Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2024 May 13

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May 13[edit]

Request for Assistance with Account Deletion[edit]

Hello, I’m trying to delete my Wikipedia account but haven’t been able to find the necessary steps on the Help pages. Could someone please assist me with this? I’ve checked the Username policy and Help pages, but I couldn’t find any information on account deletion. Any guidance on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Knowledgeseeker1937 (talk) 00:03, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

There is no means of deleting an account, as legally all edits must be attributable to someone. You may just stop using and abandon your account. A vanishing may also be an option, see WP:VANISH. 331dot (talk) 00:06, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Please don't attempt the option of WP:VANISH, Knowledgeseeker1937. Your contributions to Wikipedia have been so (very, very) minor that making their author vanish would not be worth the time of the person who'd do this. If you'd like to contribute under a different username, feel free to do so. -- Hoary (talk) 01:58, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Are you recommending sockpuppetry? —Tamfang (talk) 18:19, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
No, Tamfang, I am not. Please see WP:Clean start. -- Hoary (talk) 22:45, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
You can simply rename your account to a random string of letters and numbers and ask for your talk page to be deleted, and remove all mentions of your username from talk pages throughout Wikipedia. Félix An (talk) 07:04, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
No, please do not tamper with messages already posted. And don't simply ask other people to do anything, for the reason I've already given. -- Hoary (talk) 07:58, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

How to reopen closed AfD[edit]

This might be the wrong place to go to ask an adminstrative help question. I closed an AfD as keep and have been asked to reopen it. In 16 years as an admin, I've never previously been convinced to reopen one. However, almost all of the commenters on the AfD (which I closed on May 7) have turned out to be socks. It seems appropriate to reopen the AfD as requested. What is the proper procedure for that? I have hunted. Apparently I'm blind because I can't find it. I do not want to blunder in and guess what's the right way. Doczilla Ohhhhhh, no! 18:28, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

You can just revert your closure, strike comments of socks and relist it for further 7 days. Ruslik_Zero 19:15, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I just wanted to make sure it's as simple as that before mucking about. Much appreciated. Doczilla Ohhhhhh, no! 20:44, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

How to add suggested languages[edit]

When I go to the top of the page and try to go to the same page on another Wikipedia, the only "suggested langauges" I get are Croatian and Italian. How do I add or remove those languages? I don't understand how to use the "add languages" button. When an article has pages in Bosnian or Serbian or Slovenian or even German or French I have to scroll all the way down the list to see them. Nobody I know even speaks Italian! Can I switch to the old language list? It was a lot more obvious and quicker. 89.172.73.191 (talk) 19:07, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

IP editor, if you want to restore the old appearance of Wikipedia as an IP editor, see Wikipedia:Vector 2022#Without an account. TSventon (talk) 19:23, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, this new design is so broken 89.172.73.191 (talk) 19:38, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The new design was the result of extensive effort and study, trying to balance the different ways different people use Wikipedia. It is hard to create something that is equally good for all 8 billion humans on this planet. No one says it is perfect, please offer your suggestions on the talk page of the page Tswenson directed you to. 331dot (talk) 10:32, 17 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]