User:The dark lord trombonator/Welcome2
IF YOU ARE READING THIS NOW, READ THE WHOLE PAGE AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF IT. DON'T JUST THINK IT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT LOOKS PRETTY. I'VE PROBABLY STUFFED SOMETHING UP. AS ALWAYS. BUT I SWEAR IT WAS ON PURPOSE.
ALSO FOR THE RECORD THIS IS NOT A TEMPLATE. IT IS A WELCOME PORTAL/PAGE/GETTING STARTED SECTION. LIKE THIS. BUT MORE IN-DEPTH.
| Hello, and welcome to Bulbapedia! |
Bulbapedia is the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia that (almost) anyone can edit. If you've already created your account, feel free to start adding and changing information. However, it would be a good idea to read over this page (and the recommended reading lists) first. That way you can get it right first time and not make any silly mistakes later.
Getting started browsing
| Recommended reading |
Bulbapedia is mostly used as a source for information about Pokémon. You are perfectly free to browse the wiki at your own leisure. Articles are linked to each other so that you can navigate in between different topics. Every page is also sorted into categories for easy searching.
You don't need to have an account to browse Bulbapedia, but signing up will hide all advertising and allow you to edit, if you choose to.
Getting started editing
| Recommended reading |
Most people sign up to Bulbapedia to contribute to the vast set of knowledge that makes up the website. This may include adding new information, providing translations, or simple spelling fixes.
If you've never edited a wiki before, then don't worry. It's quite simple. For general editing help, see Help:Editing*. To learn how to use the markup language that Bulbapedia is written in, see Bulbapedia:Wikicode. For general Bulbapedia help, see Bulbapedia:A guide to Bulbapedia.
When you first create your account, you will be able to edit most of the wiki. Some pages may be protected so that only certain users cannot edit them. If you want to edit a page that is protected, don't worry! Check if the protection will automatically expire. If it does, just wait. If you can't wait or the page is protected indefinitely, leave a message on the article's talk page.
An important step in editing to remember is always preview your work. That way, you can make sure it's perfect before you save the page.
Getting started with userpages
| Recommended reading |
When you create your account, you will initially not be able to create a userpage. This is because unlike most wikis, Bulbapedia has a userspace policy that means certain conditions must be met before a user can edit his or her userpage. Specifically, you need to make a (secret) number of edits and have an established account.
When you have contributed enough, the software will recognize this and allow you to create a userpage. Once this has occurred, please treat the userspace with respect and abide by the userspace policy.
Getting started interacting with others
| Recommended reading |
Bulbapedia has over 40,000 registered users. You aren't expected to get along with everyone, but please try to respect other people's rights to edit and browse. The Code of Conduct sums this up well: play nice.
Most interactions happen on talk pages, but you can communicate with others through edit summaries (a message that is saved alongside your edit). Please try to use this summary to let others know what you have changed and why you have changed it. This may save a few headaches later.
Getting started with images
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All the pictures, sprites, scans and screenshots used on Bulbapedia are stored on the Bulbagarden Archives. This site is also a wiki and is run in a similar way to Bulbapedia. Before you upload new images, check the image uploading guide. For information on how to embed an image onto a page on Bulbapedia, see this page.
Finding something to do
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It is sometimes hard to find something to edit on Bulbapedia. However, there is always ongoing work to be carried out around the site. Administrators will, from time to time, post specific tasks to do. At all other times, the Editor's Hub outlines general work to be done.
Still confused?
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There is quite a lot to take in at first glance. If you have any concerns about policy (or anything else, for that matter), don't be shy to ask a staff member. They are all here to help.
