User:ParlorGames/welcome

Hi! Welcome to Wikipedia!

Thanks for your contributions to Wikipedia. Below is a raft of links to help you. (I know, unbelievable that a free encyclopedia should have so many rules, but apparently people like to make rules.)

1. Start at Wikipedia:Introduction. But if you're too busy to click through a few screens, try this basic table of how to write Wikipedia's links, headings, etc. And when you're finished, try the wikimarkup out in the sandbox.
2. You want to make sure you know the Five Pillars of Wikipedia, which are the most important rules. I've summarized them here (although you still should read the full page):
   • Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. Try for accuracy and verifiability, and don't try to create articles about yourself, your friends, dog, school, or company... not, at least, until you have read the criteria for notability and know that what you're writing about meets those criteria.
   • Wikipedia has a neutral point of view policy. Give reasonable weight to all sides of an issue, without overemphasizing any one view, and without inflating fringe views.
   • Wikipedia is free content (licensed under the GFDL) and can be edited by anyone. No one is a webmaster (except maybe Jimmy Wales) and anyone can change any article that you make with certain exceptions.
   • Wikipedia does have a sort of code of conduct. Do not attack anyone, and be civil, avoid making personal attacks, find consensus for your changes, avoid edit wars, follow the three-revert rule, and remember that there are about 2 million articles out there and you don't have to get into any disputes about any one article.
   • Wikipedia does not have any firm rules. Be bold, because nobody is perfect and you don't have to have a perfect encyclopedia article the first time around. Don't worry about messing up, either, because all previous versions are kept (check the "History" tab at the top of the page for all those previous versions!) and can be accessed and restored if need be.
3. There is a help page for new contributors. Meanwhile, if you have any general knowledge questions, ask at the Wikipedia:Reference desk, and if you want to ask about the wiki itself, ask at the Wikipedia:Help desk.
4. If you want to make an article after reading all this (and good job if you did!), see Wikipedia:Your first article.
5. When you are making an edit, make sure to use a descriptive edit summary. (If you are reverting obvious vandalism, check the "This is a minor edit" checkbox and put "Reverting Vandalism" or "rvV" in the edit summary box.)
6. When you are on a talk page (after clicking the "discussion" tab at the top), make sure to sign your posts using the automatic signature function, which can be accessed by the "sign your username" link just under the edit summary box, by clicking this button (), or by using four tildes - ~~~~ - which can be typed by holding down Shift, then tapping the "~ `" button (just under the "Esc" button) four times.
7. This "getting started" page has a very comprehensive list, if you want to find everything you need or might want to know to start in Wikipedia.
8. If you need any help and can't figure out how to get it, just put {{helpme}} on this page below me, describe the problem below that, and someone will be around shortly to assist you.

Happy editing!

From ~~~~