Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2008 November 13

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November 13

Fake or unregistered usernames

Suppose you're messing around on a sandbox page and you decide to type in an unused username, such as Mimi Mumford, and then you edit that page, is there a rule against that? And if someone registered under that name, would they encounter problems with that? --Crackthewhip775 (talk) 01:29, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

I don't think there's a rule against it. Is it a good idea? Probably not. If someone did register that name, they would see something written on their userpage, which may confuse them. If you do accidentally create a user page for a non-registered name, the best idea would probably be to request its deletion using {{db-g7}}. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 02:15, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. --Crackthewhip775 (talk) 02:32, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Article requests

Is there a page where someone can ask for a new article? I'd like to see Nemo ad impossibilia tenetur for example. Txs! Joepnl (talk) 02:26, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Yes! Wikipedia:Requested articles. --Fullobeans (talk) 02:34, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Log in Trouble

I attempted to log in to edit the badly needed "Sociology" section in Wikipedia.

I edited the Sociology section in Wikiversity. I also created the "Introduction to Sociology" course in Wikiversity. I am a Sociologist.

Log in does not recognize my name: Aresthusa [It's a handle name only]

Please advise. Thanks

User:Aresthusa has not been created in the English Wikipedia. Create an account at Special:UserLogin or see Help:Unified login. PrimeHunter (talk) 02:46, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

"What links here" pages

Is there a certain order in which pages are listed on "What links here" pages? Hallpriest9 (Talk) 05:05, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, looks random to me? L'Aquatique[talk] 07:09, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Help:What links here#Order; query says: "What links here" sorts by page id, i.e., by date of creation of the page. PrimeHunter (talk) 16:00, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

editing a page

hi i am new to Wikipedia and i am trying to edit or rather improve a page on "muslim" and it has a lock on it that says this page or article is semi protected. i was wondering if i can edit this page or not. if anyone can help me that will be great. thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mohammad tai (talk • contribs) 10:40, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Semi-protection is used to deal with vandalism by anonymous and newly registered users. In order to edit a semi-protected article, you need to have 10 edits and be registered for 4 days. Xenon54 11:07, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

You can request to make an edit to a protected page here. But please not that you need a valid reason for that. Also read the instructions there, which will tell you of alternative methods. If the edit is not that important or urgent, it's best to wait until you are autoconfirmed. Chamal ^talk 14:17, 13 November 2008 (UTC) Chamal ^talk 14:17, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

hey

how do i get a bio of me. i am a musician —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.198.241.62 (talk) 13:57, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

You will need to first register an account, which has many benefits, including the ability to create articles. Once you have registered, 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. TN‑X-Man 14:10, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Also, if you are not sufficiently notable for an article on Wikipedia there are other options, Wikipopuli and Wikibios for example. – ukexpat (talk) 17:10, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

what will be the position of market after 2 years

what will be the position of market after 2 years —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.95.128.67 (talk) 14:26, 13 November 2008 (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. Algebraist 14:27, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

When you get there, be sure to specify which "market" you mean. Speaking of "the market," check out this hilarious video, featuring Peter Schiff getting ridiculed by Ben Stein, Arthur Laffer, and other financial experts who turned out to be completely and spectacularly wrong: Peter Schiff Was Right! 2006 - 2007 (2nd Edition) on YouTube. --Teratornis (talk) 18:01, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

userbox

How do you size down a picture to fit into the "ID" box?Fern 24 15:54, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

If you are referring to the image on your user page, add the parser |thumb after the image name. Admittedly, it's not an elegant solution, but it will shrink the image for you. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 15:59, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Making a message banner

How would I make a colored banner where you could type inside it? I want to make one for the talk page for No Jacket Required, to place a quote from a webmaster of a site that is sourced in the article. Thanks! CarpetCrawler (talk) 16:28, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

I think you want {{quote box2}}. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 16:30, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

My New Pages

Is there a way to see all pages that I created? Special:NewPages is limited to those created within the last month. Fribbler (talk) 16:35, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

If you go to Special:Contributions/Fribbler and look at the bottom of the page, you'll see an "Articles Created" link. Alternatively, you can go here. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 17:06, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Excellent, thank you. Fribbler (talk) 17:08, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

SS Gideon Welles

I am trying to find information regarding the SS Gideon Welles log around December 1943. I am primarily interested on a voyage from the U.S.A to the Azores75.76.9.209 (talk) 18:36, 13 November 2008 (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. PrimeHunter (talk) 18:44, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

References to wiktionary?

Is it OK to use wiktionary as a reference in a wikipedia article?

PureRumble (talk) 20:09, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately, no. Wiktionary can be used to help define words in a article, but cannot be used as a reference. Please see this guide for reliable sources. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 20:13, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

• Of course, if Wiktionary itself uses a reference, you can check if it is correct, and refer to that. - Mgm|^(talk) 20:16, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Unable to create fresh articles

I am a registered user. But I have been unable to create fresh articles or even a user page. When I try, I get a download box which prompts me to download a .php file which I can't do anything with. I have tried over and over again to accomplish this and finally gave up. I was directed to this forum by another wikipedian. I hope this is the right place to address my query. I have followed the FAQs and the instructions but I just can't create them. I thought it might be a browser issue as some one suggested to me but its the same situation with any browser I use. I even checked if I was banned/ blacklisted for some reason but my name or ID doesn't show up in the list. Is it just me doing something wrong? Can someone help me with this issue please? I am not a programmer and have no idea of software. From what I can do, I don't think I require those skills, but I was just wondering if there is something I am missing.--Arjun (talk) 21:15, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Go to Special:Preferences when you are logged in to your account, click the 'Editing' tab and make sure that 'Use external editor by default' is not checked. This question comes up periodically on the Help desk, but it is very hard to determine the problem from the visible symptoms. --Teratornis (talk) 21:21, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

At least the preference setting now says 'Use external editor by default (for experts only, needs special settings on your computer)'. Arjun created the account long ago and may have selected the preference when it only said 'Use external editor by default' which didn't sound alarming. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:41, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Thank you, Teratornis (talk)& PrimeHunter (talk), That worked. Really greatful for the tip!--Arjun.B 21:43, 13 November 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by B.arjun (talk • contribs)

page deletion "samuel_tiberius_hunter_welek"

Dear wikipedia,

Someone has posted this article about me on here and was deleted however i want to show my headteacher so can you restore the page so i can do so

Thanks, Sam —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.225.198.187 (talk) 21:47, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

It was deleted as an attack page per Wikipedia:Criteria for speedy deletion#G10. We have no method to verify who the subject is and Wikipedia does not allow restoration of such content. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:55, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

so what should i do? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.225.198.187 (talk) 21:58, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

It was created by User:Freeman08 (Talk) who has multiple warnings and may be blocked if it happens again. PrimeHunter (talk) 22:02, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

i know who he is, his name is <Name redacted> and he bullies me at school —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.225.198.187 (talk) 22:06, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

An official request can be made to WP:OTRS. Through OTRS you can establish your identity, and get response and assistance at a level that cannot be provided by random editors here. - TexasAndroid (talk) 22:24, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

By the way, congratulations for doing something about this. Going to the headteacher is the right thing to do. (Think of all the crap that Harry could have avoided if he'd just told Dumbledore first. :-) (Remember though, s/he's got a lot of other responsibilities. Be persistent. Squeaky wheel and all that.) Saintrain (talk) 01:12, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Centering things in a table

How would one center the chart numbers in the following table? User:CarpetCrawler/Sandbox#Chart Thanks! CarpetCrawler (talk) 22:21, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

See Help:Table#Shifting/centering Dismas|^(talk) 22:34, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

How to have an incorrect tag removed from an article that is locked

(I wasn't sure where to ask this, sorry if this is the wrong place....)

The Stalking article is partially locked for some reason. But there is a tag under the effects section that state that the sections isn't referenced, so the text keeps getting deleted. (I asked the deleter to put it back again, and they did.) Problem is that it IS referenced, but the references are mis-placed, being put in the middle of the section, rather then the end. The article is locked to new editors, so I can't fix this. (BTW, I'm not really new, but am established, but to leave Wikipedia and change my username because of cybertalking.)

There really isn't anyone actively editing the article right now, so why would it get locked to new editors or new/old editors? Scooter78 (talk) 23:25, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

The section Stalking#On a victim's mental and emotional health is tagged as unreferenced, and in fact contains no references. If any of the existing references for the article pertain to this section, they should be footnoted as such. As for the protection, it's been there for months, so it might no longer be necessary. You could ask the protecting admin User:NawlinWiki or go to WP:RPP. Algebraist 00:47, 14 November 2008 (UTC)