Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 01:31, 8 September 2005

I live in Southern Nevada, approxiametly 20 miles from the fabled Vegas Strip. I am completely disabled from an unusual disease. I also suffer from dyslexia; a condition I now believe has been with me my entire life--though I've only become aware of it in the last few years. Though I strive hard to proof my pages, the dyslexia coupled with degenerating eye-sight makes my writing sometimes verge on the incomprehensible. I am a full-time Dad and have a lot of time for my scholarly pursuits and my writing. Though I've made much more progress in the former than the latter, the latter still remains my passion and my goal. I invite correspondence and conversation about all my interests, history, science fiction, paleontology, astronomy, Babylon-5, Dune, Lord of the Rings, English, French, Soviet, Roman and American history and politics (though I am NOT interested in the usual partisan bickering and venom). This is my first stab at this, so I expect it to be an on-going, evolutionary endeavor.

Signing

To sign your comments on Talk pages just type ~~~~ at the end of your comment and Misplaced Pages will automatically insert your Username and a timestamp. AlistairMcMillan 14:41, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

I wasn't suggesting your insert your username on the article pages. Each page has a history, that is where people can identify who contributed what. Just look for the "Page History" link. AlistairMcMillan 14:46, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

For example, Page history. AlistairMcMillan 14:59, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

Reverting

Since you are new here I don't want to discourage you, but please be aware of the Three-revert rule. AlistairMcMillan 16:06, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

IP address

The IP address appears because you weren't logged in at the time you made those edits. It used to be possible to get IP address edits reassigned to your username, however that service doesn't seem to be available at the moment. Changing attribution for an edit AlistairMcMillan 16:15, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

PLEASE help me. I very much appreciate any and all help. There's a lot to digest here. Time is valuable and I thank you for expending a little of yours on helping me. PainMan 16:20, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

I will help anywhere I can. However please do not duplicate information that is covered more appropriately elsewhere. I'm actually going out right now, but I'll check in once I get and answer any questions you have. AlistairMcMillan 16:30, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

Welcome to Misplaced Pages

Sorry if the discussion on Windows 95 is a little strong for your first time edits. Don't let that turn you off. Usually other users see new edits from new users and post a welcome message, but I don't see one here for you. That usually has some helpful information on contributing and such. I'll find one and copy it here for you.

Everyone here is still learning, believe me! If I can help you out, feel free to ask. You might try out some smaller edits to see how they go as you get a hang of it. And not everything happens in real time here. Sometimes even controversial edits on obscure topics go for days (or even never) before being noticed! SchmuckyTheCat 16:45, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

Here's a starter to the community: Misplaced Pages:Simplified Ruleset. You've done well with rule 1. See the caveat to rule 2. :) SchmuckyTheCat 16:49, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

I'm reading the "Wikiquette" page as we exchange these messages. I've violated one of my own, well Voltaire's rules: "Define your terms." I'm out of my depth (on technical issues) and, as a historian, should know (d*mned dyslexia!) better than to repeat what's apparently gossip I can't (or am unwilling to) source.

So I'm feeling rather chagrined at the moment.

PainMan 16:55, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

Having just read Wikiquette, bad article ideas, simplified ruleset, I think I'm more confused than I was. Obviously, I'm going to have to digest this material. Some of its seems paradoxical, e.g. there seems to much more ink (so to speaK) spent on what wikipedia is not rather than what it is. As this is an intial impression, I hope it changes.

But at the moment I kind of feel like I've been assinged to learn how to pilot the space shuttle by being dropped into the cockpit as its starting the landing cycle. My hair's on fire and my face is rather flushed.

Certainly not the first time I've jumped in with both feet without checking the depth. :o)

Well, we learn by doing, not pouting. Unfortunately, pouting is much easier. I now understand the paradigm better. I'm still not sure why a short history of GUI evolution is undesirable in article on the most important GUI ever created, but, to quote a certain Tarantino character, I'm trying real hard.

PainMan 17:25, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

well, it's about topic. The topic of Windows 95 is neither Microsoft, anti-trust, the history of the GUI, etc. Since there is an article specific to the GUI, that's the most appropriate place to put it's history.

I read your stuff on Will Durant. I'd never heard of him before. It doesn't look bad to me - not that I'd know.

And, I wouldn't necessarily decline to edit articles where you aren't an expert - be bold! Maybe think twice about huge blocks of text, or propose them on the talk page of the article to see how other people take to it for large changes. SchmuckyTheCat 21:28, 14 May 2005 (UTC)

Logging In

Hi,

just looking at your entries regarding problems logging in, although I am not sure that you will check this page if you cannot log in. I'm a mac person, so can't really help you, but it might be worth posting to the Village pump. By the nature of wikipedia there is no real single webmaster.

Good luck -- postglock 4 July 2005 02:58 (UTC)

• No problem, any time! Just bought a Mac Mini recently myself, which is well worth the price! (BTW, to sign your posts on talk pages, type ~~~~. this just makes a link back to your own page.--postglock 07:33, 13 July 2005 (UTC)

Discussions!

Pls feel free to email me to discuss all and sundry. Intellectuals can die of thirst in this country so I welcome all informed correspondence, whether you agree with me or not. As my grandfather used to say, you never learn anything if you only talk to people with whom you agree.