Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2010 July 16

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July 16[edit]

Unable to login to wikipedia[edit]

I am unable to login to my account on wikipedia even after typing in the stored password correctly several times with my username.

It keeps giving the message:" Login error Incorrect password or confirmation code entered. Please try again."

I do not think I have an email set for password recovery or a new password.

I believe that I am typing in my password correctly since it is stored on my comp. What is the problem, have you/has my account been hacked, why am i unable to login? What should I do?

I am deliberately not providing any contact details as per yr instructions. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.215.245.233 (talk) 00:36, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Regards

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.215.245.233 (talk) 00:20, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The username is not considered contact details. Are you willing to reveal it together with your IP address? PrimeHunter (talk) 01:30, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Username= Nilanjan —Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.215.223.231 (talk) 18:46, 19 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Since you haven't made any edits with that account, the easiest way is just to create a new account, if you did not set an email and forgot your password. MC10 (TCGBL) 19:03, 19 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you

"Popular reference"[edit]

Dear Wikipedia administrator, As I tried to post an article on this marvelous "popular reference" encyclopedia, I had trouble with the tone of another administrator that, without warning, deleted my new post. Being this a "popular" - "an adjective referring to ANY people or population" - I find it unnecessary to offend or use rudeness to new users, especially when these are trying to create new content. And now I transcribe my conversation with the administrator who deleted the post to whom I asked why:

  • My question: Hello RHaworth. Yesterday I created an article about Chat About It and this morning the same article was removed by you. I would like to know why and how can be restored. I am working for Chat About It and I need to create the article. Thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jppaiva86 (talk • contribs) 00:31, 16 July 2010 (UTC)
  • Response: Kindly do not delete other people's messages when you post yours. What a cheek - "I need to create the article". What matters is not your needs but whether WIkipedia needs the article. The article was deleted for a total absence of refs to significant coverage in reliable, independent secondary sources But you could chat about it at deletion review. — RHaworth (talk · contribs) 00:44, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Without people, this "popular" encyclopedia is just another big, outdated encyclopedia. Please cherish who is willing to create new articles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:RHaworth#Chat_about_it --Jppaiva86 (talk) 02:35, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, as an encyclopaedia, we cannot publish every single piece of random information in the world. Only things with a significant coverage in reliable sources are notable. Also note that since you are closely related to the subject, you have a conflict of interest, so even if the company is notable, you may want to ask someone else to write the article for you, to avoid a biased point of view and orginal research. Thanks Kayau Voting IS evil 03:09, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I agree that the wording was a little more direct than appropriate. As an aside, the editor knows this - check out User:RHaworth and note the caption on the upper right image.
Having said that, this is a popular encyclopedia, but it doesn't mean that all additions are welcome. This project has evolve over time, and has developed a number of policies intended on providing a good encyclopedia for you. One of these policies is that the presentation of material should be written in a neutral tone, which means that we discourage contributions from people with a conflict of interest, which includes anyone directly associated with the subject of the article> However, because of the immense popularity of the encyclopedia, organizations are keen to get their own entry into Wikipedia, and often assign employees the job of writing an entry, on the understandable,but mistaken view that anyone can write anything. That creates a fair amount of tension, and anyone who has been here for some time has probably had to deal with one or many people trying to add material that their boss thinks is "needed". It isn't always pleasant, so I can easily imagine the reaction to your statement that you "need" to create an article.
However, that doesn't excuse you getting your head bit off because you didn't know a policy, so on behalf of me (as no one here can truly speak on behalf of Wikipedia, we are all just volunteers) I apologize for the gruff reaction.
We do have a process for dealing with new material form new editors who probably do not yet know all the ropes. Please try the Wikipedia:Article wizard which will help you start an article in user space, which means it won't get deleted quite so quickly (assuming it doesn't break major rules like copyright or libel), and then you can ask for feedback at Requests for feedback, where someone will try to address issue s that may need to be addressed, and not simply delete it outright.--SPhilbrickT 12:12, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Infoboxes[edit]

Hello, First of all I would like to thank you for all they great work your doing with wikipedia. I just have a few questions about editing, I just made an article in portuguese language, at the infobox on the top, the foundation day appears two times, although I only wrote it once, It look like this:

Fundação: 22 de abril de 1999 Tipo: Organização governamental Sede: Seul, Coréia do Sul Fundação: 22 de abril de 1999 Diretor: Geral Doctor Chun Se-Yeoung Empregados: 157 (2009)

Although I only wrote the foundation date once, If I delete it, both of them would dissapear, what can I do?

Also, I would like to know, how do you access to "premade" info boxes,

Thank you very much —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.88.106.155 (talk) 02:51, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you created the article at Portugese Wikipedia, you should ask your question at their help desk. For En Wikipedia's infoboxes, see Category:Infobox templates. – ukexpat (talk) 03:05, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
The languages list at the left of this English help desk has a link to pt:Wikipedia:Contato/Linha direta. After some searching (I had to Google Chun Se-Yeoung to find the name of the organization), I found you are referring to pt:KERIS (why do so many users here seek help with a specific page without saying which page?). It's not your fault. The problem is in pt:Predefinição:Info/Organização which since 11 July contains both dados2 = {{{fundação|}}} and dados10 = {{{fundação|}}}. It affects all articles using it, for example pt:NASA. I don't know Portuguese or the templates of the Portuguese Wikipedia so I don't want to edit it but I have alerted the editor who made the change at pt:Usuário Discussão:Vitorvicentevalente#Double dates in Predefinição:Info/Organização (his user page says he knows English). PrimeHunter (talk) 11:20, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

required an essay on "joys and travails of travel"[edit]

i got some introductory sentences in your site on title 'travel'. but i required an essay of not more than 500 words on topic "joys and travails of travel". please provide me information at the earliest to my email address '<email removed>'.

with regards —Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.207.249.61 (talk) 05:59, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This page is for questions about using Wikipedia. Please consider asking this question at the Language reference desk. They specialize in knowledge questions and will try to answer any question in the universe (except how to use Wikipedia, since that is what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link and ask away. You could always try searching Wikipedia for an article related to the topic you want to know more about. I hope this helps. Also, please do not provide your email address or other contact info in your posts as this page is highly visible and spammers may obtain your email address. Kayau Voting IS evil 08:51, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Note that even at the reference desk, no one will do your homework for you. Deor (talk) 09:35, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Let's get this straight: you have been assigned to write an essay, presumably as part of your education; you are no doubt expected thereby to learn the skills of researching and writing, as well as about the content. For some reason, you suppose that one of the volunteers who give their time to create and maintain this encyclopaedia would wish to spend their time doing the research you have been asked to do. I wonder why you think they might? --ColinFine (talk) 20:10, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

map coordinates[edit]

How do you get map coordinates to show up? (I put them into an info box, but that didn't work.) Bubba73 (You talkin' to me?), 06:04, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What article are you talking about? --Monterey Bay (talk) 07:30, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Battle of Bloody Marsh, apparently. Different infoboxes have different types of fields for entering coordinates. Template:Infobox military conflict has a "coordinates" field for entering a {{coord}} template (and "latitude" and "longitude" fields for entering coordinates for a pushpin on a locator map); you have to look at the infobox documentation to see what's required. I've fixed the infobox to display the coordinates. Deor (talk) 09:29, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
That is it - thanks. Bubba73 (You talkin' to me?), 14:05, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Resolved

Problem with DYK page[edit]

Just now I finished editing T:TDYK when - Gordan Bennett!!! - the top 'Username my talk my preferences my watchlist' etc as well as all the tabs (template, discussion, edit this page etc) were all squeezed to the side, with a horizontal scroll bar that spans the side boxes that lets me scroll and look at those links. What's happening? (If you don't understand, that's normal, because I'm not strong with descriptions.) Kayau Voting IS evil 13:24, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Wait, they're back in the right place now. Never mind, probably just a temporary problem. Kayau Voting IS evil 13:25, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Holy cow, it's happening again. Kayau Voting IS evil 14:51, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Does it only happen after you've edited the page? I can't reproduce the error when visiting it, either in Vector or Monobook. AJCham 15:17, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, only after I've edited the page. Kayau Voting IS evil 23:25, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
ah, forgot to say. Browser: Chrome; Skin: Monobook. Kayau Voting IS evil 14:38, 17 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

[edit]

I wonder if plain advertisement on a user talk pages like this (User talk:Contrejour-paris) is allowed acc. to policy. -- Ies (talk) 13:39, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The advertisement has been deleted, and the spammer's role account has been blocked. --Orange Mike | Talk 13:49, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Accessing and Manipulating books that I have created.[edit]

I recently took advantage of your offer to begin making a book. I called it "Pathology." I then signed up with an account so I would be sure to be able to access this book and add to it. I cannot find the book I began.

Questions: 1.) How do I find the book and associate it with my account? 2.) How do I add and subtract from the book?

Thanks! Marie —Preceding unsigned comment added by GouiMA00 (talkcontribs) 13:59, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Click the Print/export link "Create a book" (on the left hand side pane – you may need to toggle the print/export section) and start the book creator tool. I believe that will give you the option to continue the book you were working on. AJCham 14:14, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Pressure in Deepwater Horizon well[edit]

BP is expecting a stable pressure of 8,000 to 9,000 lbs/sq inch. Water has a density of 0.433 lbs/sqin and upper crustal rocks has a density of 2.7gms/cm^3. What is the water depth and the rock depth to the bottom of the well? These figures should allow one to estimate the total presure expected. Does it? If not, why? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.175.184.206 (talk) 16:09, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Also see Wikipedia:Do your own homework, and note that the definition of density is mass per unit volume, not per unit area. --Teratornis (talk) 17:06, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Vandalism?[edit]

I just made my first-ever edit on Wikipedia, and edited the page for Liv Ullmann - her daughter Linn's year of birth was listed as 1977, when the Linn Ullmann page shows it as 1966. (Additionally, the Liv Ullmann page notes that the relationship with Linn's father Ingmar Berman took place during Liv Ullmann's first marriage, which ended in 1965.)

After making this edit, I received the following message:

Please do not introduce incorrect information into articles, as you did to Amanda Bynes. Your edits appear to be vandalism and have been reverted. If you believe the information you added was correct, please cite references or sources or discuss the changes on the article's talk page before making them again. If you would like to experiment, use the sandbox. Thank you. Ward3001 14:52, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

Since this is my first change, I'm not sure why my IP address shows up as having edited the Amanda Bynes page. Is this some sort of default message? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.168.68.199 (talk) 16:29, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, and thank you for editing Wikipedia. The message on your talk page is not related to you, or the edit you made; in fact, that message was placed on your talk page in 2007. The reason that the message is on your talk page is because your IP address is a dynamic one - in other words, that means that your IP address is subject to change periodically, and that the IP address you are using is subject to have been used by another person. Today, you may have the IP address you currently have, but tomorrow, you may have a new one, and another person may be using the one you currently have. As a result, when a message is placed on the talk page of a dynamic IP's talk page on Wikipedia, multiple people will see it due to the IP address being re-assigned to several different computers. You can disregard such messages, as they are not directed to you. To avoid this from happening in the future, you may create an account. Hope this helps you out and answers your question. Again, thank you for editing, and welcome to Wikipedia. ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 16:37, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, and in addition, here's a tip: remember to sign any comments you make in discussions by placing four tildes (~~~~) at the end of your comment. Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 16:41, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! 76.168.68.199 (talk) 19:45, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Resolved

SUL[edit]

If one was to make an account, how does one prevent it from automatically signing into other projects and languages on wikimedia just by visiting those sites? The idea of accounts being automatically made complete with talk pages and user pages, on projects I have absolutely no intention of editing on, just because I viewed a page there, is not appealing. 82.43.90.93 (talk) 19:11, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

As I understand it, single unified logins are not automatically issued on account creation; rather, they are activated manually by the user. So if you don't want a SUL, don't make one. Robert Skyhawk (T C B) 19:48, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
That's only the case for existing accounts made before SUL was introduced. All new accounts are SUL, and automatically make a new account on every project you visit, weather you want an account there or not. 82.43.90.93 (talk) 19:57, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I see. What if you logged out before visiting another wiki? Robert Skyhawk (T C B) 20:01, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Then it would not automatically log you into the other wiki. But that is a lot of effort to avoid useless accounts being made when you just want to read a single page on another wiki. And there's no guarantee you will even remember to log out, or that when you click an interwiki link you knew it was taking you to another wiki. 82.43.90.93 (talk) 20:27, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Is there any harm into being logged into the other wikis? The only issue I can think of is security, if you were to forget to log out of one of them. But just as you need only log in to your SUL once, you need only log out once too – log out here, and you'll be logged out everywhere else. AJCham 21:26, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I don't want a load of accounts, each with talk pages people could leave messages on, when I have no intention of ever editing those wikis or reading the messages. Maybe it's stupid, but that would really bother me a lot, and is one of the reasons I haven't used an account since 2008. 82.43.90.93 (talk) 21:55, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
If you don't edit at a wiki then you are unlikely to get any other talk page message than a template welcome that doesn't expect a reply. Some wikis also send a welcome email if you have email enabled. You can just ignore such mails. PrimeHunter (talk) 22:44, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, if you create an account here, you don't create an account automatically on another wiki; you have to navigate there in order to create an account there. Basically, all you've done is reserve your account name on other wikis so no one else can use your username there, but your accounts are not automatically created; that happens when you visit the other wikis. MC10 (TCGBL) 23:58, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I know that, that's the point of my question. I want to know if it is possible to disable actually creating accounts when you visit other wikis. I'm happy to have the username reserved so no one else can take it, but I don't like the idea of a new account being created if I just follow a link to another wiki to read a single page. I'm guessing there isn't an easy way to disable it, otherwise someone probably would have posted it by now 82.43.90.93 (talk) 00:20, 17 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

!@#$%^&[edit]

I have NEVER seen a web site that was more convoluted or difficult to use then Wikipedia! I can't freaking believe how difficult it is to edit. I swear you need a university degree in computer programming to edit it and I'm a freaking desktop graphic designer! All I wanted to do was add Kicking Horse coffee to the coffee brand section (KC is the leading organic coffee brand in Canada and is now available in the US). Do you think I could find a way to do that? No! Instead I ended up changing the category which no doubt upset the coffee brand editor which I did mean to do. The last thing I want to do is vandalize a page. And of course I could not find how to contact the editor to apologize for what I did. You MUST work for a government office! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.114.67.73 (talk) 20:17, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Categories are a way of categorising articles. You add categories to articles, not articles to categories, and we don't seem to have an article for Kicking Horse coffee. Dougweller (talk) 20:20, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
You evidently attempted to edit the Category:Coffee brands page. It is common for categories to confuse people who are editing on Wikipedia for the first time - they certainly confused me. Categories might violate the principle of least astonishment, because category pages on Wikipedia do not provide any obvious visual clues of how they actually work. They look pretty much like other pages, and they have an "edit this page" tab at the top (and no "help" tab!) which suggests that the content on the page is editable that way. Unfortunately that is misleading, because all you can really edit on the category page itself is the brief descriptive text at the top, above the list of pages that are in the category. To add a page to a category, you have to edit that page, not the category page. I had to read Help:Category a few times for this to sink in. As Dougweller points out, we have no article about Kicking Horse coffee yet, so you cannot add it to the category. If you want to request an article about that brand, use Wikipedia:Requested articles. If it meets Wikipedia's notability requirements, someone will eventually create the article. --Teratornis (talk) 21:09, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Basic way to learn to edit on Wikipedia: find a page that does what you want. Steal the code. To contact an editor, the easiest method is to click on the "History" tab at the top of the page where they edited and then click on the "Talk" link next to their name.
In this particular case, you need to write an article on Kicking Horse coffee (assuming it is a notable company) before you can add it to Category:Coffee brands. --erachima talk 21:13, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
We have an (issue-laden) article about the Kicking Horse Resort near the town of Golden, British Columbia, but it appears to be unrelated to Kicking Horse Coffee which is 65 miles south by Invermere, British Columbia. There is also a Kicking Horse River in the area which may have given its name to these enterprises. Someone at Wikipedia:WikiProject British Columbia may be able to help if they find time to edit while not enjoying their spectacular local outdoors. As that WikiProject may be inactive currently, it appears they are all out having too much fun just now. --Teratornis (talk) 21:21, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This file was overwritten and put in the National Roads Authority article, and removed from the National Restaurant Association article. I tried to revert the file and it didn't work. Could someone with more recent image experience than me straighten this out and put each image in its appropriate article? Thanks. Grandmasterka 21:10, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Your revert worked just fine. I'll re-upload the other logo and place them in the appropriate articles within a few minutes. Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 21:31, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I've uploaded the logo for the National Roads Authority at File:National Roads Authority logo.png, along with placing both logos in their respective articles. I am curious as to whether or not the logo of the National Roads Authority falls into the public domain, considering that it is a state body. Peeking around a bit, it *seems* by first impression that it isn't, but I'll try to find a definite answer. Anyone reading this happen to know? Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 21:55, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I found a new ref for a good and rigid definition of self today here. I can't decide whether it belongs in philosophy, sociology, psychology, or spirituality. :| TelCoNaSpVe :| 21:15, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The link is to a page from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Do you use the word "or" in the inclusive or exclusive sense? I'd guess this is a suitable reference for philosophy articles, although someone might quibble about citing an encyclopedia (see: WP:RS#Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources}. Using it as a reference for articles about other fields might draw objections from other editors. You might discuss it on the articles' talk pages first. Sometimes you can't predict what other editors will object to, you just have to be bold and get upbraided. Also note that you haven't given any details about the specific content you want to add to the various articles. The source you cite makes many claims, some of which might be appropriate in a given Wikipedia article, and some which might not. --Teratornis (talk) 21:47, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Please add information to the webpage[edit]

Hi Team,

I have reviewed your web page that details the surnames of 6000 Niyogis. It is quite elobarative.

However I see that the below Surnames were not included in the list.

Chintapenta Rebbapragada

Please add these to the list in the below URL.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aruvela_Niyogi_Surnames

Thank you in advance for your action.

Kind Regards

Raghavendra Chintapenta —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.230.248.1 (talk) 21:42, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That page no longer exists (as of five minutes prior to your post). It was deleted as a non-notable list. AJCham 21:57, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I recently submitted Sheffield to FAC. The article's review is at Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Sheffield/archive2. The latest comment is on the sources and that they need cleaning up. The problem is, I have no idea what he is on about half the time, as I've only recently started editing again, so I need a hand. Anyone willing to help me clean them up? Would be very grateful and you'd be helping to get an article to featured article standard, to which it is very close. Thanks. -- Jack?! 23:45, 16 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]