Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2014 November 16

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November 16

Fancy font formatting in public discussion forums.

Hey all, anybody know of any specific restrictions on font/style formatting in public discussion spaces? I'm speaking specifically of changes like this one where user is personalizing the entirety of their response with a specific typeface in a public space. (I don't care about the font choices on their own talk page.) Per talk page guidelines we discourage excessive boldface and ALL CAPS, and it seems we would also discourage such formatting as it draws undue attention to their comments over the comments of others. Thanks for your input, Cyphoidbomb (talk) 05:34, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Convenience link
The obvious place for that would be WP:TPYES, but it's not addressed. I agree that it should be strongly discouraged, if for no other reason than it hurts readability. Many people are opposed to customized signatures for that reason, and I don't think we need to be worsening that situation. Discussion probably belongs at WP:VPP or something. ‑‑Mandruss ☎ 05:42, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

If I see an editor using a non-standard font (or all-capitals) to express his opinions, it reduces my respect for them. Maybe it shouldn't, but it does. Maproom (talk) 09:14, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

A lot of yelling in the example thread. We are not impressed. ‑‑Mandruss ☎ 09:34, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

I agree that it should be discouraged. Thanks all. Cyphoidbomb (talk) 01:43, 17 November 2014 (UTC)

Moving a page

Hello--I recently ran across the page Generation Progress, which was basically a copy and paste job of Campus Progress. Campus Progress changed its name to Generation Progress, and a new page was created. It took all of the content from Campus Progress. What really should have happened is that we should have kept one page and just renamed it Campus Progress. I created a redirect at Generation Progress, but I've run into a roadblock: I want to rename Campus Progress Generation Progress, but I can't do that since there's already a page with that name--the redirect page. Any ideas on how to work around this? The ultimate goal is to have one page, titled Generation Progress, with the historical content from Campus Progress. Thanks for any help. Schematica (talk) 06:05, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

I have posted a technical move request to fix this. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 06:33, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Thanks much, Roger (Dodger67)! Schematica (talk) 03:50, 17 November 2014 (UTC)

Eric Bicfalvi's misspelled name

Eric Bicfalvi is a Romanian footballer that also has Hungarian ancestry. Should the misspelled name Bikfalvi Erikused by some Hungarian sites be included here or not (considering that this is English Wikipedia and English sources use the correct name Eric Bicfalvi)? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.254.16.197 (talk) 07:41, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

The article should be titled (as it apparently is) according to the common English spelling of the name. Whether a Hungarian spelling and pronunciation would be helpful to readers is something that should be discussed with other editors on the article talk page, Talk:Eric Bicfalvi. —teb728 t c 08:05, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

The Manual of style has general advice at MOS:FORLANG. —teb728 t c 08:11, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Creating a redirect for the alternative spelling is generally a good idea. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 11:20, 17 November 2014 (UTC)

References or Notes?

I saw that this section is sometimes called "References" and sometimes "Notes". What is better to use? --Guycn2 · ☎ 12:15, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

You can add "Footnotes" to that list, and perhaps "Bibliography". I don't know of any guidance as to how to choose one or the other. Some articles have a need for two or more. There isn't a lot of consistency in the usage of each type; e.g., inline citations of web sources are sometimes found in a References section and other times in a Notes section. The choices seem to depend largely on the type of article and the background of the editors who create it and maintain it. Academic types, for example, seem to have different ideas about these things than the rest of us, since they live in a different world. The main applicable help page is, I think, WP:FOOTNOTES. You might want to check back after a day or so for other viewpoints and insights. ‑‑Mandruss ☎ 12:46, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

MOS:LAYOUT also has some guidelines about recommended order and naming of common sections, and their usual content. GermanJoe (talk) 12:56, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Ah, much better. I didn't know about that. Thanks, I'll have to read that myself. ‑‑Mandruss ☎ 13:02, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

un-used fair-use ?

This is not a general question so I'm not sure if this is the place.
The file File:Screenshot_Le_Huffington_Post_2005_Prix_Marcel_Duchamp_Scandal.png is a little disturbing in three ways :

• first of all, it claims to be a screenshot of a Huffington Post paper, but it is not, it is an original composition
• secondly, it is labeled as "fair-use", but the file is not used ! The fair-use seems quite absurd, then.
• last thing : it is a part of something between an unfunny internet prank and a weird smear campain against artist Claude Closky, from another artist called LG Williams and his girlfriend, who is an art critic. They tried something with Banksy a few years ago, and they now try to make people believe that Closky's work of the twenty last years is stollen from a quite unknown artist... Just by showing fake images with fake names, referencing unexisting books on Amazon, etc. Wikipedia is their main playground. I think this image should be removed, then. Jean-no (talk) 14:45, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

According to a notice on the file page it is automatically eligible for deletion as an unused fair use image - the "use it or lose it" deadline is 24 November. If you believe it should be deleted sooner you are welcome to send it to WP:MFD for consideration. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 15:08, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Thanks Jean-no (talk) 15:56, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

tables

how would one go about creating a collapsible table that opens horizontally (not vertically), im not very good at table and chart creation.thank you(btw if im in the wrong section/site please direct me to the right one, I asked this question before but got no answer)--65.8.187.212 (talk) 14:54, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

You probably will get more answers at Wikipedia:Village pump (technical). -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 16:57, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

people address me on wikipedia

=How can I ask people on wikiepdia to call me by my real name which is Kristine and not Venustar84 which is my user name?= Venustar84 (talk) 18:39, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Hi Kristine,

I think that this already been discussed. The best way is likely to change your user ID. There are nice shortcuts to ping someone, but they don't allow for a piped name - or it takes more work to do that. I have to remember to use [[User:Venustar84|Kristine]] for you - when for everyone else I can use the simple {{u|Venustar84}} type format. I truly don't mind because I know it means a lot to you, but others may not have the time or inclination. Would you like to reevaluate changing your user name?

I'll try and find the post about that and put it on your talk page.--CaroleHenson (talk) 18:50, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Kristine, Ah, I see that the issue is likely tied to previous sockpuppet accounts - and you should just be using this account. Let me see if this account can be renamed with the person that posted the comment.--CaroleHenson (talk) 19:02, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Wikipedia page "Wiet Huidekoper" with mis-information

Dear sir, dear madam,

Today it was brought to my attention that there is now a Wikipedia page abou me: Wiet Huidekoper.

The text of this WIkipedia page contains wrong and misleading information about me, my work and my work history. This offends me and it may also offend others.

Can you please help me to rectify this?

I am happy to appoint an independent journalist to re-write the page, if this meets with your approval.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Yours sincerely, Wiet Huidekoper — Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.106.129.245 (talk • contribs) 22:12, 16 November 2014‎ (UTC)

This sshould be discussed at Talk:Wiet Huidekoper. --Orange Mike | Talk 22:21, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

But please have a look at WP:Autobiography#Problems in an article about you for the best ways to proceed. --ColinFine (talk) 23:51, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Kristine here

Since I'm not allowed to create categories could User:CaroleHenson create them for me if I ask her since she is mentoring me? She seems to be very smart and helpful. Venustar84 (talk) 22:19, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Pinging CaroleHenson to notify them of this post. Sam Walton (talk) 23:02, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

The answer is no, see User talk:Theroadislong#Categories.--CaroleHenson (talk) 23:06, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

link problem

hi, I have been to the "Village Pump /technical", however I have not gotten anything accomplished there so im here, the "revision history statistics " link is down( for 2 days) its at "External tools" in page histories at the English Wikipedia for users with en or en-gb as language. It's made by MediaWiki:Histlegend and goes to (well it wont open sometimes).thanks--Ozzie10aaaa (talk) 23:11, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Ozzie10aaaa (talk · contribs) is referring to Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)/Archive 132#revision history statistics; answers have been posted there and in the following section, Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)/Archive 132#So.... --Redrose64 (talk) 17:35, 18 November 2014 (UTC)

about fater umar

Iam fater umar from jega local government of kebbi

And what is your question about editing Wikipedia? --ColinFine (talk) 23:56, 16 November 2014 (UTC)