Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2023 May 10

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May 10[edit]

Not sure how to deal with this situation[edit]

Could someone better able to work with new users who are single purpose accounts please take a look at this user's contributions and try to help them understand why creating articles that read like advertisements/resumes (and reverting tags identifying that issue) is frowned upon? They have now reverted multiple editors on this issue. Kevin Hallward's Ghost (Let's talk) 00:54, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Having a reliable source does not always meet the document registration criteria.
Wikipedia is not an advertising medium. Advertising is not suitable for encyclopedic documents. The criteria for deciding whether to register in a document is that people who have no interest in a subject themselves actually think it is important and worthy of attention, and write and publish non-editorial works on the subject.At this time, you should not receive material benefits, publicity, or other influence from anyone related to the subject. Leeeunsuk (talk) 06:31, 12 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Peculiar dates in cite journal[edit]

I am trying to cite a journal which comes out weekly using {{tl:cite journal}}. The issue is dated "31 May–4 June 2021", but when I use that, it produces an error message "Check date values in: |date=". Is there a way to make the template accept the given dates, or do I have to simplify it to just "31 May 2021" and live with the inaccuracy (as small as it is)? Gronk Oz (talk) 03:54, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

It is usual with "cite journal" to just put the year in the date and let the volume and issue number indicate the issue. For some fields in citation templates you can use Help:Citation Style 1#Accept-this-as-written_markup, but the date field is not one of them. StarryGrandma (talk) 04:37, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I would personally prefer 31 May 2021 or its equivalent, since it narrows things down. I see no need to include 4 June 2021, because it implies that the publication "expires" on that date, which is far from the truth. Cullen328 (talk) 04:48, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, guys! --Gronk Oz (talk) 09:34, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Dates in citations should reflect as closely as possible the dates given in the source. Truncating the date as has been suggested here is not correct. If the journal issue is dated 31 May–4 June 2021, {{cite journal}} will accept that date so long as you format the date according to the rules at MOS:DATERANGE (linked from the error message's help text). This example tweaks your date to comply with MOS:
{{cite journal |title=Title |journal=Journal |date=31 May – 4 June 2021}}
"Title". Journal. 31 May – 4 June 2021.
One last observation. Is what you are citing really a weekly academic or scholarly journal? If neither of those, {{cite magazine}} or its redirect {{cite periodical}} (with |magazine= or |periodical=) is more appropriate.
Trappist the monk (talk) 12:35, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Genfixes[edit]

As the fourth AWB rule states Do not make insignificant or inconsequential edits. An edit that has no noticeable effect on the rendered page is generally considered an insignificant edit. If in doubt, or if other editors object to edits on the basis of this rule, seek consensus at an appropriate venue before making further similar edits., so I was wondering is it okay to only make general fixes on specific pages? Do you object or concur? Dancing Dollar (let's talk) 05:14, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Dancing Dollar: Hi there! It depends on which general fixes you're referring to. For example, if it's only changing {{cn}} to {{citation needed}}, then no, because it doesn't have a noticeable effect on the rendered page. However, if it's adding/removing a template or fixing a citation error, then yes. GoingBatty (talk) 05:31, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Aligning two cropped images next to each other, gallery style[edit]

In the Deposition of and further comments by Trump (October 2022) section of E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald J. Trump there are two images that have confusing layout and descriptions. The descriptions are easy to fix, but I think they would be more cohesive if they were next to each other for context and comparison. However, I can't figure out a way to get both next to each other as each are a crop so don't seem to respond to <gallery> or other attempts to align them next to each other. Chaheel Riens (talk) 06:55, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

You can use Template:Multiple image to do this.--♦IanMacM♦ (talk to me) 07:02, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Regis Cordic[edit]

I was watching an episode of the Waltons and regis Cordic was in it. I remember him from hosting the Sunday afternoon movies when I was a kid in the 60's or 70's. His voice and commentary were great - as I child I thought he was so composed and interesting. I did not see it in his Wiki write up. I may have missed it and i apologize if it was in there, he always told such great comments and as a child i remember I always looked forward to the Sunday Afternoon Movie 96.235.34.37 (talk) 11:59, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The large notice at the top of this page states that "the Wikipedia help desk is a place where you can ask questions about how to use or edit Wikipedia." Your question is not about using or editing Wikipedia so will not be answered here. You could try again at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Entertainment. Bazza (talk) 12:05, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
In most Windows browsers you can search a page for a string with Ctrl+f. Regis Cordic#Move to Los Angeles mentions he appeared in The Waltons. PrimeHunter (talk) 12:55, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
And the same section mentions his work on the Sunday Afternoon Movie program (for which he had to fly back to Pittsburgh from LA). Deor (talk) 00:32, 11 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

can i collapse/remove old topics on my talkpage[edit]

ive been around for a year or so, and over that period i have accumulated a ton of talk page messages that no longer serve any purpose to me (like the 4 messages about archived threads, and the deletion of my ancient draft), am i allowed to remove them? -I.R.B.A.T(yell at me) (The IRBAT Files) 12:35, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

If you don't want to archive them, you are permitted to remove them at any time, since by removing them you acknowledge that you've read whatever content was in them. (And the data remains in the history of your talk page.) --Orange Mike | Talk 12:42, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Im really bad at this: See also WP:REMOVE. Happy editing! GoingBatty (talk) 13:23, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

How to edit[edit]

Hi,


I created this account about 4-ish months ago, mainly for reading articles, and now I want to get into editing Wikipedia. But i'm very new to editing and it seems so complex. Are there any good resources for first-time editing? Thank you so much. Acremonium (talk) 17:14, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I posted a few helpful links on your talk page. Theroadislong (talk) 17:22, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Change of Profile Image[edit]

Hi How do we change the profile image if we are not auto confirmed? he profile image currently is from 2017 so preferably needs to be one from Wikimedia that we submitted successfully. James Maria Ford Fan (talk) 17:40, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Which article? You could always post at the article talk page to ask for the change. Heiro 17:43, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
As for "which article", based on the user name and images uploaded, I assume it's Maria Ford. Interestingly, there has been undisclosed paid editing at that article in the past. 199.208.172.35 (talk) 20:11, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
You'd need to propose the change on the article talk page. Before you can do that though, you'd need to convince us that you actually own the copyright to the images you have uploaded to Commons. Frankly, I have my doubts about this. AndyTheGrump (talk) 17:45, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I tend to agree, See https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2023_Maria_Ford_Film_Actress_and_Model.jpg. Heiro 17:55, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I just tagged them all as needing permission on Commons. James Maria Ford Fan, please follow the instructions on c:User talk:James Maria Ford Fan. — Mdaniels5757 (talk • contribs) 17:58, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Replying[edit]

Is it necessary to append {{Reply to}} on replies if you want the poster of the parent comment to be notified of it, or does Wikipedia already do this for you? I often find myself replying to the replies of a question I post (e.g. I ask a question and User A responds, I then [reply] to what they said) and never receiving a response, and part of me thinks it's because they're not properly notified. Is it recommended that I add the reply to template to replies of replies? When should I not use it? — theki (hit me up) 18:18, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Theki: The new notification system makes it so that if an editor is subscribed to a discussion (which they are automatically subscribed to when they reply, but can choose to unsubscribe), they will receive a notification in their . Using {{reply to}} to ping someone will give them an alert in their . —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 18:42, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Note this doesn't work for IPs, but, of course, neither do pings. 199.208.172.35 (talk) 18:58, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Tenryuu, I'm not automatically subscribed to a thread I reply in, perhaps that is a setting somewhere. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 19:05, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Gråbergs Gråa Sång: Indeed. Preferences => Editing => Discussion pages, final option, "Automatically subscribe to topics", to be exact. (I believe it also needs the option above, "Enable topic subscription", to be checked) AddWittyNameHere 19:12, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Ah, that might be because I enabled the features AddWittyNameHere mentioned, though when I did that eludes me. I think it's supposed to be enabled by default for new editors, much like the reply tool. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 19:18, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Theki - in other words, yes, it's a good idea to ping them, just in case they have not enabled those settings in their preferences. ~ ONUnicorn(Talk|Contribs)problem solving 19:25, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Editing pages[edit]

Hello, my name is Aaron Christensen. I have been asked by the city of Riddle, Oregon to figure out how to change and update some of the images on our Wikipedia page. As I am new to Wikipedia I have no experience in doing this. From what I can tell I need to have some sort of Permission to do this. Riddle, Oregon - Wikipedia . Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated. Cobrakeeper (talk) 22:33, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Cobrakeeper: You would need to disclose the conflict of interest (paid or otherwise) you have on your user page at User:Cobrakeeper before you proceed any further. When it comes to using images, you need to make sure they are either completely free to use or that they satisfy all 10 criteria for non-free content use. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 23:31, 10 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Cobrakeeper, welcome! In short, WP. and the sister-site we put most "free" images, Commons, are both very careful about copyright. The copyright owner is usually the photographer, so you can upload pics you have taken yourself, and you can ask other photographers to register on WP and do the same. Uploading is done here:[1]. There isn't a lot of room for more pics in the article, but it's possible to make a gallery-section.
If you upload pictures and need help adding them to the article, you can ask me at my talkpage. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 06:58, 11 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]