero or few other pages link to a particular user page, then you should be suspicious of downloading programs from it. --Teratornis 21:00, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

All the same, you could pick some users from the list of backlinks, and leave questions on their talk pages about how they like the VandalProof application. It never hurts to get a few more opinions before you proceed. --Teratornis 21:03, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Parameter expansion

Not sure if there's a subpage or alternative forum for technical questions, but here goes. Is there any known workaround to the issue of template parameters not expanding when they're contained within html tags? If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're unlikely to know the answer... Happy‑melon 20:47, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You could try Wikipedia:Village pump (technical), which should suit your needs. Woodym555 21:06, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Protecting user sandboxes?

Not sure if this is allowed, but here's what I was thinking: My sandbox is of more use to me as a sort of 'scratchpad' area, so I'm thinking I'd like to be able to protect it so I can leave stuff there that's for my reference/WIP. Is this allowed? Or am I missing the point? Thanks, either way. ¥ Jacky Tar 21:13, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I'll reply at user talk. Shalom (Hello • Peace) 21:26, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Help

Hi my name is Elizabeth Lee.I am 10 years old and in 5th grade.I am trying to use the dictionary for my defnition paper for school.Probem is it won't give me the definition.Please help me.

Sincerely, Elizabeth A. Lee 5th grader —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.180.39.137 (talk) 21:27, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not a dictonary, it's an encylopaedia. You might have more luck at Wiktionary. AngelOfSadness talk 21:30, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You probably need to look up words at Wiktionary, the Wikipedia-style dictionary. I can't tell you how to do that. If you're not finding the word you're looking for, you might have misspelled it. Try a different spelling. Shalom (Hello • Peace) 21:31, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

You could try: dictionary Com. It's free and you can hear the pronunciation of most words Ron Barker 14:37, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] BCAT

Hello,

I've been having trouble editing the reference section from the BCAT entry. found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Community_Access_Television

I want to change BRIC/Information & Culture to BRIC Arts|Media|Brooklyn.

The site seems to be using a Template Reflist and only says:

in the editable page but no text for BRIC.

Thanks for helping Seelos66 22:49, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Such a reference is edited where it's referenced in the text and not where it is displayed. Click the little link at the reference to see where in the text it comes from. PrimeHunter 23:41, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Adding source citations

After searching the FAQ for an hour or so I still have not found anything I recognize as telling me how to add "Socurce Citations" to edits that I have made to an artical.

This morning I changed the artical on Catherine Anne Hubback, my Great-Great-Grandmother, adding the full date and time of her death and the time frame in which she moved to the new location. The date and place of her death was taken from the "Index to Death Records of Prince William Counth Virginia Prior to 1912", "RELIC Bull Run Reg. Lib, Manassas, Va" found with a google seach. The time frame of her relocation to Virginia is taken from an artical found at victorianweb.org/authors/hubback/3.html" titled Englishwomen and Chinamen: Domestic Chores in the American West and notes in her copy, in my files, of the Book of Common Prayor of the Church of England 1868.

Please send me exact instructions about how to add these citations to my entry or make the entries for me.

Thank You,

Daniel F. Hughes —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.143.107.50 (talk) 23:23, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Citing sources. PrimeHunter 23:36, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

The easiest way to insert a citation is to copy and paste the following, then fill in the fields.

<ref>{{cite web 
  | author = 
  | title = 
  | publisher = 
  | url = 
  | date = 
  | accessdate =  }}</ref>

Then at the end of the article, add a section named References or Notes and add one line:
{{reflist}}
Sbowers3 03:05, 17 October 2007 (UTC)