Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2012 April 23

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April 23

Why is contacting actual Wikipedia people so hard?

It's very simple, I wanted to request someone - someone who is not me - do an article on the arts & crafts supply "Puffy Paint" as I can't find anything other than store links to help explain to people who've never seen it what it is. Wikipedia keeps wanting me to search for something completely unrelated called "Puffy Planet."

I cannot find a way to request this. Nor can I find anyone who actually WORKS for Wikipedia to put in the request. It's VERY annoying. Just because this place is publically edited - which, frankly, is dumb as people enter incorrect information just to troll the site (such as when I found someone had changed The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants to say it was about four transvestites rather than teenage girls) - doesn't mean it shouldn't have official staff you can contact. — Preceding unsigned comment added by JamiSings (talk • contribs) 03:36, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

• You're looking for Request an article. To answer your larger question, while Wikipedia does have staff most of them are volunteers and aren't generally going to be able to answer editing questions any better than the rest of the community can. Further info about contacting Wikipedia can be found at Wikipedia:Contact us. Andrew Lenahan - Starblind 03:39, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Confirming quality for first page - So it won't be deleted

Hi,

I've created my first page for Wikipedia and was wondering how I know if it has been accepted by the editors?

I moved the page from my sandbox last Friday 20th April. The page can now be found via Wiki/Google and has had 50 or so views.

How can I tell if the page is of a high enough standard to be accepted and remain live?

Thanks for your help.

Englishmaninmelbourne (talk) 04:39, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

They seem to be referring to Preshill, The Margaret Lyttle Memorial School Junior Campus. Dismas|^(talk) 07:02, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

It looks very good for a first attempt. If you hadn't said so I wouldn't have known. The prose seems quite acceptable and most importantly you've included a number of reliable sources, so I'd say that there's little chance of it being deleted outright. That's not to say that it is without problems, though. Here are a list of the most obvious problems I saw while skimming through:

1. I've added a missing punctuation mark and there may be others like this since I just skimmed it. It would also be a good idea to look at the spelling of "Preshil"/"Preshill" as there seems to be some disparity in its title in different articles on Wikipedia. So it would be good if you could make a quick review of it.
   There is also the issue of the alert tags on top and bottom...
2. The top tag says that the article is an orphan. It's generally a good idea to address tags as soon as possible so if you can think of any related articles (schools with similarly experimental design, schools in the vicinity, other design projects by the same architect, etc) then it would be good to link them to your article.
3. The tag at the bottom says that you haven't added any categories to the article yet. The best way to do this is to look at other similar articles and to copy the tags that they have that are applicable. as an example you could check out the way they handled it at Melbourne Grammar School.
4. The gallery of images you have is appealing in a way, but Wikipedia often prefers to minimize the use on non-free content. Many of the images have licensing problems in that you haven't drafted a license for them when you uploaded them. Wikipedia takes copyright issues very seriously so this means that if the licensing isn't cleared up the images may be deleted at any time. I know this can be rather confusing to a new editor so if you need help with the licenses, you could try asking at WP:IMAGEHELP. If it turns out that these are non-free images I think you will probably have to reduce the number of them that appear within the article.
5. But finally, the biggest problem that the article faces is that it seems rather likely to me that it will be merged with the article on Preshil the institution. I don't know if there is really enough difference between the institution and the campus to warrant two articles like this. Since your campus-related article is well sourced, the information is likely to be retained, but it will probably ultimately be merged in with the information in the institution article. It may be a good idea for you to pre-emptively consider good ways to merge the two articles since you seem to be familiar with the topic.

I hope this helped. Sorry to be so negative. It's an interesting and informative article, but I just wanted to cover every angle of it that might be susceptible to criticism. -Thibbs (talk) 14:21, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Upload an article from My sandbox field

Hello

please write me how could I upload encyclopedic text which I have done? I tried to put it a week ago, but I dont have any answer for it. Please, it is very important for me.

Best — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stefanakvark (talk • contribs) 08:58, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I assume you mean the article located at User:Stefanakvark/sandbox. You can move this to mainspace by clicking the dropdown menu at the top of your screen (between the Search bar and the watchlist star) and selceting "Move". Then enter the new name for the article, and it will be moved to mainspace. Whether it belongs there is unclear - it needs reviewing by someone with more knowledge of maths than me. There are suggestions of original research, so I would strongly suggest putting it through AfC first (add {{subst:afc submission/submit}} to the top of the page) so it can be properly assessed. Yunshui 雲‍水 09:28, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Unfortunately, significant part of the text is copied from published sources. So, you need to paraphrase it, unless you are an author of those texts. Ruslik_Zero 18:38, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

categorize the watchlist by subject

Is there a way to categorize the watchlist by subject? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jaxal 0 (talk • contribs) 12:36, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

You can sort your watchlist by namespace (use the drop-down menu above the list itself) so that you only see edits to article, or talkpages, or userpages and so on. However, to the best of my knowledge you can't categorise it by subject - your watchlist lists edits as they are made, so they can only be organised by time. Yunshui 雲‍水 12:40, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm not sure what you mean with "by subject". There are preferences to group edits to the same page. See more at Help:Watching pages. It says "Related Changes can also be used to monitor changes to pages belonging to a category". There is no option for a type of article when it's not a single category. PrimeHunter (talk) 12:45, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Moving an article from my sandbox to Wikipedia

Dear Editors Sorry, but I could not seem to find and answer to the following. Maybe the answer is obvious--but it was not to me. I have almost completed my article "Isothermal Microcalorimetry (IMC) in my sandbox. How do I move it from my sandbox to Wikipedia? Thanks for your help DanDaniels DanDaniels (talk) 13:27, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

You can click "Submit" in the box at the top saying "Finished? Submit the page!". Then an editor will review the submission. Headings should never have all capitals. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:38, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

The draft needs work on the layout and formatting, so please take a look at WP:LAYOUT.--ukexpat (talk) 14:10, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Protest Internet censorship in India

The new IT Act law in India is worse than SOPA or PIPA. Tomorrow am MP will raise a motion to annul the law. Please protest Indian Internet Censorship the way you did with SOPA & PIPA by blacking out. We desperately need awareness in India and many people use Wikipedia. The law directly affects wikipedia. You will have to take down any material that is 'objectionable' to someone without any trial or opportunity to present your case.

http://www.legallyindia.com/Social-lawyers/mps-to-be-taught-draconian-it-act-rules-as-indianet-support-galvanises-for-annul-motion — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.199.35.238 (talk) 14:33, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

This isn't the right place to request this kind of help. You should bring your concerns to the WikiMedia Foundation (try here), Jimmy Wales (try here), and possibly at some of the analogous locations at Wikipedias in the Indian languages (such as http://hi.wikipedia.org). -Thibbs (talk) 14:41, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Deleted page on James Wing Woo

I have just discovered that my martial arts teacher, James Wing Woo, had a page but that it has been deleted. If possible, I would like to see that page and also to find out any specific reasons as to why it was deleted. He is a highly respected gung-fu master and has had parts in 15 Hollywood films, including "Marathon Man," which was Laurence Olivier's last film and also starred Dustin Hoffman. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.84.131.113 (talk) 18:27, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/James_Wing_Woo. Ruslik_Zero 18:30, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

You could ask one of these Category:Wikipedia administrators who will provide copies of deleted articles to put it in your user space, create an account, provide the citations, notabilty seems okay to me, then move it to main space and see if it stands up?--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:49, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

List of online translators

This page doesn't exist yet. I was trying to translate a some Russian text and discovered there are a few out there now. One even translates from four different websites for comaparison side by side. Some sites have articles here and some don't. I am wondering if it should be a list only for now with wikilinks and urls, an article, and possibly a category for those that have pages already. I am not sure how to create a category.--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:35, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Creating a category is quite simple. Basically you add a page to the new category and then save. When you see the redlinked category you edit it to provide a brief definition and you add it to other categories. The process is laid out in depth here. -Thibbs (talk) 18:47, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Thanks. "...add the new category to an appropriate parent category." Does anyone have any ideas which parent categorie(s) would suit best?--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:57, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I'd go with Category:Technology in society and Category:Online services to start with. There may be several other categories that would be appropriate as well. -Thibbs (talk) 19:09, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

We already have Comparison of machine translation applications. The Platform column says Web application for many of them. I don't think there should be a separate list for online translators. PrimeHunter (talk) 19:09, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Good catch. There also seems to already by a Category:Translation software. -Thibbs (talk) 19:12, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Thanks x 2. Should I blank the category I just created, and just add those not in the comparison tables as external links at the bottom? Or a section 'web translators not in tables yet' type thing?--Canoe1967 (talk) 19:35, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Resolved

I added a speedy delete tag to the category I created and links on existing comparison page--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:33, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Head Restraints

I would like to correct the informaion on the Hutchens Device page and also make a new page for the Hutchens Hybrid and the R3 head restraints. What do I do to correct the information on the Hutchens page and on the current HANS page, since it has issues with words like mandated HANS, which is simply not true. A head restraint spec. is mandated that the HANS device is certified to, like other devices. Tashline99 (talk) 18:55, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

At the top of nearly every page on Wikipedia you will see a row of tabs at the top of the article. Just above the article name (in bold at the upper left) you see "Article" and "Talk", and then far to the right (just left of the "Search" bar, you'll see "Read", "Edit", and "View history". If you click the "Edit" tab then you should be able to see the raw Wikicode which is mostly the text that makes up the article. Altering this text and then clicking save at the bottom (below the text field) will allow you to make permanent the alteration you have made. It is considered good practice to leave an edit summary for articles (by filling in the field just above the "Save page" button), and remember that sources for the material you add are often essential as well. -Thibbs (talk) 19:04, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I am missing Twinkle

When I pull up a page, Twinkle options are not there. Neither is Wikilove for that matter. Is this something involving temporary maintenance and are others experiencing it? Does anyone know why it might not work? I generally edit using Google Chrome but am on Firefox right now; however, I have not had this issue with Firefox in the past. I also checked and I do have javascript enabled. Ryan Vesey Review me! 18:55, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Apparently this is being discussed on Wikipedia talk:Twinkle. Ryan Vesey Review me! 18:57, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Something certainly just happened because my diff viewing is rendered quite differently. -Thibbs (talk) 18:58, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Mine too, I heard mention of a new media-wiki software being rolled out. Ryan Vesey Review me! 19:01, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

what has happened to restore to previous version?

up until yesterday i could look at a revisoin then restore toa previous version but i cant now it seems there achange to the wikipedia code as the eidt usmmary is different--Andrewcrawford (talk - contrib) 19:07, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Yes, this just kicked into effect 15 minutes ago. It apparently is having an effect on Twinkle usage so you may want to look in at the discussion unfolding there (see the above comment). -Thibbs (talk) 19:10, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

(ec) I still see the "undo" link in the page history. Are you asking about something else? RudolfRed (talk) 19:11, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

creating a list of large jewelry chain stores by country

Hi:

I found a list of reatailers by country which is very helpfull to anyone looking to find retailers in any country around the world. I tried to find a list like that for large jewelry retailers and couldn't. I would like to start a list like that by supplying the information on the United State large retail chains which I am very familiar with and have sources to support, and I want other people in other countries to add to that list their large jewelry retailers. How do I do that?

Thanks Eadini (talk) 19:42, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I made a sandbox page for you to start the list with. User:Eadini/List of jewelry stores by country. It may stand up to wikipedia scrutiny once it has a few more entries.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:21, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Note Category:Jewellers by nationality. A list should usually provide additional information over a category. See Wikipedia:Categories, lists, and navigation templates#Advantages of a list and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lists. PrimeHunter (talk) 20:32, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Category:Jewellery retailers seems to be stores, I think Category:Jewellers by nationality is persons.--Canoe1967 (talk) 23:14, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

publishing a page

Hi, Please may I know how long it takes for a new page to be published?

thank you Star writer (talk) 20:23, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

An article is published as soon as it is created in the mainspace. Many users decide to create a page in their user space by creating an article like User:Ryan Vesey/Xerotine siccative (an example of one I'm working on) and moving it to the mainspace when they are done with it. In that case, you could say it is published as soon as it is moved. Is there a specific article you are talking about? You haven't made any other edits from this account. Could you have created an article through articles for creation as an IP? Ryan Vesey Review me! 20:37, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

It can be published immediately (within a second of clicking Save page) or it can be submitted for review. The review time varies. If you want to make a new article then I suggest you use Wikipedia:Article wizard. PrimeHunter (talk) 20:36, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Revert single-instance of image use?

There is/was an image used for an artist, this was a B&W lithograph. The image has been replaced by a colorized and "enhanced" version ("Quality-Update" in file history) which is currently used numerous places on WP. The "Quality-Update" has now replaced the original version used on the artist's page, and no longer represents a "faithful photographic reproduction of an original two-dimensional work of art". Although tempted to challenge on that basis, I would be satisfied if the original pre-colorized version only be restored for use on the artist's page.
Artist: Willy_Stöwer
Original image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/6/6e/20111008172228!St%C3%B6wer_Titanic.jpg
Image used: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St%C3%B6wer_Titanic.jpg
~Eric F 184.76.225.106 (talk) 21:00, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I'd like it if the original black-and-white version was restored everywhere. "Quality-Update", really? Colorized = Fail. —{|Retro00064|☎talk|✍contribs|} 22:30, 23 April 2012 (UTC).

I agree, the original black and white version should be used, it existed as such for several years. The colour version should have been uploaded under a different name, if at all. But still, a semblance of consensus should be achieved before doing so. Яehevkor ✉ 22:41, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I agree. Adding false colour to the image in the Titanic article was a poor idea (and did men really wear purple trousers in 1912?). But adding false colour to a good copy of an artist's work is a really appalling idea. I would restore the original image if I knew the proper way to go about it. Maproom (talk) 22:54, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Ditto -- but I'd thought it would be non-controversial to just use the original version for the page of the original artist. (I've started discussions on other related talk pages). ~E 184.76.225.106 (talk) 23:03, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I reverted to the original b/w. I agree a good colour one can be uploaded as a new file.--Canoe1967 (talk) 23:22, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

How to update images?

There used to be a button you could click on an image page where you could upload a new version. Anyway, the fair use image representing the cover of a book needs to get updated with that for the current edition, and I could just upload a new one and request delete of the old, but I am just wondering if there is a way to simply update the image like you used to be able to do. -J JMesserly (talk) 21:09, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

There should still be a link saying "Upload a new version of this file" for images hosted at Wikipedia such as fair use images. Which file is it? If it's hosted at Wikimedia Commons then you must go there to get the link. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:26, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I must be blind. The link was there- just in a different place. Sorry to trouble you. J JMesserly (talk) 22:00, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

You have to do it from the commons image page, just below the image file history thumbs. The link to the commons page is below the main image.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:06, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

Gmail

Please help. I am very frustrated. I've been able to get into my gmail — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.87.118.62 (talk) 21:30, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I am afraid we can't help with that. Below the page where it says "Sign in" there is a link labeled "Can't access your account?". Perhaps that is of some help? Anyway, in case of probelms with your gmail account, you would need to contact Google, as this is the help desk for the English version of Wikipedia. -- Toshio Yamaguchi (tlk−ctb) 05:30, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

gmail

Please help out of gmail. I i cannot get into– itt---- — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.87.118.62 (talk) 21:37, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

I suspect, based on your question, that you found one of our over 6 million articles and thought we were affiliated in some way with that subject. Please note that you are at Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this page is for asking questions related to using or contributing to Wikipedia itself. Thus, we have no special knowledge about the subject of your question. You can, however, search our vast catalogue of articles by typing a subject into the search field on the upper right side of your screen. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we have a reference desk, divided into various subject areas, where asking knowledge questions is welcome. Best of luck.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 21:57, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

This page is only for questions about how to use or edit Wikipedia. Thanks! Monterey Bay (talk) 22:08, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Viewer Ship Tool?

Is there a viewer ship tool (or something close to it) that I can see how many views a article receives each day?--Dom497 (talk) 21:49, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Yes, click on the "history" tab at the top of the page, then click "Page View Statistics".--Wehwalt (talk) 21:51, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Thanks!!!--Dom497 (talk) 21:53, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Asshole Wikipedia editor changes Carnivore entry I made

Q: I have proof that a new program that has enhanced (not superseded carnivore like everyone believes) called Predator has been initiated by our Government. Some Nazi editor decided that my contribution is not verifiable. Well, it's tough to put this information out there and quote someone who has close ties to the program without raising every eyebrow which I'm sure the govt is curious how a civilian has any detail of the program.

If you look at this editor, he thinks he is god... written all over him.... what to do? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.94.64.113 (talk) 22:39, 23 April 2012 (UTC)‎

First, stop making Personal Attacks. Second, read up on Verifiability. While it would be great if we could take peoples words when they say their contributions are truthful, many people add information that is not true. As a result, when there is a controversy, we require that information come from Reliable Sources. If you can find reliable sources for your claims, then they can be on Wikipedia, otherwise the editor was right to remove them. If you do have reliable sources for the information, see Referencing for Beginners for some tips on how to reference the sources. Monty₈₄₅ 22:43, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

also, when you write "our Government", it helps if you say what country you are in. Maproom (talk) 10:21, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

See Carnivore (software) — the IP added substantial amounts of information about an allegedly secret program, and the only source statement given was "Confirmation of the secret program has been revealed by credible sources." This indeed is not adequate for verification purposes. Nyttend (talk) 12:15, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

My login has been compromised

Hello:

My login no longer works and although I have requested an email password reset several times, it has never gotten to me. I believe the email address on the account has been changed.

I have a history back to 2005 with the Kazari login. I would like to keep it. I do not want to create a new login if at all possible.

I am prepared to prove who I am but I am uncertain who to do this with or how. (As per "If your account is compromised, it may be permanently blocked unless you can prove you are its rightful owner.)

Please help me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.42.11 (talk) 22:47, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

See a very informative discussion on another editor with the same issue at Wikipedia:Bureaucrats'_noticeboard/Archive_23#Recovering_former_account.3F. Per that discussion, you would need a WP:Sysadmin (the people who run the servers, as opposed to on wiki admins) intervention to force reset a password. You could, if you can satisfy the required users of your identity, get the old account renamed so that you could edit under the name again, but the contribution history of the new account would be separate. That request would be made at WP:BN Monty₈₄₅ 23:10, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Making political propaganda

"In early 2012, the "Friends of Syria" initiative was established, which resulted in multi-national conference in Tunisia, in order to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. Successive meeting was held in Turkey during April."

I quote the article "Syrian Uprising (2011-present)"

It is located under the "Peace proposals".

Given that the countries that had the meeting. Urges the opposition to not even talk to Assad regime. And had to smuggle in weapons and its intelligence services is in the country of Syria. And out of the meeting came the news to them armed opposition groups would have more weapons. Is it hardly "Peace proposals" Rather, the opposite Inciting violence. My suggestion The article should be changed. A separate section should be dedicated to "friends of syria" countries. There also is written, what they do. And what they said publicly. Which countries these are. And perhaps what some of them more prominent countries known representatives said. As the American Hillary Clinton. To cite just one example. That there are no dialogue before Assad resigned she says.... For this page should be factual? Make it so— Preceding unsigned comment added by Reinhart567 (talk • contribs) 23:55, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

You don't make it clear what your dispute may be, regarding Wikipedia policies and guidelines. Please take this up in the first instance on the talkpage of the article in question. Tonywalton ^Talk 00:18, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

Yes, this seems to be a WP:Content dispute accidentally brought to the wrong forum. There is already a Friends of Syria Group article with a talk page where it should be discussed. Jim.henderson (talk) 00:39, 24 April 2012 (UTC)