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January 24

Uh not entirely fond of the new format

I've noticed a change on certain pages... and I'll be blunt kinda not fond of it. I guess its happening to fit mobile phones? But I'll be blunt the old style was never a problem when I was on a phone or iphone. But thats just my opinion thats all. 2601:5CD:17F:F0E0:0:0:0:416C (talk) 00:04, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

:

Are you asking about a sudden change to Wikipedia's appearance? It is because the default skin has changed from the to the new Vector (2022) skin. If you would like to change back to the old one, you can, as a registered user, click on the

in the top-right corner and choose

Preferences. Once there, go to Preferences → Appearance → Skins →

Vector legacy (2010).
If you would like to leave feedback, you can do so at Wikipedia talk:Vector 2022. RudolfRed (talk) 00:06, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Monobook Dark Mode

Hey, I was wondering if it was possible to use CSS to add dark mode to the Monobook skin? I like Astatine (Talk to me) 01:22, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@AstatineEnjoyer: Preferences -> Gadgets -> Appearance - Use a black background with green text. DuncanHill (talk) 01:50, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks a bunch, from both me and my retinas. I like Astatine (Talk to me) 16:10, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Cfd

A discussion here was closed more than two days ago, but the category is yet to be deleted by any admin. What has to be done next? Thanks! zoglophie 05:47, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Pinging the closer, Qwerfjkl. Q, are NAC 'delete' closes common at CfD, and if so, what is the usual process for effecting the deletion? Firefangledfeathers (talk / contribs) 05:53, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Firefangledfeathers, NAC closes are common at CfD (including delete). It seems I forgot to list that closure at Wikipedia talk:Categories for discussion/Working#NAC requests January 2022; I've done so now. — Qwerfjkl talk 07:06, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks and thanks! Firefangledfeathers (talk / contribs) 07:17, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

How do I italicize a book title for a new article?

I'm creating a new article for a book that was released this month. I've already written the text for what will be a book stub, searched to make sure an article on the book does not exist, and will be providing sufficient citations. However, while I was able to start new articles for music albums in the past by simply including double apostrophes to italicize the titles, this approach is now being blocked because of the apostrophes. The block message indicates I should be using a "parser", I'm not sure how to do this with the template that's suggested. Instructions would be appreciated. Allreet (talk) 06:14, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

This will be done automatically if you use {{infobox book}}; there’s also {{italic title}}. Umimmak (talk) 06:16, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks much. I'll give the second a shot and consider a infobox later when I develop the article further. Allreet (talk) 06:43, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Another change to Vector skin

In case other folk are as confused as I was, after the deployment of the Vector 2022 skin last week I see another change this morning in that part of the left-hand toolbar has moved to the right-hand side. After a bit of chasing, I see that this is described at mw:Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Page tools#Our long-term solution. The whole thing is thoroughly confusing and I fail to see any improvement in any of these changes, but I'll give it a few more days before I go back to the legacy skin. David Biddulph (talk) 07:55, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Hello @David Biddulph! I respect making the effort and deciding to dig for information by yourself. Also thanks for your decision to give the skin a try. I do appreciate that!

If you (David or any other person reading this) have any questions whatsoever about this change, we or the technically-skilled Wikipedians present at the technical Village Pump will help you. On WP:VPT, you'll also find our announcements and many questions and answers from and by other Wikipedians. Thank you! SGrabarczuk (WMF) (talk) 00:59, 26 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

how do I cause the Table of Contents to be collapsed by default?

I feel like this information should be easy to find, but for some reason I haven't been able to find it. thanks! Sm8900 (talk) 15:25, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Sm8900 Details at H:TOC. With the latest Vector 2022 skin, the TOC goes in a column separate from the article itself, so the need to collapse it is much less likely to occur. Mike Turnbull (talk) 15:40, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

If you're using the new Vector 2022 skin, this is a feature request that's being tracked at T316060. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 16:48, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

My own draft got unexpectedly submitted by someone else

Hello!

I've just noticed that a user submitted one of my previous drafts for a review, even though it's likely not ready to get approved, since the player I wrote about is still very young and with limited (albeit significant) coverage.

Considering that the aforementioned user did so without asking me anything, and that they've already built quite a long pattern of "stolen" drafts - judging from their previous submissions - , what should I do about it?

By the way, this is actually not a big deal for me: I just wanted to report what I've suspected.

Thanks to everyone who will take time to help me.

Oltrepier (talk) 15:48, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

That User seems to have a history of submitting drafts that have been worked on by others. It's been suggested on his/her Talk page the s/he is trying to build some sort of editing history. S/he actually names on his/her page to several old User accounts that have been blocked. Uporządnicki (talk) 16:10, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@AzseicsoK So, should I send them a message, at least? Oltrepier (talk) 19:27, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Report them at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations. The previous accounts they name are among those used by long-term sockpuppeteer User:Isuzu.tf. AndyTheGrump (talk) 19:35, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Oltrepier Glad AndyTheGrump said that, because I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough to answer you. If this person seems to be a serial trouble-maker, my own suggestion would be not to message. But that's my guess. I just looked at the User's history and saw a pattern of submitting drafts that other people were working on, and accumulating congratulations when the drafts were accepted. Uporządnicki (talk) 19:40, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@AzseicsoK @AndyTheGrump Right, thank you very much for your help. Oltrepier (talk) 19:54, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I've gone ahead and reported them to SPI since Isuzu.tf is an LTA and is globally blocked. ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 19:55, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Blaze Wolf I saw this exchange on their Talk page:

(Liz asked):

Hello, Derwydd74,

What previous accounts have you edited Wikipedia with? Were any of them blocked? Liz Read! Talk! 05:47, 3 January 2023 (UTC)

Reply):

The previous accounts were Biocci Toeplitz, GroppeBoucher, and Bachelor 200. They were blocked. Derwydd74 (talk) 06:31, 3 January 2023 (UTC)

My question: Was that answer enough to block again, right away (in early January)? Maybe someone looked into the history and decided against blocking. Or maybe no one looked... David10244 (talk) 05:28, 25 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

David10244, the user could have been blocked right away under WP:BADSOCK, you could ask Liz why she didn't but it doesn't really matter now that the user has been blocked. TSventon (talk) 06:43, 25 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Dang, I didn't expect such a bad situation...

Anyway, thank you all for helping. Oltrepier (talk) 12:53, 25 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@TSventon OK, I don't need to follow up; I was just wondering. Thanks. David10244 (talk) 06:29, 26 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Social Science

CALCULATING DISTANCES ON THE MAP

DIRECT DISTANCE-Use a ruler to measure it

Indirect Distance

Use a string to measure it

22cm 22×50 000

                               100 000
                               11km

22×50 000 100 000 11km — Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.116.155.84 (talk) 16:15, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Did you have a question about using or editing Wikipedia? —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 16:48, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Please do your own homework.
Welcome to the Wikipedia Help desk. Your question appears to be a homework question. I apologize if this is a misevaluation, but it is our policy here not to do others' homework, but merely to aid them in doing it themselves. Letting someone else do your homework does not help you learn how to solve such problems.
Please attempt to solve the problem yourself first. You can search Wikipedia or search the Web.
If you need help with a specific part of your homework, the Reference desk can help you grasp the concept. Do not ask knowledge questions here, just those about using Wikipedia. ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 19:57, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Where is the place to report users?

I'm making a script for reporting users (which originated from en.wikibooks being targeted by an old ~~friend~~ LTA of ours,and decided to expand it, as it seems quite useful. Where would I direct the script to on wikipedia? Thanks. The script is currently at https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/User:L10nM4st3r/ReportUser.js. ^{— L10nM4st3r} / _{ROAR at me!} 16:31, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@L10nM4st3r There are a number of places. For ongoing vandalism, WP:AIV is the place to go, but it uses a different format than your script. I note that Twinkle already does this and more, so just using that here may be easier. — Mdaniels5757 (talk • contribs) 16:42, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

old style

is there any way to go back to the old style of Wikipedia this new style is bad 2603:8081:1605:600:EAEE:C210:6FEF:1F5A (talk) 17:24, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Are you asking about a sudden change to Wikipedia's appearance? It is because the default skin has changed from the to the new Vector (2022) skin. If you would like to change back to the old one, you can, as a registered user, click on the

in the top-right corner and choose

Preferences. Once there, go to Preferences → Appearance → Skins →

Vector legacy (2010).
If you would like to leave feedback, you can do so at Wikipedia talk:Vector 2022. 199.208.172.35 (talk) 17:26, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Some workarounds for IP editors are discussed here. 199.208.172.35 (talk) 17:27, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Saline Valley Farm

I submitted a Wikipedia entry last July (July 7, 22) about Saline Valley Farm. It was declined and I had hoped to revise it and resubmit it...but life got in the way and I see that it is now deleted. Is there a way to retrieve it or do I need to start over. Also, is there any way to review the reasons that it was declined? Thank you. Sincerely, Leslie Saari LRule (talk) 17:24, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@LRule, the messages on your talk page include instructions on how to request undeletion. Start here. 199.208.172.35 (talk) 17:30, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

An article may need some update, but no one responds at the talk page

The article is Essex lorry deaths. It has not been updated since the end of July 2022, just some minor fixes were made.
In October I aksed the question: Talk:Essex lorry deaths#Is the case still being investigated?, but nobody replied.

Is there any better place to ask my question than the article's talk page? --CiaPan (talk) 20:50, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@CiaPan: Our editors are self-directed volunteers with effectively no oversight, direction, or organization: total chaos, which works remarkably well. So no, no better place to ask. I suggest you put your request on the talk page and then ping several of the most prolific of the original editors of the article. -Arch dude (talk) 20:57, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

THX, Arch dude. As you can see from what I wrote above, I actually did write my request in the article's talk. --CiaPan (talk) 21:38, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@CiaPan You could also try posting on the associated WikiProject talk pages, and ask interested editors to reply at the article's talk page. Happy editing! GoingBatty (talk) 21:03, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

You're probably not going to like this answer, but you can put Template:Update on it, and then it will wait in line with nearly 35,000 other articles that needs updating. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 22:57, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

It ok because I know you 141.126.254.235 (talk) 23:10, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Search for online news sources and, if you find anything, update the article. If you don't, give it a while, then look again. I'm sorry, but it comes down to this: we have lots of articles. Almost all of them would benefit from attention from an interested non-expert. If nobody is looking at the talk page, that probably means your the most interested editor, so... Girth Summit _(blether) 23:17, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2023 January 24