Revision as of 04:31, 21 May 2011

This page is currently inactive and is retained for historical reference. Either the page is no longer relevant or consensus on its purpose has become unclear. To revive discussion, seek broader input via a forum such as the village pump.

• WP:NCHQ
• WP:NHD

This help forum has been discontinued. New contributors will instead be made welcome at the Misplaced Pages:Teahouse, a friendly place to help new editors become accustomed to Misplaced Pages culture, ask questions, and develop community relationships.

There is an extensive Archive of old questions from 2004 onwards.

April 24

Citing the "interest" of a research piece.

I'd seen research material on prostitution in Victoria mentioned elsewhere which had been found via Misplaced Pages. I think it was from http://en.wikipedia.org/Prostitution_in_Australia - the section on Economics and gender inequity I did some looking at the source of that research and the authors are from a feminist organisation (CATWA) http://catwa.org.au/?q=node/13 which is strongly against prostitution.

Some of the material looks suspect to me but I don't know for sure that it is incorrect but I do think there would be value in referencing the interest/agenda of the authors of the research. Is there an accepted way to do so that readers are in a better position to make up their own minds about the independance of research material?

W3ldedSpace (talk) 20:38, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Discuss this on that talkpage and try to provide references. mabdul 12:14, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

Tried to use IRC - no white box

Hi, wanted to use LIVE Chat but there was never a white box for me to type in, so first apologies to whomever I bothered as I tried to get through. Do I have to have my own IM account? I don't.

I want to know 2 things: 1 is how to use live chat 2 is how to add comment to user's talk page - I want to contact someone about possibly using his photo in a new book and I don't know how to do anything in Misplaced Pages.

General comment. For a newbie like me the help pages aren't useful. I need a step by step primer on how to get started. For example: How to add a template to my own talk page? How to add a comment to someone else's talk page.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sandra Mandel (talk • contribs) 21:28, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

For point 2, I've left some introductory links on your talk page. The Tutorial and How to edit a page will set you on the right lines. I've never tried to use live chat, though, so I can't help you with that. -- John of Reading (talk) 21:19, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

The Wikimedia Bookshelf also has some introductory tutorials, videos, handouts, and much more. -- œ 11:15, 7 May 2011 (UTC)

Try to use a local IRC client. In Misplaced Pages are enough listed, also for your operating system. mabdul 12:17, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

horseracing

i want to save the article on horses that have won the triplecrown in racing —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.93.49.49 (talk) 14:21, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

If you go to the article (have I linked the right one?) and look at the options on the left, under "Print/export" you should see "Download as PDF". Is this the sort of "save" that you have in mind? -- John of Reading (talk) 14:37, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Notability of a person

Why is my page want to be deleted? Can someone guide me, because the page that I created is a legitimate page and the link are real... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Charlm32 (talk • contribs) 20:09, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

See WP:BIO for a list of criteria which indicate that a person is notable. If you did not assert any of that in the article you started about a model, that's why it was deleted. —C.Fred (talk) 21:09, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Notability

What are all the possible things that can make a page about a band notable and worthy enough that it won't be deleted? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Cusrud303 (talk • contribs) 21:04, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

There's a detailed list of notability criteria at WP:BAND. The basic rule is the same as for all articles, though (the general notability guidelines): they should have been substantially written about in multiple independent reliable sources. —C.Fred (talk) 21:08, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Quality scale?

My question is regarding the article Bolt (character), an article I helped creating recently. I've noticed that the article is a part of many different Wikiprojects, such as WikiProject Disney and WikiProject Animation, but has not yet received any rating on the quality or importance scale. How do I go about asking for that? Are are the advantages (or disadvantages) of doing so? I don't know about the quality but my guess is that this article isn't amongst the most important ones. --Carlminez (talk) 22:28, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Once the article talkpage has been tagged as related to a project, it goes into a queue for that project. Members of those projects will eventually get to dropping by to add the quality/ratings. In fact, you're always welcome to join a project or two - they'll typically help you to figure out how to rate articles accordingly! (talk→ BWilkins ←track) 12:04, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

May 9

Warwickshire Police Authority

I keep adding content to the page so as to create a well informed article however, after a few minutes when I go back to continue improving the article I find that it has been changed by someone - why and how! I do not find this very helpful and is in fact putting me off adding content and ensuring that pages you already have are factually correct (which they are not in the case in question). Sashataylor (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 08:27, 9 May 2011 (UTC).

You'll find most of the answers in the messages on your talk page. - David Biddulph (talk) 09:47, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

And if you wish to discuss other contributors' edits, you may do so on the article's talk page, or on the users' talk pages. You may also wish to look at the article's edit history. - David Biddulph (talk) 09:54, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

hiii

i am more than 4 days and 10 edits..how can i upload images??? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Karsos99 (talk • contribs) 09:35, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Try WP:IMAGES and WP:UPI. - David Biddulph (talk) 09:39, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Citing a personal interview?

So I am making a Misplaced Pages page on Bury Tomorrow, a famous British metalcore band. Through Facebook I am communicating with one of the band members and asking him questions about the band in order to ensure correct information. How do I cite a personal interview like this one? Mikeyxcore (talk) 11:07, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

You don't. A personal interview is original research, and can't be cited as a reliable source.

So if OR isn't allowed, is there any way I can upload pictures of our conversation or something as proof? Very little information about this band exists online, and I would really like to make this article possible. Mikeyxcore (talk) 11:24, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

If very little information about this band exists online, it may be that the don't meet Misplaced Pages's criteria for notability. See WP:BAND. - David Biddulph (talk) 11:27, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

As far as I know, you wouldn't be able to. Of course you could use this information to help your research and find sources and so forth, but the problem is verifiability; anyone reading the article would not have access to this 'interview' to verify that what is written is correct. You can find the criteria for having an article about a band here, but I think with this band you shouldn't have too many problems so long as you reference it well (see Misplaced Pages:Referencing for beginners). I've got access to the Rock Sound archives and there is a bit of Bury Tomorrow coverage so I can give you a hand if you like. doomgaze (talk) 11:28, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Yes, please! That would be extremely helpful, because I know they definitely fit the criteria according to WP:BAND, but this is my first article, so I am a little in need of assistance. I apologize in advance if anything I say or ask for is stupid. Mikeyxcore (talk) 11:35, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

No need to apologise - it's just that this site has more behind-the-scenes rules than you would expect. I've left you some introductory links on your talk page. I suggest you post your material as a userspace draft at, say, User:Mikeyxcore/Bury Tomorrow, and then other editors will be able to comment and improve if they wish. -- John of Reading (talk) 12:40, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Replied on your talk page, good luck! doomgaze (talk) 12:58, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

I really, really appreciate it!! Thank you guys so much!!! Mikeyxcore (talk) 23:45, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Editing Misplaced Pages

I have updated information on the New South Wales government, but I can't using the tags and editing procedures. Can someone else do the formatting with the information I provide? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.48.32.25 (talk) 15:19, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

It looks all fine at Government of New South Wales, if you mean this article and if you were the ip 211.30.223.8. mabdul 16:23, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

The information on the page was good prior to the March 2011, election. This needs to be updated and i can't do, as I have NO idea what I am doing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.48.32.25 (talk) 16:46, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Going live!

How do I know that my article has been moved from the userspace to the mainspace? Don't see any time limit or any anything mentioned in the 'move' page! Would appreciate a response on my talk page. Rajeeb.bd (talk) 22:02, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

It hasn't: it's still at User:Rajeeb.bd/Boys of Bangladesh (BoB) where you put it: that is still in user space. Did you mean to move it to Boys of Bangladesh (BoB)?

If that is what you intended, please don't: move it instead to Boys of Bangladesh, and add an entry to the disambiguation page Bob.

But the article needs some work before you move it. It appears to be fairly well referenced (though they could be better formatted: see WP:Referencing for beginners, and some of them are to blogs, which are not acceptable), but the language is generally not encyclopaedic, and it reads rather like an promotional piece. --ColinFine (talk) 22:41, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

User:E2eamon moved it while I was typing the above. But I think its title is not according to policy. --ColinFine (talk) 22:43, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

May 10

Inline citations

Hello,

I am writing you with the request to help me in editing and completing a Misplaced Pages page. For some time, I am trying to eliminate some of your editorial board observations, regarding some inline citations. I wanted to ask you whether as inline citations at John M. Florescu's page, I should add the additional titles, which were created for the televisions to whom John M. Florescu has produced the interviews/shows. The same question I adress you regarding the DNC, when John Florescu was Director of Communication; should I add as inline citations the titles of the conferences he presented there ?

Thank you, Wait for your answer, Wish you a beautiful day, Dana Gliga —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dana E. Gliga (talk • contribs) 11:05, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

Are you also User:Dana83art? If so, why are you editing with 2 accounts? – ukexpat (talk) 14:31, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

No. Inline citations should be used only for references, and should normally be secondary not primary sources: see WP:CITE. Usually individual titles and the like may be listed if there are not too many, and linked to if they are sufficiently notable to have individual Misplaced Pages articles; but there should not be external links to these. There may be a link to the subject's own website (outside Misplaced Pages), which will often then link to these titles. See Misplaced Pages:External links.

Incidentally, we do not have an editorial board. Anybody can, and many people do, edit Misplaced Pages, both to write material and to review others' contributions. --ColinFine (talk) 18:40, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

Butterworth Hall Mill -Milnrow

Butterworth Hall Mill, Milnrow was not the last operating spinning mill in the area. The company went bankrupt in the 30's resulting in the loss of jobs and many small investments which its workers had placed in the company. It was a mule spinning mill.

After its demise the property was taken over by Swales- a business specialising in the production of paper waxed tubes which supplanted the costlier wooden bobbins used in the mills. The factory also manufactured items like medicinal pill boxes and similar small containers before plastic replaced these.

At the end of WW II there was no longer a need for coarse cotton fabric used for military equipment webbing and the like and so the cotton ring spinning mills were soon out of business. I would say that Ellenroad Mill was the last mill producing yarn. The company had had the foresight to see the end of the Lancashire cotton industry as it had been and had started to spin fine Egyptian cotton for shirtings - mule of ring ???- but it too closed down in the 50's.

From Arthur Howden, who grew up in the area and had first hand knowledge from staff at all levels who worked in these mills. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.44.201.100 (talk) 15:48, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

Interesting to hear, but first hand knowledge is WP:OR, and unacceptable to Misplaced Pages. We need a WP:RS that can be quoted as a reference. - David Biddulph (talk) 15:54, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

But the best place to discuss this is in the article's talk page; in fact the last section currently on that talk page concerned Butterworth Hall Mill (though there has been no posting since 2008). If you post your experiences there, it may be that somebody can work with you to find published sources. --ColinFine (talk) 18:46, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

Template editing

How do you edit templates? 161.130.178.16 (talk) 21:53, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

The same way you edit articles - go to the template's page and click on "edit" at the very top. However, many templates do not allow anonymous editing. Which template are you trying to edit? TNXMan 22:00, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

May 11

Adding Photos

I would like to request help on adding photos to an article I just recently created. I'm having difficulty and cannot find any useful answers anywhere else. Please help me to better understand how to do this.

Blaidd96 (talk) 03:15, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

I guess this question is no longer relevant, because the article has since been deleted because it did not indicate why the topic was important. But, for next time, the main help page for images is Misplaced Pages:Images, and that contains links to the more detailed advice on uploading images and using them in articles. -- John of Reading (talk) 07:56, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Expanding Stubs

I'm new to this and want to help improve the bird articles. Many bird articles have minimal information and are thus stubs. Would it be a violation of copyright if information from field guides and reference books were to be added so as to expand them? References to books would of course be made. Pratik Gupte (talk) 04:45, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Yes; this is exactly how Misplaced Pages articles work, by summarising information that has already been published in reliable sources such as books. You must take care to give the information in your own words; see Misplaced Pages:Plagiarism#How to avoid inadvertent plagiarism. Welcome to Misplaced Pages - I've left some introductory links on your talk page. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:03, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Sigh. That's "Yes, this is a good idea" not "Yes, that would be a copyright violation". -- John of Reading (talk) 11:44, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Why is my page getting deleted?

Hi,

I thought Misplaced Pages allows pages about people. I'm writing one about myself. Why is it that it's being deleted?

Kutta11 (talk) 06:30, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages is an encyclopedia, not a directory and not a webspace provider. It allows pages about notable people - those who have been written about in reliable sources such as books, newspapers and academic journals. The rest of us have to manage without. In particular, creating an article about yourself is strongly discouraged as described here. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:14, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Uploading files denied - not autoconfirmed yet. I think I have edited 10 times. How do I upload?

Hi there

I would like to update an image on a webpage I am writing. However, it says I cannot upload a file because I am not autoconfirmed. I have had a login to Misplaced Pages for a couple of weeks and have made several edits, which I believe to be over 10. Can you please let me know if I need to make more edits or if I can get access to upload files?Zwack GB (talk) 10:15, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Thanks

Looking at your contributions, this is only your fifth edit, and I don't know if this one counts towards towards the ten. Perhaps you weren't logged in for the previous edits? Once you reach ten you should read our image use policy to make sure your image is appropriate. Cheers, doomgaze (talk) 10:24, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Also based on your contributions, it appears that you might have a conflict of interest. Your name appears to indicate that you are affiliated with the subject you are writing about, Zwack. You username might also be a violation of our username policy as it is promotional in nature if you are associated with the company. GB fan (talk) 10:41, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Company Article

Do blogs count as a reputable newspaper (or other similar news source) for purposes of creating a company or product article?

98.189.73.51 (talk) 17:06, 11 May 2011 (UTC)Lizzie

Probably not. I quote from Misplaced Pages:Identifying reliable sources, "Some news outlets host interactive columns they call blogs, and these may be acceptable as sources so long as the writers are professional journalists or are professionals in the field on which they write and the blog is subject to the news outlet's full editorial control." If you haven't read the following pages already I suggest you also read Misplaced Pages:Conflict of interest and Misplaced Pages:Notability (organizations and companies). Most companies are not notable enough to be written about in an encyclopedia; a lot of people come to Misplaced Pages to try and promote thier business, but I'm afraid such articles tend to get deleted rather quickly. doomgaze (talk) 17:16, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Image uploading

plz help me as i dont know how to attach photos n plz provide me an easy way thanx Annaspervez (talk) 23:43, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Please read the image use policy to see if your image would be appropriate for Misplaced Pages. If it is, the best way to upload images is to go to the Commons and follow the step-by-step instructions there. Make sure you choose a descriptive file name that no other image has. Once you have done this, some help with adding images to articles can be found here. If you have any other questions you can ask me here or on my talk page. Cheers, doomgaze (talk) 08:14, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

May 12

Chad

I'd like to add the name of a charity I'm involved with-- www.saferbirthinchad.org -- to the wiki page on Chad. Best place for it would be under the caption of the picture of the maternity clinic.

How do I do this?

Branstonia —Preceding unsigned comment added by Branstonia (talk • contribs) 15:41, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

Please don't - it would be considered linkspam and quickly reverted. – ukexpat (talk) 15:44, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

my article: The Dragons of Krynn

There shouldn't be any copy rights problem. I just take model of another page: http://en.wikipedia.org/The_Magic_of_Krynn, and use in on other book. How can I fix the problem?

Rotem Klein Orbach

Orbachkl (talk) 20:18, 12 May 2011 (UTC) Orbachkl (talk) 20:23, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

The page has been tagged by an automated software program that has found a close match between The Dragons of Krynn and another website which also lists the 16 short stories in the book. I think that in this case the two pages have so little content that it is a mere accident, and not a copyright violation. I will leave the message in place, though, so that it can be reviewed by the project's copyright experts.

Meanwhile, you need to add something to the article to show that the book is important enough to be mentioned in an encyclopedia. The article you copied includes a reference to the New York Times to show that that book was a best-seller. So far, the new article is just a list of its chapters. See Misplaced Pages:Notability (books). -- John of Reading (talk) 08:15, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

May 13

Pictures don't show up

Why aren't any pictures showing up anymore? When I open an entry, ll I get is blank boxes where pictures should be. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Eak521 (talk • contribs) 04:10, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

It sounds as if you have disabled the display of pictures in your browser settings. This is especially easy to do by mistake in Firefox; if that's your browser, look at "Tools > Options"; "Load images automatically" should be ticked; then click the "Exceptions" button next to that checkbox, and make sure that you have not blocked "upload.wikimedia.org". If that doesn't fix it, post again here giving your browser name and version, and someone will give you detailed instructions. It would also help if you could tell us whether you can see the yellow "Powered by MediaWiki" image at the bottom right of the page, since that is downloaded from a different server. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:02, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

What is Misplaced Pages

What is the exactly website of Misplaced Pages? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 119.146.233.72 (talk) 06:04, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

I'm not sure what you are asking, but you could look at the Misplaced Pages article and the slightly more technical introduction at Misplaced Pages:About. Feel free to post again her if you have more questions. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:02, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

how to remove my username from the articlelink

Hello,

It has been some time that I started the article I know finalised it, and so now want to alter the link from http://en.wikipedia.org/User:Deerntje/Jan_Best into http://en.wikipedia.org/Jan_Best; without my username in the link. Can anyone help me, or direct me to the correct link in Wiki which provides the required information?

Thanks Deerntje (talk) 09:26, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Here you go: WP:So you made a userspace draft.

But I must tell you that you do not have nearly enough references, particularly for a biography of a living person. Also note that you should use wikilinks to articles and possible articles inside Misplaced Pages: so in your question above it would have been better to write ], which would appear as User:Deerntje/Jan Best. Also note that you have not completely translated the first line into English!--ColinFine (talk) 09:29, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Thank you ColinFine. In that case, I will adjust before publishing. Can you give me some more directions? Not nearly enough references ... You mean that Wiki requires more independent references, and how many would be sufficient according to provide enough credibility? In addition, would it be in order to refer to Dutch or German texts? Can I also refer to information that is not online available (books, scientific magazines)? And, this probably sounds daft, I am not sure what you refer to as you say "... note that you have completely translated the first line into English ..." I checked, but clearly overlook. Deerntje (talk) 11:30, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

There is no really fixed number of sources required, the general view is that anything that could reasonably be challenged should be cited - there is more detailed guidance available here WP:verifiability and here WP:When to cite. Particularly important in biographies of living people is to thoroughly reference any statements which may cast the subject in a negative light (for obvious legal and ethical reasons). It is fine to refer to information which is not online (the material has to be verifiable by a third party but it doesn't have to be easy to verify). It is also fine to refer to foreign language texts if there is no English equivalent. I don't know what ColinFine is referring to in the first line either (unless he is referring to a previous revision). You could ask him to clarify on his talk page if you like. Equisetum (talk | email | contributions)

20:02, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

When I made the comment the first line had "en" twice for "and". --ColinFine (talk) 18:10, 16 May 2011 (UTC)

I would like to upload an image (I own the copyrights) at an article I edited

Hello

My company asked me to upload a picture that we own on an article. It is impossible to do it unless my account is confirmed but I do not know how to do it.

I wouldn't like to become an administrator since I am not editing usually. This is a unique situation.

Thank you very much Ostria wind (talk) 11:36, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

First question: what is the image and what is the purpose of uploading it and adding it to the article? I am usually prepared to assume good faith but when a request contains the words "My company asked me to", I have to wonder whether the intent is to promote the company or its products, which is not permitted on Misplaced Pages. – ukexpat (talk) 17:16, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Second question, when you say "we own", who is we? Is it your company, if it is they would either have to release the copyright or it would have to used under fair use. GB fan (talk) 20:30, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Sree Sree Gita Sangha

I started an article on Sree Sree Gita Sangha-a temple. But, the headlines appears as ARTCILE ON WIKIPEDIA/SREE SREE GITA SANGHA instead of SREE SREE GITA SANGHA. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Partha08401 (talk • contribs) 13:59, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

You mean Misplaced Pages talk:Articles for creation/ Sree Sree Gita Sangha, presumably? But before you move it to mainspace you'll need to repair the errors, and provide reliable sources as references, and you'll need to demonstrate the notability of the subject. - David Biddulph ([[User ta

May 21

May 20

May 19

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