Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2021 November 16

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November 16

Mobile version

Hi, Iam Dhaneesh Ram, I am in Wikipedia for more than 5 months, for most of the times I used mobile visual editing option to edit in Wikipedia, but now it is not properly working, I can't edit wiki tables in mobile visual editing option, how can I fix it, please can anyone let me know about my issue.

Dhaneesh 💙 Ram 03:46, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Hello, Ram Dhaneesh. I too edit with mobile devices, but I use the fully functional desktop site, which works just fine on current mobile devices such as smartphones. Just scroll to the very bottom of any page in mobile view, and you will see a link to switch to the desktop site on your mobile device. I have written an essay that you may find useful, User:Cullen328/Smartphone editing. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 03:55, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Thanks @Cullen328: to have a concern on my question. I too tried desktop to editing option, it is doing well. My problem is not on desktop version, is there any issues on visual editing option in Wikipedia. Because most of the time I used visual editing option, that is my request. Even after updated my device/Chrome/Google, it doesn't work properly. Thank you!

Dhaneesh 💙 Ram 04:05, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Ram Dhaneesh, please read Wikipedia:Mobile communication bugs. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 04:53, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Some tables are built with templates and cannot be edited properly with VisualEditor. Which table are you trying to edit? PrimeHunter (talk) 06:44, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

@PrimeHunter: List of metropolitan areas in IndiaDhaneesh 💙 Ram 13:28, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Hi, Ram Dhaneesh, desktop VE worked for me but not mobile VE (on older iPad with Safari/iOS 12). I haven't tried other pages to find out if it's a general problem or just that one page. Can't see anything odd in the wikitext source code. ⁓ Pelagic ( messages ) 21:49, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Please unblock this account - I have been hacked

Dear Wikipedia

Please unblock this account. I have been hacked. The contributions under this name are not what I have done. Please advise so I can set up a new account with a new password from my computer/IP address. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Adam30 (talk • contribs) 10:47, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Adam30 Your account has only one edit that was made in 2010(other than this posting here). Did you use a different account? 331dot (talk) 10:49, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

NEW Thanks for your reply. I don't know how to reply to you so I'm just updating this comment. When I go on my "Talk" page there are lots of notifications that I have been blocked and also that apparently my account has updated various other Pages - not me doing that!

Please advise how to unblock. Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Adam30 (talk • contribs) 10:59, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

No, your user talk page at User talk:Adam30 contains no warnings or block notifications. Were you trying to use a different account, or to edit while logged out? --David Biddulph (talk) 11:04, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Adam30 Are you certain the issue is on this version of Wikipedia and not another language version? 331dot (talk) 11:08, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Do you get these messages before you login? It's possible someone else on the IP address you're using has been vandalising Wikipedia (if you're in a public place, then many people would share the same IP address). Joseph2302 (talk) 11:15, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Identifying opinion pieces

I know opinion pieces are not reliable. I thought only those which are mentioned as opinion pieces as this article is an opinion piece, but administrator Ohnoitsjamie removed this article as an opinion piece which was not mentioned by the website as an opinion piece. So, which should be seen as an opinion piece, other than those which are directly posted under the opinion piece column? I did not ping him, as I am not disagreeing with him. --ZebraaaLounge (talk) 11:34, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

• I am not sure why you posted the link to one Washington Post opinion piece and the general link for the New York Times’ opinion section, but not the actual URL of the contested article.

While the article is not an opinion piece, it does not impress me as a piece of great journalism or neutrality, and looking at the perennial sources I find that the Times of India is not considered reliable especially due to bias favoring the current government. Despite my abysmal knowledge of Indian politics, I know that sectarians tensions between Muslims and Hindus is a political topic there, so I would agree with the removal of the source, though not for the exact reason Ohnoitsjamie gave in their edit summary. Tigraan^{Click here for my talk page ("private" contact)} 13:44, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Forgot to ping ZebraaaLounge. Tigraan^{Click here for my talk page ("private" contact)} 13:44, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

I acknowledge that it's not labeled as an opinion piece; however, my main objection was the material it was attached to in the lede. That is, the lede should succinctly summarize a topic, and if we're going to make any broad statements about the topic, they should be sourceable to more than one reliable source. OhNoitsJamie ^Talk 14:19, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Duplicate Citations

For the page Ben Porat Yosef, I tried to cite the source for the data about the number of students and faculty in the info table. I used the same source for multiple stats, so I copy and pasted the reference (the visual editor doesn’t work for tables). However, instead of simply using the same reference like it usually does, it created two separate occurrences of the same cited piece. How to I fix this? A. Rosenberg (talk) 14:08, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

@Asher Rosenberg: I added ref code to the two US News sources. The code you added was for different refs. TimTempleton ^{(talk) (cont)} 14:29, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Ok, thank you. A. Rosenberg (talk) 14:31, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Sander Gilman

I just updated my own entry and WTMitchell reverted the changes as they appeared to him unhelpful. How do I have my changes accepted? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 154.27.115.197 (talk) 15:02, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Keep in mind that without an account, we have no way of knowing that you are who you say you are(not that I disbelieve you, just saying). Nevertheless, you should not edit the article about you directly in most cases, please see the autobiography policy; if you have changes to propose, please offer them on the article talk page, Talk:Sander Gilman, in the form of an edit request(click for instructions) Preferably, the article about you should summarize what independent reliable sources say about you, but please offer any suggestions for changes that you have. 331dot (talk) 15:11, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Hi Sander, the best way to get information to stick on Wikipedia is to cite your sources. For example the second referenced Emory page (used in Writing section) does list your professorship of psychiatry, but doesn't mention an emeritus professor position that I can see. The other Emory page referenced in Academic Career (currently ref #1) is a dead link, so it's unlikely to be supporting a statement about a position appointed in 2021. ⁓ Pelagic ( messages ) 19:13, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

citing references

I have an article which is up for deletion if I dont insert reliable references. I have this one that when I cite it it has a broken link or something? Im a bit confused. https://mickmagic.net/NeilCrud I would be so grateful if I could have help with this please. As it could mean deletion :( Its for the article Neil Crud Thanks in advance FlowerMoon593 (talk) 16:26, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

That link throws up a security warning when I click on it (Firefox v94.0.1), due to a bad cert. —A little blue Bori v^_^v ^{Jéské Couriano} 16:28, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

It shows as a 404 error when opened and will have no beneficial use on the Neil Crud article. Theroadislong (talk) 16:33, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Try this one sorry http://www.mickmagic.net/Neil%20Crud%20(1).htm ThanksFlowerMoon593 (talk) 16:36, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Hi Theroadislong, I have noticed you appear on everything that I ask/draft/edit I would appreciate the opinion of someone else as I feel it is biased coming from yourself over and over again.

FlowerMoon593 (talk) 16:38, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

That link is an interview so confers zero notability, others are welcome to chime in too, but you don't get to choose! Theroadislong (talk) 16:42, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

@FlowerMoon593: I agree with Theroadislong that the interview does not determine notability. I suggest taking a look at WP:RS for help on determining what is and isn't a reliable source to help determing an article's notability. ― Blaze The Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 16:44, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

FlowerMoon593, it may help to realise that Wikipedia is not interested in what the subject of an article says or wants to say about themselves, or what their associates say about them. Wikipedia is only interested in what people who have no connection with the subject, and who have not been prompted or fed information on behalf of the subject, have chosen to publish about the subject in reliable sources. --ColinFine (talk) 17:02, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Ok, If it isnt notable then duly noted and I wont be using it. Thankyou. FlowerMoon593 (talk) 19:32, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Linking

Hello,

Is linking to other pages on Wikimedia preferred over linking to the entity itself (i.e. Marshall Daily News linking to Media in Marshall, Texas rather than the actual Marshall Daily News site?

Does this depend on the quality of the Wikimedia page?

If the Wikimedia page is preferred can/should I put a reference note that leads users directly to the actual source?

Is there a reason to double link a place: Bar Harbor, Maine -- with Maine linked to lead just to the state entry or to Bar Harbor (Maine) which is the actual site under discussion.

If a webpage exists for a citation shouldn't it be linked rather than the Wayback machine?

I apologize if these questions are covered in any of the FAQs -- I couldn't find them addressed in this particular manner. — Preceding unsigned comment added by MAK999KAM (talk • contribs) 17:45, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Fewer more specific links are preferred. So just linking Bar Harbor (Maine) is better than links to Bar Harbor/Bar Harbor (Maine) and Maine. Best, Barkeep49 (talk) 18:00, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

I think I understand your questions. In order:

1. Yes, if we have an article or redirect about the topic. If we don't have an article, a red link may be reasonable and may not be. Under very few circumstances should you ever link to the topic directly in the main content of an article (see also how pages are laid out).
2. No, given the article exists. See #1.
3. No. We are not a directory.
4. We prefer the most specific topic if possible, so link the whole text to Bar Harbor. See WP:SEAOFBLUE.
5. "If it exists" is doing a lot of work there, but yes. See also WP:Link rot.

Let me know if I missed something or you have additional context you would like to add. Izno (talk) 18:05, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

You may also want to read WP:External links. --Orange Mike | Talk 19:12, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

edit box in article

Hello. In the article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Corday, I made a correction in the text of the article regarding Ms. Corday's fourth husband, but I don't know how to edit the "box" on the right to add it there. Morris (talk) 18:59, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Hello, Morris. That's called an infobox, and if you edit the source, you will see {{infobox person at the top of the article, and you can edit the parameters within that. See Template:infobox person if you need more information about what the parameters should contain. I have no idea how you would do this with the Visual editor, as I have hardly ever used that. --ColinFine (talk) 23:32, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Done (I think). Thank you. Morris (talk) 19:42, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

Malwarebytes Browser Guard Warning

For what it's worth: today (for the first time ever) I'm getting a repeated "Blocked by Browser Guard" warning from Malwarebytes (installed on my PC) of possible malware activity on the Wikipedia Main Page when I click my standard bookmarked link to Wikipedia (via Firefox, if it matters).

I've taken a chance and "Continued to site" anyway to leave this message, and suggest somebody investigate the matter. It may of course be a false alarm, but it seems odd that a long-established security program would make such an error with such a prominent site as Wikepedia.

I'm not so far seeing any signs of unusual activity on my system, but I am emphatically not an IT expert. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.205.225.31 (talk) 19:21, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

I'd suggest running a system scan on your entire PC to see if for whatever reason Malwarebytes missed some Malware and has infected your PC. I have a feeling it's a false alarm though. ― Blaze The Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 19:28, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Are you running the Firefox Malwarebytes extension or the full real-time application? Reviews from the FF add-ons page are not entirely complimentary. We are unlikely to be able the investigate the matter, I suggest you post a query at the appropriate forum. MinorProphet (talk) 06:11, 18 November 2021 (UTC)

History

The history of animals — Preceding unsigned comment added by 105.112.58.142 (talk) 19:49, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Do you have a question about how to use or edit Wikipedia? Eagleash (talk) 20:49, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Citing Mythlore with two-season dates

I want to cite Mythlore, which uses seasonal dates (eg Summer 2021), but sometimes two seasons are listed (eg Spring/Summer 2015). According to {{Cite journal}}, which refers to Help:Citation Style 1#Dates, this should be acceptable, but I'm getting a red message: "Check date values in: |date= (help)", as here: (I have cs1-maint messages displayed). Am I doing anything wrong?--Verbarson (talk) 21:34, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

References

The solidus as a separator in dates is not supported by cs1|2 so there should be no documentation to the contrary; if there is, please tell me where that is so that it can be corrected. For season ranges, write |date=Fall–Winter 2015.

—Trappist the monk (talk) 21:56, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

@Trappist the monk: The sentence at Help:Citation Style 1#Dates states "Sources are at liberty to use other ways of expressing dates, such as 'spring/summer' or a date in a religious calendar; editors should report the date as expressed by the source." I can understand how some editors may read that sentence and not understand that the solidus is incorrect. GoingBatty (talk) 03:55, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

It certainly confused me. I have now successfully used an n-dash between the seasons in the dates (I tried a hyphen first, because I didn't spot the difference on screen, though I should have guessed an n-dash would be needed; a hyphen produces a different, green, error message.).--Verbarson (talk) 10:33, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

Gut-brain axis edits

Hello, I've been working on the "gut-brain axis" page. I need help identifying the specific reasons my edits are being undone. This is a class assignment. Thank you very much! Thinkpins (talk) 23:59, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

 Courtesy link: Gut–brain axis Note that Thinkpins is a m:Wiki Education student participant. ClaudineChionh (talk – contribs) 00:13, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

@Thinkpins: The most recent reversion points out that you're not following Wikipedia's manual of style; from what I see at a glance you're emboldening the headings, which is not done on here. Perhaps Zefr and MaterialScientist can further elaborate. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 03:50, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

A courtesy ping for Materialscientist (grr, off by one lowercase letter!) —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 04:37, 17 November 2021 (UTC)