User talk:BDSwatson

Welcome![edit]

Hello, Downtown Ripon, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few links to pages you might find helpful:

Please remember to sign your messages on talk pages by typing four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question on this page and then place {{help me}} before the question. Again, welcome! -RFD (talk) 19:33, 15 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

October 2013[edit]

Welcome to Wikipedia. I saw that you edited or created Ripon, Wisconsin, and I noticed that the username you have chosen, "Downtown Ripon", seems to imply that you are editing on behalf of something other than yourself. Please note that you may not edit on behalf of a company, group, institution, product, or website which relates to the entity in question, and Wikipedia does not allow usernames that are promotional or accounts that are shared. If you are willing to use a personal account, please take a moment to create a new account or request a username change that represents only yourself as an individual. You should also read our Conflict of interest guideline and Plain and simple conflict of interest guide, and remember that promotional editing is not acceptable regardless of the username you choose. If you believe that your username does not violate our policy, please leave a note here explaining why. Thank you. Drm310 (talk) 16:20, 24 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Downtown Ripon is a user name that reflects where I live. The edits made to the Ripon Wisconsin page reflect similar content found on other Wikipedia pages. Please upload the changes that were made. Thanks!!

Your account has been blocked indefinitely from editing Wikipedia because it appears to be mainly intended for publicity and/or promotional purposes. If you intend to edit constructively in other topic areas, you may be granted the right to continue under a change of username. Please read the following carefully.

Why can't I edit Wikipedia?

Your account's edits and/or username indicate that it is being used on behalf of a company, group, website or organization for purposes of promotion and/or publicity. The edits may have violated one or more of our rules on spamming, which include: adding inappropriate external links, posting advertisements and using Wikipedia for promotion. Wikipedia has many articles on companies, groups, and organizations, but such groups are generally discouraged from using Wikipedia to write about themselves. In addition, usernames like yours are disallowed under our username policy.

Am I allowed to make these edits if I change my username?

Probably not, although if you can demonstrate a pattern of future editing in strict accordance with our neutral point of view policy, you may be granted this right. See Wikipedia's FAQ for Organizations for a helpful list of frequently asked questions by people in your position. Also, review the conflict of interest guidance to see the kinds of limitations you would have to obey if you did want to continue editing about your company, group, organization, or clients. If this does not fit in with your goals, then you will not be allowed to edit Wikipedia again.

What can I do now?

If you have no interest in writing about some other topic than your organization, group, company, or product, you may consider using one of the many websites that allow this instead.

If you do intend to make useful contributions here about some other topic, you must convince a Wikipedia administrator that you mean it. To that end, please do the following:

Add the text {{unblock-spamun|Your proposed new username|Your reason here}} on your user talk page.
Replace the text "Your proposed new username" with a new username you are willing to use. See Special:Listusers to search for available usernames. Your new username will need to meet our username policy.
Replace the text "Your reason here" with your reason to be unblocked. In this reason, you must:
- Convince us that you understand the reason for your block and that you will not repeat the edits for which you were blocked.
- Describe in general terms the contributions that you intend to make if you are unblocked.

If you believe this block was made in error, you may appeal this block by adding the text {{unblock|Your reason here}} below, but you should read the guide to appealing blocks first. Alexf^(talk) 19:14, 24 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I have read the blocking information and am not certain why my account has been blocked. Can you show me what was considered inappropriate because I felt the edits were accurate and not publicity. I believe that the information added was useful.

One of Wikipedia's core policies is that articles must be written from a neutral point of view, but the language you used in your edits was too complimentary. There are referred to as "peacock" terms, which promote the subject of an article while neither imparting nor plainly summarizing verifiable information. For example:

"The city is a popular destination known for its rich heritage in architecture, politics, and education."
"Taking a walk through the downtown Watson Street Commercial Historic District is like turning back the hands of time. Ripon's "main street" began with a classic square lined with turn-of-the-century brick architecture. In the last decade, this impressive skyline has been brought back to life with facade restorations, the installation of ornamental street lights, banners, and trees. The entire commercial district is filled with numerous retail, specialty shops, service businesses and restaurants and greatly contributes to the city's popularity".
"Today, the campus stands prominently on top of the hill, with 22 noble buildings, beautifully landscaped courtyards, seldom surpassed by any other college campus in the country. The intentionally small residential campus enrolls some 1,000 bright, high-achieving young men and women from nearly every state and from countries around the world."

This kind of language reads like a travel brochure, or a piece of civic boosterism, which is not what Wikipedia is for.

You also did not provide reliable sources for your edits. Statements you add must be marked with footnotes so that readers can verify that what you're saying is correct. You added an external link to the city's chamber of commerce [1], but it's of limited usefulness because the reader still has to hunt around for information. The burden of evidence lies with the contributor to prove that what he or she is saying is verifiable, with a citation that's only one click away (or a citation to a printed source like a book, newspaper or magazine).

These edits, plus your username (which sounds like an organization) raised suspicion that you are representing the chamber or some other group with a promotional agenda, hence the block. If we've made an error and you're just a well-meaning, proud citizen, then there's a way to undo some of what's happened.

Review the user name policy and request a change of username. Usernames must represent you as an individual, and cannot appear to represent a group or organization.
Review the notability, neutral point of view and reliable sources policies. These should give you an idea of what are considered acceptable additions.
Check out the new contributors' help page and the Teahouse to get assistance from experienced editors.

Best of luck to you. --Drm310 (talk) 22:07, 24 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for getting back to me...I sincerely appreciate the input and will work to correct the issues.

Please change my username to:

This user's request to be unblocked to request a change in username has been reviewed by an administrator, who accepted the request.

BDSwatson (block log • active blocks • global blocks • autoblocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser (log))

Requested username:

BDSwatson (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

Request reason:

I do not work for the chamber. I simply want to make the Ripon Wisconsin page more accurate and useful. The new username requested should meet the requirements outlined by Wikipedia. I have read the comments regarding my edits and will make sure future changes are not considered as promotional

Accept reason:

Allowing username change to requested username. Please put this request in at Wikipedia:Changing username as soon as possible to avoid re-blocking. Daniel Case (talk) 15:34, 10 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Daniel, Is there an update regarding my unblock request?