Help:Getting Started

Welcome to RetroTechCollection Wiki!
Your journey into preserving vintage technology history starts here

New to wikis? Don't worry! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start contributing to our vintage technology knowledge base. Take it step by step, and you'll be editing like a pro in no time.

🚀 Quick Start Checklist

✓	Task	Why It's Important
☐	Create an account	Lets you edit pages and build your reputation
☐	Set up your user page	Introduce yourself to the community
☐	Read our mission	Understand what content belongs here
☐	Learn core policies	Know the basic rules before editing
☐	Make your first edit	Start with something small and simple
☐	Join the community	Connect with other vintage tech enthusiasts

📝 Creating Your Account

Why Create an Account?

While you can browse the wiki without an account, registered users can:

• Edit and create articles
• Upload images and documents
• Participate in discussions
• Create a user page
• Build a contribution history
• Access additional tools
• Receive notifications about topics you follow

How to Register

1. Click Create account in the top right corner
2. Choose a username that:
   • Is easy to remember
   • Doesn't impersonate anyone
   • Follows our username policy
   • Will represent you well in the community
3. Enter a valid email address (required for:)
   • Password recovery
   • Important notifications
   • Confirming your account
4. Create a strong password
5. Complete the CAPTCHA to prove you're human
6. Read and accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
7. Click "Create your account"
8. Check your email and click the confirmation link

⚠️ Age Requirement: You must be at least 13 years old to create an account on RetroTechCollection Wiki.

👤 Setting Up Your User Page

Your user page is your home on the wiki. It's where you can introduce yourself and share your interests in vintage technology.

Creating Your User Page

1. Once logged in, click on your username (top right)
2. Click "Create" to start your user page
3. Add some basic information:

{{User infobox
|image = 
|name = YourUsername
|joined = {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}
|interests = [[Apple II]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Vintage Gaming]]
|expertise = Hardware repair, ROM dumping
|location = United Kingdom
}}

== About Me ==
Hello! I'm passionate about preserving vintage technology...

== My Collection ==
* [[Apple IIe]] with DuoDisk
* [[ZX Spectrum]] 48K
* [[Atari 2600]] with 50+ cartridges

== Current Projects ==
* Restoring a [[Commodore PET]] 2001
* Documenting [[TRS-80]] software

== Contact ==
* Feel free to leave a message on my [[User talk:YourUsername|talk page]]

User Page Best Practices

• Keep it relevant to vintage technology
• Don't share too much personal information
• Update it as your interests evolve
• Link to articles you've significantly contributed to
• Be welcoming and approachable

🎯 Understanding Our Mission

What We Document

RetroTechCollection Wiki focuses on:

Category	Examples	Time Period
Computers	Personal computers, mainframes, minicomputers	Pre-2000 primarily
Gaming Systems	Consoles, handhelds, arcade machines	1970s-1990s
Software	Operating systems, applications, games	Historical versions
Peripherals	Monitors, printers, storage devices	Vintage models
Companies	Manufacturers, developers, key figures	Historical focus
Culture	Magazines, user groups, BBS systems	Computing history

What Makes a Good Article

• Factual: Based on verifiable information
• Neutral: Presenting all viewpoints fairly
• Comprehensive: Covering all important aspects
• Well-sourced: Citations for claims
• Illustrated: Images where possible
• Organized: Clear structure and sections

📚 Core Policies Overview

Before editing, understand these five pillars:

1. 📊 Neutral Point of View (NPOV)

• Present facts, not opinions
• Include all significant viewpoints
• Don't advocate or advertise
• Let readers form their own opinions

Example:

• ❌ "The Amiga was the best computer of the 1980s"
• ✅ "The Amiga was noted for its advanced graphics and sound capabilities"

2. ✅ Verifiability

• Information must be verifiable from reliable sources
• Add citations for factual claims
• Use reputable sources (books, magazines, manuals)
• No original research or personal theories

How to cite: The Apple II sold over 6 million units.<ref>{{cite book |title=Apple Confidential 2.0 |author=Linzmayer, Owen |year=2004 |page=45}}</ref>

3. 🚫 Moderated Original Research

• When you publish your own discoveries, these edits will be verified.
• Don't synthesize information to reach new conclusions
• Stick to what sources explicitly state
• Personal experiences belong on talk pages, not articles

4. 📝 Free Content

• All contributions are released under Creative Commons
• Only upload images you own or that are freely licensed
• Respect copyright at all times
• Fair use is limited and must be justified

5. 🤝 Civility

• Treat everyone with respect
• Assume good faith in others' actions
• Discuss content, not contributors
• Resolve disputes calmly

✏️ Making Your First Edit

Finding Something to Edit

Start small with these beginner-friendly tasks:

1. Fix typos and grammar
   • Browse articles about systems you know
   • Look for obvious spelling errors
   • Improve awkward phrasing

1. Add missing information
   • Technical specifications
   • Release dates
   • Model variations
   • Compatible peripherals

1. Improve formatting
   • Add section headers
   • Create lists where appropriate
   • Fix broken links

1. Add citations
   • Find sources for uncited claims
   • Use books, manuals, or magazines you own

How to Edit

1. Navigate to any article
2. Click the "Edit" tab at the top
3. Make your changes in the text editor
4. Preview your changes (always do this!)
5. Write an edit summary explaining what you did
6. Click "Save changes"

Basic Wiki Markup

What you want	What you type	What you get
Bold text	'''bold text'''	bold text
Italic text	''italic text''	italic text
Internal link	[[Commodore 64]]	Commodore 64
External link	[https://example.com Example]	Example
Section header	== Header ==	(Creates a section)
Bullet list	* Item one * Item two	• Item one • Item two
Numbered list	# First # Second	1. First 2. Second

Your First Edit Checklist

Before saving:

• ✓ Is my information accurate?
• ✓ Is it written neutrally?
• ✓ Did I preview my changes?
• ✓ Did I write a clear edit summary?
• ✓ Am I improving the article?

🖼️ Working with Images

Uploading Images

1. Use Special:Upload
2. Ensure you have rights to the image:
   • Photos you took yourself
   • Images with free licenses
   • Public domain material
   • Fair use (with justification)
3. Choose a descriptive filename
4. Fill out the information template:

{{Information
|description = Front view of Apple IIe computer
|source = Own work
|date = 2024-01-15
|author = [[User:YourUsername]]
|permission = 
|other_versions = 
}}

Image Best Practices

• Quality: High resolution but reasonable file size
• Relevance: Directly related to article content
• Captions: Always add descriptive captions
• Galleries: Use for multiple related images
• Fair use: Only when necessary, with full rationale

📖 Creating New Articles

Before You Start

Ask yourself:

1. Is this topic notable enough?
2. Can I find reliable sources?
3. Does an article already exist?
4. Is it within our scope?

Notability Guidelines

A topic is notable if it has:

• Significant coverage in reliable sources
• Historical importance to computing
• Lasting impact on technology
• Multiple independent sources discussing it

Creating Your Article

1. Search first to ensure it doesn't exist
2. Click the red link or use the search box
3. Start with this basic structure:

{{Infobox computer
|name = Computer Name
|image = 
|manufacturer = [[Company Name]]
|type = Personal computer
|release date = 1985
|discontinued = 1990
|processor = CPU details
|memory = RAM amount
|storage = Storage type
}}

The '''Computer Name''' was a personal computer manufactured by [[Company Name]] from 1985 to 1990.

== History ==
Development began in...

== Technical specifications ==
* '''Processor:''' 
* '''Memory:''' 
* '''Storage:''' 
* '''Display:''' 

== Software ==
The system ran...

== Reception ==
Contemporary reviews...

== Legacy ==
The Computer Name influenced...

== See also ==
* [[Related Computer]]
* [[Competing System]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://example.com Official documentation]

[[Category:Personal computers]]
[[Category:1985 in computing]]

🤝 Getting Help

Where to Ask Questions

• Help pages - Comprehensive documentation
• Village Pump - General discussion
• Help desk - New user questions
• User talk pages - Message experienced editors
• Recent changes - See what others are doing

Finding Mentors

Look for:

• Editors with "Mentor" userboxes
• Active administrators
• Editors working on similar topics
• Members of relevant WikiProjects

Common New User Mistakes

Mistake	Why It's Wrong	Better Approach
Adding opinions	Violates NPOV	Stick to facts with sources
Copying from websites	Copyright violation	Write in your own words
Creating autobiographies	Conflict of interest	Focus on notable topics
Edit warring	Disrupts the wiki	Discuss on talk pages
Promotional content	Not encyclopedic	Write neutrally

🛠️ Useful Tools and Features

Editor Tools

• Watchlist - Monitor articles you care about
• Contributions - Track your edit history
• Preferences - Customize your experience
• Sandbox - Practice editing safely

Advanced Features

As you gain experience:

• Learn templates for consistency
• Use categories to organize articles
• Create redirects for alternate names
• Participate in deletion discussions
• Join WikiProjects in your interest areas

🎓 Next Steps

Beginner Goals

1. Week 1: Make 5 small edits
2. Week 2: Add your first citation
3. Week 3: Significantly expand a section
4. Month 1: Create your first article

Intermediate Goals

• Adopt an article to improve
• Join a WikiProject
• Participate in community discussions
• Help other new users
• Work toward autoconfirmed status

Advanced Goals

• Become a subject matter expert
• Create featured content
• Mentor new users
• Consider administrator nomination
• Develop wiki tools or templates

📋 Quick Reference

Essential Pages

• Recent changes - What's happening now
• Random article - Discover new topics
• Wanted pages - Articles that need creating
• Short pages - Articles needing expansion
• RetroTechCollection Community - Get involved

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Alt+Shift+E - Edit page
• Alt+Shift+V - View history
• Alt+Shift+T - Talk page
• Alt+Shift+M - Move page
• Alt+Shift+W - Watch page

🎉 Welcome to the Community!

Remember:

• Be bold in editing, but not reckless
• Everyone was new once - don't be afraid to ask
• Mistakes are okay - they can be fixed
• Have fun - this is a hobby for most of us
• Quality over quantity - better to do one thing well

Ready to make your first edit?
Start with a random article or wanted pages and look for something to improve or create!

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Still have questions? Visit the Help desk or leave a message on the talk page.