Please contact me on GuildWiki.

---

Contents 1 Welcome 2 or ask me 3 UnAnswers IP block 4 Meh user page 5 New users 6 ad free wikis 7 User:M.mendel/Talk:Important Updates on Wikia’s New Look‎ 8 Interesting read 9 Global block logs? 10 A thought 11 About my logo on Sarah Manley Talk Page 12 News from the AWA 13 Conditional categorization 14 X2

WelcomeEdit

_{Welcome, M.mendel, to Community Central!}

We are a friendly community here; most of us are active on an individual Wikia, and many of us are active on more than one.

If you're looking for help, use the Community Portal or Help Desk. If your wiki needs something done, leave the details on the Volunteer Portal. If you need assistance from a member of staff, leave a message with one of the Community Team.

You can get live help from community members and staff in our IRC channel. There are also channels for larger Wikia and their communities. Here you can socialise and get to know your community!

If you have an idea for a new Wikia, please let us know! Check out New wikis and see if any of them interest you. A directory of existing wikis is also available.

Finally, please keep an eye on the recent changes to see what the community is up to and to help reverse spam and vandalism.

Enjoy! Greyman^(Talk) 13:26, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

postcard

or ask me Edit

Fine, I'll ask you something. I beg your forgiveness for my language, and stress it's bewilderment and not anger / hatred I am feeling.
HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING? A F K When Needed 11:15, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

I've had KyleH on my watchlist since the time he was responsible for the gaming communities, so when your name popped up on my watchlist, I got curious. The logocreation people have recently posted something on the central forums, so I was aware of them. --◄mendel► 11:19, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

No. You hinted that, for no obvious reason, you are experienced in editing / have the knowledge to edit the Answers skin. Which, to me, is testament to knowing everything. A F K When Needed 11:25, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

I have reskinned GuildWiki for Wintersday by looking at the page source/DOM tree and figuring out what classes or IDs I need to use to apply CSS formatting. I don't expect it is hard to do that for the answers skin. I have learned CSS since I started wikiediting. --◄mendel► 11:35, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Yup. Knows everything :P

One thing, Mendel. I shamelessly copied pretty much everything I tried from WoW Wiki but it's just not having an impact on the Answers skin. Yes, that's after KyleH pointed out I don't use the "normal" MediaWiki pages. A F K When Needed 11:37, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

It can't, because the "hooks" are pretty much skin-specific (and sometimes you need to check that your .css actually makes it into the cache. or you'll be seeing an old version). If you want help right now, make me an admin and get on irc (or is there a channel for unasnwers I should join?). --◄mendel► 11:44, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

No, no... I did see some changes. So not an old version. As I said, things like Recent UnAnswered Questions (RC widget... kinda) changed as it should. But the "main" section of the page ignored me. And gz, Mr. President Sysop. No there is not, I'm waiting for the Spotlight to get us a userbase before IRC so... you mean GuildWiki or...? A F K When Needed 11:48, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

irc://irc.freenode.org/GuildWiki or irc://irc.gamesurge.net/gwiki , yes. --◄mendel► 11:51, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

UnAnswers IP block Edit

--Yowuza yadderhouse | meh 17:04, November 19, 2009 (UTC)

Cleared. --◄mendel► 21:57, November 19, 2009 (UTC)

Meh user page Edit

there's no change! I guess you tried to copy my userpage style huh?

-- Mvtech^Faithfully 10:57, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

Yes, there is a change. When you transcluded the page on somebody else's talkpage, the fact that you didn't close the table tags really messed up the page. I closed it, and the mess was solved. --◄mendel► 11:40, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

New users Edit

I'm not replacing every new user's page with {{newuser}}, only those who suspiciously do not have an edit count throughout Wikia, per the user page policy here.

Good point about my talk page, I've fixed that. (As for the page protection, all users are required to login to edit any page on WoWWiki) --Pcj (T•C) 20:55, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for the link to the policy. Still, why have an "add image" link on the default userpage, and no mention of this policy? It bewilders me.

I've no problem with the page protection, just with the state of the interface (i.e. I'm used to seeing "View Source" and not "Edit" when I can't edit a page). --◄mendel► 21:07, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

The way I look at it, most normal users who are regular contributors to other Wikia wikis (and who are coming to Community Central for help or etc) should be encouraged to talk about themselves so the people helping them can understand more about them. People who are randomly (i.e., for image hosting) posting profiles on Central without any history with Wikia are doing so against policy. --Pcj (T•C) 21:13, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

I don't understand what end this policy serves. However, I've given up on the matter because I feel it's beyond my power to change it. --◄mendel► 21:21, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, policy on Central (and how to change it) seems a bit on the vague side. --Pcj (T•C) 21:26, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

ad free wikisEdit

You asked about it. Here's a link: Ad free wikis 174.7.79.252 22:17, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

Thank you, that seems to be what I was looking for. --◄mendel► 22:34, August 23, 2010 (UTC)

User:M.mendel/Talk:Important Updates on Wikia’s New Look‎ Edit

Thank you. That page saved me lots of time. -- Deltaneos (talk) 21:18, September 29, 2010 (UTC)

You're welcome! :) Please kick me if you desire an update, or have this done for other blog posts. I already did Your First Look at the New Wikia‎. --◄mendel► 21:36, September 29, 2010 (UTC)

Interesting read Edit

Just wanted to let you know that User:M.mendel/Why Oasis is quite interesting to read, and that I'd agree with your points. Another point I've been pondering is that the reduced ease of navigation (by limiting the amount of items which can be added to the primary site navigation) might well be intentional as it artificially increases the number of pageviews by making people go through more intermediate pages before reaching their "destination". I guess we both know that pageviews are a major factor in advertising revenue. -- Porter21 ^(talk) 09:55, October 28, 2010 (UTC)

Thank you!

I'd like to see the usability research they've done on the navigation and draw my own conclusions. I suspect that with Wikia's perceived aim at getting more "casual" readers to stay longer on the site, having a short navigation works better because it works like "I suggest you look at this" and gives the reader more orientation. For a wiki that serves as a knowledge base for a game, for example, this ought to work less well, as visitors usually already have a pretty good idea what they're looking for. So it really depends on how thge research questions were framed and on what users (and on what wikis) they performed it.

When experienced editors make a navigation for regulars (readers and editors), its appeal will obviously be inferior to casual readers; but as wiki admins we do want a large base of regulars to keep our content in good shape, and it's the content, not the skin or navigation, that draws readers. I suspect Wikia don't see it like this, though. --◄mendel► 10:44, October 28, 2010 (UTC)

Global block logs?Edit

Per: http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:Anti-Wikia_Alliance/comments#Beware_when_theme_editing

Can the public see global block logs? Anno1404 18:28, November 7, 2010 (UTC)

I don't know. --◄mendel► 21:17, November 7, 2010 (UTC)

They're only visible to Wikia staff, iirc. But I'm definitely globally banned. The only reason they've given so far is that I "advertised for contributors on /b/" which I didn't do. I did make a comment about a few of our users doing that, though. None of them have been banned. -- Karate Jesus 21:20, November 7, 2010 (UTC)

A thought Edit

I don't think you intended it, but your criticism of specific themes came across as pretty harsh words aimed at the people theming their wikis. "if those 6 wikis are the best you can do ...."? Ouch. -- 70.42.129.157 22:30, November 18, 2010 (UTC) < sorry, missed that I was loged out there -- sannse

Well, I shouldn't complain, should I, seeing what my own wiki looks like? ;-P My criticism was more levelled at the limitations of the Theme Designer that the examples showcase, and especially the last two examples shouldn't have been chosen at all to be publicised as exemplary for the New Look. I don't mind the people doing them, after all, what works for the community etc., but I do mind Wikia choosing those to make a showcase. --◄mendel► 23:51, November 18, 2010 (UTC)

Well, those were ones that I personally liked and that were made by someone other than me/helpers/staff :) They may not be technically perfect... but they are ones that I enjoyed seeing. And, yeah... about them spots... pleeeease can I make a replacement? ;P -- Sannse (help forum | blog) 02:06, November 19, 2010 (UTC)

It's the staff blog, not your personal blog - that makes a difference.

The spots: I expect once the fork has actually gone down, we'll not be limited to the traditional white and gray, and it makes little sense to make decisions for the "future community" now. So I'm not that worried about the spots, even though the delays mean they've been up longer than I wish to. In fact, remaking the theme has already been listed as one of our "future" ideas. --◄mendel► 08:31, November 19, 2010 (UTC)

About my logo on Sarah Manley Talk PageEdit

Hi M.mendel
I saw your post on Charitwo Talk page
Look, Most picture don't need copyright tags when
someone own it.
I am an Actor & i upload picture in my own right.
Beside, Sarah Manley ask me for it.
You should leave other users work & picture alone.
Thank: iCarlyFan2009 (Edmund K Lo) 22:47, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

I think you are mistaken, and that pictures on this wiki do in fact need copyright tags. See Community_Central:Licensing#Non-text_files, it says: "If you are uploading files to Wikia, you should cite the source of the file, attribute the authors, and note any copyright information, where applicable." Why do you think they don't? --◄mendel► 23:18, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

Look, Before you upload there a list of "Copyright" Licensing &
i choose "I took this picture myself" in the Licensing box.
There a lists of Licensing & you have to choice one before upload.
Never talk back to an Actor about something that he own.
Beside i was asking Sarah Manley for help on putting my logo on my wikia in
"New Wikia Look" mode.
That was just an ask for help from Sarah Manley but she will deleted later
after she read it.
Thank: iCarlyFan2009 (Edmund K Lo) 23:23, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

"I took this picture myself" is not actually a license option on this wiki and hasn't been for 3 years, so I don't think you've chosen it. [1] However, you have now added some copyright information, and I'm not interested in pursuing this further. --◄mendel► 23:45, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

News from the AWA Edit

I received an email from User:Anno1404, stating in part:

Today Sannse indefinitely blocked me for "disruptive behavior". [..]

I was blocked today because I posted this to around 15 wikis:

"Hello, someone on this wikia wrote on the Anti Wikia Skin Alliance Moving page, that your wikia is moving. Please remove your wikia's name or add your wikia to the Moved Wiki page."
...Example:[2]
...On less than 6 wikias I posted something similar to this:
..."For those who miss Monaco, Monaco is available for wikis on shoutwiki, click through on the below link. Thank you."
...Example:[3]

Sannse deleted two more pages about the same time she indefinitely banned me:

Sannse deleted the former home of Forum:Anti-Wikia_Alliance again, which linked to the Forum:Anti-Wikia_Alliance and

Sannse deleted my forum question mentioning that Shoutwiki is now offering wikis Monaco, which was similar to this.

Anno1404 concludes:

This was never about the wikia skin, this was about editors having a voice in the future of wikia. Any veteran editor on wikia knows this skin is not the first last heavy handed change by the staff, nor will it be the last.

Please form your own opinion. --◄mendel► 06:46, December 1, 2010 (UTC)

Conditional categorizationEdit

Hello.

You have helped me at Forum:Conditional categorization and I need some more help:
Template:Fan Fiction Characters is used at Main Page and categorizes it.
How can I prevent this page form being categorized by the template? Teyandee 16:44, May 9, 2011 (UTC)

My first line on that forum was, generally, in a fanfic setting, I like to avoid having autocatting templates that also do presentation. Now you know why. --◄mendel► 19:22, May 9, 2011 (UTC)

I see what you mean. But I found a solution:

Template:Fan Fiction Characters2 is equal to Template:Fan Fiction Characters except for it adds not categories to the pages it is used on. Plus, Template:Fan Fiction Articles is replaced by Template:Fan Fiction Articles2 to include the new template. So the Main Page doesn`t get categorized :) Teyandee 17:45, May 10, 2011 (UTC)

X2 Edit

Don't engage with that account, it is a sockpuppet of MHLU's.--GodPray  18:12,5/24/2011 

On what evidence? More than a checkuser? What wiki(s) is he active on, anyway? An 11000 edit count is pretty impressive. --◄mendel► 18:16, May 24, 2011 (UTC)

Charit blocked him for abusing multiple accounts. He claimed to be a friend of MHLU's but had the same IP. CHeckuser doesn't lie.--GodPray  18:17,5/24/2011 

You never read any Perry Mason or Sherlock Holmes books, did you? Checkuser is indirect evidence, and indirect evidence is subject to interpretation. It is not infallible.

People who admit to work at the same place and use the same machines (or machines that are set up by the same IT staff) get checkuser to flag them because that is what checkuser does; in that situation, most of the data the checkuser provides is useless, and the rest needs to be very carefully examined.

It goes aginst my common sense to believe that a sockpuppet would accumulate 769 edits, with the main having 11265 edits - I've never seen such a proficient editor engage in sockpuppeting in earnest, and I've never seen a sockpuppet with an edit count as high as that. To believe that, I want to know what wikis they edit on together, and see some interaction where the sock puppet produces benefit for the main. --◄mendel► 18:27, May 24, 2011 (UTC)