User:Henk.Wiersema/How to create a software vendor or product wiki page

This page is a reminder for myself and a tiplist for those who want to create a wiki page on a software vendor and/or product. It's created from the pitfalls when I created the Skybot Scheduler wiki page and its logo. Writing a wiki article aint that tough, but writing one that will satisfy all wiki regulatons, and that won't got corrected by one of the criticals out there, is more hard work.

Preparation

Register yourself (it's free, and why shouldn't you, you already have a facebook or linkedin page)
Google for any articles on the vendor or product (you need more than just the website), or contact the vendor. They sure will cooperate, for a wiki page is pure advertisement, and they aren't allowed to make one on theirself. You definitely need one or more web pages (not being wikipedia pages) as info sources four your article, and you have to name them.
Don't worry about a logo, we'll add that later

Starting a draft page

Control-click on Start a new article (in a new window/tab, so this page stays visible).
Enter the product name at Userspace draft (the middle button). This will set up most common content you'll need. No problem if you're still not sure about the final name, you can rename it later on.
Don't remove the "Userspace draft ..." line, you'll need it later on.
Read the directions in the new editor window/tab.
Start writing your text.
Don't write off-topic (like an article on a product having info on its vendor).
After each text line containing some statement (not each line) you took from a web page or so, add a reference with this:

<ref>Author-name "[http://website.com Title of the article]", publication-date or Retrieved today-date</ref>

Add this block of text just below the "Userspace draft ..." line, and adapt it:

{{Infobox software | name = '''Product name''' | logo = [[File:Place here the logo name later]] | caption = Vendors logo from the vendors website. | developer = Product vendor's name | latest_release_version = version of the product | latest_release_date = latest release year of the product | operating_system = [[Unix]], [[Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] | genre = [[job scheduler]] | license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] | website = [http://www.productvendor.com/ www.productvendor.com] }}

Show preview to experience the result, and to avoid lots of "oops" changes.
But don't forget to Save page when satisfied.

Voilà, your first wiki page (even it's a draft).

Upload a logo

Now it's time to upload a logo which will be displayed in the article's infobox.
Warning: since it is not allowed to place a logo on a draft page, it will be removed within a day by a bot. At least you saw the logo in the draft page once.

Look for a logo that is, first of all, low-resolution. The best is to copy it from a web page.
To check the size, paste the logo in a text processor (eg OO-Write, MS-Word, etc).
If the size is larger than, say, a matchbox (a small one), then resize it using an image processor (eg Irfanview).
Give the image a descriptable name, like "Product_logo.jpg".
In the left banner, under Toolbox, select Upload file, again by control-click.
Goto the line "It is the logo of an organization, brand, product, ..."
Click on "organization" or "product".
Upload the image file.
In the Summary, fill at least these in:
- other_information = The use of the logo will not affect the value of the vendor or its product, or limit the copyright holder's rights or ability to distribute the original. In particular, the original logo is free coy-able from the vendor's website.
Licensing pull-down: select "Logo"
Hit "Upload file"
Eventally edit the page if you found something wrong (for the upload page has no "Show preview" button), like:
- The double copyright box, caused by {{non-free logo}}
- Categories
Check under "File links" that the logo is linked from your draft article page.
Go there to see that the logo appears in the infobox.

Request feedback on your article

This step is optional, for your page will be reviewd anyway after you have published it.

You can ask other (mostly well acquainted) wikipedians how they think about your draft page.

Copy the title of your wiki page, somethink like "User:Henk.Wiersema/My new article".
Click on the "Wikipedia:Requests for feedback" link in the top box.
On the Request for feedback page, in the "How to post a request" box, replace "Untitled" with your draft article name (paste).
Hit "Click to ask Request".
On the next page you can reed why it is so important to have reliable sources for your article.
Ignore the "PLACE A LINK TO YOUR ARTICLE HERE" box and the button.
Add some text as why you want your article been reviewed. I used, for example:

I have wrote this draft article and it would be helpful if you evaluate it before I publish it.

Hit "Save page".
After about one day, visit the Wikipedia:Requests for feedback page. The comment will be written below the part you just added. You also will receive an email.

Make your wiki page official

If you are satisfied with the content of your article, you can move it to the article namespace.

Click om "Finished? Move the page".
You can rename your article, if you wish.
After moving, go to the new page.
In the infobox, the logo is missing. Fix this in the infobox.
Also, go to the logo page, and fix the article name.

In your new article, you'll see "This page is a new unreviewed article." After some days the article will be reviewd by a wikipedian. If he/she modifies your page, check the history, and you'll see why he made the change.
Btw the draft page remains in wikipedia, it is just emptied and rebuild into a link to the official wiki page. Only wiki administrators can delete a page.

Your article with logo is ready ... for improvements by anyone. That's Wikipedia!