KnowLimits

IRC trial

• Link to talk to Chzz

Sure, just try it, any time you like. There's no need to plan a trial or give advanced-warning. It's no big deal. Cheers,  Chzz  ►  07:06, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Re. "MY RESPONSE" - yes, it's a text-chat, where you can get help. But really, really, it's no big deal. If you want to try it, just try it; if you don't, that's fine too. It was just a suggestion. Cheers!  Chzz  ►  11:07, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Help - Sandbox FAQ?- cross-outs?

Want to delete parts of my previous help-request, retaining Info links for my reference. For context, am thinking I should not delete (just yet), but should over-write - place cross-out marks, so interested people can see what I deleted. Appropriate? More important (as may be needed later) - HOW to do it? Found sandbox page (via search - where is usual access?I remember seeing it on left side of a page once. Where?). I want to experiment in sandbox, but don't see how to do cross-out edits. Guidance? In sandbox or elsewhere: Where/how can I see side-by-side: current version & proposed edit? --KnowLimits (talk) 11:30, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

You should never cross out someone else's comments. WP:TPG is for general talk page guidelines, and WP:TPO is for when you should edit someone else's comments. If you want to retain links for your reference, I suggest your user page, or you can create a user subpage with helpful links. WP:SANDBOX. If you want to play around, and not have anyone mess it up while you are trying to figure stuff out, you can also edit User:KnowLimits/Sandbox. Put <s> in front of what to strike and </s> at the end: <s>Hi, how is it going?</s> produces Hi, how is it going?. While in edit mode, the "show changes" icon 2 over from the "save pages" icon shows a side by side comparison. Did I answer all your questions? CTJF83 16:21, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Help - "in over my head" re SD card info - time-sensitive

not sure where to post this, but this is my page, so guessing OK here. :-) need PRACTICAL help because have no phone until I can get answers, implement, follow-through etc.

re "time-sensitive" - as soon as I can get back to computer, If info sufficient to meet needs, I will acknowledge here.

Uncertain when I will have access computer today to check for replies. If I can get info, I may be able to have phone working before holidays - or, at least, have done my next step. TIA.

please note - I do not know how to use IRC - or, my trial the other day did not work - commmunication seemed to me to be re ping timed out and not my lack of knowledge. Will be near computer few minutes about 15 minutes after this posted. then, expect no access for few hours, but then would have some implementation time today (and late-night if have web access) and tomorrow for local excursion if needed.

message per:

I posted(possibly wrong place?) message -I need help - on a talk-page. subject of my message begins "Too Technical" - posted at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Secure_Digital will try to communicate that on my page. hope someone can answer.(wanted to post last night - had no web-access till AM.)

THANKS.--KnowLimits (talk) 18:13, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Yes, wrong place, I moved your question to here. Talk:Secure_Digital is only for matters related to improving that page. General questions belong at WP:RD CTJF83 18:15, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Help - seeking wiki-adoption

just discovered that people can adopt new wiki-editors. would probably be good idea for me to be adopted. OR, better to do via channels for transparency?

what to do? how? who?

to start with, when people post to my page, they tell me how to respond to them, but I cannot always figure out their instructions. so, what is the way to reach someone? I don't understand markup. someone gave me example of the side-by-side I requested, but it is in mark-up. how do I make side-by-side that is not in mark-up?

thanks --KnowLimits (talk) 18:17, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

WP:ADOPT has info. Also, please do not put anything after {{helpme}} like you did here {{helpme|wiki-adopt?}}, the only thing that should appear after is -helped. Thanks, CTJF83 18:24, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Archiving, and other help

Hello again!

I read the three messages above, and I wanted to help.

• Archiving - Old messages on this page can be "archived" - cut from this page, and pasted into a subpage. I have just created User talk:KnowLimits/Archive 1, and I cut the first two messages from this page, and pasted them into that. I've also added an 'archives' box on the top of this page. I hope that helps. If you don't like it, you can just 'undo' the edit - or, ask me to.

• Sandbox - there is a sandbox that anyone can use, at WP:SAND, however it is edited by lots of people, and cleared regularly. So - as Ctjf83 said above - it's better to make your own sandbox/subpages, and test things there. So click on User:KnowLimits/Sandbox, and create that page. And/or User:KnowLimits/My test page, User:KnowLimits/Something else, User:KnowLimits/Whatever you want to call it. Make as many as you want.

A good place to keep links to userspace pages is, on your user-page. I just added those ones; see here.

• SD Card - the reference desk is indeed the right place to ask that question, and you've got lots of responses over there. My own opinion is - stop worrying about it; buy an 8 Gig card from somewhere cheap, for less than ten bucks; it's very likely it will work fine.

• Adoption - If you want to be adopted, just edit your user page and put this code: {{subst:dated adoptme}}

Hope that helps.  Chzz  ►  09:57, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

My "too techincial" comment seems to have "thrown out the baby with the bath water"

{{helpme}} What (if anything) to do when the point of my communications seems to have been lost?

Am posting this here (rather than help-desk) because I presume those reading it had read the earlier one, so you have context.

I have no problem with my "too Technical" post being moved/deleted/whatever- though I *would* like to know how to find MY original, for my own purposes. [Thanks for advice. When I locate it again, I will be reviewing your comments - and adding update per second to last paragraph, below.]

I had deliberately begun my post with its intent (to help improve article): excerpt follows;

Hope my comments help you improve article ... [was] Seeking info re WHAT micro SD card to buy... I provide background, so that those who DO understand the article can see how the article does not meet information needs of intelligent, but less-tech-savvy users who NEED the info. Article too technical: [after reading much in this arena on wiki,] I STILL do not know what card to buy.

Of course, separately, I had wanted advice, and I look forward to reading your comments. (When I find that page, I will be adding updated info about what I bought, why, and new developments which NOW influences whether it is still the correct card.)

Meanwhile, do I (how do I?) find out that someone "got the message" that the article, as written, was perceived (at least by this reader) as too technical ? Who does what about such a comment? If/when I run into similar situation, what are most helpful ways to respond? where? how? TIA. --KnowLimits (talk) 04:15, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

You can find your past edits by looking in your contributions - there's also a link to that at the top-right, where it says "my contributions".

You could also find it by looking in the history of that talk page - this.

So, your original query is this, it was removed here, and was put on the reference desk here.

It is still currently on the reference desk, with responses; Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Computing#Too technical: What readers NEED/want here.

I agree with Ctjf83's decision to move it, because you were not discussing the article; you were asking for buying advice.

If you want to make some comments about the article being too technical, you could of course add that on Talk:Secure Digital.

You could also "tag" the article itself, by putting {{technical}} at the top of it.  Chzz  ►  15:17, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Double numbering

Hi. When you use the pound signs, wikis add the numbering for you, so if you put manual numbering there, too, you get double numbering:

1. 1. Item 1.
2. 2. Item 2.
3. 3. Item 3.

You can either leave out the manual numbering, as I did for you:

1. Item 1.
2. Item 2.
3. Item 3.

Or you can leave off the pound symbols, but then it all flows together:

1. Item 1. 2. Item 2. 3. Item 3.

You then either need to put blank lines between them:

1. Item 1.

2. Item 2.

3. Item 3.

Or some number of colons in front of each line (each colon indents a bit more):

1. Item 1.

2. Item 2.

3. Item 3.

One other warning about using the pound signs for numbering, it messes up with blank lines between them (and sometimes a subsequent poster will try to insert one with their response):

1. Item 1.

1. Item 2.

1. Item 3.

That last problem is why I prefer to number manually, and not use pound signs, but not everyone agrees. I suggest you edit this post to see the code. Hope this helps ! StuRat (talk) 04:58, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Marking a question resolved

Use this {{resolved}}:

Resolved

StuRat (talk) 15:37, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

create "blue-tab" wiki-link how?

Resolved

--KnowLimits (talk) 18:53, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

How do I make a "blue-tab" link?

I have found a series of interrelated pages - Oh, if only I had time to edit!

For some, I want to at least add a blue-to link (to another wiki-page) near the top. On one such page (similar title to another page), there is a link (to the other page), but, IMO an inappropriate/inadequate descriptor. It is a descriptor that cognoscenti might recognize, but "ordinary person" who is searching for the info might not.

I started writing something on discussion page for the topic, but maybe just editing the link is more useful? --KnowLimits (talk) 02:30, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

You could put {{See also|Articletitle}} - for example,

See also: Sausage

Template:See also.  Chzz  ►  03:08, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

I was asking for the opposite: Page in question, indeed, had redirection to relevant page. However, description was not informative to "ordinary reader." (both topics have similar titles - syntax difference). --KnowLimits (talk) 06:39, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

I'm not sure what you mean. Can you give me an example?  Chzz  ►  09:50, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Maybe he is searching for Template:Hatnote. mabdul 10:01, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

anonymous ? how?

{{helpme}} I have seen some comments (talk only? edits?) that are anonymous. How/when does someone do that? Thanks. --KnowLimits (talk) 02:45, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

You don't have to log in to edit. If you're not logged in, your IP address is used instead of a user name. However, as you have a user account, it's best to always log in.  Chzz  ►  03:10, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Why?

Hello. In case you didn't know, when you add content to talk pages and Wikipedia pages that have open discussion, you should sign your posts by typing four tildes ( ~~~~ ) at the end of your comment. You could also click on the signature button or located above the edit window. This will automatically insert a signature with your username or IP address and the time you posted the comment. This information is useful because other editors will be able to tell who said what, and when. Thank you.

Because this is the encyclopedia which anyone can edit! mabdul 09:24, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

(I think they meant, "Why is it better to log in?" - not "Why do we let people edit without logging in"  Chzz  ►  09:32, 25 November 2011 (UTC))

There's several reasons, but mostly it's because your IP address will change. You can log in to the same user account any time, anywhere, and see your own user talk page, your own contributions, your own watchlist, your own preferences, etc. But if you're not logged in, then it's very hard to keep track of what you've done before, and it's hard for people to leave you messages.

Another good reason is, it means people can see who "you" - KnowLimits - are. If you post a message one day as e.g. User:10.42.200.9 and next day as User:192.168.11.42, people cannot tell you are the same person. That can cause a lot of problems, and it can seem deceptive too.

More reasons are given in Wikipedia:Why create an account?.  Chzz  ►  09:32, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

{{helpme}} First, do I again add that HM tag when I want to continue/clarify the discussion? Or, How do I indent?

Second, no deception intended. However, writers know that there are bonafide times for using pseudonym or anonymous. Or, can someone have more than one log-in account? --KnowLimits (talk) 18:53, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

You can use 'helpme' to ask a question, and any helper might respond. It just happens that I've been watching this page, and so I've responded to lots of them.

But if you wanted to contact me, specifically, it'd be best to either write on my own talk page, or write here and leave me a 'talkback' message (more on that below).

You can indent replies with a colon character : at the start of a line. Two colons for two indents, and so on. To avoid conversations being split over many pages, it is best to reply underneath queries. Then you end up with a threaded conversation, like;

First message here chzz (talk) 00:01, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

Reply here KnowLimits (talk) 00:10, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

More here chzz (talk) 00:20, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

Regarding user account - users can be more anonymous with an account than they are if they use an IP address. For example, from my user name you know nothing about me - unless I choose to state information about myself. You don't know what country I am in, or if I'm male or female, or...anything. If I was using an IP address, it'd reveal where I was, and possibly other connections should be made.

Users should only use one account. There are very few, special exceptions, but the use of multiple accounts even with good intent or 'accidentally' often causes big problems; see WP:SOCK.  Chzz  ►  22:50, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

glossary -of templates?

Resolved

--KnowLimits (talk) 18:53, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

not sure of proper term(s). I see items in "hug brackets" (the ones around h...me that brought you to this page). To illustrate what I am seeing, without triggering sending a message: this is what I am seeing inside such brackets: xyz|h...me or opposite order or without the h...m.

Is there a glossary of these? to know what to use when Are these called templates? where do I find glossary/index? e.g. someone suggests to place double-bracket-xyz-double-bracket I don't see where to place it. Thanks. --KnowLimits (talk) 06:45, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Maybe read Help:A quick guide to templates (more explained at Help:Templates). There are most of the questions you have explained. mabdul 09:27, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

(edit conflict)These: {{{}}} are generally called 'curly' backets. The Wikipedia site is written mainly in the php programming manguage; words in curly barckets are other site elements stored on thje web server that are 'called' to be part of the page that you are viewing. Here at Wikipedia we call such elements 'Templates'. Templates are Wikipedia pages that are sent for by the word in the curly brackets that is usually the name of the page containing the element that is to be included. If you click this blue link in the curly brackets: {{helpme}}, you'll see what we mean. There are literally thousands of such templates in use on Wikipedia. There are many reasons for using templates, but generally most editors will be using the ones listed at WP:TEMP, and applying them emi-automatically using Twinkle. Once you know how to use those, you'll begin to know how to look for others, or the source of others. --Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 09:33, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

(edit conflict)

A glossary of all templates wouldn't help you much, because there are around 40,000 of them. Some are very useful, and some are junk; some are very simple, and some are complicated.

Lots are grouped together; for example, 'cleanup' notice templates (to mark things that need fixing) are shown in WP:TC; barnstars (to thank/award people) are in WP:STAR.

You can find the code and documentation for any template on the corresponding Template: page. For example, if you see a template saying {{done}} you could look at the page Template:done. (You can get to the same place, by putting "Template:done" into the wikipedia search box).  Chzz  ►  10:02, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Edit-conflicts (re template glossary?)

{{helpme}} As requested, I tried to use talkbacks - with about 1/3 success. I need tip sheet re how to do it, even though I found template. There may be a few unwritten steps. Thank you for your help re templates - informative! The edit conflict was re glossary of templates, not the other I had mentioned to one of you. Prefer you one/two to resolve edit conflict, or advise me how. I prefer to retain the "blue-links"as helpful for me. --KnowLimits (talk) 20:01, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

• The 'edit conflict' notes above were just notes, to say that several of us were writing answers at the same time, so we got "edit conflict" messages. It's just a note, nothing more - to let people know that we were replying before reading another reply written at the same time. Nothing needs resolving. It's not a problem.

• An step-by-step example of how to use a 'talkback'; If you reply here, to me, I might not notice that you've replied. So, you could leave a talkback message on my own user talk page, as follows;
  • Go to my talk page, which is User talk:Chzz. You could also get there by clicking the right-hand part in any of my signatures.
  • Create a "new section" (there is a tab for that at the top)
  • Put {{Talkback|KnowLimits}} ~~~~ and save it.

That's it. I'll get a You Have New Messages notice, and I'll check back here.

Please note, sometimes people may not reply immediately; some users only log in occasionally. There's no hurry, on Wikipedia.

At this point, I really suggest you just edit some articles. I think you are being too concerned about all the technical aspects, and they're really not important. We encourage editors to be bold - because it is a wiki, anything you may do "wrong" can easily be undone. Wikipedia is very big and very complicated; you really do not need to know all about e.g. templates, edit-conflicts, IPs, socks, archives, and all those things right now. It'd be better to just dive in and edit some articles (e.g. WP:BACKLOG, WP:CLEANUP) - after all, that's what we're all here for.

Of course, you can ask questions any time you like - but my advice is, to "learn by doing", because it's much easier. Best,  Chzz  ►  23:05, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Chzz, I am - and asking questions as I go. Exploring. Seeing WHAT I want to do/where/at what pace. I am finding things I want to edit - but without taking time (now) to research citations. As I become clearer about what I can uniquely do, usefully, this will fall into place. Meanwhile, it is helpful to learn some vocabulary, principles, etc. Thanks. KnowLimits (talk) 04:53, 2 December 2011 (UTC)