Wikipedia talk:Userboxes

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This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Wikipedia:Userboxes page.
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Wikipedia:Userboxes is part of WikiProject Userboxes. This means that the WikiProject has identified it as part of the userboxes system. WikiProject Userboxes itself is an attempt to improve, grow and standardize Wikipedia's articles and templates related to the userbox system, used on many users' pages. We need all your help, so join in today!
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For userbox ideas, see Wikipedia talk:Userboxes/Ideas. For recently created or changed userboxes, see Wikipedia talk:Userboxes/New Userboxes.

[edit] Naming a userbox

Actually is it a must that a userbox name must be either "Template:User <name>", "User:<username>/<name>", or "Wikipedia:<page>/<name>"? Or I should simplify my question like this: Must there be the word "User" in front of the pagename? One of Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes work is to ensure that userboxes are named like this. --אדםוןד ואודס (talk) 08:05, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

To your second question: All userboxes in the template namespace should begin with User to distinguish them from templates that are to be transcluded in mainspace. In the user and project namespaces, I would say that it doesn't matter.
To your first question: Yes. It could be User:<username>/userboxes/blah/blah/<name> or whatever, but your scheme applies anyway. –Pomte 08:34, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh thank you very much, at least I'm comforted. Because once when I moved a few userboxes which were only used by the creator, to new names having the word "User", he reverted my moves and accused me for vandalism. He got to be claiming ownership of the templates right? --אדםוןד ואודס (talk) 18:52, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Next time, you can refer them to Wikipedia:Userbox migration. All unencyclopedic userboxes should be moved to userspace. –Pomte 01:48, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I was only talking about naming the userboxes as "Template:User <name>". But in my case which I was accused of "vandalising his profile", I actually moved one of his boxes from "Template:<name>" to "Template:User <name>", as I find it suitable for anyone. And I've also moved other boxes from "Template:<name>" to "User:<his username>/User <name>". I even went into his userpage to fix the template inclusions to avoid redirection. But he reverted all my edits and accused me for vandalism! --אדםוןד ואודס (talk) 04:18, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

It wasn't vandalism, and you're right about the improper sense of ownership. By the migration, the userboxes belong in userspace anyway. On the one hand this doesn't seem like a big deal, but on the other hand userboxes are really unorganized and every bit helps. –Pomte 04:31, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Just a coupla boxes

2 suggestions. First, for those (like moi...) who make more posts on talk pages than edits on pages:

{number} This user has made {number} editorial comments.

where {number} is an auto-generated variable, like the "#posts" boxes". And

This user created {article}.

because I find the dark grey of the existing box makes links too hard to read. Trekphiler (talk) 03:57, 2 January 2008 (UTC)


You can make these noncontroversial userboxes at any time. I wonder though how often you plan to update {number} in the first one. –Pomte 04:34, 2 January 2008 (UTC)
I thought I saw an automatic counter, like this somewhere... I wouldn't want to do it manually...
As for the 2d, I'm using it now (in white & yello, tho). Trekphiler (talk) 12:06, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] "offensive userboxen"

Can we just get a concensus here to delete any userbox that endorses any political, moral, religious, philosophical, ethical, epistemological, metaphysical, societal or other point of view? And stop worrying about what's "disruptive" and what's "undisruptive"? WilyD 15:15, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Get a consensus to delete all opinion userboxes? Highly unlikely. Been there, tried to do it, I have better things to do with my time now. -- Donald Albury 01:13, 10 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Can someone else give their opinion on this one?

User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User notrousers4women
I find it rather offensive with the whole barefoot and pregnant theme of the userpage I found it on, but I'll bow to other's opinion...here's some more

This user believes that the world would be a happier, safer, and saner place without feminism.
Image:Apicofwtc.jpg This user views Islamic fundamentalism as the greatest threat to world peace today.


wow, this guy likes to fan the flames:

  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User longhair4women
  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User shorthair4women
  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User notrousers4women
  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User trousers4women
  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User hosiery
  • User:Tedius Zanarukando/Userboxes/User barelegs
JW This user is opposed to the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.


Legotech (talk) 04:30, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

Could be offensive but you can make any template you want ,if you think they should be deleted say that on their talk pages and talk to their authors--B.C say what ? 22:06, 7 February 2008 (UTC)
Those are clearly offensive. I don't even know how they could be considered! Superstarwarsfan (talk) 03:51, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

The Jehovah's Witnesses Opposition one is particulary offensive and the Islamism one. People should respect other people's religions. Bubblesmiles (talk) 02:15, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

How can anyone be that offensive and still live with themselves? AlmightyClam 17:32, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

Free will just won't go away. I haven't read the offensive content on the page being discussed, nor do I have any intention of doing so. However, this site, Wikipedia, is based on free speech and dissemenation of information to whom ever is interested. Just change the channel and look at something else. (Dddike (talk) 00:02, 8 March 2008 (UTC))

Of the three displayed on this page, not one is offensive. He is in disagreement with Jehovah's Witnesses. That's his right. He thinks feminism is damaging to society; that's fairly easy to argue. Perhaps fundamentalists should be changed to radicalists, but that's his choice. Quit worrying about political correctness or fairness or whatever and just get on with your life. --AtTheAbyss (talk) 13:55, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Userbox content

A request for comment has been opened to discuss what could be deemed inappropriate content in userboxes. All users are invited to comment at: Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Policies/Userbox content. Thanks. - Mtmelendez (Talk) 05:53, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Guideline status

I've removed the guideline tag for this page. After some history checking, I found that WP:UBX was tagged as a policy and then a guideline immediately afterwards by User:Jc37 ([1] & [2]), the rationale for the first policy tagging being "Wikipedia:Userbox policy was merged to this page in December 2006 (almost 9 months ago)." He fails to mention there that Wikipedia:Userbox policy was always just a proposal that didn't gain consensus, right up to its merge with WP:UBX, and was never an actual policy or even a guideline. If this page is to become a guideline then consensus will need to be established for that, so I'm beginning a new discussion to that end. Equazcion •✗/C • 03:05, 21 Jan 2008 (UTC)

  • Note: there was previous consensus for this. However, please feel free to further discuss, as "consensus can change". that said, reverting the tag is probably not a productive way to attempt to change consensus. - jc37 10:41, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
    • You assert this, but you haven't actually demonstrated that there was ever a consensus to have this as a guideline. —Random832 18:39, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Discussion

Should Wikipedia:Userboxes be a guideline? Equazcion •✗/C • 03:05, 21 Jan 2008 (UTC)

Yes, after we're done restructuring it. –Pomte 10:46, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
I want it to be at least a guideline (I would prefer it to be a policy). If we are going to change it, I want to see it be more restrictive. -- Donald Albury 11:37, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
Should be a guideline, after the results of the RFC are weighed in. - Mtmelendez (Talk) 13:55, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
I think it can be divided into two (i.e. 1. Userbox Policies & 2. Userbox Guidelines), because the Wikipedia:Userboxes contains both policies(rules) and guidelines(advisory). --SMS Talk 14:53, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Request

Could someone tell me on my discussion page how to make a userbox Welsey M. Curtus WMC 02:44, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] What do you think of this?

This user prefers the metric system

Superstarwarsfan (talk) 03:53, 12 February 2008 (UTC)


This user does not prefer the metric system

And of course this Superstarwarsfan (talk) 03:55, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

This user loves userboxes!

Superstarwarsfan (talk) 13:58, 12 February 2008 (UTC)


DW This user is a Time Lord

Superstarwarsfan (talk) 14:06, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] comments

Wikipeeps, I just created this a few days ago...

V This user firmly believes that the Visitors are not our friends!


input welcome! --Eaglestorm (talk) 03:32, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Keep it simple, guys

Good gosh—what a huge amount of material on a subject that is the virtual equivalent of a bumper sticker! Like bumper stickers, these user-boxes are meant to be something light-hearted and colourful. But there is no evidence of that here in all this po-faced jargon. Look, the first—and often the only thing—that a typical user wants to know is: “Is there a big bag of these things I can fish thru and get some that I like”. Instead of answering this in the first sentence, the article goes on and on and on thru what seems like FORTRAN seminars, and politically correct injunctions, until, right at the VERY end, we see a list of what we had wanted in the first place – a whole bag of these boxes we can paste into our Talk Pages. Hey, simple things first, guys. Myles325a (talk) 04:56, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Suggestion: article talk page template for article-specific userboxes

I know we have the various galleries that one could scan through to find userboxes to match their tastes, but I'm wondering if it would not be inappropriate to create an article talk page header template that can be used to identify userboxes for those interested specifically in the content provided by that article (this would be many TV shows and video games, among other uses). I'm thinking the language would be short "Userboxes are available for this topic" and making it collapsible to avoid spamming the talk page too much particularly if there are 3 or more variants.

My major concern is that is there any problem putting this type of meta information on the article talk namespace? I can that it can be potentially taken as bad form so I am checking first before even considering it. --MASEM 18:55, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

Nice Idea! I don't think it violates WP:TPG. --SMS Talk 19:14, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
I was able to make a real quick version of what I was thinking of, example shown below (random UBX chosen to fill out)
The template has support for up to 10 userboxes. --MASEM 20:07, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
Great Work! do tell me if my help is required anywhere! --SMS Talk 20:15, 4 March 2008 (UTC)
Yes! That's great! Superstarwarsfan (talk) 02:01, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
I like this idea. The userbox listing pages are difficult to use as they load slowly and overload browsers due to all the transclusions. It's also hard to find what you're looking for. Being able to see the userboxes available for a specific topic directly at its article would be a great improvement. It's doesn't offer much benefit to the articles themselves, though, so this will run into a lot of friction. It should be kept as small and non-obtrusive as possible. Equazcion •✗/C • 02:09, 10 Mar 2008 (UTC)
Here's my version:
Equazcion •✗/C • 02:16, 10 Mar 2008 (UTC)
I wouldn't support this idea, sorry. Userboxes are so "unofficial" and there are so many of them, anyone can create more, and some of them are disputed but still very difficult to delete. There could become fights which userboxes are going to be at talk pages of disputed articles. Best regards Rhanyeia♥♫ 07:09, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
Sounds good for now, although I do see the same potential for problems as Rhanyeia. I say we give it a trial run, and if the shit hits the fan go back to the way things were. --AtTheAbyss (talk) 12:16, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Help!!

I've created my first userbox User:Mjroots/Userboxes/Barnstaraward but there's something I've missed / can't find the instructions to :-/. How do you put the code in so that you add a wikilink to the article that you have the award for - similar to the FA and GA userboxes where you add the name of the article? Mjroots (talk) 12:46, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

The code for a wikilink is [[Article name|Displayed text]]. Hope this helps! --Crazed by Penguins (talk) 00:33, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
I feel a bit stupid now, since I just realized that's not what you were asking! You should be able to use {{User:Mjroots/Userboxes/Barnstaraward|[[Article name]]}}. --Crazed by Penguins (talk) 02:31, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
No problem, Bibliomaniac sorted that out for me. Now to finish off :-/. Mjroots (talk) 06:35, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] double help

Sorry, I don't think this article is very good - it is way to complicated and long - where is the quick start guide ? Did I miss it ? You could respond by saying lots of people have usrbxs, so whats the big deal, the problem is, you don't know how many frustrated people like me there are, cause people who find something hard usually don't complain. You could respond by saying we like it complicated, keeps the newbies out how about a poll box

  • everyone who comes to this page, and is a registered user, the computer keeps a running tally of how many have a userbox.
  • and, there is a question box you can check off, like instructions good/bad Cinnamon colbert (talk) 19:28, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Or you could go and look at the actual artcle. The link is at the top of the page nest to the tap 'discussion' The tap you want is 'Project page' Superstarwarsfan (talk) 02:03, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] what is

a good userbox for when your userpage gets vandalized?--AtTheAbyss (talk) 13:44, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

{{User:UBX/vandalized}} --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 11:26, 21 March 2008 (UTC)
thanks bro.--AtTheAbyss (talk) 12:15, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Please..

..Could somebody make me a Spice Girls box? I can't get the hang of it and there are so many good userbox makers...

Thank you :) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.110.228.55 (talk) 18:48, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

Here's a Spice Girls user box I made for you:
This user is a fan of The Spice Girls.
User:Youre dreaming eh?/Userboxes/SpiceGirls REQUEST
If that's not what you had in mind, just bring it to my talk page. I would have sent this straight to you, but you didn't sign your name.
Have a good one! Youre dreaming eh? (talk) 22:59, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Who used mine?

Is there any way to tell where the userboxes you've made have been used? I've made a few, and I'm wondering which of them have made it anywhere other than my userpage and the userbox gallery.

Thanks! Youre dreaming eh? (talk) 17:01, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Use Special:Whatlinkshere. - auburnpilot talk 17:05, 26 March 2008 (UTC)
Some of the galleries have a Transclusions link that is the Whatlinkshere link. --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 17:13, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Something special in the WP

Some suggestions:

This user created the article BVL-12.
This user is a member at plane.spottingworld
This user is a member at train.spottingworld
This user is a member at TrainSpottingWorld and PlaneSpottingWorld.

My thanks to BG7 for making these for me. Trekphiler (talk) 15:27, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

You have two problems here:
  • You cannot use non-free images in userboxes. See the image section for more information.
  • Image:PlaneSpottingWorld logo.png is not being used in a WP article, thus it is orphaned and will be deleted. See WP:NFCC #7.
--— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 15:48, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
Response.
  1. They are not non-free, i selected logos and it autofilled that for me - we have permission to use them for whatever purpose related to Train/Plane spotting worlds.
  2. Well, I could write an article, but then I would break several policies as it would be POV and something I am connected to.
BG7 15:51, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
Actually, they are non-free, and were uploaded under a claim of fair use. Under Wikipedia policy, you cannot use fair-use images outside of article space. Can you produce evidence that these logos are available under a free-license? - auburnpilot talk 15:54, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
I can and will, and I suggest you speak also to User:Timtrent who will say the same. He also has no problem with them being in userboxes, and if it comes to it, then screw policy is what I say.
BG7 15:58, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
If you have permission from the copyright holder to release the images under a free license, it needs to be clearly stated on the image page, and the permission forwarded to WP:OTRS. The appropriate license and tag also need to be added to the image page. We will not "screw policy" for decorating a userpage. - auburnpilot talk 16:29, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
AuburnPilot is entirely correct here. We would like to help, but it is incumbent upon you to ensure the image is properly tagged and used. --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 16:32, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

reset indentOk guys, point taken - sorry if I cam across a tad rude :D!

I have checked with the owner (the aforementioned user) and they are in fact GFDL rather copyright or whatever.

I can forward a copy of the email if you wish.

Thanks,

BG7 17:00, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

I took a quick look, but it does not look like the logo was placed in the image directory on the site (the site logo is stored in a different place. Your best solution is to have the image loaded and tagged as GFDL on Plane Spotting World, then tag it as such here. --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 17:27, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
Ok, thanks. The logos are actually uploaded at the opposite sites (so the train logo is uploaded at Planes and vice versa), and the image itself is stored in the root, accesible via a URL. Also, we use Plane logo.png as the filename there, but i thought it was best to be more descriptive here!
Thanks for all your help!
BG7 17:35, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

They also constitute linkspam. --Rlandmann (talk) 19:51, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Request hour

Can somebody convert these to workable?

band-3 This user loves the band Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble.
band-3 This user loves the band Fleetwood Mac (with Stevie Nicks).

I'd use Stevie alone, but I do want to credit the band, & I can't use Fleetwood Mac alone, 'cause I'm not a fan of Peter Green's incarnation. Trekphiler (talk) 01:02, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

I did the first one and will leave the second as an exercise for the student. --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 20:28, 8 April 2008 (UTC)
band-3 This user loves Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble
Close, but no cigar. I meant Stevie with Double Trouble, not separately (which I could have done myself). Or is it impossible? (I.e., no article about the two together.) Trekphiler (talk) 02:28, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] the page doesn't tell you how to put an image in the box (in examples of code that you can crib

It should mention this, even if you just put Image:whatever like you do with other pics in with the rest of the stuff- 'border, 'id' etc. It also doesn't in a noticable way tell you how many pixels the standard size pic for the 'id' bit usually is/should be. Or did I miss that? Is it like 50x50 ? Or can I make it a little bigger? I find this page not very user-readable to non-techies, it doesn't explain things in a Ladybird Books style for those who know hardly anything about code etc- we need links to sites where we can find the hex codes for colours, and so on. special, random, Merkinsmum 01:53, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Size matter

This user created the article
Standard H-2.
This user created the article
Standard H-2.

Can you fix the difference in font size? I haven't a clue.... Trekphiler (talk) 02:30, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

They both use the default font size. --— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 03:03, 13 April 2008 (UTC)
I added a line break. Is that what you were hoping for/attempting to accomplish? - jc37 03:12, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] question

How do you make userboxes go down both sides of the page? U.S.A. (talk) 16:47, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Assistance

Would someone mind visiting my page and assisting me to understand how to code userboxes I have created on my Userbox page. I can't find simple instructions for newcomers to do this. Jagra (talk) 07:50, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

I Just discovered Wikipedia:Userbox Maker and presumably that is what I need? From this I assume that a new page is created for each new userbox. Where I have been trying to make multiples on one page.
Any comments before I multiply Jagra (talk) 08:05, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
Thanks Jagra (talk) 07:31, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] About fair use of image in user box

I'm not so familiar with copyright polices on Wikipedia. So, I wonder could I use part (e.g. half) of copyrighted image in user box? --Čikić Dragan (talk) 10:55, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

No. See WP:NFC, non-free (whole or in part) images can only be used in main-space articles. --MASEM 13:41, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Joke userbox proposal

I have designed a new userbox as a joke on the fact that all userboxen start with "This user", but as this is my first new userbox, I would like to establish consensus with a straw poll (ending in 1 week) before I post it. Also, please also tell me which subpage I should put it on.--Ainlina (talk) 13:31, 29 April 2008 (UTC)

This user





I must admit that it is 'outside the box', he he. But I don't think it's good enough to be in the Template namespace though, if you mean that. Cheers, Face 12:23, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Example userbox

Hi all! A few days ago, I nominated this userbox for deletion at WP:MfD, because I think its sole purpose is to encourage editcountitis. As expected however, it doesn't attract much attention, so hopefully this message will tempt users to go here and to state their opinion. It won't take long! Thanks in advance, Face 12:37, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] XBox Live Gamertag

Couldn't find a userbox to display an Xbox Live Gamertag. There's probably a market for one! Had a bash and created this, but it could use some finesse, if anyone could oblige me.

X This user's Gamertag is xxxxx .


JMalky (talk) 11:54, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, just found one. It's much better. JMalky (talk) 12:11, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Barnstar?

Is there A UBX Barnstar. Trees Rock Plant A Tree 20:00, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Introduced by

Is there a userbox out there that details the user that introduced you to wikipedia. Alexsanderson83 23:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Profession userbox

Some userboxs in profession section refers to professional designations, (for ecample, CPA) and that using the userbox in one's userpage, when he is not one, might be constituted as claiming such designation which would be illegal. Thoughts? SYSS Mouse (talk) 18:45, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Putting user pages into categories automatically

I've designed a userbox called {{User:UBX/University Challenge}}. I'd like to be able to automatically put user pages that the userbox is used on into categories, but not other pages such as talk pages. I therefore used a parser function like this:

{{#if:{{NAMESPACE}}=User | [[Category:Wikipedians interested in University Challenge]]}}

However, it doesn't seem to work. If the userbox is placed on other types of pages (for example, "Wikipedia talk:WikiProject BBC"), those pages still get put into the category. Any idea why the parser function is not working, or what I can do to solve this problem? — Cheers, JackLee –talk– 19:33, 6 June 2008 (UTC)