Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2007 February 27

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February 27[edit]

Aerial Photos[edit]

Are there any places I can get a free aerial photo to use in an article? Or, if not, would images from Google Maps, etc. be fair use for an article about a geographic place? (Mackinac Island) Mr.Z-mantalk¢ 00:23, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe you could try NASA World Wind? That's PD, although I'm not sure how detailed the images are; see their site for some screenshots. Hope this helps. Niels|en talk-nl talk (faster response)| 00:29, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The map situation on Wikipedia is currently less than ideal. See m:Maps for some ongoing efforts to improve things. As to what data you can use, that depends on where the location is. Mackinac Island is in the United States, so you may be in luck; free map data tends to be more available for locations in the US than in many other developed countries, for example, because the U.S. government does not copyright its works. The US government is remarkably progressive when it comes to giving away map data. However, note that Mackinac Island already links to a page of map links; click on the infobox entry: Coordinates 45°51′40″N, 84°37′50″W. Is that page of links not enough? --Teratornis 00:37, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Upon further reflection, I have these ideas:
  1. The map thumbnail in the Mackinac Island article infobox links to: Image:Mackinac.png which does look a bit plain. USGS Digital raster graphic files look much better (for example, compare to: Image:Topographic map example.png), and DRG files are in the public domain. Perhaps Mr.Z-man would feel motivated to upload the DRG file for this location, cropped and centered, and replace the existing infobox thumbnail with it.
  2. Wouldn't it be great if we could upload all the DRG files to Wikimedia Commons? Then someone could write a template that takes a coordinate pair, and returns a cropped centered thumbnail of the DRG containing that location. Ah yes, I can dream.
  3. While the infobox entry: Coordinates 45°51′40″N, 84°37′50″W already does link to a page full of map links, the link itself in the infobox may be too subtle and unobvious for the inexperienced Wikipedia reader. The map thumbnail just above the coordinates link is much more visually compelling, and might act as a red herring to cause some unfamiliar readers to overlook the rich trove of unadvertised map links. I'm trying to think of tasteful a way to make the coordinates link sell itself better. How about adding some informative mouseover ("alt") text to it? For example: "For more map links, see: http://..." Currently the mouseover text is just the default, which is the rather uncompelling URL. However, Help:Link#"Hover box" on links does not tell how to change this text, and such a change would be to the infobox template, and these types of infobox templates appear widely. It would be best to discuss such a change with the people who maintain these templates.
--Teratornis 16:51, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Okay, I managed to get a better map, and I found out how to do mouseover text. The problem was that the coordinates are already a template with another template in it, both full-protected. I just subst'd both templates and inserted the text inside it, then copied it all back into the infobox. See here for info on how to do it with other links. Mr.Z-mantalk¢ 03:53, 28 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Gennessee[edit]

I would like to start an article with the headline Gennessee and this is already used as a township in Minnesota can I still create this article?

If the "Gennessee" that you're writing the article about is notable enough to warrant an article, then yes. See Wikipedia:Disambiguation to see how to differentiate between the two articles. Dismas|(talk) 00:56, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]


Warning / Reporting[edit]

What is the template tag for this box? Thanks in advance! Zomic_13 01:37, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Your repeated efforts to vandalize articles makes it seem that you are unaware that Wikipedia is a serious project. You have been reported to the administration group for continuing vandalism and an administrator will review your contributions shortly. You may not receive another warning before being blocked, so be careful and be serious from now on. If you are blocked, please reconsider your behavior once the block expires.

{{Non-admin fwarn}} *Mishatx*-In\Out 02:19, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Does this automatically alert an admin, or is another step required to alert an admin? Zomic_13 03:51, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You need another step. You only post this template after they've continued to vandalize after receiving a proper set of warnings and after you've alerted the admins. You alert the admins by listing the vandal at WP:AIV by following the steps listed there. delldot talk 04:18, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Note however there is a template Template:BV which can be used for cases of obvious vandalism. I'm a strong fan of using it when there is obvious vandalism. I'm not talking about edit or content disputes which some editors mischaracterise as vandalism or cases when uses don't understand our policies but cases when people add things like someone sucks or whatever. This template should generally be sufficient warning and you can request they be blocked if they continue to vandalise after it. Of course what admins do is up to them. Nil Einne 10:55, 1 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

HELP ME PLEASE[edit]

I am being harrased on the Inuktitut Wikipedia and there is a homophobic vandal insulting me accusing me of recruiting homosexuals and breaking the law and trying to intimidate me that Jimbo Wales is going to shut iu-wp down if i dont do as he says. he has used lots of homphobic rhetoric and has violated many rules, 3rr and erasing comments on his talk page, i am basically the only editor on that edition, the sole native speakers and there are some english speaking admins but theyre not around the main one thogo has his internet down for the week, i need help, there is no semiprotection or protection templates made yet and this is an unregistered user who is not a speaker or writer and has made no contributions except removing any images depicting same sex kissing, hugging or sex from articles such as kiss, love, and the category for sex he says its against the rules and pornographic but he has even touched the oral sex or sex articles which show heterpsexual sex as examples. has called me names, immoral, decadent, accused me of being gay which i am not, and says im trying to recurit gays, he has also replaced images with low quality pictures of a boy-girl kiss for every circumstance and also a very very small picture of a heart which cant be made larger, and he removed the captions to the old pictures, there is not much content per article and inuktitut is in danger of extintion as it is a declining native language, and hes removing text. i have tried to talk to him but he is unresponsive, the only thing i did wrong to my knowledge was unknowingly put an explicit image to represent the sex category on the main page, he told me i was breaking the law and i would be reported and left the section blank and with no other picture, so i the picture was that of a woman performing fellatio on a man, a real photograpgh from commons, so i put in what i thought was more appropriate a french paintign of a two men having sex with a naked woman fanning in an egyptian palace withj pyramids in the backround, mind you that the image was a thumbnail betwen 65 and 85 px and you couldne even see the penis really, so i was told that wikipedia is not censored, except the main page, he added a picture or a boy-girl kiss but i thought it was crappy and unrepresentative of the category sex so i chose a non graphic image of a japanese painign showing a two men having sex with only a small glimps betwen the robe, not genitals or butt are visible and they are otherwsie fully clothes, some pubic hair is noticeable on the penetrqator when you blow the image up, tgere is a woman observing, furthermore he is making me feel very uncomfortable, im pretty sure that pic is okay "good faith" and if not i had another picture in mind which might be even better two people supposedly having sex another painting from japan but nothing can be seen they are fullow robbed they could be wrestling, they could be having sex or touching each other and you cant quite tell if theyre men women or a man and woman, alltho they are men, that image would be even less controvertial. i dont know what to do please help me. i am User:Qrc2006 on the Inuktitut Wikipedia PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME what can i do? how can this be resolved? see him here71.142.68.229 03:58, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Qrc2006, that sounds like a bad situation, but not impossible to deal with. I do have a few suggestions. First, stay cool. You're really upset about this: take a breather, some time off maybe. Realize that it is not the end of the world, whatever happens. The threats aren't credible, so just ignore them. Don't resort to edit warring yourself; be the more mature party. Second, bring this up with other sincere users. This is a content dispute. Though I have no knowledge of that wikipedia, I imagine it has somewhat similar dispute resolution processes as we have. Learn about the dispute resolution process and engage in it. Maybe they have something similar to WP:AN/I. You're right that Wikipedia's not censored and the user shouldn't be letting their own values affect the content; other users will see this and take your side. Bring the issue up with them in a calm, rational way. Provide diffs to back up your claims about what the person is doing: go into the history of a page, find the edit that the person made that you want to refer to, click on the "last" button, copy the text in the URL bar and paste it within [brackets] to provide the evidence of what they're doing. Also, consider toning down your language. You come across as kind of panicky, and that may turn users off. I'm glad to help further, but I don't speak the language. Leave me a message on my talk page if you have any questions or want to discuss anything. delldot talk 04:09, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Bradley University sites redirect to wiki search for Lydia[edit]

I was just wondering if anybody could explain to me why all of the sudden, anytime I try to visit bradley.edu/foodservice, bradley.edu/registrar, bradley.edu/campusorg etc. I am redirected to a wikipedia search for "Lydia" — Preceding unsigned comment added by 136.176.104.77 (talk) 04:01, 27 February 2007

It sounds like someone may have compromised either your computer or Bradley University's computers. I suggest calling your school's helpdesk. *Mishatx*-In\Out 04:16, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
bradley.edu/foodservice/, bradley.edu/registrar/, and bradley.edu/campusorg/ all work fine. Veinor (talk to me) 04:17, 27 February 2007 (

Not sure but try using www. in front of the rest of the URL. Type in www.bradley.edu/foodservice, for example. That worked for me.--Vbd (talk) 04:21, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Article name[edit]

How do you reserve an article name?--Chuck Marean 05:54, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Reserve? What do you mean? Just add an article at the name. But if it doesn't meet Wikipedia's requirements, it might be deleted. *Mishatx*-In\Out 06:20, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You don't need to reserve an article name. Just write the article when you have enough information. Wikipedia:Naming conventions tells you about how artiles should be named. - Mgm|(talk) 09:35, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I created a page for Alan Cheuse, but it displays as "Alan cheuse." I tried re-editing the page, but the entry, "Alan cheuse," seems locked out of editing. How can I correct the capitalization?

The article Alan cheuse seems normal: I just edited it. What happens when you try? You'll also be able to rename it in a few days. Notinasnaid 08:22, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the reply. But look at the heading at the very top top of the entry. It reads "Alan cheuse" (the last name is not capitalized). In fact, even the name in the article link is not capitalized. But is there any way to edit that?

  • That's done by moving the article (to prevent vandalism it will take about 4 days for new users to get this tab). It is not correctly capitalized because you didn't do it when you created the article. Please make sure you watch out with capital letters when you create another article. If it hasn't been done already, I'll move the article for you.- Mgm|(talk) 09:35, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

New user problems[edit]

I recently uploaded a file for the first time to Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Starker_and_Cheifetz.jpg) A few days after uploading it, I edited the text a bit, and now when I go to the file online, the text is in a long horizontal stream of text in a dotted box with a pink background. I realize this is probably a stupid question, but how can I get the text to be formatted as a "normal" paragraph.

I also am wondering why the file has never come up when I do a search for Hamilton Cheifetz, the subject of the text, or for Starker and Cheifetz, the name of the image.

Can someone help me please, and forgive my ignorance of such things?

Hamilton Cheifetz

Remove the extra spaces at the start of the lines, that should fix it. --WikiSlasher 06:33, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I think part of the problem is that you haven't created an article, or added the picture to an existing article. What you seem to have done is write a detailed commentary on the picture in the space that is designed for writing about licensing etc. Notinasnaid 08:14, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your astute observations. How can I create an article instead of the thing I have somehow put together? User:Hamtone

Just choose the title for your article, then go to the article of that title. If it already exists, you can edit it to include anything that you think is missing. If it does not exist, you will be asked to create it yourself. -- Lilwik 07:30, 28 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Review admin/user[edit]

Review admin/user, What does actually refer? Is it about WP:AN, where adimns are mostly involved. And that's why they become Review admin? How can an user be review user?--NAHID 07:56, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The featured article request page[edit]

Edit: figured it out. Someone delete this, thanks. Peter1968 08:31, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

  • There's no need to delete it. If you restore the question and post the answer, you may be helping other people who have the same question. - Mgm|(talk) 09:29, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Transwiki[edit]

I am not sure if I have the right term, but I would like to propose that Chaincase be moved to wiktionary how do I go about it thanks --Matt 11:05, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

  • This particular article does more than just define the word. It also gives a tiny bit of history, making it a stub rather than a dictionary definition. I wouldn't move it, but find sources for it instead. The appopriate tag for a transwikification would be {{Move to Wiktionary}} - Mgm|(talk) 11:39, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
  • Many Thanks for the info --Matt 23:09, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

DB templates[edit]

Is there any speedy deletion template that is the opposite of db-attack? What should be put on pages who's primary purpose is to say a particular person or group or so on is wonderful? Heliomance 11:13, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

See WP:DELETE and WP:CSD, these pages list all the tags you can use for requesting deletion. BuickCenturyDriver (Honk, odometer) 11:40, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
  • The type of case you refer to would depend on speedy deleletion criterion A7, but make sure it needs deletion instead of rewording. Sometimes people are just not capable of neutral wording while the subject is actually articleworthy. -- Mgm|(talk) 11:42, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
    • If the page isn't pure spam ({{db-spam}} or {{db-g11}}), then it's probably better to use {{subst:prod}} or {{subst:afd}} (for deletion), or {{advert}} or {{NPOV}} (for cleanuP). As MacGyverMagic says, such articles often aren't obvious enough deletes that speedy deletion is a good idea. --ais523 13:50, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Finding pending articles[edit]

How do I find the page that lists articles pending approval that non-registered users have written? (I'm sorry that this is the second time I'm asking this, but I can't find my question on this page or any record of it on my user page!) Kdammers 11:59, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

  • Non-registered users are not allowed to post new articles in the main namespace to avoid the large amount of vandalism and nonsense that comes with it. Instead WP:AFC was created to handle such suggestions, which is where you will find that list. Make sure you read the instructions carefully so you know what to do when you come across a good suggestion. - Mgm|(talk) 12:07, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]


To see a list of everything you've ever added to Wikipedia, click on the "my contributions" link at the top of the screen, just to the left of "log out". All pages which you've created and all edits which you've made, are on that list. The Transhumanist    16:46, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I looked at your contributions and found three entries in Wikipedia:Requested articles :

  1. [Crisostomo Martinez]
  2. [Lenora Piper]
  3. [Human Control]

Is this what you were looking for? If you are confident that these articles should be created, then you, being an established editor, can create them yourself.

I should also add that editors who consider requests for article creation need some rationale (usually initial article text) based on which they can decide whether or not the article is worth creating. If you just ask for an article to be created without providing a rationale, you are hoping that some editor who sees your request will know why the subject of the requested article should be included in Wikipedia. That's a long shot.

--Richard 17:01, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I can't find my page[edit]

I posted a page on 22nd Februray and still can not find it.

I am not sure if I correctly posted the page.

I created an account and then filled in the box supplied.

Please help

Matt Clark

Stagecoach 12:34, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It looks like your only edits are to your user page and this help desk. You may find more about user pages at WP:UP. --Joshua Chiew 13:27, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Or maybe that page you made has been deleted, could you give us the name of the article? PeaceNT 13:46, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The article is written on my user page, is that wrong? Username is Stagecoach and article is headed as Stagecoach Theatre Arts. Stagecoach

  • No, it's not wrong to write an article on your userpage. It's actually encouraged so you can do some tweaking until you've perfected it to your liking, but it won't appear in the encyclopedia on its own. For that you'd have to post it to Stagecoach Theatre Arts. But before you do that, you should take a look at WP:COI and read why writing an article about an organization you're involved with is a bad idea. You also need to read up on verifiability. All material in Wikipedia needs to be referenced, so other people can check the accuracy of the information. WP:AFC has a wizard that will give you an idea about the most important things to remember, and you can always take a look at similar articles to get a feel on what should and shouldn't be included. The entry as it stands comes across as promotional. I'll drop you a welcome with some useful links on your talk page. - Mgm|(talk) 15:26, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]


To see a list of everything you've ever added to Wikipedia, click on the "my contributions" link at the top of the screen, just to the left of "log out". All pages which you've created and all edits which you've made, are on that list. The Transhumanist   16:43, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

You might also do well to consult Wikipedia guidelines on WP:notability and advertising before proceeding. Your "article" as it stands on your user page looks a lot like an advertisement of a company that is not very notable. I say "looks like" because there is no indication that it has been the subject of reporting by national or international media.

As it stands, your "article" is a likely candidate for deletion if it were to be created. I am not even convinced that it is appropriate for your user page. Review WP:NOT for guidelines for what is and is not appropriate for Wikipedia.

--Richard 17:13, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

  • I'd have to check to be sure, but I think it's notable enough to be fixable with a rewrite. - Mgm|(talk) 17:30, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Just my two pence, but Stagecoach is highly notable in England. It is I believe the largest extra curricular performing arts training centre in the country, frankly I'm amazed it doesn't have an article already. Heliomance 18:26, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Userboxes[edit]

I would normally ask this on the WikiProject Userboxes talk page, but they seem kind of inactive right now. When I remove fair use images from userboxes, do I have to tell the author? --The Dark Side 14:17, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

You don't have to, but you should. It's obvious in such cases that the author doesn't know WP:FAIRUSE. Xiner (talk, email) 14:54, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]


Concerning a similar issue, it's considered common courtesy to contact the main contributors/editors of a page which you tag or nominate for deletion. The Transhumanist   16:36, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Unisgned Comment[edit]

What is the tag or code, used to sign someone elses unsigned comment?, I know i could just put their username at the end, but i would like to know how to use that tag one. thanks. - DTGardner 15:29, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It's {{Unsigned}}. To make a guess at a template name, enter "Template:" followed by your guess in the search box. If you've guess right, you'll go right to the page. By the way, Wikipedia's search feature can be used for searching Wikipedia's various namespaces, such as the template namespace. The complete name of the tag you wanted is called Template:Unsigned. The Transhumanist   16:27, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Namespaces searched by default[edit]

The search only applies to the namespaces selected in the user's preferences. To search the other namespaces check or uncheck the tickboxes in "Search in namespaces" box found at the bottom of a search results page. Depending on the browser, a box may still be checked from a previous search, but without being effective any longer! To make sure, uncheck and recheck it.

The Transhumanist   16:27, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Another way to search[edit]

Another way to find templates, is the all pages feature on the special pages menu (accessible from the sidebar's toolbox menu). See http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3AAllpages&from=&namespace=10


I hope the above comments help you find the pages you are looking for faster and easier. The Transhumanist   16:33, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The reliability of a citation[edit]

An editor wanted to add a passage with using this citation in regards to addressing the theme of anarcho-primitivism in Fight Club. I've taken up discussion with him on the film article's talk page, and I've presented reasoning behind two points -- that the citation does not fit because it only mentions Fight Club in passing (at the very end of the webpage), and that the citation does not meet the criteria for reliable sources or verifiability. He still thinks the information should be included, so can those who have the time please review the edit, the citation, and our discussion on the talk page to share their opinion on the appropriateness of this information? —Erik (talkcontribreview) - 15:57, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Protecting Constantly Vandalized Pages[edit]

How do I go about protecting a page that has been constantly vandalized for a while (literally every line alternates between vandalism and a revision). Thanks in advance! Zomic_13 16:54, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Go to WP:RFPP (Wikipedia:Requests for page protection), and place a request there for an administrator to protect the page. See Wikipedia:Protection policy and Wikipedia:Semi-protection policy (for if the vandalism's by anons) for more details. --ais523 16:56, 27 February 2007 (UTC)
The protection policy will spell out for you but it depends what you mean by every line alternates between vandalism. If it was one diehard vandal with an account or constant IP, then it's unlikely to be protected. Similarly, if it was only every week or so that vandalism occured, even if there was little constructive editing in the mean-time protection probably won't be gained either Nil Einne 10:47, 1 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Copying pictures[edit]

Is it possiblwe to copy some pictures or do I need a permission—Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.192.240.27 (talkcontribs)

You need permission, because Wikipedia can't use copyrighted material. You can follow the directions for asking permission at Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission, but most pictures are made by Wikipedia editors and released under the GFDL. Leave me a message on my talk page if you have any questions or want to discuss anything. delldot talk 18:34, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You can copy pictures from Wikipedia by following the copyright instructions you get when you click on the picture; unless the image is fair use, you should be able to use it without permission (often, you will have to credit the source and/or keep track of the image's authorship history, and GFDL images must be stored together with a copy of the GFDL). Copying pictures to Wikipedia requires more than just permission; the image must be released under a free use licence. Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission explains how to request that an image is released under such a licence, but as delldot says most free use images on Wikipedia will have been self-made by Wikipedia editors and released under free licences. --ais523 18:41, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Hard to read[edit]

Your site is informative, but I can't read it too long because of the color and the font. It's too hard to read. Please change it.

You can change the color and font yourself, if you register, then change your preferences. Though to me I see a plain font in black on a white background, which is easy enough to read. Let us know if you have any more questions. Notinasnaid 20:22, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

permenant links[edit]

is there any way you can create a favourites list of the articles you would like quick reference to? like a favourites in internet explorer

thanks

Well, you could always bookmark your favourite articles as favourites in internet explorer... ;-) --Maelwys 19:59, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Or add them to your watchlist Heliomance 20:02, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
By clicking the "watch" tab, next to edit this page at the top. · AO Talk 20:19, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Adding An Organization to Data Bank[edit]

How do I go about adding an organization to the data bank?20:01, 27 February 2007 (UTC)20:02, 27 February 2007 (UTC)Jon

  • You mean this encyclopedia? First, make sure you don't want to write about an organisation you work for. If this is some other organisation, check if it is considered notable. If so, please see Wikipedia:Your first article. I hope this helps. Notinasnaid 20:05, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I meant adding the organization I work for to the encyclopedia. Thanks for your help. 66.178.225.98 17:13, 28 February 2007 (UTC) Jon[reply]

This discussion is informative. Xiner (talk, email) 17:14, 28 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

information from copyrighted sources?[edit]

I've been searching for this on wiki for a while but still can't find an answer. Can I write/extend an article using copyrighted information source if I just don't blindly copy all the stuff but rewrite/summarize it by my own words and publish name of used source ?

Same question for images. Can I create an image/diagram containing same information but looking different as copyrighted image and release it under free license as my own work. Am I required to (or Should I) publish original image source ? --Miko3k 20:16, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

That's tricky. I'd say that both scenarios are fraught with dangers of copyright violations, since you're basically using large chunks of info from copyrighted sources. Xiner (talk, email) 20:20, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
This is not intended as legal advice. Understand something, though. Copyright, at least in the United States, does not protect facts, it only protects creative expression. For more information, see the Copyright Act. For example, 17 USC 102(b) states, "In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work." (That's what patent law is for.) So if you rewrite and summarize all in your own words, you are taking only the unprotected facts from the source. Xiner notes that this is "fraught with danger," and it is true that you can get in trouble if you aren't careful, you don't want to accidentally take the potentially copyrighted literary structure of the article along with the public domain factual information. Also, if you were to summarize a work of fiction by making a sort of Cliffs Notes version, you would probably wind up creating a derivative work which would be copyright infringement. The same analysis applies for your diagram question, but it is likely to be more difficult, depending on the diagram, to decide what part is pure fact and what part is expression. Hope this helps. Crypticfirefly 04:28, 1 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Adding External Links[edit]

Hi, I've recently added a few links in various external links sections, only to have them removed. One of these was in the article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noein#External_links

A couple of the editors to my site (http://www.tokidokijournal.com) have contacted you about this and have been told that links can't be added from sites that are fan published, and that they must be from an established business. As the owner of Tokidokijournal.com, I can assure you that we have been an established business in the states of Arizona for five years now. I can provide you with a copy of our tax license as well as business license, if you'd like to see it. The content of our site is of a proffesional nature, as we are in close contact with many of the companies whose products we review - and which are featured on your site. I'm sure that the information we can add to these articles will be very valuable to users of Wikipedia.com, and I hope that we can resolve this issue.

Thank you for your time,
Stephen
Tokidokijournal.com

  • Thank you for your question. Please take a look at Wikipedia:External links. In particular, you should under no circumstances ever add a link to a site you run or are connected to to any article. You can, however, propose a site (on an article talk page), and allow the other editors to form a consensus about whether it is suitable. The sort of description you have made above a good start, though you should review the external links guidelines and provide specific examples which indicate why the site would be an asset to the articles. You should bear in mind that with millions of potential web sites selection may be both ruthless and arbitrary. In general, it is best not to propose more than one article at a time, partly so you can learn from the results, and partly to reduce concerns about a promotional campaign: Wikipedia editors try to be very careful to avoid links which exist to carry traffic to sites, rather than to meet our guidelines. I hope this information is helpful to you. Notinasnaid 20:31, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Help with citing sources and cleaning up entries[edit]

I am new to Wikipedia, and I'm creating entries for historic homes in New England. I have read the help and instructions sections but have not been able to resolve these questions (perhaps because I'm not a computer programmer). My entry, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauport%2C_Sleeper-McCann_House, has been tagged by other users for not citing its sources and not meeting Wikipedia's quality standards. Here is my source: http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/beauport.htm, but I can't find instructions on posting external links (I thought that was frowned upon in the wiki-world?). Also, I can't clean up the entry without more specifics on what part does not meet Wikipedia's standards (the entry is factually and grammatically correct). Any suggestions? Thanks.

Thanks for your question. First take a look at Wikipedia:Citing sources. This explains why, and then how, to cite. You may still find you have some questions, but it will start you off. Notinasnaid 20:33, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
In terms of cleaning up, probably the best thing to do is to read other articles and look at the style. There is a style guide, but it may be overkill at the beginning. For instance, you write Beauport, the summer home of the collector and interior designer Henry Davis Sleeper, was a house built in 1907 on the rocks overlooking Gloucester Harbor. I would expect to see something like, Beauport, a historic house in Gloucester, Massachusetts, was build in 1907-1934 as the summer home of the collector and interior designer Henry Davis Sleeper. It is on the rocks overlooking the Gloucester Harbor. Note the links, the bolding of the defined term, the rewording to provide a more direct definition first, the placing in a worldwide context, and the incorporation of details from Gloucester, Massachusetts. Phrases like its influence came to shape the way we view America's past will need detailed citation, and perhaps should be cast as a quote to maintain a completely neutral voice. Consider whether the article adds anything that isn't already in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Notinasnaid 20:44, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
  • external links and sources are different things. External links tend to be used for information that may be relevant, but unincludable due to other factors (copyright, too trivial, etc). The source you talk about, a source from Historic New England, is probably reliable as a source for the sites covered under its umbrella. So it is not an external link (external links are for material not included in the article, and you have used this material in the article). Even so, it would be preferable to use more than one source - perhaps you can contact them and find out whether any books have been written on the subject. ColourBurst 20:52, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

About Review Admin[edit]

Then What does Review Admin mean? What they Do actually and where they involved?

  • Well see WP:RFA. And please sign your posts on talk pages. Thank you. --Semper Fi, Darkest Hour 21:03, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

auto update clock[edit]

How do I get this to work on a user page? Eg make it into a template? Unless there is one already existing. --Semper Fi, Darkest Hour 22:01, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

//

//A clock that autoupdates
//From the user scripts project
addOnloadHook(loadclock)
function loadclock()
{
  //monobook
    if (document.getElementById('pt-userpage'))
      {
      var toplinks = document.getElementById('p-personal').getElementsByTagName('ul')[0];
      addlilink(toplinks, '/w/index.php?title=' + wgPageName.replace(/&/g,'%26') + '&action=purge', '', 'utcdate');
      }
  //cologneblue
    else if (document.getElementById('quickbar') && document.getElementById('quickbar').getElementsByTagName('h6')[0])
       {
       var toplinks = document.getElementById('quickbar');
       addquickbarlink('/w/index.php?title=' + wgPageName.replace(/&/g,'%26') + '&action=purge', 'Current time', 'utcdate','Browse')
       }
    showtime();
}

function showtime()
{
    var timerID;
    var now = new Date();
    var timeValue = now.toUTCString().substring(0,22) + " UTC";
    if (document.getElementById('utcdate'))
      {document.getElementById('utcdate').firstChild.innerHTML = timeValue;}
    timerID = setTimeout('showtime()', 1000);
}
//END
You can't, it is javascript for your user js. Prodego talk 22:06, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You can do it, but not with javascript. Try:

<span class=plainlinks>[{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=purge}} {{CURRENTDAYNAME}} {{CURRENTDAY}}, {{CURRENTYEAR}} {{CURRENTTIME}} (UTC)]</span>

It won't auto-update every second, but the result is:

Tuesday 30, 2024 23:20 (UTC)

Not bad, I think. If you need any other date formatting, tell me, or check out WP:MAGIC and do it yourself. Hope this helps... GracenotesT § 01:26, 28 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Ah![edit]

How do I get this to stay at the bottom of my talk page? [[#content|Top]] = Top. --Semper Fi, Darkest Hour 23:31, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

You can't place it at the bottom of the wikitext, but you can use CSS to have it stuck to the bottom margin of the page. You'd want to put the following at the top of your user page:
  • <div style="position: absolute; bottom:.25em;">[[#content|Top]]</div>
If you want further modification of this basic CSS code (like centering, color, etc.) just ask. GracenotesT § 01:33, 28 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Template to Encourage a User to Create an Account[edit]

I've seen this around, but I am unsure what the tag is. It creates a box encouraging an IP user to create a registered account. It is commonly used on IP's that are from public places, etc. Any help would be great. Thanks! Zomic_13 23:32, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

{{subst:anon}} Xiner (talk, email) 23:39, 27 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]