Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2024 March 6

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March 6

The dark mode does not apply to Russian, German, and Spanish Wikipedia.

Hi. The dark mode is enabled in the phone settings, in the chrome settings, in the chrome flags settings. The dark mode is turned on everywhere, but when I go to the Russian-speaking, German, Spanish Wikipedia, the light mode is there.

When I go to the English-language Wikipedia, everything is OK, the mode is dark. Everything is ok on other sites too, dark mode. The problem is only with Wikipedia. Everything used to be OK. There is nothing about dark mode in the Wikipedia settings. Cleared the Chrome browser data. Deleted, installed - nothing helped. 

When will you be able to return to dark mode? Master97979797 (talk) 00:55, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Hi Master97979797! There is no official dark mode for Wikipedia – here on the English Wikipedia an unofficial method can be enabled through your preferences (down at the bottom there) as it seems you have already done. It is possible there is simply no built-in way to enable it on those language editions of Wikipedia, but it can still be enabled through user CSS pages. If you want to enable the dark theme you see now on all language editions, you can place the code @import "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki:Gadget-dark-mode.css&action=raw&ctype=text/css"; as the only content of your global.css page at Meta-Wiki. If you prefer, there are other dark mode options listed at WP:DARK. Tollens (talk) 01:05, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

so why is god not a topic until I added it

like why. Cinderellathegirlheneverloved (talk) 02:14, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Hi Cinderellathegirlheneverloved – I am not sure what you mean. The article God has existed for a very long time, and it doesn't appear you've created such an article. Are you able to clarify what you mean so we're able to help? Tollens (talk) 02:18, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Cinderellathegirlheneverloved: Please don't use Wikipedia as a web host for your fiction, as you did at User:Cinderellathegirlheneverloved/sandbox. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 05:40, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

"Missing" contributions?

G'day - I have a dumb question. Looking at the list of contributions for user Avriewv only lists three contributions, the oldest of which was 15 September 2023. But the header on that page says "A user with 11 edits. Account created on 19 May 2023." And their talk page includes 20 May 2023 submission reviews for a draft they submitted (four months before the earliest edit shown in the list of contributions). These all don't seem consistent - what am I missing? (I checked the publicly visible logs; nothing there to give me any hint.) Gronk Oz (talk) 09:02, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Gronk Oz: The 'missing' contributions are almost certainly to that now-deleted draft Draft:Christopher Van Tilburg. Non-administrators are unable to view deleted revisions and diffs on deleted pages (or even see that those revisions exist), so they won't show up in contributions pages, even though their edit count will still increase. It's certainly not a dumb question, though – I was incredibly confused the first time I came across this same situation! Tollens (talk) 09:08, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Gronk Oz, yes, Draft:Christopher Van Tilburg was deleted after six months of inactivity, as per standard procedure. Those edits show up in the editor's edit count but not in their viewable edit history. That is because non-administrators cannot read deleted content. Cullen328 (talk) 10:06, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Resolved

Thanks, Tollens and Cullen328 - that makes perfect sense! And I learned something, so today is a good day.--Gronk Oz (talk) 13:18, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Adding video link?

Hey, I'm new to Wikipedia, some help would be greatly appreciated. I do YouTube non-monetised content of rocket launches - compilations by month, year, rocket type, etc.- base on the information provided on Wikipedia in the "spaceflight" and other categories. My videos are like a type of archive, reflecting the information from wikipedia in a clean manner.

Is it possible to add/link this type of videos to those wikipedia articles?

For example: A video compilation of Delta IV Heavy rocket launches, could it be linked to List of Delta IV Heavy launches ?

What would be the conditions to be able to do so?  With whome sould I speak?

Thx in advance for you help. Go To Space (talk) 09:33, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

No, Go To Space. Your self-published YouTube videos are not considered reliable sources for use on Wikipedia. See WP:YOUTUBE for more information. Your videos may well be interesting and informative, but they are not acceptable here for many reasons, especially because they summarize Wikipedia articles. One Wikipedia article is never acceptable for use in another Wikipedia article. See WP:CIRCULAR. Cullen328 (talk) 10:15, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you, it's very clear now. Go To Space (talk) 10:33, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Challenges faced by teenage mothers

41.113.216.20 (talk) 12:19, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Do you have some question about using Wikipedia? -- Hoary (talk) 12:34, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Please see Teenage pregnancy. Shantavira|^{feed me} 15:30, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Browser extensions for Wikipedia / Wiktionary

I would like to have a browser extension for Firefox (they call it an add-on) so that if I select a word I will get a new item added to the list of actions I can take. That item would be a link to the Wiktionary page for that word in the language of my choice. This would help me to learn Spanish. There is already a menu item which connects to Wikipedia for a selected word or words in Firefox (I assume Firefox build that into their browser as I have not enabled an extension for it).

The problem is that in Firefox and Chrome their extensions for Wiktionary only have a very few users and reviews and I have never heard of the organizations providing the extensions. From what I understand browser extensions are potentially security issues as someone is injecting their code into every page you visit and could send information about what you browse and what you submit to websites back to whoever they like which would compromise your security.

Is there a safe browser extension for Wiktionary look ups which can be trusted because it is delivered by a known organization (such as Wikipedia itself) and has a lot of users? Are there other reliable safe browser extensions relating to Wikipedia and Wiktionary? Gourdiehill (talk) 16:04, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Those extensions are third-party and not created nor are they officially supported by the Wikimedia Foundation, so I'm afraid we can't help you out with that. Cocobb8 (💬 talk • ✏️ contribs) 16:18, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Gourdiehill: I use the "Context Search Origin" add-on (use it at your own risk, etc.), and have it configured so that it gives me context-menu options to search Wikipedia, Wiktionary and other sites for the highlighted word. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:50, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

With FF particularly, I have add-ons installed, fully enabled, that never actually appear (or seem to appear) in the toolbar or in right-click. The one about searching all tabs, for instance, is the most recent. I even ended up restoring the old separate search box to activate it, but no joy. What say ye, Pigsonthewing? ——Serial Number 54129 17:03, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Serial Number 54129: Try under the "Extensions" (jigsaw piece) icon. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:08, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Pigsonthewing Thanks! Context Search Origin looks interesting. Firefox warns: "This add-on is not actively monitored for security by Mozilla. Make sure you trust it before installing". The problem is there is no particular reason to trust it. Perhaps Mozilla only allow certain functionality in add-ons which makes them less risky than I am thinking. I need to read up on this..... Gourdiehill (talk) 17:37, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Gourdiehill: That applies to most, if not all, FF add-ons. It's up to you to make an informed choice. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:10, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Publishing Article

Hello,

My article has been under review for almost 2 months now, and I'm uncertain about the delay and when it will be published. I have made all the necessary improvements and invested a significant amount of time in crafting this biography. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing it published. However, I'm unsure about the process and why it is taking so much time.

I would highly appreciate your help and support in resolving this matter.

Regards, Elezzi.A (talk) 17:31, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Please re-write your draft in a dry neutral tone content like this is not appropriate... "Marchildon's illustrious career", "academic journey unfolded", " academic excellence, and significant contributions", "assuming the pivotal role", "A testament to his dynamic career," "underscore Dr. Marchildon's exceptional impact" "Dr. Greg Marchildon has received numerous prestigious accolades throughout his distinguished career, underscoring his contributions and achievements in various fields." is NOT neutral tone. Theroadislong (talk) 17:41, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A, you've uploaded this very professional-looking photo as your own work. Did you take this photo? If you have a personal connection of any kind to Dr. Marchildon, please review WP:COI; if you are receiving any kind of compensation, please review WP:PAID. 57.140.16.57 (talk) 18:07, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Pic is from the University of Toronto website. The only indirect connection I have with Marchildon is his books and he was once a guest speaker at our University. No compensation involve I wish though :) I will work on the neutral tone more. Thank you Elezzi.A (talk) 18:36, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A, if you did not take the photo, you cannot claim it as your own work; if you do not own the copyright to the photo, you cannot release it into the public domain. Please remove the photo from your draft and from Commons (or I can nominate it for deletion if you would prefer). 57.140.16.57 (talk) 18:44, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

I have nominated it for deletion clearly a copyright violation. Theroadislong (talk) 18:46, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

So How I will take the photo myself and I should not have any connection with the person. Not clear. University of Toronto send it to me how this a violation. Elezzi.A (talk) 19:05, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Do you want me to reach out to Dr. Marchildon and get a pic from him? Elezzi.A (talk) 19:07, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A, if someone appeared at a public event and you snapped a photo from the audience, you would own the copyright to that photo and there would be no COI. If you contact someone to get a photo, then you are establishing a personal relationship and need to tread very carefully. Also, the copyright holder needs to either upload the photo themselves or send a release in writing to Wikimedia Commons, and they need to be aware that they are releasing it under a very permissive license - many folks are reluctant to do this. 57.140.16.57 (talk) 19:13, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

It sounds very complicated and I've been facing many challenges since I started this project. I am looking at the other pages and they look exactly like mine with the same writing style and professional pics Look at this Jordan B Peterson Elezzi.A (talk) 19:22, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A, that photo was taken at a public event, and I don't find anything like the same promotional language used. But see: Other stuff exists.

Writing an article, especially a BLP, is very hard for a newcomer. Most of us older-timers strongly recommend against it, and recommend instead spending some time learning how Wikipedia works before jumping into the deep end. But, of course, this is a volunteer project, and everyone tends to work only on what interests them. 57.140.16.57 (talk) 19:33, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for the feedback. True I am a newcomer and I will leave it for older-timers. You are making it very difficult for the newbies. "if you can't see the difference then maybe Wikipedia is not for you", must be, thank you for the micro-aggressive tone. Elezzi.A (talk) 19:44, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A, I didn't say anything like that. 57.140.16.57 (talk) 19:57, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A: The IP editor said nothing of the sort. You are perhaps referring to this comment. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 03:24, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

the photograph in that article [1] was uploaded by he person who took it, you uploaded somebody else's photograph as your own work. Jordan Peterson is written in the correct dry neutral tone, if you can't see the difference then maybe Wikipedia is not for you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Theroadislong (talk • contribs) 19:28, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

@Theroadislong: "then maybe Wikipedia is not for you" Please avoid making such insinuations. Be more welcoming, especially to new editors. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:44, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Hello Elezzi.A. Please don't be disheartened. If you had just picked up a tennis racket or a golf club for the first time, would you enter a major competition? Or if you had just started to learn engineering, would you try to build a car? And if you did try those things, would you expect to understand the criticisms that people made of your efforts?

I always advise new editors to spend at least a few months learning how Wikipedia works by making improvements to some of our six million existing articles. Once they have learnt about important principles like verifiability, reliable sources, neutral point of view, and notability - and also ideas about how this collaborative project works, like BRD, then is the time to read your first article, and try creating a new article.

Creating new articles is not the only way to add value to Wikipedia: I have been here for 17 years and made 24 000 edits, but I've only every created a handful of articles. ColinFine (talk) 10:53, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

"If you contact someone to get a photo, then you are establishing a personal relationship and need to tread very carefully." This is nonsense. Wikimedians reach out to article subjects to ask for or arrange to take photos, al the time, without issue. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:44, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

It's one thing to say "hey, can I have/take a photo of you for the Wikipedia article about you"; it's another to extensively communicate with an article subject. All the IP user was saying us that care needs to be taken. 331dot (talk) 10:57, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

My quote of what the IP said was verbatim, including the emphasis. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 20:02, 8 March 2024 (UTC)

@Elezzi.A: If the university sent you that photo, and they own the copyright, please ask them to follow the procedure at c:Com:VRT, and release it under an open licence. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:44, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Blocked from editing

Whom can I contact to find out why I am blocked from editing? What is the appeals process? 204.75.254.204 (talk) 18:29, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

This IP address is not blocked. You need to return to whichever account/IP address was blocked and make an appeal to be unblocked. Read WP:GAB for guidance. Do not evade your block by editing with another account or IP address. 57.140.16.57 (talk) 18:47, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Spurious citation/false info and how to flag/edit

Hello all, long time supporter, first time contributor. I noticed some blatant BS in this entry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantras_(Hinduism) in the first sentence. The definition (of a well researched 2 thousand year old Hindu practice) has been taken from a new-age 'healer' website circa 2020 (seriously? there are like a thousand academic hindu professors/scholars and experts on this). When you click on the 'homepage' it re-directs you to an Indonesian online casino gambling scam (http://www.linatantrafl.com/service/energy-healing/). The following two sentences are also highly suspect and are not cited by any credible academics. Considering that an article on Hindu Tantrism should be extensive and backed by thousands of eacademic experts, this is alarming to say the least. The main article on Tantra is solid, extensive and backed up by experts, but why tf is this little sh#tstain of an article subsisting on Wikipedia? A subject this huge should be atr least a hundred pages long. Anyway, I am asking how one would report sham citations and request a review of false and incomplete info, any help appreciated. Many thanks and keep up the good work. x Matt Ri$h (talk) 19:59, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

• Looks like this has already been fixed. The link to the gambling website has been removed. JIP | Talk 20:58, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Matt Ri$h, Wikipedia articles sometimes get vandalized by spammers and creeps. You are welcome to remove vandalism, and to improve and expand this or any other article in accordance with Wikipedia’s Policies and guidelines. If vandalism of an article is chronic, report it to Requests for page protection. Cullen328 (talk) 00:40, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I don't think it was vandalism. Someone posted a genuine reference to an external website, but the domain expired and was taken over by a gambling site. Note that the reference was added in 2020. JIP | Talk 07:33, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

Not a great source then either, IMO:[2] Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 11:03, 8 March 2024 (UTC)

Place to request fixes to Wikimedia pages

Is there a centralised place to request experienced editors to help fix Wikimedia pages? The examples I have are a Welsh-language WP page and a Wikidata entry:

(1) Andrea B. Archbold - this article incorrectly categorises a man as a woman, and has a list of 'other' female botanists. The surname is also spelt wrong, it should be Archbald.

(2) The Wikidata entry perpetuates this spelling error, and includes Andrew Berry Archbald (probably sourced to here), which appears to be the English form of his name.

Is the Archbold spelling valid or an error? Are there any further sources to help with confirming all this? All I could find was what is on the Wikisource author page. Can anyone help? Thank you. Carcharoth (talk) 22:05, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Adding to the above. Searching in various places for "A.B. Archbald", particularly in Google Books, brings up US and Italian sources that clearly answer my questions. Including an Italian-language account of his funeral here. Carcharoth (talk) 22:18, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Experience tells me that many people who are ignorant of Italian naming are certain that anyone named Andrea must be female. As for the surname, you first say that ⟨Archbold⟩ is a misspelling; you then ask if it's "valid or an error". Well, if your own investigation into this hadn't been fruitful, you could have asked at whichever seemed the most appropriate of the reference desks here. As for fixing information in a Welsh-language article, you could, in English, request this in its talk page. (I imagine that most users of cy:Wikipedia are proficient in English.) -- Hoary (talk) 22:23, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you. I have (I think) corrected the Welsh article in both respects. (Note that you can Wikilink an article in another language by starting with a colon and the langauge code, so [[:cy:Andrea B. Archbald]], which displays as cy:Andrea B. Archbald, is the updated and moved article. I've also added in your reference, in place of the dead one that was there. ColinFine (talk) 11:22, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you both. I now have a translation of that obituary, which includes this:

"...a Florula from the surroundings of Florence on which he was working when it caught him, the fatal disease of which he had brought the germs from tropical countries. Such was the love he brought to this last work of his, that he continued to deal with it until a few hours before his death, correcting the first printing proofs in bed, and entertaining himself with it quietly and friends."

I hope to track down some more sources. Mentioned in the obituary was Filippo Parlatore, and the obituary was written by Stefano Sommier. I am not sure yet if the Dr Carina mentioned in the obituary is the same as "Signor Alessandro Carina, Government Director of the Thermal Establishment of the Baths of Lucca". Sorry, that is going off-topic! Carcharoth (talk) 22:25, 7 March 2024 (UTC) P.S. The Archbold spelling is used here. Carcharoth (talk) 22:30, 7 March 2024 (UTC)