Information:FAQ/Main

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This is a list of frequently asked questions about using and contributing to BattleTechWiki.

For many more questions and answers, you can browse our additional FAQ pages (see above). To ask a question not covered in any of the FAQ pages, see BTW:RFC.

Registration

Do I need to register in order to use or edit the wiki? 
Nope, not at all. You're free to make changes as you see fit, just as any other User may make changes to articles on which you have participated. However, there are some minor benefits to registering: the ads at the top disappear, you get recognition for the work you've done, and the Word of Blake will be able to add you to their database (only for spam purposes, we assure you).*
*Seriously, your address will not leave the site. Any e-mails sent to you via the site (if you enable the option) will be blind (i.e., the sender will never see your address).

How do I edit a page?

Editing most BattleTechWiki pages is easy, simply click the "Edit" tab at the top of a BattleTechWiki page (or on a section-edit link). This will take you to a new page with a text box containing the editable text of the page you were viewing. In this box, you can type in the text that you want to add using wiki markup to format text and add other elements like images and tables. If you don't want to learn the wiki markup syntax, you can enable the VisualEditor (but you must be registered), which allows you to edit pages in a user-friendly way. When you have finished editing, you should write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box describing your changes.

How do I create a new page?

You are required to have a BattleTechWiki account to create a new article—you can register here.
For creating a new article, see Information:Your first article and BattleTechWiki:Article development. For creating a new page in your userspace, see How do I create a user subpage?. Make sure that it is backed up by reliable sources and it is notable.

Why was my article deleted?

If you look at the address where your page was, it should have a red box above it that shows the user who deleted it (in the form "Username ( talk | contribs)") and their reason (which appears in italics). If the reason is not helpful, or you disagree with it, you can click on the "talk" link to send them a message and ask.

How do I change the name of an article?

You can move the article using the "move" button (you can see it by clicking the downward-pointing arrow to the right of the "edit" button). In order to do this, you must have an account that has reached autoconfirmed status, meaning it must be at least four days old and have made at least ten edits. If you are not an autoconfirmed user, the move is controversial, or the page you wish to rename is move-protected, visit BattleTechWiki:Masthead and contact a staff member.

Who writes the articles on BattleTechWiki?

If your purpose is to cite BattleTechWiki, see the question above.
Almost all articles on BattleTechWiki are written by multiple editors, not just one. If you click on the "View history" tab at the top of an article, a list will be displayed of all the contributors to the article and when their contribution(s) was made. A more comprehensive history can be accessed in the "Page statistics" which can be found in the External tools of the "View history" tab. See Who writes BattleTechWiki for further details.


Who owns BattleTechWiki?

See who owns BattleTechWiki for details.


How can I contact BattleTechWiki?

See BattleTechWiki:Requests for comment for information.



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