Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2009 April 7

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April 7

Notable residents

Resolved

Ottawa4ever (talk) 19:58, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Is there a standard for city pages in wikipedia when it comes to notable residents? I often confuse myself as to whether someone merely born in a city is considered a notable resident?, or if they resided in the city at some point in their life are they a notable resident? As well deceased residents are they still residents? From what i can tell its merely dealt with in the talk pages on the individual article is there anything written as a standard, policy etc for notable residents to a city? Thanks Ottawa4ever (talk) 01:51, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Why not use Wikipedia's notability standard? In other words, if there's an article for that person then include them; if not, then don't.--AndrewHowse (talk) 04:00, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

It's interesting that the New York City article does not even attempt to list the city's notable residents. Probably the smaller and less notable a city is, the more it would make sense to list the notable people who had spent some time in it. If a city is large and has thousands of notable residents, then you probably wouldn't want to pad the list with notable people who had merely slept there once. But if a famous person merely visits some small town, that may be the most notable thing that ever happened there, and could warrant a mention. We have a Wikipedia:WikiProject Cities; see if they have some guideline for this, and if not, you could ask on their talk page. --Teratornis (talk) 04:19, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Thanks a bunch for the input!Ottawa4ever (talk) 19:58, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

How Do I Set up a Wiki Page About Myself: Composer

Hello,

I am interested in setting up a Wiki Page about myself. Kindly advise me?

I am a international composer of acousmatic music. Born cardiff, Wales 1942. I was greatly assisted and helped through the kindness and support for my music by the late Sir Charles Groves in the early 1980's. I continue to benefit from his wonderful encouragement which is legendary.

I have a website: www.david-lloyd-howells.org.uk

Thank you

David Lloyd-Howells, FRSA —Preceding unsigned comment added by Grasswalker (talk • contribs) 07:31, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

• It is generally not advised to write about yourself, because it makes it very difficult to adhere to the neutral point of view policy. The best option is to wait until someone else writes the article (or provide some incentive by offering a reward for doing so -- Wikipedia:Reward board/ Wikipedia:Bounty board). Either way, you should probably read the following pages: WP:MUSIC (the inclusion criteria for musicians and composers), WP:COI (about conflict of interest) and WP:YFA (about writing your first article)

If you still want to continue, please keep in mind that we're writing an encyclopedia, so personal judgements about how legendary your mentor was have no place here (regardless of how true they may be). All information in articles should be based on reliable third party sources (sources that check their facts and are not directly related to you. Try writing the article in a subpage of your userspace User:Grasswalker/David Lloyd Howell and get feedback from more experienced users before trying to move it to the main encyclopedia space. - Mgm|^(talk) 08:27, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Rory Elrick

Resolved

Why does the second ref, a {{cite web}}, ask for an access year when I have provided a full accessdate? (And why did the thing break when I edited out the allcaps in the link title? I had to redo the entire ref to make it display properly again) - Mgm|^(talk) 08:20, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

{{Cite web}} was edited before and after you used it. It seems to work now. PrimeHunter (talk) 09:29, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Login problems

I am a frequent contributer to Wikipedia and today I find I cannot log in. I enter my username and the correct password, and I get the usual log in confirmation page, but when I click on "my Watchlist", I get a message saying "Not logged in". If I visit a different page the usual links at the top right of the page change back to "Login in/create account". I don't believe I have been blocked - I have a good record of editing here and there is no mention of any block on my talk page. So, why can't I log in? 11:11, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Make sure your browser is accepting cookies, or just try logging in from a different browser. —SV 11:13, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Resolved

That's weird. I simply exited the current running Internet Explorer and started a new IE session and I can now log in. Thanks SV. Astronaut (talk) 11:19, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Can anyone identify a user's computer IP address?

Resolved

 – ukexpat (talk) 18:52, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Hello I have just joined Wikipedia and would like to know if anyone else (other than the Wikipedia security team) can identify my computer's IP address? Or identify who I am by any other means?

The reason I ask is that I have had a difficult identity situation relating to my computer in the past and would like to double check before starting to use Wikipedia.

Many thanks! I would appreciate your advice!

Eternaltruths Eternaltruths (talk) 14:08, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

No, the ability to "checkuser" is held by only a relatively small number of admins, shown here. TastyCakes (talk) 14:12, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Just make sure you're logged in before editing. Otherwise, the edit will appear from your IP address. Arakunem^Talk 14:33, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Indeed, I read an article about a year ago about someone that had written a bot that searched for edits to the signature blocks of people's comments, so they could identify users' IPs by times they had forgotten to log in and written something and then gone back, logged in and resigned their comment. So if you make that kind of mistake (edit a comment when not logged in and then again when you are, in a way that makes it clear you're the same person) it is quite possible for someone to deduce your IP if they have enough time and motivation on their hands. That said, I don't think any sensitive information is usually associated with an IP address or your wikipedia account alone, and I've never heard of a wikipedia user running into trouble because their IPs were revealed (other than being outed as sockpuppets, that is). TastyCakes (talk) 14:54, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Occasionally, an editor will be logged out without recognizing it and post to a discussion, thus their IP shows as their signature. After the editor realizes this, they may log in and replace the signature. WikiScanner now trawls the database looking for these replacements and logs them at Poor Man's Checkuser. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 10:28, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

There are some users who refuse to create an account because they assume that using an IP address is more anonymous than using an account. -- kainaw™ 15:51, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Thanks all for your clarification - that's really helpful. --Eternaltruths (talk) 17:40, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Occasionally, an editor will be logged out without recognizing it and post to a discussion, thus their IP shows as their signature. After the editor realizes this, they may log in and replace the signature. WikiScanner now trawls the database looking for these replacements and logs them at Poor Man's Checkuser. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 10:28, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Talk Page "contents" list

Resolved

I'm fairly new to editing page templates, but I noticed that some discussion pages for various articles do not list a "contents" list at the top. Is this removed automatically when the contents list grows to a certain point? I see no way to edit or remove it, so I wondered what criteria is required to remove the list, and likewise what is required to add one if it is missing. Poet  Talk  18:19, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

See Help:Section#Table of contents (TOC) which explains the rules that control when the table of contents will appear. --Teratornis (talk) 18:42, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

not sure, but I think it's something like {{__NOTOC__}}. — Ched :  ?  18:45, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. I did a bit of research and discovered various "Magic Words" that can do exactly what I was asking. All you need to do is add __NOTOC__ without any braces or brackets, and it will work appropriately. --Poet  Talk  04:28, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Washer & Dryer history?

Dear Wiki Pedia: I have serched and surched your files completely for the answer to the fallowing question(s). "WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE CLOTH WASHER?" When I found nothing, but add after add for a new one. I asked it this way. "When and who invented the cloth washer?" Again, nothing at all. Now, someone had to invent the cloth washer and it had to be sometime in years gone past us. So would you please either post the answer? Or, please post where I can find the answer?" To date, zip is the answer I have, (am) receiving. Can you PLEASE answer my question for me? I'd be very grateful to you. I wish I could send you funding, but I'm deeply involved with an NON-PROFIT orginization called, "CALIFORNIA COSTAL HORSE RESCUE." "CCHR" for short. My boy, (horse) is deeply involved with the RESCUE. They saved both my and my boy's life. Therefore, all of my funding must go there. I'm also legally blind, (or "very low vision") So I also suport the Braille Institute and the Foundation For The JR. Blind in Los Angeles and Santa Barbra and Orange County all located in California. I'm deeply sorry for this, but we all know that most NON-PROFIT ORGINIZATIONS are very valuable and important. So I know your prefference would be for me to continue doing what I'm now doing. I don't know how to get the answer from you, because you state, "FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION DO NOT LEAVE NAME, PHONE OR E-MAIL ADDRESS." So, how do I obtain the answer from you? Oh, you can use the "REPLY BOTTON" ON THE THIS E-MAIL to you. Gee, some times my braiin works, but not all the time. I bid you peace and all the very best. I thank you very much for the welth of information you do offer the public even if I can't find my own answer. Thank you again! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.109.168.181 (talk) 18:31, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

You may be looking for Washing machine, specifically Washing machine#History. If that's not what you mean, then you could try asking on our Reference desk, where they try to answer most general knowledge questions. --Teratornis (talk) 18:40, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Archiving talk pages

Resolved

Thanks :) Copana2002 (talk) 02:00, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I was trying to archive the ETA talk page following these instructions, but I seem to have muddled it considerably. I think I need some informed help. Thanks. Copana2002 (talk) 18:42, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I've fixed it, but I left the most recent discussion as it's fairly recent. I think the easiest way to archive a page is to follow the instructions in the section Help:Archiving_a_talk_page#Cut_and_paste_procedure only. Don't use any methods that involve moving the page as that tends to just mess things up. Tra (Talk) 19:12, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Template Help

Resolved

 – {{Celebreality Series}} is now working correctly. --Teratornis (talk) 20:01, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Im trying to complete creating a template and the last few rows are not appearing. Template:Celebreality Series Im creating it to replace the loads of templates that are already covered for this TV set of shows, all seem to link back to one another. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jamesbuc (talk) 18:44, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Some list labels had stray spaces. --Teratornis (talk) 18:59, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Bold text

Dear Wiki Pedia: I have been hunting all over your web site for the answer to thie question, "WHEN AND WHO INVENTED THE CLOTH WASHER?" Now, I know that sometime in time the cloth washer was invented by someone, but for the life of me. I can't find it in any of your files. When I ask the question I keep-on being sent to the ADVERTISSING PAGES FOR NEW WASHER'S AND DRYERS. I want and need "the history and person who invented it." Now, how do I get the answer to my question? Oh, Iknow how. You can just click on, "REPLY." That will automaticly send me your answer with-out anyone-else seeing or gaining any information about me and/or my personal family. I wish I could donate to you, but firstly, I'm low visionl, or LEGALLY BLIND." i'M ALSO STONE DEAF." Therefore, I spend my funding on both the "BRAILLE INSTITUTE" and "THE FOUNDATION FOR THE JR. BLIND." I also own a horse whom is deeply connected with CCHR,(California Costal Horse Rescue.) All 3 orginizations are 100% NON-PROFIT and 100% VOLONTEERS. Therefore, there is no funding left to send to you sad to say. However, am grateful for your service. Thank you very much! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.109.168.181 (talk) 18:45, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Washing machine maybe? — Ched :  ?  18:48, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

How do I get a cleanup box reviewed?

How do I get a cleanup box reviewed for deletion (of the box - not the article!)? As an example see "Epidaurus". There seems no reason for the cleanup box at the top of the page. How does one request removal of the box (or any other editorial template for that matter).

Shouldn't editors be more specific about what kind of clean up is required? I'm not sure how the Epidaurus page could be improved.

Could I suggest that this procedure for "box removal" be put in the help section (if relevant).Shadygrove2007 (talk) 19:40, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

There is no process for formal review. Sometimes (often?) articles are edited to deal with the issues but the tags do not get removed. You can delete the tags yourself, but it is a good idea to explain on the article's talk page why you have done so. – ukexpat (talk) 19:45, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

This type of question appears frequently on the Help desk (see a few questions up for another instance). It seems the messagebox templates themselves generally do not explain (or link a page that explains) exactly how one should go about removing them. The fact that we don't seem to have an agreed-upon procedure for removing messagebox templates probably doesn't help. Most of these templates have documentation, but usually it focuses on describing the circumstances in which one would place the template in an article. The implication would be, I guess, that once someone has repaired those circumstances, they could then remove the template. Someone who doesn't fully understand the problem that a template highlights would need more explicit instructions to determine when the problem has been fixed. We have a WP:MFAQ#STUB entry which tells (briefly) how to remove a stub template. Perhaps we need a similar entry in Wikipedia:FAQ/Template describing how to remove messagebox templates in general. Who wants to write one? --Teratornis (talk) 20:16, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Artist

I am trying to find info on an artist, L. Sobler from Germany I believe and a painting done in 1963 called Flowers —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rebecca A leahy (talk • contribs) 20:27, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Have you tried the Humanities section of Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in answering knowledge questions there; this help desk is only for questions about using Wikipedia. For your convenience, here is the link to post a question there: click here. I hope this helps. TNXMan 20:29, 7 April 2009 (UTC)