Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2008 September 26

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September 26

editing

how do I put one of those little red question marks next to something that I think is probably wrong (almost certainly wrong). I see them all the time but I cant find anything on how to make one. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Em3ryguy (talk • contribs) 00:46, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

The minimum you do is put {{fact}} next to something that you aren't sure is factual. -- kainaw™ 00:55, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

See more at Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles. If you see something in an article and wonder how it was done then click edit to see the source. PrimeHunter (talk) 10:26, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

move tab not activated

I have had a Wikipedia account for several months and I still don't have the move tab displayed. I have created a page named "Global sprint challenge" and need to change the name to "Global Sprint Challenge", can anyone please help me to make the change. Willow15 (talk) 02:02, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Ironically enough, it looks like this post gave you the 10th edit needed to become autoconfirmed, and have already moved the page. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 04:13, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Number of English Articles Statistics problem?

Hi. I have been keeping track of the number of English articles every day, several times a day, for the past six months, or for at least until it reached the 2 million mark. I've been keeping track of those numbers. I store them daily. However, I notice that since yesterday midnight, the last time I checked the number of English articles, the number hasn't changed. This is very unusual, as there are approximately more than 1000 articles per day. This is my several last data:

  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=25,Hour=00,Minute=06,Articles=2,563,266
  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=25,Hour=07,Minute=26,Articles=2,563,483
  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=25,Hour=23,Minute=35,Articles=2,563,491
  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=26,Hour=06,Minute=51,Articles=2,563,493
  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=26,Hour=09,Minute=22,Articles=2,563,495
  Year=2008,Month=9,Date=26,Hour=14,Minute=08,Articles=2,563,493

So you can see that it basically has stopped changing.

I thought I should tell someone, as I am pretty sure that there are actually being English articles created, they are just not being updated on the statistics page. (by the way, the times I noted are given in New Zealand time)

p.s. If anybody would like to look at my data, I could show them it...It's very interesting to look at.

p.p.s. I am also aware that the Statistics page, has recently (in the last couple of days) been completely re-formatted. Maybe this has something to do with that.

HowiAuckland (talk) 02:13, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Due to some technical issues, Special:Statistics has been frozen for the time being - there's a thread on WP:VPT about it. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 04:12, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Thanks Confusing Manifestation! Feel free to check out my home page if you want to see the data. I just posted it there. HowiAuckland (talk) 05:21, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Plz help

Hey, i cant merge my account, plz help, user Acid burn already exist in english wiki but dont have any edits. My account is this [1] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.129.137.91 (talk) 04:16, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

You'll have to usurp the account. Someguy1221 (talk) 04:27, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

disappearance of talkpage

I've been working today on INTO University Partnerships, which I haven't looked at for months. I can't swear to it, but I pretty firmly remember there being a talkpage. Now there isn't. Am I hallucinating? If not, when did it disappear and why? If it was a deliberate action, who vanished it? BusinessAsUnusual (talk) 10:22, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

There is no sign Talk:INTO University Partnerships has existed. The article has not been moved so there is no old talk page at another location. The only article talk page you have edited is Talk:Astroturfing. The article has been briefly discussed at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Companies#INTO University Partnerships. PrimeHunter (talk) 10:33, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

#expr non-raw display

I have used the code {{#expr: {{NUMBEROFPAGES:R}} - {{NUMBEROFARTICLES:R}}}} on my userpage (#expr doesn't work with non-raw figures), but it always displays a raw figure. Is there any way to display it with commas? Densock|Dendodge^{in public} 11:46, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

{{formatnum:{{#expr: {{NUMBEROFPAGES:R}} - {{NUMBEROFARTICLES:R}}}}}}.--Patrick (talk) 12:48, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Treasure hunt in PSG College of Technology

What is the treasure in the treasure hunt of KRITHI 2008 ????

CONGRATS!!!!You found the treasure. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.163.146.11 (talk) 12:15, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Hello. I suspect, based on your question, that you found one of our over two million articles, and thought that we were directly affiliated in some way with that subject. Please note that you are at Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this page is a help desk for asking questions related to using the encyclopedia. Thus, we have no inside track on the subject of your question. You can, however, search our vast catalogue of articles by typing a subject into the search field on the left hand side of your screen. If that is not fruitful, we have a reference desk, divided into various subjects areas, where asking knowledge questions is welcome. Best of luck. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:07, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Captain Mack

Dear Wikipedia,

I would like to create an article on the British childrens television program 'Captain Mack'. However I am one of the actors on the show, does this constitute personal advertising in any way? I have permission to create a wiki page from the producers, cast, crew and would have links to them if they have wiki pages already (The actress Julia Mallam for example has a wiki page already which could link to the Captain Mack page). If I can't create the page can I submit a request for a page to be created?

Regards --Schroderdragon (talk) 12:19, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for asking. You have a Wikipedia:Conflict of interest. See Wikipedia:FAQ/Business. You could make a suggested article at a user subpage like User:Schroderdragon/Captain Mack and then post the link for review, for example to Wikipedia talk:WikiProject British TV shows. It appears to have low activity so you could also try Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Television. Wikipedia:WikiProject Television has some advice on writing articles. PrimeHunter (talk) 12:42, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

And please read WP:YFA. – ukexpat (talk) 13:43, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Section edit button on the right?

I don't know whether this is because of a Wikipedia change or something I did in my preferences, but I'm seeing the [edit] link on the left side of section headings instead of the right, where I want it to be. How do I change this? Do I need to add something to my monobook.js, or is there a preference I missed? $\sim$ Lenoxus " * " 13:56, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Rabbi Benjamin Kelsen

I recently wrote my first article and posted it. it was a bio of my teacher and rabbi. however, based on comments from some editors it was deleted. i do not understand why it was deleted and would like to learn how to fix the article. can someone help me?

Ezra Sofer —Preceding unsigned comment added by Teaneckobserver (talk • contribs) 14:22, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

That article was deleted as a result of this Afd discussion: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Benjamin Kelsen. You could ask the deleting admin User:MBisanz to undelete it to a user subpage so you can work on improving it. You should also read WP:BIO, WP:RS and WP:V. – ukexpat (talk) 14:43, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

The Wikipedia Community would like to wish Avril Lavigne a happy birthday!

e.g. Summer Glau. Seems urgent; super advanced vandalism? –thedemonhog talk • edits 19:14, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Template vandalism, being discussed in a thread on WP:ANI (last or next to last thread at the moment). --barneca (talk) 19:23, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

There was vandalism to the {{Terminator}}. It has been reverted. This kind of vandalism bugs me the most. TN‑X-Man 19:26, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

There was similar vandalism this morning on {{Google}}, now cleaned up. – ukexpat (talk) 20:45, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

My userboxen

It seems my userboxen keep getting more and more disarranged. Can somebody take a look and offer some suggestion(s) as to how to get 'em to line up neat and proper? --Orange Mike | Talk 20:11, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

If you put {{userboxtop}} at the top of your userboxes and {{userboxbottom}} at the bottom of the list, it will line up all of the boxes on the right hand side. I looked at with an edit preview and it looked OK, but give it a shot and let me know. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 20:21, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

One long vertical stack is not what I was looking for, to put it gently. I wanted them to just line up in an array, as they are (I thought) intended to. Thanks, though, for trying. --Orange Mike | Talk 20:27, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps you have seen a user page with an arrangement of boxes you like. If so, you could look at the coding on that page to see how it was accomplished. Wanderer57 (talk) 20:31, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Alternatively (and I have no idea what the underlying reason is) if you jig them around, then they fall into place - User:Gb/Sandbox is the result of five minutes playing with the order (I've stripped out the rest of the page). Please feel free to delete the sandbox once you've looked / copied. _Gb^T/c 20:36, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Mine are set up in an array. It's been a while since I've lined them up, so the empty spaces are from userboxen that have been deleted. Dismas|^(talk) 20:39, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

The reason is the varying height of each box - the Mediawiki software logic can get a bit scrambled when trying to place templates of varying heights. It does its best, but it's rarely optimal in appearance. The problem with shifting them about to resolve the problem is that you may get it working for a particular screen size; but if you try resizing your window to emulate how it would appear for someone on a smaller or larger screen, you find that the placement still gets mucked up. If you want them in a block, the only reliable solution is to add code to intentionally structure them a certain way using a table or array ... although to be viewed correctly by people with all screen sizes and resolutions, you generally need to code to an assumed minimum optimal width (be it 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024). Those with narrower than the minumum that you assume get stuck with a scroll bar on your page, while those with wider get extra white space on either side of the boxes. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 20:59, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

I just put them in a table for you. Gtstricky^{Talk or C} 20:48, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

They're no longer in the order of importance to me (my former arrangement); but they're aesthetically no longer so appalling. Thanx, gang! --Orange Mike | Talk 21:01, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Old Book Cite

Hi. I'm working on expanding the article David W. Patten, and I found a biography of him, written by Lorenzo Snow, at my library. It was written around 1900, and reprinted in 1969. Because of this, it doesn't have an ISBN number. It also doesn't seem to be in the Library of Congress catalog. So, is it acceptable to just put it in a "Citation" template at the bottom of the article with title, author name, printer info, and year? Also, what year do I put? 1900 or 1969? Thanks. Intothewoods29 (talk) 20:55, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

You know, personally, I hate citation templates. When there is no catalogue number, it's best to provide as much information as possible. The original publication date is important (for helping others know they're looking at the same book) and so is the reprinting date (heck, something might have been edited). The "date" parameter is supposed to be the publication date of the version you're actually reading. You'll notice in the documentation for {{Cite book}} there are also parameters for the original publication dates. Someguy1221 (talk) 21:30, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Sparrowhawk Media

I work for NBCU Global Networks and they were NOT formerly known as Sparrowhawk Media.

NBCU Global Networks acquired Sparrowhawk Media in 2007. Sparrowhawk Media was a British private equity backed media company. Since acquiring them we have been busy integrating them into NBCU GN.

THIS IS WHAT WIKIPEDIA SAYS - IT IS INCORRECT - AS PER THE ABOVE: NBC Universal Global Networks (formerly known as Sparrowhawk Media Group) is a British private equity-backed media company managing a collection of digital television channels. It was bought by NBC Universal and renamed NBC Universal Global Networks in late 2007. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.194.150.225 (talk) 21:16, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

This reference from NBC Universal (no. 8) says that NBC Universal bought Sparrowhawk (not NBC Global Networks). Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:25, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

I cleaned it up a little, as the lead didn't make much sense after reading the Reuters article, and added the IHT article as a second ref. – ukexpat (talk) 21:35, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

But NBC Universal bought Sparrowhawk. NBC Universal Global Networks now says "...it acquired Sparrowhawk Media Group..." which I think is inaccurate. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:40, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

OK, I clarified further. We can take this to my talk page or the article's talk page if you prefer. – ukexpat (talk) 22:08, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Signature Help

I have made a new signature, but it says that there are invalid HTML tags. It appears fine in my sandbox, but it won't let me set it as my signature. I asked an experienced editor, and he can't find the problem. If you can help it would be great. The signature is Genius101 ^Guestbook . Thanks, Genius101 _{T. C.} 21:39, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

<span style="font-Arial">'''[[User:Genius101 Wizard|<span style="color:Red;">Genius</span>]][[User talk:Genius101 Wizard|<span style="color:Blue;">101</span>]] <sup> [[User:Genius101 Wizard/Guestbook|<span style="color:Green;">Guestbook</span>]] </sup>''' </span> That should work. Best wishes, —αἰτίας •discussion• 21:44, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

OK, thanks a lot! Genius101 _{T. C.} 21:48, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Umm, it's still not working. Could it be something to do with the state Wikipedia's in? AKA Server failure, slowness, unability to edit. Thanks, Genius101 _{T. C.} 21:50, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Did you check the "raw signature" box on the User profile tab of your Preferences? – ukexpat (talk) 22:10, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

(ec)Try this my friend:

'''<font face="Arial">[[User:Genius101 Wizard|<span style="color:red;">Genius</span>]][[User talk:Genius101 Wizard|<span style="color:blue;">101</span>]] <sup>[[User:Genius101 Wizard/Guestbook|<span style="color:green;">Guestbook</span>]]</sup></font>'''

That works, right? « Gonzo fan2007 (talk) @ 22:12, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Thanks a lot GOnzo! That works perfectly! And UKexpat, I did have the raw signature box checked. I made that mistake once, anmd it won't happen again :). Thanks, Genius101 ^Guestbook 21:33, 27 September 2008 (UTC)

Removing WikiProject banners

Hi. I have noticed that many talkpages indicate an article is within an innapropriate wikiproject; ie. a wikiproject that the article has nothing to do with. My question is if it is ok for me to remove innapropriate wikiproject banners without consulting anyone. Now I appreciate it may be 'nice' or polite or considerate etc. for me to inform the wikiproject in which an article has been erroniously placed of my opinion. However I am not interested in being nice, I simply want to improve Wiki. In a nutshell; would I be breaking any rules, guidelines etc; or would I receive a warning from an admin, if I removed clearly innapropriate wikiproject banners from talkpages? Willy turner (talk) 21:51, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

No, not if you leave an adequate edit summary. If someone disagrees and re-adds the banner, then you revert, that is a different matter. If it is obviously inappropriate: Football banner on Victoria Cross for example, then remove it, leaving an edit summary such as clearly inappropriate, no link to Wikiproject, then it should be fine. Woody (talk) 21:58, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

(edit conflict) No, be bold, you should be fine if the WikiProject banners do not apply. Many of such banners are placed by bots based on categories and so some pages are tagged incorrectly. - Icewedge (talk) 22:00, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for your help, thanks for giving me the answer I wanted to hear, and thanks for being conscientious enough to give answers to the help page in the first place. Willy turner (talk) 22:06, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Please make edit summaries as requested, and only remove clearly inappropriate WikiProject tags. If you think that is what you are doing then I suggest to slow down. Your very first edit after here (and the only with an edit summary) was [2] where you removed Wikipedia:WikiProject Sociology from state although the state is an important subject in political sociology, the article uses the word sociology 3 times (not conclusive by itself but a hint), and it was rated as high importance in the WikiProject tag you removed (a big hint). It was manually tagged and rated long ago [3] by a member of the WikiProject. PrimeHunter (talk) 23:59, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Temp and perm names for a WP translation

1. Where should an article translation into English be placed for proofreading/editing in cases where the target (English) name specified in the translation request already belongs to an existing page? (Even if the latter will ultimately be replaced by or merged with the translation, I don't want to overwrite it with the raw, unedited translation.)

2. How should the corresponding translation-mgt page (Wikipedia:Translation/...) be modified to track this change?

Example:

I'm currently translating the German article as requested at Wikipedia:Translation/Trichoplax. The name for the English version as originally specified in the request (Trichoplax) belongs to a short pre-existing article on the subject.

But when I created a proofreading/editing location for the English version at Trichoplax_adhaerens/translation_of_German_T_adhaerens_page and updated the corresponding parameter accordingly at Wikipedia:Translation/Trichoplax, it caused the "(more info)" link displayed by the translation-status template to point at a non-existent:

Thanks, JS (talk) 23:16, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

I've gone ahead and put the translated version in Trichoplax_adhaerens, which until now was a redirect to Trichoplax, so my example above isn't true-to-life anymore. The problem still remains, however: We need an SOP for satisfying a translation request that specifies a destination already containing a legitimate article. JS (talk) 17:20, 29 September 2008 (UTC)