Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2013 February 15

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February 15

Alexander Henry the Elder

Hello, I am a descendant of Alexander Henry the Elder's family and Matthew Henry a Reverend has been sourced in several academic publications as being related to Alexander Henry the Elder. I am attempting to trace the Henry family England connections thru Matthew. I just want to know if you know anything more than they were related, How are they related, cousins, or granduncle etc. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.92.49.236 (talk) 01:39, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Everything "we" (fellow readers and contributors to Wikipedia just like you) know is in the article. You might be able to get further relevant information from the sources cited in the article listed in the References section as well as the list under External links. Roger (talk) 09:44, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

need to left justify caption text in a gallery

Please help me left justify all the caption text in this gallery: [1]

TCO (talk) 02:24, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Not sure that's possible. {{POTD condensed}} is coded to center align the captions.--ukexpat (talk) 02:59, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Two of my questions weren't answered at the reference desk

I'm sorry to bring this up here but Two of my questions weren't answered at the reference desk. Is this appropriate place to bring this up? Venustar84 (talk) 03:29, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Only if it's about Wikipedia. This page is only for questions about how to use or edit Wikipedia. PrimeHunter (talk) 03:34, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

if there is place on wikipedia where I can ask my questions to be answered properly? Venustar84 (talk) 04:19, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

If there is place on wikipedia where I can ask my questions to be answered properly efficiency and right away? Venustar84 (talk) 04:20, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

No. We're all volunteers here, so you take your chances. If you expect immediate answers to your questions, you need to go to a site where you pay the responders. I count 27 questions you've asked on the Ref Desk, so if 25/27 were answered to your satisfaction, that's a darn good result. StuRat (talk) 04:21, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

• What two questions? Venustar84 is an admitted sockpuppet. μηδείς (talk) 04:28, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Don;t worry about Medis. I'll ask the questions about on the reference desk. It's not important. Venustar84 (talk) 04:33, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

How does one withdraw or request a tainted RfC be closed early?

I posted a neutrally worded RfC and a hostile editor added a comment to a separate discussion to which I had been party saying that the discussion from that thread was continued at the RfC I filed, even though the matter was not discussed there. Four of the subsequent five opposes then mentioned the prior discussion the op linked to but which was not a subject of or mentioned at the RfC. How do I close the tainted RfC? Thanks. μηδείς (talk) 03:58, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

You can use my name in public. It's OK. --Jayron32 05:31, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

• Instructions on closing RfCs can be found at Wikipedia:RFC#Ending RfCs. If this is an RfC/U then you'll have to follow this instead. The issue of taint (forum shopping, meatpuppetry, or whatever your concern is) is probably best resolved by simply mentioning this concern in the RfC itself and then definitely seeking outside closure at WP:AN/RFC. The closing admin will certainly take that into consideration. -Thibbs (talk) 14:53, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Requesting an article?

So there's a page that says a person can suggest something be added to Wikipedia but the only link I can see is to create an article so I'll suggest it here.

I think an article needs to be made about Dr. Carin Bondar who is a biologist in Canada that does incredible learning videos and articles. Some of her stuff can be found at www.carinbondar.com/

Thanks and I absolutely LOVE Wikipedia.

Sincerely, Trevor Hinesley — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.52.70.75 (talk) 04:57, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Please take a look at WP:Requested articles.--ukexpat (talk) 05:23, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

rounding in inflation template

Can you make the rounding go to 26 billion (not 25.8) for the inflation converter in second para here: [2]

TCO (talk) 04:07, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Done. You need to set r=1 for one decimal place of rounding. See {{inflation}} Tips & Tricks section. RudolfRed (talk) 07:08, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Nope, sorry, please check the output.TCO (talk) 07:11, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

It's r=-9 to force the last nine dollar digits to zero. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:09, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Guinness nit

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes

No. 8 is incorrect - the actor is Sir Alec Guinness.

Also, the tabulation is incorrect. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 219.92.32.129 (talk) 06:55, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

The list in the article is from the AFI list, and AFI attributes the quote to Han Solo so that's what stays in the article. You can see the discussion on the article's talk page. May the Force be with you says the line is spoken by several film characters, so I guess AFI chose the Han Solo version. RudolfRed (talk) 07:03, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Edits do not trigger default edit summary

Why do my edits such as this one not leave an edit summary saying new section such as is the case for example here? -- Toshio Yamaguchi 08:17, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

You can create the section part of the edit summary on your own by entering "/* Section name */ this is what I did in the section". This is automatically filled in for you if you edit using a section link. If you create a new section at the end of the page using the "+section" link, you automatically get the edit summary "/* Section name */ new section". If you create a new section by editing the page an manually entering "== Section name ==", then this obviously doesn't work. You could be doing other things in addition, e.g. adding several new sections. The software doesn't inspect your changes to check if you just added a new section. Hans Adler 09:01, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

When you start a new section in a talk page you will not be able to leave a custom edit summary but it will be automatically added. --Ushau97 ^{talk contribs} 09:07, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

When I click the new section link at the top of Talk:List of wars 1945–1989, nothing is filled in automatically as this edit of mine shows. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 09:12, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

If you click New section and write something in the "Subject/headline" field then you get "/* something */ New section" as automatic edit summary. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:47, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Following PrimeHunter's suggestion, I clicked on New section, added "foo" to the "Subject/headline" field, selected "show preview" button, and saw "Subject/headline preview: (→‎foo: new section)." -- Uzma Gamal (talk) 13:54, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Yes, that's how "/* foo */ new section" renders in an edit summary. This can be checked by entering it as a manual edit summary when not using the New section link. PrimeHunter (talk) 14:14, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I am confused. When I click the New section link, I get no field for an edit summary at all and in the page history it doesn't say new section. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 15:00, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

When you click New section, the "Subject/headline" field should be above the edit box. There is no edit summary field. PrimeHunter (talk) 16:06, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

The section created in this edit is created by substituting {{User:Toshio Yamaguchi/Template:Original uploader NFCC concerns message}}. Does that mean I cannot provide an edit summary for these edits when using the New section link at the top of a talk page? Note that I do not give that section a heading, as the heading is automatically supplied by the substituted template. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 16:19, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

A heading made inside the edit box by typing or substituting is not transferred to the edit summary. But there should be a field with heading "Subject/headline" above the edit box when you click "New section". See for example File:Sandbox edit new section.PNG. Are you saying you don't have that field? Which skin are you using? PrimeHunter (talk) 16:43, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I am using the vector skin and I have the header field in edit mode. My concern is with the edit summary, as edits such as this one have a blank edit summary. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 16:55, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

If you want a default summary, you'll need to remove the heading from your template and enter it manually into the section header. Alternatively, you can use the normal edit window or the section above and leave an edit summary. Finally, I think there's an option in your preferences which will autofill the edit summary with what you posted if you don't have one. (I'm not totally sure on that one, talk to Kiefer.Wolfowitz, I know he uses it. Ryan Vesey 17:02, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Well, I guess I prefer to have no edit summary then, because I don't want to provide the header separately. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 17:14, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Wrong name

The Vodafone Germany Company was renamed on Feb 1st. It is now Vodafone GmbH, the "D2" in the name was deleted. Effected site:

Vodafone Germany — Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.233.250.6 (talk) 10:38, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I have changed the article's text to refer to "Vodafone GmbH", but Vodafone Germany is a perfectly acceptable title for the article as a WP:Common name.--ukexpat (talk) 14:29, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

History of perpetual motion machines

My name is Sanjay Amin and Wikipedia has incorrect information on the following page:

History of perpetual motion machines

The following is the incorrect information:

1. The company I founded Entropy Systems Inc., has not received $3.5 million in investment.

2. I am still working on this technology.

3. I have not made a claim that my technology violates the second law of thermodynamics. Please note that the United States Patent Office does not issue any patents on inventions that are perpetual motion machines. I was already issued a United States Patent for this technology. My US Patent No: 5,765.387

4. I have not made a claim of creating a perpetual motion machine.

5. There is no article or any paper in any reputable scientific journal that has disproved the facts of my invention or technology.

The websites that are used as reference have incorrect information.

Incorrect information about me is slanderous and injurious to me. Please cease and desist publishing incorrect information about me on Wikipedia.

Sincerely, Sanjay Amin — Preceding unsigned comment added by Amincycle (talk • contribs) 13:54, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

The paragraph about Sanjay Amin and his company was unreferenced, so I've removed it. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 14:16, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

That very editor had removed the multiple cites that had been in that paragraph. At least some of them were independent analysis/commentary on the device and/or his company. DMacks (talk) 14:47, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Ah, sorry, I didn't check the history. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 23:06, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

font size is too small to read

The font size is too small to read, is there a way in which I can make it larger so it is easy to read? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.60.35.95 (talk) 14:28, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Try resetting your browser's zoom level: Ctrl+0 or adjust it with Ctrl++ and Ctrl+-.--ukexpat (talk) 14:32, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Another simple way is you can use your mousewheel as a zoom control by holding down Ctrl, this works in most applications including all web browsers that I know of. Samatarou (talk) 00:53, 18 February 2013 (UTC)

Aligning a userbox

Resolved

Why does the last userbox here appear at the right despite being wrapped into {{Align}}? How can I make it appear beneath the first userbox in the first row? -- Toshio Yamaguchi 14:49, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

There are a number of ways to handle this. For example, you could add "{{clear}}" immediately after "{{Template:User web archive}}". -Thibbs (talk) 14:56, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Thank you. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 15:02, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

No problem. -Thibbs (talk) 15:05, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

User talk page issues

My computer has developed a strange issue with user talk pages. It starts to load the page and then it looks like it restarts and hangs with the progress bar at ~30%. If I refresh the page in the middle of this hangup, it does the same thing. If I try over an over (maybe 15-20 times in a row) then it seems to break its pattern and it works, but if I refresh the page again, it's back to the annoying hangup again for another 15-20 tries. I haven't been able to find any info on this weird problem online, and I know there are things I could try like reinstalling my browser, but I'm just curious about what is going on here. So I'm looking for help from people with a technical understanding of the page code for Wikipedia. What makes user talk pages any different from all other pages on Wikipedia? Is this some kind of javascripting error? -Thibbs (talk) 15:05, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

It may be a caching issue. Have you tried a WP:BYPASS?--ukexpat (talk) 15:07, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I hadn't tried that before, but I've just gone through all the steps and it still seems to be causing the same problem. I'd imagine that would affect my ability to load up other pages too, though. This problem is definitely restricted to user talk pages and only at Wikipedia. There must be something specific to this kind of page that my computer doesn't like. -Thibbs (talk) 15:22, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

OK next step - do you have any gadgets or scripts installed that work only in user talk space? If you do, you should try disabling them one by one to see if any of them, or a combination of them, is the culprit.--ukexpat (talk) 15:48, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Or start by logging out and see if it works then. PrimeHunter (talk) 16:03, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I didn't knowingly get any gadgets/scripts that are specific to user talk pages, but I do have greasemonkey and I pick up gadgets occasionally when I need them. I haven't ever gotten anything specific for Wikipedia, though, as far as I know. Interestingly it does seem to be connected to me being logged in, though. If I'm logged out a hungup user talk page can be refreshed and it works fine. -Thibbs (talk) 16:20, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Well I am all out of ideas. Maybe the regulars at WP:VPT can help.--ukexpat (talk) 16:24, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

OK it's not terribly pressing since I've just bought a new computer a few weeks ago anyway and it's no problem there, but thanks for your help though! -Thibbs (talk) 16:32, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

What is your skin? Does it happen at other MediaWiki sites, for example, meta:? PrimeHunter (talk) 16:37, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I've never changed skins so my skin is whatever the default is. And it seems not to be a problem at meta. I randomly tested the German Wikipedia too and no problems there. So it seems to be restricted to en.wikipedia. -Thibbs (talk) 17:13, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

The skin is shown at Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering. The default is Vector. What is your browser? Can you test what happens if you disable Javascript in the browser? Special:PrefixIndex/User:Thibbs/ shows no personal css or js files, except an empty monobook.js. Maybe you have a problematic gadget at Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-gadgets. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:12, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

My skin is Vector, and the gadgets I have turned on are:

1. "Ask a question" feature

2. Reference Tooltips

3. Hotcat

4. Form for filing disputes at the dispute resolution noticeboard

5. CharInsert

6. Add a "Sandbox" link to the personal toolbar area.

As with the skin, this is just the default gadgets that presumably are ticked for anyone who doesn't go into the gadget area. I'm using Firefox 3.6.28 (can't get the most current version since this is the last one compatible with Mac OSX 10.4.11). Interestingly I find that turning Javascripting off does fix the problem. So that may be the best workaround for me for now.

Another quirk I just realized is that this problem has really only come up for me when I'm trying to place a warning tag on a vandal's talk page. As I think about it, it's not just any user talk page that I have trouble with, it's particularly user talk pages of IP editors. If they have no talk page (i.e. it's redlinked) then I can create one with no problem, but if they have a bluelinked talk page then it seems to hang. -Thibbs (talk) 00:23, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

Yes, those are the default gadgets. I don't have problems with them with Vector and Firefox 18.0.2 on Windows Vista. They use Javascript. You could try disabling them. PrimeHunter (talk) 02:48, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

I just tried disabling them each one at a time to see if I could identify a single one that was causing the problem, but no luck. Then I tried disabling them all in a single test and that still didn't work. I assume it's just because I'm using an outdated version of Firefox on this machine and that's causing the javascript to break. And actually with all of these various tests I've been running the problem seems to be marginally better. It only seems to be hanging around 50% of the time now. Things seemed to get better like this after I set my cache to 0M. Anyway thanks for your help on this. -Thibbs (talk) 05:35, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

Deprecated tags categories

Categories such as Category:United States articles with deprecated tags, amongst others with the same task, track pages with deprecated tags. How are the pages added to said category? I'm thinking automatically, in which case I was wondering how it finds the pages with deprecated tags. I haven't been able to find any script that does it and nothing obvious in Special:Version. 89.168.137.160 (talk) 16:25, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

The category is added to the tag itself, which propagates the category to all the articles that have the depricated tags.--Jayron32 16:28, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Is it possible to give an example of how such a thing is done? I've never seen anyone attach anything to something like <font>, <center>, etc. 89.168.137.160 (talk) 19:37, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

See Template:WikiProject Massachusetts. It is tagged with {{Tdeprecated}}. When you view Tdeprecated in edit mode you can see that it includes <includeonly>[[Category:United States articles with deprecated tags]]</includeonly>. -- Toshio Yamaguchi 20:03, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Standardizing Wikipedia Usage of Princess Elizabeth

I've had a discussion today with another editor at this link [3] with respect to standardizing Wikipedia usage as to how Elizabeth I is to be referred to in Wikipedia articles during the years 1536-1558. As I noted in my comments, almost every modern historian refers to her as 'Princess Elizabeth' during this period, as do very authoritative sources such as the Calendar of State Papers [4]. Is there somewhere on Wikipedia where a discussion can take place and consensus can be reached on a topic such as this so that there isn't a discrepancy among the many Wikipedia articles which mention her, with some referring to her as 'Princess Elizabeth' and others as 'Lady Elizabeth'? NinaGreen (talk) 20:52, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I, the other editor, noted in my comments that authors who have been knighted for their work on this matter (if we are going to use argumenta ad verecundiam) explicitly say that Elizabeth was no longer a princess after 1536 and that it was high treason to imply otherwise. The fact that she was not a princess anymore was of great significance, which is what the authors also explain in great detail. Anyway, I suggested a compromise - referring to Elizabeth simply as Elizabeth, which is plain, simple and accurate. However, this was flatly refused and no reason was given. Surtsicna (talk) 21:29, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

I'm hopeful someone at the Help Desk can indicate where on Wikipedia discussion of this topic can properly take place among a number of editors, and consensus can be reached as to the way Elizabeth I should be referred to during the period 1536-1558 in the many Wikipedia articles which mention her during that period, i.e. 'Princess Elizabeth', 'Lady Elizabeth', or just plain 'Elizabeth'. There needs to be consistency among Wikipedia articles so that readers aren't confused. I'm sure there must be someplace on Wikipedia where discussion takes place about the 'style' to be used when referring to royalty and members of the nobility. I'm just not sure where it is. NinaGreen (talk) 23:35, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

How about Wikipedia talk:WikiProject English Royalty or the talk page of a related WikiProject?--ukexpat (talk) 01:55, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for the helpful suggestion. I'll post something on the English Royalty Talk page. NinaGreen (talk) 18:06, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

Removing page do to lack of reference.

Hello, It was brought to my attention that some of my content under the title, Tadahiko Mizuno, did not have the required supporting references. I have subsequently listed references supporting the content.

Currently it is proposed for deletion however I trust the supporting information will satisfy your needs for the removal of this notice.

Could you please confirm? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Scientistssupporter (talk • contribs) 20:59, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

What makes you say it is currently proposed for deletion? A proposed deletion was declined last week after 16 minutes.[5] I don't see anything since then. If you refer to User talk:Scientistssupporter#Proposed deletion of Tadahiko Mizuno then it's from the same declined proposal last week. Such notices are not removed from user talk pages – unless you do it yourself, but there is no need to. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:22, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Song titles in articles

How do you show a song or tune title? Is it "Jumping Joan", Jumping Joan or "Jumping Joan"? I've seen all three in articles, and a look through the style guide hasn't helped. Alansplodge (talk) 21:14, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

"Jumping Joan". See Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Text formatting#When not to use italics. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:24, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanking you kindly. Alansplodge (talk) 22:00, 15 February 2013 (UTC)

Resolved