Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2008 October 8

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October 8

semi-protected...

I would like to add a few points to the entry for John McCain. This record is "semi-protected" and I would like access so I can add a few entries with references.

FMook (talk) 00:12, 8 October 2008 (UTC).

You already have access, actually. Autoconfirmed users can edit semi-protected pages. Someguy1221 (talk) 00:19, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Actually, it looks like FMook is 1 edit away from being autoconfirmed. So, they could make an edit elsewhere, become autoconfirmed, and then make the desired edits, or they can post on Talk:John McCain, explaining what edits they want made, and can get consensus on them. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 05:05, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Linking images from Wikimedia

Hi,

I'm trying to include an image in an article I'm writing. I have successfully uploaded it to wikimedia, but I can't seem to get it to display in a wikipedia article. I cannot yet upload directly to wikipedia, as I'm not yet an established user. Can someone please help me out? —Preceding unsigned comment added by LightHorseman1216 (talk • contribs) 02:37, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I'm guessing you're referring to Image:Twilkinschfullht6.jpg, which you uploaded to Wikimedia Commons? Have you read Wikipedia:Images, Wikipedia:Extended image syntax, or Wikipedia:Picture tutorial? Those pages should give you all the details you need, but if they're just not working please point out what you've tried, and what the result has been. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 05:03, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Heads of Governments

How can i get a list of the names of presidents, kings, priministers , etc. of different countries? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.15.58.194 (talk) 04:49, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Is List of current heads of state and government what you're after?--A bit iffy (talk) 05:59, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

At first I suspected this question was from Sarah Palin, but then I realized she has staffers now to look that stuff up. --Teratornis (talk) 19:35, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Uploading query

Hello, I have one general question about wiki. It is possible to uploud to wiki pdf or doc files? And if it so, will be fulltext search looking into these documents, too? Thank for your response. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Iowa00 (talk • contribs) 09:01, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

No— PDF and DOC files cannot be uploaded. Depending on the content, you may be able to upload then to Wikisource and use them as references. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 11:50, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

is this image up for deletion or not?

i noticed on a number of pages on my watch list, a note had been added to Image:GlassPerscriptionRig.jpg that it was nominated for speedy deletion. i checked the history of the file, and a non-admin seemed to have made some changes but the notes are still there in the articles. i guess i'm just not clear on the csd process. the file shouldn't be deleted, and seems to have been nominated hastily based on a technicality. i've looked around at relevant articles and i'm still lost. how can i find out the current status of the file? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Coffee joe (talk • contribs) 11:05, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

The image is not going to be deleted. I've removed the notes from the articles. Algebraist 12:16, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Want to know the synonyms of Logistics

Just provide me with the greek,latin,french,chinese,japanese,urdu,hindi,bengali words for "Logistics". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.93.243.0 (talk) 12:00, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Have you tried the Language section of Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in answering knowledge questions there; this help desk is only for questions about using Wikipedia. For your convenience, here is the link to post a question there: click here. I hope this helps. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 12:20, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Delete this article?

Sorry, can't say any more than that this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udder_cream seems like pure advertising and should probably be deleted.

Julian I Do Stuff (talk) —Preceding undated comment was added at 12:09, 8 October 2008 (UTC).

You should list the article at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion. --Admiral Norton ^(talk) 12:42, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I have cleaned out most of the advertising: the external links and promotional language. TN‑X-Man 12:58, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

It was pure advertising for a moisturiser. I tagged it for speedy deletion, and it's been deleted. --HughCharlesParker (talk - contribs) 09:48, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Galleries

Where do we stand on galleries of images in articles? There's a user working through Shakespeare's plays adding gallery sections and I don't want to interact with him/her on the subject until I know if there's a policy issue. If all that work is going to be undone, either the moment it's spotted or before the articles get up to WP:GA, then I'd like to advise him/her to stop rather than wasting this effort. However if this is good work that Wikipedia wants, then that's good. Isn't there some kind of WP:NOT problem? AndyJones (talk) 12:29, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

It's all right, as far as the images themselves are not violating any policies. In fact, WP:BUNCH advises users to use galleries if there are a lot of images. There are a lot of articles (such as Niagara Falls) using galleries. Cheers. Chamal ^Talk ± 13:01, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Clearly non-notable software articles

What should I do with articles like IShowU or ScreenFlow? Admiral Norton ^(talk) 12:40, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

You have tagged them for deletion, which should be OK. Normally software isn't eligible for speedy, but there's so little context to those articles that it'll probably be up to the discretion of the closing admin. Cheers! TN‑X-Man 12:57, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

They are clear as to subject, so no-context would be intellectually dishonest; and they're no longer copyvios or advertisements. I've prodded them instead. --Orange Mike | Talk 13:17, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Taipei Underground is developed presently

Deriative FX at commons

Is it broken? (link) I'm trying to upload a deriative and it's taking ages, quite literally. It's been at least half an hour now! Best, --Cameron* 15:01, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Not sure. You might want to ask on the IRC channel #wikimedia-toolserver Gtstricky^{Talk or C} 15:30, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

It loaded when I tried it right now. ←Signed:→Mr. E. Sánchez ^{Get to know me!} / _{Talk to me!}←at≈:→ 08:21, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Weird link on user page

Resolved

 – template deleted from user page - – ukexpat (talk) 15:50, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Folks, I would appreciate some help here - I was just looking at my user page and noticed a strange link to Help:User contributions in the top right corner just above the "skip to bottom" link. I cannot figure out where it's coming from. Any ideas? I know the page is a mess so I am not asking (yet) for design advice just some assistance with detective work. Thanks. – ukexpat (talk) 15:13, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

It looks to be coming from {{sp-contributions-footer}}. Normally, MediaWiki:Sp-contributions-footer is only used on the "My contributions" page; but the template on your userpage is a redirect to the Mediawiki page - resulting on that link appearing on other pages. See the talk page for MediaWiki talk:Sp-contributions-footer for the reason that it was added. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 15:26, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that was it, so I deleted {{sp-contributions-footer}}. Thanks for the quick response. – ukexpat (talk) 15:33, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

That's too bad I have it on my userpage too. I like that at the bottom but the Help:Contributions thing is annoying. Scottydude _talk 18:06, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I posted a comment about it at MediaWiki talk:Sp-contributions-footer#Unintended side-effect. Please join in on the discussion on that talk page to discuss the link and/or what options exist. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 18:15, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Need ability to post a picture Vontra --Vontra (talk) 16:37, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Hello,

I have read through and gotten lost over several days and just can't get past the photo insert. No one has blocked me, at least not that I know of, and I would like to add portraits to the biographies that I am putting up.

Can someone grant me permission to load the pictures? I do not want to load them into the common file but into the English picture file.

Help! This is frustrating me.

Thanks,

Vontra

Hello Vontra. Only autoconfirmed users can upload files to Wikipedia. Autoconfirmed status is gained automatically, after 4 days and ten registered edits. You will then have access to the Special:Upload interface. Best, PeterSymonds (talk) 16:40, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

May I ask why you don't want to upload to Commons? If you created the images that is by far the best place to upload them so that they are available to all the WP projects, and Commons does not have autoconfirmation requirements. – ukexpat (talk) 16:51, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Hi there! After reading the descriptions of both places to deposit photos, I decided the other category was best. I have been a user for more than four days - I have no idea how many edits I have made. How would I find out? --Vontra (talk) 16:58, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

You can click the tab at the top of the page that says "my contributions". If you are using the default skin, it should be at the VERY top of every Wikipedia page. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 17:28, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Or; you can go to Special:Preferences and look at "Member of groups"; it will show if you are in the Autoconfirmed users group. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 19:36, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Question regarding donating information

Hello! We're a little confused about donating copyrighted information. We at Bryn Mawr College hold the copyright to information on our Special Collections website, and we are trying to add some of this content to Wikipedia, but it is repeatedly being flagged for deletion/blanked because we don't say on the website that we are releasing it under GFDL. We ARE, however, releasing it under GFDL and have said so on all of the talk pages (not that I'm saying these pages are wrongfully blanked - we fully understand the need to verify this information). We have also left note of our email address, which is the one posted on the bottom of all of our library pages, on the talk pages. Is that not an okay first step? We've read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Donating_copyrighted_materials, which says:

If you want to grant Wikipedia permission to use material from your site, but don't want to place a statement to that effect on your site, you can leave us a notice to that effect on the article's talk page (or on your user page if your site covers a number of topics). This does require that your site have a posted email contact, or some other similar means for us to verify that we really do have the relevant permission. Someone from Wikipedia will then contact that email address to confirm the permission, and we will be able to add your site to a list of those from which our editors may freely draw.

Is that not true? Will that not happen? Thanks! Bmcspecial (talk) 17:26, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

It may be easier to e-mail OTRS, see WP:IOWN. – ukexpat (talk) 17:58, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

The email should go to permissions-en@wikimedia.org However, it would be easier to put the GFDL info on your site.Gtstricky^{Talk or C} 18:05, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I know it would be "easier", but computing services won't give us access to our own website.Bmcspecial (talk) 18:28, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Just realized that sounded a little cross! Wasn't meant to be - we're more frustrated with the fact that we can't edit our own website than anything going on here. :) Bmcspecial (talk) 18:35, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Anyone who thought you sounded cross must lack sangfroid. On Wikipedia, we assume good faith. On the Help desk, we are used to stating facts succinctly, without too much bowing and scraping and "By your leave, Sir"s etc. Should you ever feel the need to sound cross, it's as simple as PRESSING THE CAPS LOCK KEY. It sounds as if you should send a little CAPS LOCK to your computing services people. --Teratornis (talk) 19:10, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

That we should! Bmcspecial (talk) 19:18, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

tag for logical contradiction

Is there a tag that can be used to flag a logical contradiction that I am unable to resolve myself? For example, where one sentence says something that is contradicted by the next sentence. ike9898 (talk) 19:05, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes, actually. {{Contradiction}} Someguy1221 (talk) 19:08, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I recently added a {{Wikipedia template messages}} navigation template to all the Template messages pages. {{Wikipedia template messages}} contains a {{Google custom}} search link for searching those pages. For example, it lets you search for "contradiction"; here is the overkill illustration of that search (you don't have to go through all this to search from the navigation template, of course):

Type this	To get this	What it produces, or searches for
{{google custom|en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages|contradiction|search Wikipedia's template messages for: contradiction}}	search Wikipedia's template messages for: contradiction	Search the Wikipedia:Template messages subtree for: contradiction

That leads to the Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup#Contradiction and confusion section. --Teratornis (talk) 19:29, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I just made {{contradiction-inline}} Densock|Dendodge^{in public} 11:44, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

div background-image in wikipedia

Hi, i don't know is this the right place to post this question or not but can someone help me please,
I want know how i can use background-image with adjustable transparency in DIV tags here in wikipedia; or any other way that i can use background-image inside a frame.   ■ MMXX^talk  19:47, 8 October 2008 (UTC) PS. a same message is also posted in Wikipedia:Village pump (miscellaneous)

Where on Wikipedia do you want to use this? It's unlikely that fancy design methods would be appropriate in articles. See Wikipedia:Manual of style. --Teratornis (talk) 21:28, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Hi, I want to use this in wikiproject page. i need something like this code:
<div style="background-image: url(../IMAGE.EXT);">TEXT TEXT TEXT</div>
Any advice ?   ■ MMXX^talk  19:29, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

User Pages

Is there anything that can't go on a user page other than illegal items? Is it alright to have advertising for your product on your user page or not? --Samtheboy ^(t/c) 20:15, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

See WP:USERPAGE for more information. In short, no, it is not OK for you to use your userspace to advertise. Wikipedia is not a free webhost, and your userpage is to be used solely for Wikipedia-related content. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 20:24, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes. Further to Jayron's answer, have a look at #6 in WP:UP#NOT. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:27, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Barack Obama

I would like to see any information on Barack Obama? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.191.33.237 (talk) 20:15, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

See Barack Obama. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:22, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Country Music Pictures

I have some country music pictures that you don't have. How do I upload them to you? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.183.37.205 (talk) 20:26, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Hello anon. This depends on the copyright status of the images. If they are under copyright, they cannot be used except in exceptional circumstances. If they are free-use images, you might want to look at the Wikimedia Commons, the depository for free images across all Wikimedia projects. Best, PeterSymonds (talk) 20:29, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

(edit conflict with above) In order to upload pictures, you need an account. See WP:WHY for other reasons why creating an account is a good idea. Additionally, you should consider creating an account at Wikimedia Commons a site that will allow your pictures to be shared among all of the various Wikipedia/Wiktionary/Wikinews/etc. sites in ALL languages, and not just the English Language Wikipedia. Once you have an account, if you need more help with the technical aspects of uploading and liscencing images, see WP:IMAGE, WP:IUP, and Help:Images and other uploaded files. Good luck! --Jayron32.talk.contribs 20:32, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Where to obtain help on writing a template?

I've written my first template, which still needs some work, but has (somewhat to my surprise) already been put into use in articles. I want to improve it and have some technical questions on templating; is this the right place? I'm thinking this is less about Wikipedia, per se, (i.e., WP articles and practices) and more about the software, so maybe I should be asking in some other forum. TJRC (talk) 20:49, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

That's pretty nifty! You could try the Village pump (technical) or Media Wiki template help as a starting point. – ukexpat (talk) 21:03, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

And see WP:EIW#Template. --Teratornis (talk) 21:26, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

The people over at Wikipedia:Requested templates are very knowledgeable and I've requested help there for esoteric template matters though the page is not technically an advice forum.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 21:50, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Can't move page

Could someone move Ubuntu Live USB Creator to Ubuntu Live USB creator ? I can't do it... SF007 (talk) 21:48, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Out of curiosity, why do you want to move it? Isn't Ubuntu Live USB Creator the name of the software? --Alinnisawest,^{Dalek Empress} (extermination requests here) 21:52, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I took a look at a few websites and it appears that creator is not part of the title proper, and given that SF007 is the sole contributor I went ahead and moved it (and fixed a double redirect created). Note that requested moves, both uncontroversial and controversial, can be requested at Wikipedia:Requested moves. Now that the redirect has a sole edit, anyone can move it back, if needed.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 21:59, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Ok, thanks, I was not aware of a place to request moves. I just wanted to move because of a typo I made in "Creator". Thanks. SF007 (talk) 22:31, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Muhammad Kamal

Muhammad Kamal(1955-)is a Kurd from Kurdistan of Iraq. He obtained Diploma in Education from Teachers Institute in Erbil. He left Iraq in 1979 to pursue his studies in Philosophy. He obtained B.A. (Honours), M. A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Karachi. He taught first as a lecturer then as an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Karachi from 1985 to 1994. In 1992 he went to Germany on DAAD scholarship for post-doctoral research. He migrated to Australia in 1994.Currently, he is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Kamal writes in Kurdish and English and has publisded widely on Philosophy particularlu Existenmtailsim. He is considered to be one of the forerunners of Existentailsm in Kurdistan and one of the founders of the Existentialist group in the city of Sulemani the cultural capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Kamal's thought was first developed under the influence of Hegel and Jean-Paul Sartre. Now his main focus and area of interest is the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. Kamal has published five books in English, ten books in Kurdish and a number of reserach papers in international philosophical journals. At present he lives in Melbourne. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.250.67.210 (talk) 23:21, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

OK. What is your question ?!? --Jayron32.talk.contribs 02:01, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps the questioner assumes this is how to go about creating a biographical article about Muhammad Kamal. The help desk occasionally receives these sorts of disconnected biographical snippets. To the questioner: if you want to learn how to contribute articles to Wikipedia which have a low probability of getting deleted, perhaps the most self-contained introduction is the book: Wikipedia - The Missing Manual. All the same information is in our online help, but the book presents the basics in serial order, which might be easier for someone new to Wikipedia than to get lost in the endless collection of online hypertext. --Teratornis (talk) 04:03, 9 October 2008 (UTC)