Help desk
< July 26	<< Jun \| July \| Aug >>	July 28 >

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.

July 27

Missing Oregon Person

Upon looking at the famous people page (Oregon)I notice you have not included Mindy Duncan 1988 Miss Teen USA. I find this interesting as you have articles about her. It is also odd as she was the first Oregon teen to win this title and the only red head in its history. She is from Newberg Oregon. Cheryl Gray — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.137.165.142 (talk) 04:34, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hi there, I have added her to the wikiarticle you found her absent from, however you also can help, as the topic above points out we are all volunteers with Pathos and expertise on certain topics so I encourage you to be WP:BOLD and wish you many constructive, WP:RS contributions in the future! ^{Market St.⧏}_{⧐ Diamond Way} 06:51, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Copy of deleted article

The article for Bioscale was deleted without warning while being discussed in articles for creation. Could somebody please retrieve a copy of it? 70.79.73.253 (talk) 07:44, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hello? Anyone? 70.79.73.253 (talk) 23:12, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

According to the deletion log Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/Bioscale was deleted as spam - click on the redlink to see the details. The procedure for requesting undeletion is at WP:REFUND. If you wish to resubmit it, the text would have to be rewritten so that it isn't spam. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 07:21, 29 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

reference addition from an attachment file.

hello, i want to add some citations to a page, but problem is the reference i want to give is in an pdf file. The file is valid and has link on a trusted site(pdf file is about publications and journals of the author which doesn't have links anywhere else). How do i add the reference to this pdf file? thanksMr RD (talk) 07:59, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

My advice would be to cite it in exactly the same manner as you would a web page; the cite web template has ample parameters to discuss PDF documents and their attributes. drewmunn talk 08:32, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Or if it is a PDF of a print journal or similar, {{Cite journal}}.--ukexpat (talk) 13:11, 29 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Centering text of rows in sortable prettytables.

Hello everybody, I'm preparing an article that contains a sortable prettytable. I would like to center the text of some rows, is there a command to do it without centering the text of single cells? Thank you for your help, Gabodon (talk) 10:38, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

What is the page you are working on? Are you referring to the PrettyTable library in Python? Is your article on your computer? Regarding centering in a prettytable in Python, the page https://code.google.com/p/prettytable/wiki/Tutorial contains the answer to your question (see the section Manually changing table style). -- Toshio Yamaguchi 12:56, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your answer. The tutorial has a section titled "Per-column settings", but probably it does not work in sortable tables. I made a few tries but with no effect. The page I'm writing is on my sandbox on it.wikipedia, about the largest sailing ships. Greetings from Italy, --Gabodon (talk) 05:02, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Final legal notice

[redacted]

I removed the material that was not providing input to the AfD as well as material on the article talk page that wasn't related to the article. The way wp works someone will probably revert my reverts just because they have nothing better to do.--Canoe1967 (talk) 13:19, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have removed the quoted material from your post above, since this help page is regularly indexed by search engines. -- John of Reading (talk) 13:43, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have removed the whole thing. We can't accept a legal notice on the Help desk. It must be sent to the WMF offices. Looie496 (talk) 17:07, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

FYI: For reference, a user posted a nearly identical threat which was brought up for discussion at WP:ANI#Legal threats by User:Wordsindustry. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 20:12, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

We have forum-shopping in where to make the legal threats. Yuck. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:25, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have opened a dispute but the other editor does not respond. What's next?

I have opened a dispute:"1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine" but the other user does not respond. He received a formal notice 5 days ago, and my notice 18 days ago.

I am not looking for punitive measures. I just want to settle the dispute. What could be my next step? Ykantor (talk) 13:55, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

There are no 'punitive measures' for not participating in dispute resolution. Nobody is obliged to take part. I'd suggest that you try the Wikipedia:Third opinion option - getting an uninvolved contributor to look at the disputed content might resolve the deadlock. AndyTheGrump (talk) 14:22, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. I am trying the 3rd opinion option. Ykantor (talk) 19:00, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

You should announce it at the talk page for the article. --Frederico1234 (talk) 15:56, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I announced it in both the article talk page and the user talk page Ykantor (talk) 19:00, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Where? I don't see it. --Frederico1234 (talk) 19:14, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

please have a look at:Please re-install it, otherwise I'll have to open a dispute. Ykantor (talk) 11:00, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

Please be very careful in an editing dispute on that article. It is subject to WP:Discretionary sanctions for Arab-Israeli conflict. Robert McClenon (talk) 20:45, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. I am rather carefull. But assuming the worst case (a user ban) there will be little difference compared to the present situation, since this user is deleting most of my contributions anyway. 19:57, 28 July 2013 (UTC)

I now see that two other editors have reverted your contribution. That means that Third opinion is no longer applicable. Post to the article talk page, or to the talk page of the second editor who reverted your addition. Another option might be a content Request for Comments to get other editors to look. Do not re-apply your changes within 24 hours after you last made them, because the article is subject to one revert in 24 hours. Robert McClenon (talk) 20:34, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I would like to apply at WP:RFC but there is a caveat: "Before requesting community comment, at least two editors must have contacted the user ". How do I get those 2 editors? I have tried it once, but those 2 specific users were not interested. Thanks. Ykantor (talk) 02:43, 29 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Privacy of my IP address

You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. Please log in or create an account to have your edits associated with a user name, among other benefits."

I was unaware of this issue when I started to correct a spelling error at the bottom of the David Rosenfelt page ("d" added to his name on the link to his website). I reset my change to the original error and backed out. Is my IP address now floating around in Wikipedia somewhere? If it is, what can I do? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 184.144.77.53 (talk) 14:58, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

If you did not "submit" the change, then it is not in the page history. You can avoid this problem by creating an account to edit with. See WP:ACCOUNT for how to sign up. RudolfRed (talk) 17:40, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

And it is on this page and its history, of course. Bielle (talk) 17:47, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

And if this editor creates an account right now and removes the IP address from this thread, can s/he request an oversight to revdelete this? Is the suppression allowed if the account is created after the edits were made (it is not clear from Wikipedia:Oversight/FAQ)···Vanischenu^「m/_Talk」 21:20, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, article recently created, can anybody check the spelling and if it's correctly categorized?

2013 Mitake, Yamaguchi spree killings. Thank you indeed!!!!!!

What the article currently needs the most is more sources in order to satisfy Wikipedia:Notability (events). -- Toshio Yamaguchi 17:43, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I will take a look at it and try to improve it as time permits. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 17:51, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have added some sources. I am unsure whether that is enough to establish Wikipedia:Notability under Wikipedia:Notability (events). -- Toshio Yamaguchi 18:25, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

One thing you need to take care over is that articles concerning individuals accused of crimes, but not yet convicted, must avoid stating that they are guilty. I think the article is o.k. in that regard for now, but be keep it in mind when further material is added. AndyTheGrump (talk) 18:49, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

GNU/Linux

I thought we had a policy or guideline regarding renaming "Linux" to "GNU/Linux" and renaming "GNU/Linux" to "Linux" in the many articles that use the term, but I can't seem to find it. Does it exist? --Guy Macon (talk) 20:11, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe it falls under WP:COMMONNAME, since Linux is more common than GNU/Linux according to GNU/Linux_naming_controversy. RudolfRed (talk)

As far as I know, some Linux distros don't have GNU components. --NaBUru38 (talk) 02:03, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I am pretty sure that you can create an entire Linux distribution using the BSD toolchain instead of the GNU toolchain, but has any distro actually done that? If even one has, that would make the "GNU/Linux" term not just unnecessary, but wrong.

The fact of the matter is that the majority of Linux users call it "Android" and the majority of BSD users call it "Apple OS X"... ---Guy Macon (talk) 08:21, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Adding to a page

Hello...today I added Ruth Asawa and Benny Bufano to the list of artists on this page: List of people from San Francisco

I also wanted to add Julia Morgan, architect, to the list of OTHERS, but the section of the list that includes the "other" is encapsulated (for lack of a better term) in such a way that additions are not possible. I've clicked on "edit" but the list lights up in a pale blue screen.

Am I doing something wrong, or is the list 'locked' or 'encapsulated' for a specific reason?

Thank you. MizKatz (talk) 20:24, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Are you trying to edit the article by clicking on Edit Page, which will invoke Visual Editor? The behavior that you mention is something that happens if you are using an older version of a web browser that is not supported by Visual Editor but is not recognized as a back-level unsupported web browser. Try editing the page using Edit Source, which uses Wiki markup. Please reply here what web browser you are using, and maybe the Visual Editor team will look into the version issue. Robert McClenon (talk) 20:40, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I am using Mozilla Firefox and my computer runs on Windows 7. I had no trouble adding Ruth Asawa and Benny Bufano directly on that page. I have taken your suggestion and used Edit Source, and it worked. Thank you. 67.160.239.132 (talk) 22:23, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Visual Editor is buggy. In the opinion of some editors, it should not have been released for general use in its current state. What version of Mozilla Firefox were you using? I experienced the exact same problem when I was using Firefox 12. I resolved it by upgrading to Firefox 22. Your version of Firefox may be back-level. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:28, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Also, it appears that you made your first post using your registered account as User:MizKatz and your second post from an IP address. In the future, you might want to be careful before trying to edit to be sure that you are logged in, so as to preserve your edit history. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:29, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for the reply. I am on Firefox 22.0 -- and when I was making these few additions I thought I was signed in the entire time, but I may not have been. I am really new to this, so I will always pay attention and make sure I'm signed in. Thanks again for your help. MizKatz (talk) 03:08, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Templates - How To Change Present "Show"/"Hide" Buttons to "Open"/"Close" Instead?

QUESTION about Templates => How Can You Change "Show"/"Hide" Buttons to "Open"/"Close" Instead? Seems some may find the "Open" and "Close" wording easier To understand than the present "Show" and Hide" Wording - Thanks in advance for your reply - Enjoy! :) Drbogdan (talk) 23:22, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Help:Collapsing#Customization shows how to change it for yourself. Is that what you want? The defaults are set in MediaWiki:Common.js:

var collapseCaption = 'hide';
var expandCaption = 'show';

I don't think there would be consensus for changing those. PrimeHunter (talk) 09:43, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

@PrimeHunter - Thank you *very much* for your help with this - no, I'm not considering changing any defaults - but may try to change the parameter(s) for a local project - thanks again for your help - and - Enjoy! :) Drbogdan (talk) 13:39, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

OK. MediaWiki:Common.js has code made for the English Wikipedia. Other wikis may use other code for collapsible tables. If you have problems then say which wiki it is. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:47, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

@PrimeHunter - Thanks Again - *all* your help w/ this is *greatly* appreciated - enjoy! :) Drbogdan (talk) 17:14, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

uploading photo on wikipedia entry

I am a registered user but NOT autoconfirmed. I wish to upload the image of my wife to her Wikipedia page. It is a photo which I personally took of her. I wish to obtain manual permission to do this. Please advise. Muggyjen55 (talk) 23:48, 27 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hey Muggy. Free images (free copyright license or public domain) should be uploaded to the Wikimedia Commons instead of here. The Commons has no autoconfirmation threshold for uploading files so you can head over there and upload it immediately. Once uploaded there, it can be used here natively. Best regards--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 00:48, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I can give you a hand over at commons if you wish. Just leave a message on either of my talk pages. Commons can be a little picky if the image page isn't done correctly. I can also help get it into her article. Thanks Fuhghettaboutit for answering the OP politely and not with some of the usual COI harshness.--Canoe1967 (talk) 01:00, 28 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]