Help desk
< March 21	<< Feb \| March \| Apr >>	March 23 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

March 22

Point of warning

Hi i need to know what is the point of these warning i seen many people got them on wikipedia but i dont know the purpose for them 99.229.113.55 (talk) 01:25, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

given by twinkle for example when you send a warning it will say please stop your disruptive editing like you did on Toronto Rocket. if you continue to vandalize wikipedia you may be blocked from editing 99.229.113.55 (talk) 01:28, 22 March 2022 (UTC).[reply]

WP:NOTHERE Blocked for 72 hours for IP block evasion. TimTempleton ^(talk) ^(cont) 06:58, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

2023 NCAA Men's Final Four Logo

Can you Upload the 2023 final four logo please. 98.186.54.177 (talk) 03:46, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Hi IP 98.186.54.77. If you're unable to upload the logo yourself, you can request assistance at Wikipedia:Files for upload; however, I wouldn't worry about this too much since someone will likely upload the logo fairly soon and add it to 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament (assuming that's the Final Four you're referring to), most likely after the tournament and the article have been completed. -- Marchjuly (talk) 05:40, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Shortcut reminders please

Can someone remind me of the most relevant guidelines (or some good essays) covering the following? I'd like to make note of a couple of shortcuts for use when explaining stuff to new editors:

The fact that there are bad items in a list can't be used as an argument for adding another bad one (something like WP:OTHERSTUFFEXISTS but addressing content rather than articles)
Please don't insist that other editors clean things up. No-one is forced to edit. (WP:DEADLINE touches on this but isn't quite on point).

MichaelMaggs (talk) 05:55, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Hi MichaelMaggs. WP:OTHERCONTENT might work in the first case, and WP:FIXTHEPROBLEM or WP:IMPERFECT might work in the second case, but the best thing might actually be to avoid the short-cuts and simply politely explain the issue to the other editor in your own words. If you do that and they're unwilling to listen, then directing the to some policy and guideline page and asking them to read is likely going to be responded to in a similar way. -- Marchjuly (talk) 06:18, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for those. Seen often, but forgotten where they were. For the second, there's also WP:NOTCOMPULSORY. MichaelMaggs (talk) 10:29, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I tend to link to WP:SODOIT when someone asks me to do something. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski ^{(talk • contribs)} 14:24, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I-Genius Feni , Bangladesh

Biography: Dr A S M Abdullah (MBBS) Born in Feni District of Bangladesh. His childhood was spent in a village named Baligaon , which is located in Feni Sadar.

Contribution: Although he his a registered physician of Bangladesh besides doing his professional work he is contributed in rural community with the light of internet education and civilization with collaboration with Grameen phone and prothomalo 2011 and 2012. He is the first I-Genius of Feni district, Bangladesh.

Family members: Father: Md Abul Bashar (Teacher) Mother: Ashma Akter (Teacher) Brother: A F M Noorullah (IT Engineer) Spouse: Dr Sanjida Rashid (MBBS)

Educational Backgrounds and Achievements: 2011: S S C from Comilla Board GPA 5 out of 5 2013: H S C from Comilla Board GPA 5 out of 5 2011-2012: I-Genius Feni 2012: GP spread the light project presenter Jan2015-March2020: MBBS from Comilla Medical College and Hospital April 2020-April 2021: Internship from Comilla Medical College and Hospital Currently working as a Medical Officer in a renowned Private Hospital and also preparing for UK licensing exam to obtain GMC registration to practice as a physician in UK. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 103.220.206.30 (talk) 06:35, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

It appears that you are suggesting content for an article. Unfortunately, there's no sourcing to demonstrate notability. You should read WP:GNG and WP:YOURFIRSTARTICLE. TimTempleton ^(talk) ^(cont) 06:56, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

What are the rules about quoting an organisations aims in the lead of the article?

Hi all

I don't often write on controvesial topics and I remember reading in a guidance page (but I don't remember which one) that you shouldn't directly quote from an organisation to describe what it does e.g the first sentence shouldn't be The Heritage Foundation is a foundation which works "to advance the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom". Can someone remind me where this rule is?

Thanks very much

John Cummings (talk) 10:57, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@John Cummings: It’s an essay, not a hard rule, and is more about including the statement in general rather than where in the article it’s placed, but maybe try WP:MISSION? TimTempleton ^(talk) ^(cont) 12:30, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks very much Timtempleton, would this kind of thing fall under Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not#Wikipedia_is_not_a_soapbox_or_means_of_promotion? My issue with the article I'm working on is I don't think that the organisations stated aims should be accepted at face value. Thanks, John Cummings (talk) 14:43, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Yep, that's why essays like WP:MISSION exist. We don't care what they say they do, we care what neutral, reliable third-party sources tell us about them. --Orange Mike | Talk 14:47, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Kindly delete this file for me please

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr_Zenzo_Moyo.pdf — Preceding unsigned comment added by MemZW (talk • contribs) 13:37, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@MemZW That file is on Commons, not Wikipedia. You'll need to ask there. If it were here, I would do it for you, but I'm not a Commons admin. ~ ONUnicorn^{(Talk|Contribs)}problem solving 14:03, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) @MemZW: Please make the request via commons. Click on the link in your post and then go via the toolbar on the left to nominate for deletion. A reason will be needed. (Please remember to sign your posts on talk pages by typing four keyboard tildes like this: ~~~~. Or, you can use the [ reply ] button, which automatically signs posts.) Thank you. Eagleash (talk) 14:06, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Including disambiguation pages in others?

I just wanted to research what again was the first name of the British officer Brock who won the major Canadian victories against the USA in the War of 1812. Brock (surname) didn't help, as Isaac Brock was hidden there with only a link to Isaac Brock (disambiguation) - along with David Brock (disambiguation), Eric Brock (disambiguation) and some 20 others... In the German Wikipedia, it is custom not to link such full name disambiguations, but to include and embed them in the larger surname disambiguation. Wouldn't that be better also here? --KnightMove (talk) 14:16, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, whilst we do sometimes include dablinks in dabs, that's only when there is a seriously large amount of items. As there's only three, seems superfluous, and should just be included. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski ^{(talk • contribs)} 14:23, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Well, of course, if you invludr sll ~20 dabs the total length will increase significantly. Still I do not think this is bad - the current handling defies a main purpose of a dab, preventing the reader from finding the person he is interested in.

Other question: The ordering of the names in Isaac Brock (disambiguation) makes it unsuitable for being included. As the main person Isaac Brock has the main title anyway, would it hurt to treat him in the list like all the others, and order them chronologically?

Isaac Brock (1769–1812), British army officer
Isaac Brock (longevity claimant) (1787–1909), American longevity claimant
Isaac Brock (musician) (born 1975), American musician

--KnightMove (talk) 05:45, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

The soldier comes first no matter what. Chronologically or alphabetically by disambiguation, the order's the same. Clarityfiend (talk) 06:26, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

That's right in this case, but a) it will be different in others and b) more importantly, you have to change the formatting so all names can be meaningfully included. --KnightMove (talk) 10:10, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Grammar problem in Template:Bot use warning

Currently, when the template is used on a page, it will be displayed as something like follow:

This [namespace] is used by one or more bots.
If you intend to change this [namespace] in any significant way or nominate it for deletion, please inform the bot operators. Thank you.

This would be correct if the namespace if Template:something, which would turn the description into:

This template is used by one or more bots.
If you intend to change this template in any significant way or nominate it for deletion, please inform the bot operators. Thank you.

However, if the page is an user page, for example User:Cewbot/log/20200122/configuration#Topics, then the description will become grammatically incorrect, and become something like this:

This user is used by one or more bots.
If you intend to change this user in any significant way or nominate it for deletion, please inform the bot operators. Thank you.

Can someone help fix this? C933103 (talk) 14:46, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@C933103 - If you don't receive assistance here, I suggest creating Template talk:Bot use warning and asking there. Good luck! GoingBatty (talk) 16:52, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

There is documentation for that template which says in part:

Use |namespace=infobox to override the namespace name and show "This infobox is...". Other values can be substituted here.

So try this:

{{Bot use warning|namespace=user page}}

—Trappist the monk (talk) 17:05, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

That would fix it for that specific page, but I think it's probably better to change the template's code, such that if the namespace is user, then it display "user page". This would fix the template for all its uses on all user pages. But I have no idea how to code templates with if syntax in wiki markup. C933103 (talk) 17:12, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@C933103: While you were writing that, I have updated the template to use {{pagetype}}, which outputs "user page" when used on user pages. -- John of Reading (talk) 17:14, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you! C933103 (talk) 17:24, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Where to report feedback about the web design

I'd like to suggest using a certain web design feature to make long tables in Wikipedia articles readable. But whatever I search to find a feedback or contact page of Wikipedia, I only get explanations of the terms. Wikipedia knows it all but does none of it, it seems. So where can I head to with this case? Preferrably without creating another user account. I'm thinking of a GitHub repo or so.

Specifically, I'd suggest using the CSS property "position: sticky; top: 0" on thead elements to have the table headers scroll with the page and keep them visible at all times. This alone breaks the table borders so it needs a better integration in the site's styles. It's probably not enough the keep this for myself in a simple user style.

I hope I'll be notified by e-mail when there's a reply here. So if I never come back, I didn't know about your reply. Somehow I find this public chaotic bulletin board concept very unsuitable for efficient communication.

YGoe (talk) 19:58, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@YGoe: Welcome to Wikipedia and thanks for wanting to make it better. Post your suggestion at WP:VPI. RudolfRed (talk) 20:04, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@YGoe: Registered users can enable Make headers of tables display as long as the table is in view, i.e. "sticky" near the bottom of Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-gadgets. It has some issues. The code is in MediaWiki:Gadget-StickyTableHeaders.js and MediaWiki:Gadget-StickyTableHeaders.css. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:24, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Italian Wikipedia displays in Cyrillic letters

Often I go to non-English portions of Wikipedia to find more information about a topic. Among those, I go to it.Wikipedia.org.

The surrounding, webpage format text is in a Cyrillic alphabet, perhaps in Russian. Can one change this to Italian? Has it.wikipedia.org been hacked? If so, it has occurred for a long time without change. it:Pagina_principale — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tgkohn (talk • contribs) 21:43, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

You might have better luck asking this at it.wp - not here. —Jéské Couriano v^_^v ^{a little blue Bori} 21:55, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe you would want to use Ctrl+Shift+I or F12 to access Inspector panel of your browser, where they'd display the font that is currently being used, and then you can check the corresponding font installation in your computer to see if it's correct. C933103 (talk) 22:29, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@Tgkohn: Looks normal for me. You should be able to use this link to forcibly open the preferences page in italian, where you can then persistenttly change it back to italian. That being said, the language doesn't change itself automatically, so a password change might be a good idea. Victor Schmidt (talk) 22:01, 22 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@Tgkohn: I guess "surrounding, webpage format text" means the menus in the interface and you see something like https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagina_principale?uselang=ru instead of https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagina_principale?uselang=it. The user can change interface language without going to preferences so I wouldn't be paranoid about hacking. I have set "en - English" at Special:GlobalPreferences to get English interface like https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagina_principale?uselang=en at all Wikimedia wikis. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:36, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, Tgkohn! Have you looked at your Wikipedia settings? Try going to it:Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-personal and see what language is selected there. --CiaPan (talk) 07:45, 23 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]