From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the most important functions of your user page is to enable you to introduce yourself to the Wikipedia community. As people get to know each other better, it (usually) becomes easier for them to work with each other, and this helps create a sense of community. As with every aspect of user pages, users' coverage of themselves is highly unique and may span many different areas. These subjects may be presented in sections or as seperate subpages. Here are some of the things which users have included about themselves on their user pages:

Contents 1 Userboxes 2 Categories 3 Memberships and affiliations 3.1 WikiProjects 3.2 Esperanza 3.3 Counter Vandalism Unit 3.4 Recent changes patrol 4 Wikiactivities 5 Bio 6 Interests 7 Picture (portrait) 8 WikiStatus 8.1 In special proceedings 8.2 Availability status 8.2.1 In/Out 8.3 WikiBreak 8.4 WikiStress 9 Favorite pages 10 Contributions 11 WikiHopes/WikiDreams 12 WikiMgt 13 WikiPhilosophy 14 Awards (Barnstarium) 15 Thus, a barnstarium that looks like this: 15.1 Awards 15.1.1 Thanks for helping a newbie! 15.1.2 RfA 15.1.3 Barnstar 15.2 Smashing! 15.3 Barnstar 15.3.1 Congrats. You deserved it. 15.4 Award 16 Can be converted to look like this: 17 Or this: 18 Or this: 19 Or even this:

[edit] Userboxes

Main article: Wikipedia:Userboxes

Userboxes are small stylized boxes with a graphic and some text which users use to describe themselves. Some users employ userboxes exclusively to tell about themselves, while most use them to supplement the material about themselves on their userpages. Userboxes typically make statements about a user's skills, attributes, personality, interests, views, and affiliations.

Userboxes are of further use because many of them automatically place a user in a Wikipedia category (these categories serve as a directory of Wikipedians). The primary purpose of userboxes and user categories is to inform other Wikipedians to ways you might be able to aid them in editing. For instance, if you speak a language besides English, or have expertise in a particular field, other users will know they can contact you for assistance.

Here's a userbox directory to help you find userboxes for your user page:

v • d • e WikiProject Userboxes
Language	Languages · Non-ISO languages and dialects · Writing systems · Programming languages · Grammar
Interests	WikiProjects · Comedy · Computing · Food · Games · History · Mathematics · Music · Science · Sports · Miscellaneous Media       Books · Film · Television · Radio · Newsprint · Comics · Anime and manga
Life	Education · Health · Life · Profession · Religion · Zodiac
Location and time	Location   Africa · Americas (Argentina • Brazil • Canada • U.S.)  · Asia · Europe (Germany • Spain • UK)  · Oceania Time        Seasonal · Time zones
Other	Emoticons · Userboxes · Wikipedia  · Encycloboxes
See also  Userbox migration · Userbox policy · New userboxes · Make userboxes

See also:

• Category:Original Wikipedian userboxes
• GUS directory

Complete instructions for how to design new userboxes and how to display userboxes on your userpage can be found at: Wikipedia:Userboxes. Here's a quick example on how to display userboxes, using the Babel template:

{{Babel|wikipedia/Administrator|en|es-2|de-1|piano-4|violin-4|viola-3|:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Firefox|sfri|osx}}

After each " | " (pipe seperator) is the name of a userbox. Just put in the ones that apply to you (from the userbox directory), as many as there are. This will place a column of userboxes down the right-hand side of your page.

[edit] Categories

As mentioned above, there is a directory of Wikipedians included in Wikipedia's category system. Many userboxes automatically enter you into one of these categories, but if you'd rather not display userboxes for this purpose, you could add the category tags manually to your user page. Category tags are placed at the end of the page, and look like this:

[[Category:type in the category name here]]
[[Category:Categories]]
[[Category:Fundamental]]
[[Category:Wikipedians]]

It is important to place yourself in the member directory so that other Wikipedians can find you based upon your skills and experience. They may need help on an article that you are particularly qualified to assist with.

[edit] Memberships and affiliations

Many users list the Wikipedia suborganizations they are members of, the other Wikimedia projects they are involved in, even other wikis, and organizations IRL ("in real life"). You can simply list them, or use the graphics and userboxes provided throughout Wikipedia by the suborgs. Here are some examples:

[edit] WikiProjects

WikiProjects are teams of Wikipedians dedicated to working on articles of a particular subject, or to develop a specific aspect of Wikipedia. Wikiprojects help to organize and coordinate a team's efforts.

Wikiprojects are overseen by the WikiProject Council and are listed on the Wikiproject directory. Userboxes for Wikiproject membership are listed at Wikipedia:Userboxes/WikiProjects. Here are some examples:

[edit] Esperanza

Esperanza is Wikipedia's mutual support group. Esperanzians help boost morale and reduce wikistress.

[edit] Counter Vandalism Unit

Code:	Results in:
{{user CUV}}	CUV This user is dedicated to cleaning up vandalism.
{{user CVU1-en}}	This user is a member of the Counter-Vandalism Unit.
{{user CVU2-en}}	This user is a member of the Counter-Vandalism Unit.
{{user CVU3-en}}	This user is a member of the Counter-Vandalism Unit.

If you prefer not to use userboxes, you can add yourself to Category:Counter-Vandalism Unit members.

[edit] Recent changes patrol

[edit] Wikiactivities

A summary or list of the pages, projects, or programs you are currently working on.

[edit] Bio

• Real-world bio
  • Tell us about yourself.
  • Real-world travels - many users like to present where they've been by displaying the flag of each country they've visited. Flags are conveniently available on the List of countries. Some users even sort or categorize the places visited by how long they stayed there (years, months, weeks, days, etc.).
  • Profile
    • Name:
    • Location:
    • Birthday:
    • Wikipedian since:
    • Sysop since:
    • Wiki status:
    • Religion:
    • Politics:
    • Favorite color:

• WikiBio - a summary of you life experiences on Wikipedia. How it's helped you, how you have helped it, and interesting things that have happened to you or affected you here. Some users like to format their activities or achievments here in specific ways, such as in the form of:
  • WikiTimeline
  • WikiMilestones
  • WikiLog
• Worldview
  • Expressed via userboxes
  • Provided as a list of article links
  • Provided as an essay (state your opinions), with key terms linkified
  • Many users have taken the quiz at http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=23320, and then posted the results on their user page
• Personality
  • Check out the personality tests at Tomorrowland.

[edit] Interests

• Real-world interests
• WikiInterests

[edit] Picture (portrait)

• Real portrait
• Avatar
• Joke pic
  • For an example, see User:ClockworkSoul and take a look at his pic under "The real world me"

[edit] WikiStatus

[edit] In special proceedings

An example:

This user is currently on editor review. You may comment about his or her edits at Wikipedia:Editor review/Anthony cfc/studio/aboutyou

When placed on your main userpage, this template links to your editor review (assuming you are actually in one).

[edit] Availability status

This ranges from where you are at the moment to longer-term indicators like messages to warn other users that you are inactive or temporarily unavailable.

[edit] In/Out

Some users check in and out the same way office workers do, placing a notice on their userpages to indicate whether they are currently on Wikipedia or not...

Or you can build a system using these dots:

For an example of a system using these dots, see Bearly541's user page design. It's comprised of the pages User:Bearly541/Status and User:Bearly541/Status2. If you'd like to use it, you'll need to copy those 2 pages to your userspace (as subpages of your userpage). Then place {{User:your username/Status}} on your header page (or on each page you wish to use it). To change the status, edit the status word on the /Status page.

Or just use a message box:

This user will be slightly busy due to work, and expects to be less active on Wikipedia for a few days. But please feel free to contact me here!.

[edit] WikiBreak

In the event that you aren't going to be around for a bit, it is a courtesy to let other users know that you are away, so that they don't falsely expect a reply to the messages they leave you, or report you missing. Here are some sample messages:

This user is on wikibreak, but will be back after ___________. Feel free to leave messages, and I will reply to them upon my return.

[edit] WikiStress

Here are a couple stress meters to display your current mental state on your userpage:

These are actually sets of images, in which you place the appropriate image (or specify it if you use a template). The full sets are provided for your convenience below:

[edit] Favorite pages

Provide a custom tour of Wikipedia via links. Some examples:

• Favorite articles
• Favorite bad jokes
• Favorite movies
• Favorite music
• Favorite books

[edit] Contributions

• (explain special page here)
• Edit counter
• Created pages
• Major additions

[edit] WikiHopes/WikiDreams

Share your vision of the Wikipedia of the future, and your place in it.

[edit] WikiMgt

User pages are intended as tools not just to help you communicate with other users, but also to help you organize your own Wikipedia-based efforts. User pages are often used to keep track of:

• WikiGoals - what ends you are striving for
• WikiPlans - how you plan to do it
• WikiSchedule - when you plan to do it
• WikiTasks - to do lists, task lists, etc.
• Wish list - if only... (fill in the blank)
• WikiLog - see also contributions

[edit] WikiPhilosophy

A Wikiphilosophy is one's beliefs about what Wikipedia should be, how Wikipedia should be run, where's it's going, and how it will get there. All Wikipedians have a wikiphilosophy whether they are aware of it or not. Some users present their wikiviews on their user page for all to see, as diatribe, or as (of course) userboxes. Here are some known wikiphilosophies:

Code	Result
{{user dar}} links talk view	dar This user is a Wikipedia darwikinist.
{{user delete}} links talk view	del This user is a Wikipedia deletionist.
{{user delu}} links talk view	delu This user is a Wikipedia delusionist.
{{user even}} links talk view	even This editor is a Wikipedia eventualist.
{{user exclu}} links talk view	exclu This user is a Wikipedia exclusionist.
{{user exo}} links talk view	exo This user is a Wikipedia exopedianist.
{{user imm}} links talk view	imm This user is a Wikipedia immediatist.
{{user incl}} links talk view	incl This user is a Wikipedia inclusionist.
{{user increm}} links talk view	increm This user is a Wikipedia incrementalist.
{{user merge}} links talk view	merge This user is a Wikipedia mergist.
{{user AWWDMBJAWGCAWAIFDSPBATDMTD}} links talk view	This user is a member of Association of Wikipedians Who Dislike Making Broad Judgments About the Worthiness of a General Category of Article, and Who Are in Favor of the Deletion of Some Particularly Bad Articles, but That Doesn't Mean They Are Deletionists.
{{user meta}} links talk view	meta This user is a Wikipedia metapedian.
{{user flexible}} links talk view	Flexible This user deals with edits, deletion, and creation of pages individually instead of unilaterally and encourages others to do so.
{{user nopixuseless}} links talk view	This user believes that articles are useless without images.
{{user everyone}} links talk view	Non nobis solum.
{{User:Ccool2ax/Notability hurts}} links talk view	This user feels that deletions subject to a popularity contest rather than a verifiability test damage Wikipedia more than any userbox ever could.

[edit] Awards (Barnstarium)

Wikipedians are encouraged to award other users who go beyond the call of duty. You may have received such an award in recognition of your efforts. The most prevalent type of award on Wikipedia are barnstars. Barnstars are generally awarded on your talk page, but there they would eventually be archived with the rest of your messages, and forgotten about. Therefore many users copy them to a display section or subpage of their user page. In this way, their barnstars serve as badges of honor or as informal credentials of their performance on Wikipedia. Such a section is usually just labeled "Awards", but can also be called "Barnstarium", "Trophy room", etc.

Awards come in many formats and even in different styles, but some users integrate their awards as elements of their user page design and change the awards' format and style in order to do so. Barnstars usually come in one of 3 formats/styles: barnstar banners, barnstar in an image frame, or as ribbons (modeled after military awards).

You can convert any of these to any other of these...

[edit] Thus, a barnstarium that looks like this:

[edit] Awards

[edit] Thanks for helping a newbie!

Filmcom 14:36, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

I just want to thank you for building on my tip and making it a true wikipedia tip of the day. I'm still learning a lot about how to do things around here, so your help was greatly appreciated! Keep up the great work, and keep on Going for it!

[edit] RfA

I declined it. This gesture was one of the nicest gestures I have received in WP. You don't know how much I appreciate it. And here you get a nice little sun to your talk page, hope it will find a place in your archives ;) Renata 00:16, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Barnstar

You're welcome, you absoutely deserve it! -- Natalya 17:58, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Smashing!

You've done a great job getting the Tip of the Day off the ground. As a result, I think you deserve this! smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 17:52, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		For everyone who worked so hard on the Main Page redesign, we all deserve a barnstar! HereToHelp 01:05, 19 March 2006 (UTC) Seconded :-) +sj + 10:00, 22 March 2006 (UTC) Yep, that was a tedious project. Good job. --Go for it! 03:20, 29 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Barnstar

[edit] Congrats. You deserved it.

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		Go for it! earned this barnstar for tireless contributions to the Community Portal and Tip of the Day. (^'-')^ Covington 05:19, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

Congrats. Don't forget to wind it up every other day. (^'-')^ Covington 05:20, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Award

		The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
		Your kindess was not random, because you were kind enough to listen to my requests to fix my userpage. Your major kindness will not be ignored, as this BarnStar is my token of appreciation! Kyo catmeow! 01:59, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for teaching me how to use smilies! I'll be using these more often! Kyo cat^meow! 01:59, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Can be converted to look like this:

The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar|I award this random acts of kindness Barnstar to Go for It! for being very helpful to a newcomer wikipedian, without being asked to.Filmcom 19:41, 23 February 2006 (UTC)]]	Your gesture was one of the nicest gestures I have received in WP. You don't know how much I appreciate it.  ;) Renata 00:16, 21 February 2006 (UTC)]]	This Working Man's Barnstar is awarded to Go for it! for your tireless and diligent work on the reference desk templates! -- Natalya 19:37, 25 March 2006 (UTC)]]	You've done a smashing job getting the Tip of the day off the ground. As a result, I think you deserve this! smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 17:52, 9 March 2006 (UTC)]]
The Tireless Contributor Barnstar for everyone who worked so hard on the Main Page redesign. HereToHelp, +sj +, Go for it! 03:20, 29 March 2006 (UTC)}} - Good job!]]	The Tireless Contributor Barnstar goes to Go for it! for tireless contributions to the Community Portal and Tip of the Day. Congrats. Don't forget to wind it up every other day.(^'-')^ Covington 05:19, 1 May 2006 (UTC)]]	For going above and beyond the call of duty at Esperanza/Admin coaching, I award you this Original Barnstar. Good work! --Fang Aili talk 18:34, 1 November 2006 (UTC)]]	Your kindess was not random, because you were kind enough to listen to my requests to fix my userpage. Your major kindness will not be ignored, as this BarnStar is my token of appreciation! Kyo catmeow! 01:59, 24 November 2006 (UTC)]]

[edit] Or this:

		The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
		I award this random acts of kindness Barnstar to Go for It! for being very helpful to a newcomer wikipedian, without being asked to.Filmcom 19:41, 23 February 2006 (UTC)]]

Image:Order of Smile.png		Order of Smiles
		Your gesture was one of the nicest I have received in WP. You don't know how much I appreciate it. And here you get a nice little sun to your talk page, hope it will find a place in your archives ;) Renata 00:16, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

		This Working Man's Barnstar
		is awarded to Go for it! for your tireless and diligent work on the reference desk templates! -- Natalya 19:37, 25 March 2006 (UTC)]] You're welcome, you absoutely deserve it! -- Natalya 17:58, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

		Smashing job on Tip of the day!
		You've done a great job getting the Tip of the Day off the ground. As a result, I think you deserve this! smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 17:52, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		For everyone who worked so hard on the Main Page redesign, we all deserve a barnstar! HereToHelp 01:05, 19 March 2006 (UTC) Seconded :-) +sj + 10:00, 22 March 2006 (UTC) Yep, that was a tedious project. Good job. --Go for it! 03:20, 29 March 2006 (UTC)

		Original Barnstar
		For going above and beyond the call of duty at Esperanza/Admin coaching, I award you this Original Barnstar. Good work! --Fang Aili talk 18:34, 1 November 2006 (UTC)

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		Go for it! earned this barnstar for tireless contributions to the Community Portal and Tip of the Day. (^'-')^ Covington 05:19, 1 May 2006 (UTC) Congrats. Don't forget to wind it up every other day. (^'-')^ Covington 05:20, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

		The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
		Your kindess was not random, because you were kind enough to listen to my requests to fix my userpage. Your major kindness will not be ignored, as this BarnStar is my token of appreciation! Kyo catmeow! 01:59, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Or this:

barnstars... thank you wikipedia! Image:Order of Smile.png

(make the link lead to your awards subpage)

[edit] Or even this:

(See Wikipedia:Ribbons)

And there are other ways out there. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.