Editing Help:Etiquette

This page will help teach you some common courtesy and manners you will find when editing the Chewiki. Please also see our [[Help:Rules|rules]], as they cover much of the same ground to the point that there may be overlap. Regardless, please read this page so you know how to act here.

==Preview before saving==
When editing a page, don't save as soon as you think you're done. Press the preview button to see how everything will look when it's saved, just in case you might have screwed up some formatting, for instance. You can also look over the article and see if you've missed anything. This way, you can avoid spending five minutes repeatedly saving one small section.

==Mark edits as minor==
Fixed a link? Correct some spelling or grammar issues? Maybe added a small note? This is probably a minor edit. Mark it as minor so that users checking the [[Special:Recentchanges|list of recent changes]] can filter it.

==Sign your posts==
On talk pages, sign your posts like so: <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki>. This automatically stamps your username and time of editing on a page. Do not put this anywhere on the main namespace; the signing feature is reserved for discussions only. It will help users keep track of who said what.

==Be respectful to other editors==
Don't go around insulting other editors, even behind their backs. When improving someone else's page, don't make fun of them in your edit summary.

===No personal attacks===
If you dislike a page, feel free to blast the content, but do not make any personal attacks to the writer or say anything that might offend or hurt them. You will be blocked and this is really just poor sportsmanship. Things such as racist/sexist/prejudiced remarks or threats will lead to you being blocked from editing permanently, no ifs ands or buts.

==Explain everything==
When you edit something, it may not be obvious. If you removed something, not everybody will know why. Write in your edit summary a brief explanation for why you changed something. Was the humour not up to standards? Why was somebody else's edit undone? Your reasons will be visible in the page history for future reference.

Now, stating something like "I edited" is useless and redundant, and don't put lies in your edit summary (such as saying "Correcting typos" when you changed "Who can I kill?" into "Who can make me a jizz cocktail?").

==Do not undo an edit just for one reason==
If somebody made major changes to an article and one thing you disliked, don't undo the entire thing. Simply remove the offending part manually so that their information is not lost abruptly. Undoing and reverting edits should be saved for only when it's obvious/vandalism and small. Rollback should be used with care; it undoes all of one user's recent edits immediately, and an edit summary can't be filled in.

==Discuss deletions!==
If you put a page up for deletion, please leave a notice on the talk page or in an edit summary ''why''. We won't delete something just because you don't like it, because other people might and they may want to improve it.

==Ask for help before doing something major==
About to do something that could be potentially controversial? Discuss the idea with other users before doing it. This way you can get support and some ideas. Also view some other pages as examples you can follow, and make sure what you're planning hasn't already been done.

==Don't blank pages==
If you are a pooper and you blank your own page for whatever reason, it will be undone. Doing so is quite frankly stupid, and it limits the usefulness of this wiki. Blanking other pages repeatedly will just get you blocked.

==Do not spam==
If you spam on this wiki repeatedly, you '''will''' be blocked. This includes putting gibberish/nonsense in pages, blanking pages entirely, or advertising. Seriously, go to [[Uncyclopedia]] if you want that stuff.

==Don't vandalize other people's user pages==
A user page belongs to the user. If you vandalize it, that is highly impolite. Adding some more information that is in good spirit is all right.

==Don't start edit wars==
Discuss! Use the talk page; they exist for a reason. That way you and the other users can settle your difficulties and maybe come up with a compromise instead of undoing other people's edits just because.

==Use good humour==
When you're adding humour, we demand ''quality''. Do your jokes involve rape, homosexuality, bodily functions, or possible racist/sexist remarks? If so, don't add them. Those are bottom-of-the-barrel jokes and we will not accept them. Write intelligent or fun, witty humour. We don't need stuff you'd find on ''[[Family Guy]]''. This isn't 100% a rule, per say, but it is recommended, thus it is included here.

==Don't ignore criticism==
If a user has posted on your talk page requesting for you to stop doing something (such as plugging yourself, making stupid pages, or writing in non-English languages), then respect that and follow. If you ignore and continue your ways, you will be blocked.

==Be yourself==
Don't pretend to be a generic Internet tough guy. Act on Chewiki as you would in real life. This is meant to be a '''fun''' website, so just kick back and enjoy.

Of course, if you're a grumpy pessimist with anger issues or simply an unpleasant person in real life, you'll just get banned.