Wikipedia talk:FAQ/Main Page

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Contents 1 WP:NOT 2 metaquestion 3 Why is an article that is prominently linked from the Main Page missing? 4 Backup Main Pages 5 How is the length of the Featured article section determined?

[edit] WP:NOT

Wikipedia is WP:NOT Lists of Frequently Asked Questions! Or am I missing something? Kirbytime 19:22, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

The relevant section is WP:NOT#Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information, which states, "Wikipedia articles should not list FAQs.". This is not an encylopedia article. It is a page within the project namespace that informs editors. The guidelines and rules for encyclopedic articles produced by the project are not the same as pages about the project. - BanyanTree 19:45, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

oh ok. So where can I find the guidelines for writing project pages, if any? Kirbytime 01:08, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Wow, I've never seen this question or a relevant guideline before. You've stumped me.

The general definitions of the approximately 20 namespaces are at Help:Namespace#List of namespaces. Generally speaking, anything that's an actual article is in the main space, discussion and policy about articles or the individuals/community creating the articles is in the project space, images are in the image space, content that is used repeatedly as part of other pages are usually in the template space, etc. Most namespaces have an associated discussion space, e.g. Talk, Wikipedia talk (as this discussion), Portal talk, etc. If something looks like it's really in the wrong location (I've seen new users create user pages in the main space or articles in the main talk space) someone will move it. You can ask at the Village Pump to see if anyone knows of a specific page with actual guidelines, but all I can suggest is browsing through all project namespace pages (skip the thousands of votes for deletion) to get a sense of what has been accepted as a project namespace page. Hopefully that's of some use. - BanyanTree 02:32, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] metaquestion

Why isn't "Why doesn't the main page have a title like other pages?" on the list? Hyenaste ^(tell) 03:13, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

It's not frequently asked. If you look at the source code, it's identified as 'main page', which in encoded in the default skin to remove the title at the top. I don't think that div works for other pages though. - BT 04:57, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

• • What would I have to edit to remove the title on my Wiki? I am using Monobook.css - 02:24, 5 October 2006

    Not sure how it was actually done with the skins. If there's nothing on the project space pages on skins, then a question at the technical section of the WP:PUMP will probably work. - BT 20:10, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

I came here looking for the same answer. Maybe it would fit in the FAQ. I still don't know the answer. --Steinninn ^talk 21:43, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

I think it's one of the Javascript hacks. I've changed the last item on the FAQ appropriately. - BanyanTree 22:36, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

You think it is, but your not sure, and still put it in the FAQ as a fact. Why? I tried putting this JS into a wiki that I manage and it doesn't work. --Steinninn ^talk 12:00, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

Now I'm sure. Sorry I can't be of any help. - BanyanTree 12:04, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

I don't understand. So is it the javascript "Main Page layout fixes"? And why did you rv the FAQ if you know it's correct? --Steinninn ^talk 16:30, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

It seemed logical that all of the layout tricks for the Main Page would be in the same place but, based on your account, it apparently is not. I would check at Talk:Main Page or WP:VPT to see if anyone knows. Don't forget to update the FAQ if you figure it out. - BanyanTree 21:07, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

It was in Monobook. I added the answer. Needs to be rewritten maybe. --Steinninn ^talk 18:39, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

Neat! I've wondered about this but never seem an explanation. Thanks! - BanyanTree 21:57, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Why is an article that is prominently linked from the Main Page missing?

I've never seen this question asked before. Does the scenario happen often enough to merit an FAQ item? It seems to me that it might give bored miscreants ideas. Gracenotes^T § 19:23, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

It happened off and on, with at least one period when Talk:Main Page was discussing two separate incidents. As I recall, this was when oversight was still relatively new. It's possible that all of those cases are now automatically referred to oversight users, rather than admins taking them on. If so, we can probably just remove it. - BanyanTree 22:44, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Backup Main Pages

Shouldn't there be a section explaining why there are backup Main Pages? Maximillion Pegasus (talk) 01:53, 26 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] How is the length of the Featured article section determined?

There is currently a discussion regarding the length of selected article sections of a featured portal candidate, in which one candidate, whose main article sections seem to conform to a statistical analysis of the main article sections of other extant featured portals, is being opposed by some reviewers on the basis that those sections, which meet those statistical averages of other FPs, are themselves "overlong". I've asked a few times for some indication as to what the proper length is, but haven't gotten a reply, because no one wants to be seen as "defining terms". Unfortunately, anyone who chooses to accept or reject a candidate on that basis, whether they want to be doing so or not, effectively are defining those terms. Are there any standard criteria which the editors of the main page use in determining the length of the section of the Featured article selected, either in word count, amount of vertical space taken, or other matters, so that FP reviewers could have at least some basic, clear-cut definitions of terms to at least start with in terms of any future FP nominees? Thank you all for any and all responses. John Carter (talk) 16:04, 17 April 2008 (UTC)