Wikipedia:WikiProject User warnings/FAQ

Below is a list of frequently asked questions about the new user warnings system, as well as user warnings in general.

Where is the version before the change?

This version of WP:UTM was what was there before the new templates were implemented there. Notice that templates were often sporadically arranged, some with unpredictable and not self-evident names.

How will the old templates coexist with the new ones?

Ideally, the old templates (such as {{test2}}) will redirect to the new ones (like {{uw-test2}}). However, this will only be done once there is consensus to do so from the community. See the overview on suggested ideas for what to do with old templates.

There are templates without a new equivalent!

Please suggest them on the talk page of the user talk messages list or user warning project.

Why do the new templates have a "uw-" prefix?

In this discussion, Quarl (talk · contribs) suggested that templates should be harmonized with a common prefix, and this straw poll indicated that consensus was to do so. This is consistent with the "db-" prefix used with speedy deletion templates.

Why do the new templates have icons?

An icon scheme was suggested by Khukri (talk · contribs) in this discussion. The icons were intended to introduce consistency between templates and, in the words of JoeSmack, provide "a common graphic metric to see what the deal is with an IP/user."

The new templates take so long to type!

Templates with name such as {{uw-vandalism4}} take more time to type than merely {{test4}}. For this reason, it was suggested that there be template redirects, or "template shortcuts", that are shorter than the template names themselves. For example, {{uw-v4}} redirects to {{uw-vandalism4}}. The template documentation for a user warning template should note applicable template shortcuts. (See Template:Templatesnotice for how to indicate this if it doesn't note it.) If you want to create a template shortcut, mark it with the redirect template {{r from warning template}}.

Also, it is easy to copy a usage example from the documentation on the template page, paste it into the user's talk page, then edit the parameters as needed.

How about creating a user warning template ...

• to tell users not to remove warnings from their talk page?
  • There is consensus that users are free to remove content from their talk page. Previous templates that did warn users not to remove warnings were deleted based on this consensus. This consensus is also reflected in the defeat of a proposal to prohibit users from removing warnings. Even if deleted, warnings given to a user can be found in the history of the user's talk page.
• to tell users not to insert obscene vandalism into articles?
  • Such a template has been created and deleted. See this TFD discussion. It was soundly rejected because it implied that Wikipedia is censored, and also mentioned vandalism the user may not have thought of.
• to tell users to be civil?
  • Such a template has been created and deleted, since telling people to be civil using a template was thought to be uncivil. See this TFD discussion for more details.