Test-Scratch-Wiki:Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Scratch Wiki and wikis in general. Not all questions are included here, so feel free to ask any questions on the Community Portal. Also, questions about Scratch itself do not belong here if you have a question, you can ask it on the Scratch discussion forums.

What is a wiki?
A wiki is an informational website that anyone can edit. To let yourself and others enjoy this site to the fullest, please research the facts before posting anything on it (and be sure to cite your sources). Unlike many wikis, this wiki does not allow anonymous users to edit and does not allow anonymous users to create accounts. This is only to prevent vandalism and to make sure that "GenericScratcher" on the wiki is the same "GenericScratcher" on Scratch (no impersonation). For more information on wikis, please feel free to check out Wikipedia's wiki article.

A wiki? For Scratch?
Yes. Everything on this wiki is entirely Scratch-related. We have information on blocks, parts of the website, project creating techniques, "how to" articles related to Scratch, and much more.

Can't I just go on Wikipedia?
While Wikipedia has an article on Scratch, it is very limited as to what they can add. Here, basically anything goes. Wikipedia's Scratch article is also designed so any reader can learn about the program, whereas this wiki is more for Scratchers. The level of detail permissible and encouraged here would be rapidly deleted as fancruft is not allowed on Wikipedia.

Can I make articles about Scratchers and projects?
Articles about scratchers and projects are not allowed. Sorry, but these articles are often advertisements (e.g. "Make sure to check out this really great project!") and could be targets for vandalism (e.g. "this user was mean!")

I found an article about a Scratcher/project. What now?
Simply replace the contents of the page with. This creates a box that tells an admin to delete the page because it is about a Scratcher or a project.

How do I edit?
Help:Formatting is a good place to start. Practice formatting on the sandbox. If you still need help, ask an administrator or another experienced user. Once you know the basics, click the "Edit" button at the top, or click the "[edit]" link by a section to edit just that section.

How do I create an article?
Visit CREATE to create an article.

What happens if I see a title that is incorrectly spelled or capitalized?
Either way, it must be moved. If it is misspelled, uncheck the "Leave a redirect behind." Otherwise, leave it checked.

What's with the different colored links?
There are two different colored links.


 * Blue links are links. They can either be internal links, that is they link to other pages on the wiki, or external links, that is they link to other pages outside the wiki.
 * Red links are pages that have not been created or have been deleted.

What do the numbers mean in the recent changes?
Some numbers can be seen in the recent changes after the time an edit was made. This number indicates how many characters were added or removed from the article. If the number is in bold, it means that a lot of characters were either removed or added, indicating a major revision to the article.

For example:


 * [[File:AnExampleofPositiveByteChange.png]]

would indicate 1,000 characters were added to this article by a user named User with a summary "Comment", whereas:


 * [[File:AnExampleofNegativeByteChange.png]]

would indicate 1,000 characters were removed from this article by a user named User.

Who owns this site? Who is the site leader?
Technically, this wiki is hosted at the MIT Media Lab and is a part of the official Scratch Website. Scmb1 takes care of the technical aspects of the wiki together with the Scratch Team, but essentially we are a free and independent community, and do as we please.

As for this site having a leader (elected or not), we have none. There are users who have different access powers (as mentioned above), and we have a founder from the original Scratch Wiki, LukeTek, although, he is retired. In community discussions, the Scratch Team, sysops and bureaucrats. But in general, the Scratch Wiki is not run by a leader, webmaster, president, or anything of the sort. Decisions are mostly made democratically by the community.

Is the content of this wiki copyrighted?
No copyrights apply to content submitted to the Scratch Wiki. Everyone is free to copy, rewrite, add to (by requesting an account) or reuse the information on this site. Attribution to the source is highly appreciated.

Where do discussions take place?
Discussions fall into three categories:


 * Wiki discussion
 * User discussion
 * Page discussion

Wiki discussion is done at the Community Portal. That page is the main spotlight for discussion; questions on almost anything can go there.

User discussion is done on users' talk pages. For example, if a user overwrote another's work with no reason, the user who has lost their work can post a message on the other's talk page, asking why the edit was made.

Page discussion is done on the discussion pages of either an article, a file, a category, or any other page. The discussions there are kept on topic to the page, not the topic itself; a typical discussion may involve a section of an article, asking if the information given is relevant or not.

If a discussion is posted in the wrong place or evolves into a whole new topic, the discussion may be moved to a more suitable place, usually the Community Portal.

When adding a post on a talk page, always type ~ after your post to display your signature. This lets people know who the post was posted by and when.

Where can I learn about the wiki's history?
There is a page about it here that serves as an article about the wiki.

Other Questions
These are questions that have been taken from questions asked by real users before in the past.

What is a minor edit?
A minor edit shows that when editing the page, you only edited a small part, such as capitalizing a letter, or adding your signature on a talk page.

What does "Purge" do?
The purge button is often found on template documentations (for example on the template documentation at the bottom of Template:Header Template.) It simply refreshes the page to see if any changes have been made.

Is it necessary to blur usernames or project names in images?
No, it is not necessary to blur usernames or project names, unless the user pleads anonymity.

Can we write about blocks from Scratch Modifications?
Yes, but it is preferred if the information is written in the article of the Scratch Modification that the blocks are in.

Can we use talk pages to chat?
Talk pages are meant to be for wiki-related comments and questions, not for having a conversation about something else.

Should we be using second person in articles?
Wiki editors are supposed to use third person, although sometimes the flow of a sentence is better if second person is used, especially on How To pages. Otherwise, try to say "one" rather than "you".

Can we write about Scratch Modifications?
Yes, however you can only write about notable Scratch Modifications. If you do find an article about a Scratch Modification that is not notable, place on the top of the page.