Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2014 May 9

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May 9

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Cleanup question

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Can someone please assist in figuring out where the issue is that's causing List of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball seasons to look so messed up? Jrcla2 (talk) 00:17, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

That was bizarre. I fixed the article by copying the wikitext into Notepad++ and back again. This somehow deleted or transformed the invisible control characters that were disabling the template calls. -- John of Reading (talk) 06:52, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the help. Jrcla2 (talk) 12:04, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
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The company Social Gaming Network has updated to a new logo and there has been a request over at WP:PAIDHELP in regards to adding it to our article. Looking at the logo and our rules on what is considered copyright-free over at Wikipedia:Logos#Copyright-free_logos, does this new logo meet requirement 3? It is simple text with a more or less simple geometric shape around it. Is it then copyright-free and merely trademarked? SilverserenC 01:54, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I'd say it definitely falls under being simple, as it is just text and a simple bordering around it. ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 04:50, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Trying to contact you is insane. I can't even leave a respectable e-mail. But I'll try again. I had the lyrics for a few songs stolen from me in a practice basement in 1987. One of them was a song called Paragons Of Purity. I think you know the rest. I kn

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Wow,

Ok, I'll try this. Look, I wrote the lyrics to a song back in 1987 called "Paragons of Purity" Ring a bell? I know you didn't steal them, but I think a toe-headed kid you know that had been attending Utah-State University did. He was in a local band at the time. Monkey-slap him for me, would you? It's Ok. I was mad as hell for a long time, but then realized, I just have to move on. BTW, I liked my version better, but I did like the tunes you used. I am starting a record company, and already have a semi-pro recording studio. So by-gones be by-gones. Just thump that terd in the forehead.

If you care to contact me, my phone number is (removed). It would be cool just to hear from you. Oh, and by the way, I go by R.J. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:7:6180:88:DCD2:A1C7:86FA:30A3 (talk) 03:19, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

It looks like you have mistaken Wikipedia for the personal website of some person. This is an encyclopedia, not the website of any musician or music studio or whatever you are trying to reach. JIP | Talk 03:27, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Help Required

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Can someone please make maps for my article --- New R. S. J. Public School. I actually require two maps as there are two separate buildings. Also, please rate that article on importance scale. Kindly please convert the texts on hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/न्यू_आर._एस._जे._पब्लिक_स्कूल into Hindi.--prathamprakash29 04:35, 9 May 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Prathamprakash29 (talkcontribs)

You already asked about maps (and it was answered) here. Please don't keep asking the same question. To request a translation, go to WP:Translation. To get your article assessed, go to Wikipedia:WikiProject Schools/Assessment. SpinningSpark 07:45, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Sir Reginald Brade - additional information

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While injured during WWI, he met the volunteer nurse Gwendolyn Griffith, and subsequently married her. She was the daughter of Joshua Griffith, owner of coal mines in Wales ( bankrupt after his accountant fled to Australia with the company cash ). They resided in Park Lane. Shortly before completing his memoirs, Sir Reginald died in 1936 and the funeral service was in St. Margaret's, Westminster. His widow survived him by some 12 years. They had no children, so adopted a girl who eloped with a man claiming to be a Russian prince. After that, Sir Reginald and his wife had no contact with her. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.178.58.245 (talk) 09:10, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your interest, but unfortunately you have not cited any reliable sources to support your information about Sir Reginald Brade. If you have such sources, please add this information to the page, if not, you should not. Please note that comments about individual articles should be made on the article talk page, in this case Talk:Sir Reginald Brade. As stated at the top of this page, "This page is only for questions about using Wikipedia." - Thanks - Arjayay (talk) 09:42, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
The talk page is Talk:Reginald Brade.--ukexpat (talk) 12:44, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

new article acceptance

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How much time usually passes between the time of submission of a new article and the time it is available for viewing on-line? — Preceding unsigned comment added by TCIdreamer (talkcontribs) 11:56, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

To the best of my knowledge, at least for auto-confirmed users, the process is instantaneous. JIP | Talk 12:03, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
(edit conflict) Do you mean submitted through the AFC process? We normally say up to a month before it is reviewed, but there is a severe backlog at the moment so it could be longer. The queue categorised by date can be seen at Category:AfC pending submissions by age. If you have submitted something, I assume that it was from another account, as your contribution history shows nothing before your question here. If you give us a wikilink to the submission, someone might be able to give it a quick glance to see whether there are any obvious shortcoming which need to be addressed while you are awaiting its review. --David Biddulph (talk) 12:09, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

language version

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Hi.

Some times I check wikipedia pages in other ( then I know) languages. For example I have opened this page. I know that language code is lez but it takes some time to find what this code means.

Similar situation is with links on the left part of the wiki pages which shows other language versions. Name of version is in differernt language ( and alphabet) then wiki page so it is difficult to check the language of linked version.

What is the best solution for it ?

TIA

--Adam majewski (talk) 15:00, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

There is probably a far better way, but I use Wikimedia's list of Wikipedias, where a "find" for Lez gives a link to Lezgian language - Arjayay (talk) 15:13, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Thx for the answer. Do yuo also use ctrl-f to find it in this big page ? --Adam majewski (talk) 15:24, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Ctrl-F is a function of your browser, not of Wikipedia. If it works on Wikipedia it will work on any page viewed with that browser. SpinningSpark 15:46, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Yes I used Ctrl-F to find that - it is one of the most basic, useful, tools out - it is amazing how many people still do not know about it, or that putting spaces before and/or after the search term can avoid finding longer words that contain the search term (but beware punctuation). It doesn't actually work on "any" page - not if its in flash, jpeg or other picture formats - which can (falsely) convince you that a word is not in a document, if you don't know its format. Arjayay (talk) 16:03, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
That's right. You need to watch out for pdfs that have been created from a facsimile as well. However, there are optical character recognition programs that can do that as well. If you google it you can find sites that will do it for free online. SpinningSpark 16:38, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
There's a gadget in preferences that changes the links in the language list to English. - Purplewowies (talk) 18:18, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Gadet - OK, I will check it. What do you think about :
  • use wikipedia language also in links to other language versions
  • show englis description when user moves a cursor over link
??
--Adam majewski (talk) 17:27, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
If you're not fond of using a gadget, you can copy the language name, go to that Wikipedia, paste that language name into the URL (e.g. https://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosanski if you don't know what "Bosanski" is), and when you get there, check the interwiki links to see what the English version is. Nyttend (talk) 10:18, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
OK, thx. --Adam majewski (talk) 17:27, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Guidance when sources are in error

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I know we have some guidance on what to do if a reliable source (in this case, the New York Times) reports something in error. My vague recollection is that the advice informs that it is not the responsibility of Wikipedia editors to independently verify the fact, that if such a source makes an error, then someone should convince the source, get it recorded in a corrections statement, then we can cite the corrections page.

However, I am having trouble locating this advice. While I can summarize it myself, I would like to cite whether this is policy, guideline or an essay, and use the exact wording.--S Philbrick(Talk) 16:01, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

This sort of thing has been frequently discussed, but I don't think that there are any essays on it (might be wrong). My advice would be to use common sense. Don't repeat in Wikipedia anything that is self-evidently a mistake, even if that is what the source says. However, to dispute a claim that is credible and supported by reliable sources requires either sources pointing out that it is an error or sources saying something else that are more authoritive than the original source. SpinningSpark 08:56, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

How do I change my username?

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I mispelled by username, it's supposed to be AutomobileDealer, but the name I have is mispelled can you help fix it? --AutomobileDealer — Preceding unsigned comment added by AutomodileDealer (talkcontribs) 16:13, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

With only 14 edits, the easiest option is to register the correctly spelled name, and abandon the old one. You can even add a note to the user page indicating the old name. The other option is to go to Wikipedia:Changing username, read it, then choose the Simple option at the bottom of the page, which will help you request a name change.--S Philbrick(Talk) 16:23, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Naqvi Sadat Bukhari

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Dear Admin Please note that Naqvi Sadat ( Bokhari) are from Syed Jallal-ud-din Surkh Posh Bukhari buried in Ouch Sharif and I Prof Dr. Syed Akbar Abbas Naqvi is holding a blog "Naqvi Sadat" under www.elijah19.wordpress.com presented by my wife Syeda Masooma Z Naqvi. I am also at present Chairman National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony (NPCIH)and Administrator for other websites of Monotheism (Hebrew)etc. Please enter the said details in your Wikipedia information in relation to Naqvi Sadat.I am also holding the major Family Tree and authorized to certify Naqvi Shijra if found correct in our major Shijra (Family Tree)record. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 39.32.42.72 (talk) 17:27, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

your personal assertions about the high quality and accuracy of your personal blog are not sufficient. see WP:RS. -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 05:34, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Autobiographies as a source?

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Is there a general policy about autobiographies as a source? Are they considered unreliable? I want to rewrite the article on Herbert Huncke, which is currently has few details about his life and contains almost nothing about his actual work as a writer. I want to use Guilty of Everything as one of the sources. I haven't read American Hipster, the only other biography on him yet (it's in the mail) to see if it would be a good source. DavidSSabb (talk) 17:58, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Autobiographies can be used if they are not being used to support unduly self serving claims : so claims of sales of a book / its "best seller" status- no; the inspiration for tackling a particular subject-generally yes.
note that an autobiography cannot be used to establish the notability of the subject - that has been established by third party source coverage.
and if there are third party sources that contradict the autobiography, they must also be included, with the subject's interpretation also given and attributed to the subject. -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 23:09, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
I think it will also depend on the reputation of the publisher: an autobiography from a major publisher can be a reliable source; one self-published or from a vanity press will not be. --ColinFine (talk) 10:34, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Help with user account issue

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Hi, I created an account earlier this year and recently found that I was no longer able to access it with the password I have written down. Since I didn't give my email address when I set up the account, it looks like I'm not able to reset the password so I have set up a new account. To make clear that I'm the same editor, I've updated this new account's signature to show my old user name. What I would also like to do, to reduce confusion, is to link the user pages associated with the previous account to my new one: I believe that this can be done by redirecting those pages.

As I'm not yet an autoconfirmed user and able to make those redirects myself, would someone here be able to help? If there's anything else I should do to link the accounts, please let me know.

Best regards, M at Bechtel (talk) 18:20, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, M P. You don't need to be autoconfirmed to create a redirect from your old user page to your new one. Just edit the pages User:M at Bechtel and User talk:M at Bechtel. Replace the contents with the code for a redirect. (If you need help on how to make a redirect, go to the redirect help.) Anon126 (notify me of responses! / talk / contribs) 02:46, 10 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Non Accurate Data

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The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Dear;

you are publishing non accurate date in death toll, the first one is "Muslim conquest of the Indian subcontinent", No data showing these huge numbers, please remove this point.

Regards; Abdullah Alghubari — Preceding unsigned comment added by 5.245.229.52 (talk) 21:09, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

See the multiple sections above where the issue has been addressed.-- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 22:55, 9 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.