Rules and guidelines: Difference between revisions

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(quick rewrite of Naming Conventions; someone PLEASE REVIEW my changes)
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'''Note that the rules below are not current. See instead [[In-House Style]].''' (Check out [[Talk:Rules]] for a discussion of how and why the rules have been or will be changed.)
'''Note that the rules below are in the process of being revised. See [[Talk:Rules]] and [[In-House Style]] for details.'''




==Before Creating a New Article==
==Before Creating a New Article==
Before you create a new article in the knowledge base, check to see if the topic hasn't already been covered somewhere. Do a search and browse the relevant sections. Even though it might seem logical to you that a certain topic would be located in <nowiki>[[Firefox : FAQs]]</nowiki>, for example, it might actually be located in <nowiki>[[Firefox : Tips]]</nowiki>. Check first before making a new article.
Before you create a new article in the knowledge base, check to see if the topic hasn't already been covered somewhere. Do a search and browse the relevant articles. You don't want to waste time by adding information that already exists.
 
 
==Naming Conventions==
==Naming Conventions==
In general, try to use [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Naming_conventions Wikipedia's Naming conventions] except when these differ from what is described below.
In general, try to use [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Naming_conventions Wikipedia's Naming conventions] except when these differ from what is described below.
===Specify the Application===
When you create a new article, specify the application to which the article applies by putting "Firefox", "Thunderbird", or "Mozilla Suite" in parentheses at the end of the name of the article. If the article applies to two or more products, then omit the parentheses and do not specify the applications in the title.<br><br>
Examples where the article applies to just one application:
* [[Upgrading (Firefox)]]
* [[Links (Mozilla Suite)]]
Examples where the article applies to two or more applications:
* [[Junk Mail Controls]]
* [[Profile Folder]]
Note: this is a change from the old naming convention, in which article titles indicated whether articles were "FAQs", "Tips", or "Issues" (e.g., [[Thunderbird : FAQs : Global Inbox]]). Many of the existing articles were created under the old naming system and have not yet been renamed. Please do '''not''' follow this old naming system when creating new articles.
===Application Names===
Application name links should only use the application name, such as "Firefox" or "Thunderbird", '''not''' "Mozilla Firefox" or "Mozilla Thunderbird". The exception is the Mozilla Suite, which should be linked to and called "Mozilla Suite", not "Mozilla", "Suite", "Seamonkey", or any other name.
* Bad: <nowiki>[[Bookmarks (Mozilla Firefox)]]</nowiki>
* Bad: <nowiki>[[Profile Locked (Suite)]]</nowiki>
Layout issues or other things should use Gecko as the application name.
===Use Short Titles===
When possible, use short page titles. There's no need for a link to include the entire grammatically complete form of a question, especially when a few descriptive words would suffice.
*Good: <nowiki>[[Send Page or Link (Mozilla Suite)]]</nowiki>
* Bad: <nowiki>[[Use Send Page or Send Link to tell your friends about a great webpage (Mozilla Suite)]]</nowiki>
===Capitalization===
===Capitalization===
* Use capital letters for the first letter of each main word in a title.
Use capital letters for the first letter of each main word in a title.
**Good: <nowiki>[[Thunderbird : FAQs : Open in Inbox]]</nowiki>
*Good: <nowiki>[[Open in Inbox (Thunderbird)]</nowiki>
**Bad: <nowiki>[[Thunderbird : FAQs : Open in inbox]]</nowiki>
*Bad: <nowiki>[[Open in inbox (Thunderbird)]]</nowiki>
===Categorization===
 
* Especially for articles dealing with Firefox, Thunderbird, and the Suite, categorize new articles by using colons (with a space before and after each) rather than with slashes (/) and no spaces.
 
**Good: <nowiki>[[Firefox : Tips : Profile]]</nowiki>
==Article Categories==
**Bad: <nowiki>[[Firefox/Profile|Profile]]</nowiki>
(Please refer to the discussion at [[Talk:Rules/Categories]] until the guidelines for categories are finalized and written up.)
* If you are uncertain about what category to use, then look at other articles and try to follow the conventions they use. Because the knowledge base contains articles for the Suite, Firefox, and Thunderbird (and more!), it is generally important to provide some degree of categorization, particularly since users sometimes find articles via search. If the page title does not indicate which product the article is for, it can be confusing for end-users.
* In some cases, such as when an article applies to two or more products (Firefox, Thunderbird, or the Suite), it may be best to use no categorization at all. The [[Profile Folder | <nowiki>[[Profile Folder]]</nowiki>]] article is a good example of this.
===Use Short Titles===
* When possible, use short page titles. This eases linkability and avoids the current layout bug of long titles overlapping the search box.  There's no need for a link to include the entire grammatically complete form of a question, especially when a few descriptive words would suffice.
**Good: <nowiki>[[Mozilla Suite : Tips : Send Page or Link]]</nowiki>
** Bad: <nowiki>[[Mozilla Suite : Tips : Use Send Page or Send Link to tell your friends about a great webpage]]</nowiki>


===Application Names===
* Application name links should only use the application name, such as "Firefox" or "Thunderbird", not "Mozilla Firefox" or "Mozilla Thunderbird". The exception is the Suite, which should be linked to and called "Mozilla Suite", not "Mozilla", "Suite", "Seamonkey", or any other name.
** Bad: <nowiki>[[Mozilla Firefox : FAQs : Bookmarks]]</nowiki>
** Bad: <nowiki>[[Suite : Issues : Profile Locked]]</nowiki>
* Layout issues or other things should use Gecko as the application name.  As noted above, when an article applies to more than one application in a way that it would be wasteful to split up the articles because they would be practically identical, it may be best to dispose of the categories and just have the plain article title.


==Editing Courtesy==
==Editing Courtesy==
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* Accept changes to your entries in a spirit of helpfulness.   
* Accept changes to your entries in a spirit of helpfulness.   
* If someone consistently makes certain types of mistakes or formatting quirks, consider placing a message in their User page.
* If someone consistently makes certain types of mistakes or formatting quirks, consider placing a message in their User page.
==Superfluous Information==
==Superfluous Information==
* In knowledge base articles, do not insert signatures, links to sites that are not related to Mozilla products, or other superfluous information. If you want to give a link to your own personal website, for example, then put it in your User page, not in the article. In short, if the information or link is not directly related to the topic of the article, then don't include it in the article.
* In knowledge base articles, do not insert signatures, links to sites that are not related to Mozilla products, or other superfluous information. If you want to give a link to your own personal website, for example, then put it in your User page, not in the article. In short, if the information or link is not directly related to the topic of the article, then don't include it in the article.
* Of course, signatures are welcome (even helpful) in the Talk pages, so do not hesitate to use them there.
* Of course, signatures are welcome (even helpful) in the Talk pages, so do not hesitate to use them there.


==Test Editing Pages==
==Test Editing Pages==

Revision as of 16:33, 26 March 2005

Note that the rules below are in the process of being revised. See Talk:Rules and In-House Style for details.


Before Creating a New Article

Before you create a new article in the knowledge base, check to see if the topic hasn't already been covered somewhere. Do a search and browse the relevant articles. You don't want to waste time by adding information that already exists.


Naming Conventions

In general, try to use Wikipedia's Naming conventions except when these differ from what is described below.

Specify the Application

When you create a new article, specify the application to which the article applies by putting "Firefox", "Thunderbird", or "Mozilla Suite" in parentheses at the end of the name of the article. If the article applies to two or more products, then omit the parentheses and do not specify the applications in the title.

Examples where the article applies to just one application:

Examples where the article applies to two or more applications:

Note: this is a change from the old naming convention, in which article titles indicated whether articles were "FAQs", "Tips", or "Issues" (e.g., Thunderbird : FAQs : Global Inbox). Many of the existing articles were created under the old naming system and have not yet been renamed. Please do not follow this old naming system when creating new articles.

Application Names

Application name links should only use the application name, such as "Firefox" or "Thunderbird", not "Mozilla Firefox" or "Mozilla Thunderbird". The exception is the Mozilla Suite, which should be linked to and called "Mozilla Suite", not "Mozilla", "Suite", "Seamonkey", or any other name.

  • Bad: [[Bookmarks (Mozilla Firefox)]]
  • Bad: [[Profile Locked (Suite)]]

Layout issues or other things should use Gecko as the application name.

Use Short Titles

When possible, use short page titles. There's no need for a link to include the entire grammatically complete form of a question, especially when a few descriptive words would suffice.

  • Good: [[Send Page or Link (Mozilla Suite)]]
  • Bad: [[Use Send Page or Send Link to tell your friends about a great webpage (Mozilla Suite)]]

Capitalization

Use capital letters for the first letter of each main word in a title.

  • Good: [[Open in Inbox (Thunderbird)]
  • Bad: [[Open in inbox (Thunderbird)]]


Article Categories

(Please refer to the discussion at Talk:Rules/Categories until the guidelines for categories are finalized and written up.)


Editing Courtesy

  • Any time you edit a page, please add a short comment in the "Summary" field about the change you made. This makes it easier for others to see what has changed. Importantly, it can help make it easier for us to distinguish knowledge base spamming/vandalism from legitimate contributions.
  • If you find yourself wanting to change an entry back to an earlier revision, ask yourself if the current version had a useful purpose, and whether it really is necessary to change it back.
  • Document reasons for potentially controversial changes on the Talk pages.
  • Accept changes to your entries in a spirit of helpfulness.
  • If someone consistently makes certain types of mistakes or formatting quirks, consider placing a message in their User page.


Superfluous Information

  • In knowledge base articles, do not insert signatures, links to sites that are not related to Mozilla products, or other superfluous information. If you want to give a link to your own personal website, for example, then put it in your User page, not in the article. In short, if the information or link is not directly related to the topic of the article, then don't include it in the article.
  • Of course, signatures are welcome (even helpful) in the Talk pages, so do not hesitate to use them there.


Test Editing Pages

  • A sandbox for showing off the wiki's features.
  • Another test page - Now with extra markup tests!
  • If you want to do some silly tests using a page use this page.