Help:Editing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:07, 25 March 2026

Editing Guide
Your comprehensive guide to editing and contributing to RetroTechCollection Wiki

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.

📚 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 Terms of Use and Getting Started guide

Core Editing Principles

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

💡 Pro tip: Always preview your changes before saving! This helps catch formatting errors and ensures your edit looks correct.

🖋️ Wiki Markup Fundamentals

Text Formatting

You type	You get	Notes
''italic text''	italic text	Two apostrophes on each side
'''bold text'''	bold text	Three apostrophes on each side
'''''bold italic'''''	bold italic	Five apostrophes on each side
<u>underlined</u>	underlined	Use sparingly
<s>strikethrough</s>	~~strikethrough~~	For corrections
<code>inline code</code>	`inline code`	For commands, filenames
<small>small text</small>	small text	For annotations
<big>big text</big>	big text	Deprecated, use sparingly
H<sub>2</sub>O	H₂O	Subscript
E=mc<sup>2</sup>	E=mc²	Superscript

Creating Links

Internal Links

You type	Result	Usage
[[Commodore 64]]	Commodore 64	Basic link
[[Commodore 64\|C64]]	C64	Link with custom text
[[Commodore 64#History]]	Commodore 64#History	Link to section
[[Commodore 64#History\|C64 History]]	C64 History	Section link with custom text
[[Category:Home computers]]	(adds page to category)	Categorize page
[[:Category:Home computers]]	Category:Home computers	Link to category page
[[File:Example.jpg]]	(embeds image)	Embed image
[[:File:Example.jpg]]	File:Example.jpg	Link to image page

External Links

You type	Result
https://example.com	https://example.com
[https://example.com]	[1]
[https://example.com Example site]	Example site
[https://example.com Example site] (archived)	Example site (archived)

Headings and Sections

= 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)

Best practices:

Start with level 2 headings (==)
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

* First item
* Second item
** Sub-item
** Another sub-item
*** Third level
* Back to first level

Results in:

First item
Second item
- Sub-item
- Another sub-item
  - Third level
Back to first level

Ordered Lists

# First step
# Second step
## Sub-step 2.1
## Sub-step 2.2
# Third step

Results in:

First step
Second step
1. Sub-step 2.1
2. Sub-step 2.2
Third step

Definition Lists

; Term 1
: Definition 1
; Term 2
: Definition 2a
: Definition 2b

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 <br /> for forced line break
Indentation: Start line with : (each colon adds a level)
Preformatted text: Start line with space

Example:

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

📊 Tables

Basic Table Structure

{| 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
|}

Advanced Table Features

{| 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''
|}

Results in:

Commodore Computer Specifications
Model	Year	CPU	RAM	Price
Commodore 64	1982	MOS 6510 @ 1MHz	64KB	$595
Commodore 128	1985	MOS 8502 @ 2MHz	128KB	$299
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:

{{Information
|description = Front view of Apple IIe motherboard showing all components
|source = {{own}}
|date = 2024-01-15
|author = [[User:YourUsername]]
|permission = 
|other_versions = 
}}

Image Syntax

Purpose	Syntax	Example
Basic embed	[[File:Example.jpg]]	Displays full-size image
Thumbnail	[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|Caption text]]	Creates thumbnail with caption
Sized image	[[File:Example.jpg\|200px]]	Sets width to 200 pixels
Left align	[[File:Example.jpg\|left\|thumb\|Caption]]	Floats image left
Center	[[File:Example.jpg\|center\|300px]]	Centers image
Gallery	<gallery>...</gallery>	Creates image gallery

Image Gallery Example

<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>

📝 Citations and References

Why Citations Matter

Verify information accuracy
Allow readers to learn more
Establish credibility
Protect against deletion

Basic Citation Format

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>

Common Citation Templates

Book Citation

{{cite book
|last = 
|first = 
|title = 
|year = 
|publisher = 
|isbn = 
|page = 
}}

Magazine Citation

{{cite magazine
|last = 
|first = 
|title = 
|magazine = 
|issue = 
|date = 
|pages = 
|url = 
}}

Web Citation

{{cite web
|url = 
|title = 
|website = 
|date = 
|access-date = 
|archive-url = 
|archive-date = 
}}

Reference List

Add at the bottom of the article:

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://example.com Official website]

[[Category:Appropriate category]]

🎨 Templates

Using Templates

Templates provide consistent formatting. Common templates include:

Infoboxes

{{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]]
}}

Message Boxes

{{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.}}

Navigation Templates

{{Commodore computers}}
{{Home computers of the 1980s}}

🔧 Advanced Techniques

Magic Words

Magic word	Output	Usage
{{PAGENAME}}	Editing	Current page name
{{CURRENTDAY}}	13	Current day
{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}}	July	Current month
{{CURRENTYEAR}}	2026	Current year
__TOC__	(forces table of contents)	Position TOC
__NOTOC__	(hides table of contents)	Hide TOC
__NOEDITSECTION__	(hides edit links)	Hide section editing

Parser Functions

{{#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
}}

Redirects

Create redirects for alternate names:

#REDIRECT [[Commodore 64]]

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:

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

❌ 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: '''text'''
Italic: ''text''
Link: [[Page name]]
External: [https://example.com Text]
Heading: == Heading ==
List: * Item
Reference: <ref>Source</ref>
Sign talk pages: ~~~~

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
Your sandbox - Practice editing

Finding Mentors

Look for users with mentor badges
Check active editors list
Ask on new user help

🧰 Editing Tools

The wiki has several editing tools to speed up article creation:

Infobox Generator — Form-based infobox creation for computers and peripherals
Spec Sheet Importer — Import specs from EveryMac.com and auto-generate infoboxes
Twinkle — Maintenance tagging, page protection, batch operations
HotCat — Click-based category management

See RetroTechCollection:Tools for full documentation and setup instructions.

🎯 Next Steps

Now that you understand editing basics:

Practice in your sandbox
Start with small edits - Fix typos, add links
Expand stubs - Add content to short articles
Create new articles - Document missing systems
Join a WikiProject

Ready to start editing?
Find an article about your favorite vintage system and improve it!
Remember: Be bold, but be careful. Happy editing!

Questions? Visit the Help desk or leave a message on this page's talk page.