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VisualWikitext
Added Editing Tools section with links to RTC:Tools
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__NOTOC__
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; background-color:#e8f4fa; border-radius:10px; box-shadow:0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);"
|-
! style="font-size:200%; padding:20px; background-color:#4B9CD3; color:white; text-align:center;" | '''Editing Guide'''
|-
| style="font-size:120%; padding:10px; text-align:center;" | ''Your comprehensive guide to editing and contributing to RetroTechCollection Wiki''
|}


<div style="background-color:#f0f9ff; border-left:5px solid #4B9CD3; padding:15px; margin:20px 0;">
'''Welcome editors!''' This guide covers everything from basic text formatting to advanced editing techniques. Whether you're fixing a typo or writing comprehensive articles about vintage technology, you'll find the information you need here.
</div>
== 📚 Before You Begin ==
=== Prerequisites ===
* You must be '''13 years or older''' to edit
* You need a '''registered account''' to edit pages
* New users must make '''3 quality contributions''' before gaining autoconfirmed status
* Review our '''[[RetroTechCollection:Terms of Use|Terms of Use]]''' and '''[[Help:Getting Started|Getting Started guide]]'''
=== Core Editing Principles ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; background-color:#f9f9f9;"
! Principle !! Description !! Example
|-
| '''Neutral Point of View''' || Present facts without bias || "The ZX Spectrum had 16KB of RAM" not "The ZX Spectrum had only 16KB of RAM"
|-
| '''Verifiability''' || All claims need reliable sources || Add citations for specifications, dates, and claims
|-
| '''No Original Research''' || Don't publish your own findings || Use published sources, not personal experiments
|-
| '''Collaborative Spirit''' || Work with other editors || Discuss major changes on talk pages first
|}
== ✏️ Basic Editing ==
=== Accessing the Editor ===
There are several ways to edit a page:
# '''Edit entire page:''' Click the "Edit" tab at the top
# '''Edit section:''' Click the [edit] link next to any section heading
# '''Visual Editor:''' Use the "Edit" button for WYSIWYG editing (if enabled)
# '''Source Editor:''' Use "Edit source" for direct wikitext editing
=== The Editing Interface ===
When you click edit, you'll see:
* '''Edit toolbar:''' Buttons for common formatting
* '''Edit window:''' Where you type your changes
* '''Edit summary box:''' Explain your changes (required)
* '''Preview button:''' See how your changes will look
* '''Save button:''' Publish your changes
* '''Show changes:''' Compare your version with the current
=== Making Your First Edit ===
# Find a page that needs improvement
# Click "Edit"
# Make your changes in the edit window
# Write a clear edit summary (e.g., "Fixed typo in specifications")
# Click "Show preview" to check your work
# Click "Save changes" when satisfied
<div style="background-color:#e8f9e8; border-left:5px solid #28a745; padding:15px; margin:20px 0;">
'''💡 Pro tip:''' Always preview your changes before saving! This helps catch formatting errors and ensures your edit looks correct.
</div>
== 🖋️ Wiki Markup Fundamentals ==
=== Text Formatting ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! style="width:35%;" | You type
! style="width:35%;" | You get
! style="width:30%;" | Notes
|-
| <nowiki>''italic text''</nowiki>
| ''italic text''
| Two apostrophes on each side
|-
| <nowiki>'''bold text'''</nowiki>
| '''bold text'''
| Three apostrophes on each side
|-
| <nowiki>'''''bold italic'''''</nowiki>
| '''''bold italic'''''
| Five apostrophes on each side
|-
| <nowiki><u>underlined</u></nowiki>
| <u>underlined</u>
| Use sparingly
|-
| <nowiki><s>strikethrough</s></nowiki>
| <s>strikethrough</s>
| For corrections
|-
| <nowiki><code>inline code</code></nowiki>
| <code>inline code</code>
| For commands, filenames
|-
| <nowiki><small>small text</small></nowiki>
| <small>small text</small>
| For annotations
|-
| <nowiki><big>big text</big></nowiki>
| <big>big text</big>
| Deprecated, use sparingly
|-
| <nowiki>H<sub>2</sub>O</nowiki>
| H<sub>2</sub>O
| Subscript
|-
| <nowiki>E=mc<sup>2</sup></nowiki>
| E=mc<sup>2</sup>
| Superscript
|}
=== Creating Links ===
==== Internal Links ====
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! You type !! Result !! Usage
|-
| <nowiki>[[Commodore 64]]</nowiki>
| [[Commodore 64]]
| Basic link
|-
| <nowiki>[[Commodore 64|C64]]</nowiki>
| [[Commodore 64|C64]]
| Link with custom text
|-
| <nowiki>[[Commodore 64#History]]</nowiki>
| [[Commodore 64#History]]
| Link to section
|-
| <nowiki>[[Commodore 64#History|C64 History]]</nowiki>
| [[Commodore 64#History|C64 History]]
| Section link with custom text
|-
| <nowiki>[[Category:Home computers]]</nowiki>
| (adds page to category)
| Categorize page
|-
| <nowiki>[[:Category:Home computers]]</nowiki>
| [[:Category:Home computers]]
| Link to category page
|-
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg]]</nowiki>
| (embeds image)
| Embed image
|-
| <nowiki>[[:File:Example.jpg]]</nowiki>
| [[:File:Example.jpg]]
| Link to image page
|}
==== External Links ====
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! You type !! Result
|-
| <nowiki>https://example.com</nowiki>
| https://example.com
|-
| <nowiki>[https://example.com]</nowiki>
| [https://example.com]
|-
| <nowiki>[https://example.com Example site]</nowiki>
| [https://example.com Example site]
|-
| <nowiki>[https://example.com Example site] (archived)</nowiki>
| [https://example.com Example site] (archived)
|}
=== Headings and Sections ===
<pre>
= Heading 1 = (Never use - reserved for page title)
== Heading 2 == (Main sections)
=== Heading 3 === (Subsections)
==== Heading 4 ==== (Sub-subsections)
===== Heading 5 ===== (Rarely used)
====== Heading 6 ====== (Avoid if possible)
</pre>
'''Best practices:'''
* Start with level 2 headings (<nowiki>==</nowiki>)
* Don't skip levels (e.g., don't go from 2 to 4)
* Keep heading names concise and descriptive
* Avoid links in headings
* Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns
=== Lists ===
==== Unordered Lists ====
<pre>
* First item
* Second item
** Sub-item
** Another sub-item
*** Third level
* Back to first level
</pre>
Results in:
* First item
* Second item
** Sub-item
** Another sub-item
*** Third level
* Back to first level
==== Ordered Lists ====
<pre>
# First step
# Second step
## Sub-step 2.1
## Sub-step 2.2
# Third step
</pre>
Results in:
# First step
# Second step
## Sub-step 2.1
## Sub-step 2.2
# Third step
==== Definition Lists ====
<pre>
; Term 1
: Definition 1
; Term 2
: Definition 2a
: Definition 2b
</pre>
Results in:
; Term 1
: Definition 1
; Term 2
: Definition 2a
: Definition 2b
=== Paragraphs and Line Breaks ===
* '''Paragraphs:''' Leave a blank line between paragraphs
* '''Line break:''' Use <nowiki><br /></nowiki> for forced line break
* '''Indentation:''' Start line with <nowiki>:</nowiki> (each colon adds a level)
* '''Preformatted text:''' Start line with space
Example:
<pre>
This is a paragraph.
This is another paragraph.
:This is indented once.
::This is indented twice.
Line one<br />
Line two (forced break)
This text is preformatted
and preserves spacing
</pre>
== 📊 Tables ==
=== Basic Table Structure ===
<pre>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Table caption (optional)
|-
! Header 1
! Header 2
! Header 3
|-
| Row 1, Cell 1
| Row 1, Cell 2
| Row 1, Cell 3
|-
| Row 2, Cell 1
| Row 2, Cell 2
| Row 2, Cell 3
|}
</pre>
=== Advanced Table Features ===
<pre>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Commodore Computer Specifications
|-
! Model !! Year !! CPU !! RAM !! Price
|-
| Commodore 64 || 1982 || MOS 6510 @ 1MHz || 64KB || $595
|-
| Commodore 128 || 1985 || MOS 8502 @ 2MHz || 128KB || $299
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;" | ''Prices are US MSRP at launch''
|}
</pre>
Results in:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Commodore Computer Specifications
|-
! Model !! Year !! CPU !! RAM !! Price
|-
| Commodore 64 || 1982 || MOS 6510 @ 1MHz || 64KB || $595
|-
| Commodore 128 || 1985 || MOS 8502 @ 2MHz || 128KB || $299
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;" | ''Prices are US MSRP at launch''
|}
== 🖼️ Working with Images ==
=== Uploading Images ===
1. Go to '''[[Special:Upload]]'''
2. Choose your file
3. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Apple_IIe_motherboard_front.jpg")
4. Fill out the information form:
<pre>
{{Information
|description = Front view of Apple IIe motherboard showing all components
|source = {{own}}
|date = 2024-01-15
|author = [[User:YourUsername]]
|permission =
|other_versions =
}}
</pre>
=== Image Syntax ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! Purpose !! Syntax !! Example
|-
| Basic embed
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg]]</nowiki>
| Displays full-size image
|-
| Thumbnail
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg|thumb|Caption text]]</nowiki>
| Creates thumbnail with caption
|-
| Sized image
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg|200px]]</nowiki>
| Sets width to 200 pixels
|-
| Left align
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg|left|thumb|Caption]]</nowiki>
| Floats image left
|-
| Center
| <nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg|center|300px]]</nowiki>
| Centers image
|-
| Gallery
| <nowiki><gallery>...</gallery></nowiki>
| Creates image gallery
|}
=== Image Gallery Example ===
<pre>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Apple_II.jpg|Apple II (1977)
File:Apple_IIplus.jpg|Apple II+ (1979)
File:Apple_IIe.jpg|Apple IIe (1983)
File:Apple_IIc.jpg|Apple IIc (1984)
</gallery>
</pre>
== 📝 Citations and References ==
=== Why Citations Matter ===
* Verify information accuracy
* Allow readers to learn more
* Establish credibility
* Protect against deletion
=== Basic Citation Format ===
<pre>
The Commodore 64 sold over 12 million units.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Bagnall
|first = Brian
|title = Commodore: A Company on the Edge
|year = 2010
|publisher = Variant Press
|isbn = 978-0973864960
|page = 224
}}</ref>
</pre>
=== Common Citation Templates ===
==== Book Citation ====
<pre>
{{cite book
|last =
|first =
|title =
|year =
|publisher =
|isbn =
|page =
}}
</pre>
==== Magazine Citation ====
<pre>
{{cite magazine
|last =
|first =
|title =
|magazine =
|issue =
|date =
|pages =
|url =
}}
</pre>
==== Web Citation ====
<pre>
{{cite web
|url =
|title =
|website =
|date =
|access-date =
|archive-url =
|archive-date =
}}
</pre>
=== Reference List ===
Add at the bottom of the article:
<pre>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://example.com Official website]
[[Category:Appropriate category]]
</pre>
== 🎨 Templates ==
=== Using Templates ===
Templates provide consistent formatting. Common templates include:
==== Infoboxes ====
<pre>
{{Infobox computer
|name = Commodore 64
|image = Commodore-64.jpg
|caption = The best-selling computer model of all time
|manufacturer = [[Commodore International]]
|type = [[Home computer]]
|release date = August 1982
|discontinued = April 1994
|processor = [[MOS Technology 6510|MOS 6510]] @ 1.023 MHz
|memory = 64 KB RAM, 20 KB ROM
|graphics = [[VIC-II]] (320×200, 16 colors)
|sound = [[SID chip|SID 6581]]
}}
</pre>
==== Message Boxes ====
<pre>
{{Warning|This procedure may damage your equipment if not done correctly.}}
{{Note|The original manual contains additional information not covered here.}}
{{Tip|Use a proper anti-static wrist strap when handling components.}}
</pre>
==== Navigation Templates ====
<pre>
{{Commodore computers}}
{{Home computers of the 1980s}}
</pre>
== 🔧 Advanced Techniques ==
=== Magic Words ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! Magic word !! Output !! Usage
|-
| <nowiki>{{PAGENAME}}</nowiki>
| {{PAGENAME}}
| Current page name
|-
| <nowiki>{{CURRENTDAY}}</nowiki>
| {{CURRENTDAY}}
| Current day
|-
| <nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}}</nowiki>
| {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}}
| Current month
|-
| <nowiki>{{CURRENTYEAR}}</nowiki>
| {{CURRENTYEAR}}
| Current year
|-
| <nowiki>__TOC__</nowiki>
| (forces table of contents)
| Position TOC
|-
| <nowiki>__NOTOC__</nowiki>
| (hides table of contents)
| Hide TOC
|-
| <nowiki>__NOEDITSECTION__</nowiki>
| (hides edit links)
| Hide section editing
|}
=== Parser Functions ===
<pre>
{{#if: {{{parameter|}}} | Parameter exists | Parameter missing }}
{{#ifeq: {{{type}}} | computer | [[Category:Computers]] | [[Category:Other]] }}
{{#switch: {{{year}}}
| 1977 = Early era
| 1982 = Golden age
| 1985 = Late period
| #default = Unknown era
}}
</pre>
=== Redirects ===
Create redirects for alternate names:
<pre>
#REDIRECT [[Commodore 64]]
</pre>
Common redirect scenarios:
* Abbreviations (C64 → Commodore 64)
* Alternative spellings
* Common misspellings
* Previous names
== ⚡ Editing Best Practices ==
=== Before Editing ===
# ''Check page history'' - See what changes have been made recently
# ''Read talk page'' - Check for ongoing discussions
# ''Verify sources'' - Ensure your information is accurate
# ''Plan major changes'' - Discuss big edits on talk page first
=== While Editing ===
# ''Use preview'' - Check your work before saving
# ''Edit incrementally'' - Make focused changes
# ''Write clear summaries'' - Explain what and why
# ''Cite sources'' - Add references for new facts
# ''Check spelling'' - Proofread your contributions
=== Edit Summaries ===
Good edit summaries help other editors:
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! Type of edit !! Example summary
|-
| Fixing typo || "Fixed typo: 'Comodore' → 'Commodore'"
|-
| Adding content || "Added specifications section with sources"
|-
| Removing content || "Removed unsourced claim about sales figures"
|-
| Formatting || "Formatted specifications as table"
|-
| Citation || "Added citation for release date"
|-
| Major revision || "Restructured article per talk page consensus"
|}
=== Common Mistakes to Avoid ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; background-color:#fff3cd;"
! ❌ Don't !! ✅ Do Instead
|-
| Write in first person ("I think...") || Use third person neutral tone
|-
| Add personal opinions || Stick to verifiable facts
|-
| Copy from other websites || Write in your own words
|-
| Use lots of exclamation points!!! || Use professional tone
|-
| WRITE IN ALL CAPS || Use normal capitalization
|-
| Leave test edits || Use your sandbox for testing
|-
| Ignore preview button || Always preview before saving
|-
| Make massive changes without discussion || Discuss major changes first
|}
== 🚨 Handling Conflicts ==
=== Edit Conflicts ===
If someone edits the page while you're editing:
1. Don't panic - your work isn't lost
2. Copy your text to a text editor
3. Review the other person's changes
4. Incorporate both sets of changes
5. Save the merged version
=== Content Disputes ===
1. **Stay calm** - Don't edit war
2. **Discuss** - Use the talk page
3. **Provide sources** - Back up your position
4. **Seek consensus** - Find common ground
5. **Get help** - Ask for third opinion if needed
=== The Three-Revert Rule ===
Don't revert the same page more than three times in 24 hours. Instead:
* Discuss on the talk page
* Seek mediation
* Request page protection if necessary
== 📋 Quick Reference ==
=== Essential Shortcuts ===
* '''Bold:''' <nowiki>'''text'''</nowiki>
* '''Italic:''' <nowiki>''text''</nowiki>
* '''Link:''' <nowiki>[[Page name]]</nowiki>
* '''External:''' <nowiki>[https://example.com Text]</nowiki>
* '''Heading:''' <nowiki>== Heading ==</nowiki>
* '''List:''' <nowiki>* Item</nowiki>
* '''Reference:''' <nowiki><ref>Source</ref></nowiki>
* '''Sign talk pages:''' <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
=== Keyboard Shortcuts ===
* ''Alt+Shift+P'' - Preview
* ''Alt+Shift+S'' - Save
* ''Alt+Shift+V'' - View history
* ''Alt+Shift+E'' - Edit page
* ''Alt+Shift+T'' - Talk page
== 🆘 Getting Help ==
=== Help Resources ===
* '''[[Help:Contents]]''' - Complete help documentation
* '''[[RetroTechCollection:Help desk]]''' - Ask questions
* '''[[RetroTechCollection:Village Pump]]''' - Community discussion
* '''[[Special:RecentChanges]]''' - See editing examples
* '''[[User:Example/sandbox|Your sandbox]]''' - Practice editing
=== Finding Mentors ===
* Look for users with [[Template:User mentor|mentor badges]]
* Check [[RetroTechCollection:Active editors|active editors list]]
* Ask on [[RetroTechCollection:New user help|new user help]]
== 🎯 Next Steps ==
Now that you understand editing basics:
# ''Practice in your [[Special:MyPage/sandbox|sandbox]]''
# ''Start with small edits'' - Fix typos, add links
# ''Expand stubs'' - Add content to short articles
# ''Create new articles'' - Document missing systems
# ''Join a [[RetroTechCollection:WikiProjects|WikiProject]]''
<div style="background-color:#e8f9e8; border:2px solid #28a745; border-radius:10px; padding:20px; margin:20px 0; text-align:center;">
<span style="font-size:150%;">'''Ready to start editing?'''</span><br />
<span style="font-size:120%;">Find an article about your favorite vintage system and improve it!</span><br />
<span style="font-size:110%;">Remember: Be bold, but be careful. Happy editing!</span>
</div>
----
'''Questions?''' Visit the [[RetroTechCollection:Help desk|Help desk]] or leave a message on [[Help talk:Editing|this page's talk page]].
[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Editing]]
[[Category:RetroTechCollection]]

Revision as of 10:07, 25 March 2026

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