Wikipedia:Use the default signature

Wikipedians should use the default signature.

  1. Open your preferences.
  2. Go to the input field labelled "Signature:" and empty it.
  3. Uncheck the "Treat the above as wiki markup..." checkbox.
  4. Click the "Save" button.

Pros

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  • The editors you respect typically already do this.
  • It's better for accessibility to not specify colors.
  • Easier for users (and bots!) to identify your signature.
  • Smaller amount of markup in the edit window.
  • Doesn't give your comment extra weight.
  • More consistent presentation of your signature (nobody sees that special font you specify except you).
  • If your username doesn't match your signature, it can be confusing.

Cons

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  • Your signature will be boring.

Notes

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  • Whether you include dashes, hyphens, or nothing at all before your signature doesn't really matter.
  • If your username has "difficult" characters and you're simply adding helper text, that's fine. On the other hand, if you're needlessly inserting difficult characters into your user signature, you should really stop that.

See also

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